Cube vs Claude Code cloud sessions
Anthropic’s cloud sessions are the easiest way to run one Claude Code task off your laptop. Cube is a computer that keeps your whole setup, for every agent you use.
Published
The short version
Claude Code cloud sessions run a Claude Code task on a VM Anthropic manages. You start from the browser, the desktop app, your phone or the terminal, and the session carries on when you close your laptop. The VM is temporary: it’s reclaimed when the session goes idle and a fresh one is started when you come back.
Cube is your own Linux computer in the cloud. Your repos, tools, credentials and files stay on it between sessions, and it runs Claude Code alongside Codex and other agents.
Side by side
| Claude Code cloud sessions | Cube | |
|---|---|---|
| The machine | Temporary, managed by Anthropic | Yours, always on |
| Between sessions | VM reclaimed when idle; in-flight background work lost | Everything stays where it was |
| Specs | Not published | Pick the machine that suits you |
| Billing | Included; uses your plan’s Claude usage | Cube plan; agents use your own accounts |
| Agents | Claude Code | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode and more |
| Your tools | Configured per environment | Install once, keep them |
| Access | Web, desktop, mobile, terminal | Mac app, phone, and SSH |
When to choose cloud sessions
- You want to fire off a Claude Code task from the browser or your phone, with nothing to set up.
- The task fits in one sitting and doesn’t need your own toolchain.
When to choose Cube
- You want a machine that keeps your repos, dependencies and dev servers between tasks.
- You use more than one agent, not only Claude Code.
- You run long or parallel work that shouldn’t lose its state when a session goes idle.
Questions
Do Claude Code cloud sessions cost extra?
Anthropic doesn’t charge separately for the cloud VM. Cloud sessions count against your plan’s normal Claude usage limits.
Does a Claude Code cloud session keep its machine?
The conversation persists, but the VM is reclaimed after a period of inactivity. Reopening the session starts a fresh VM with the history restored; background work that was in flight, like shell commands or subagents, is lost.
Can I use Claude Code cloud sessions and Cube together?
Yes. They solve different problems: a quick task from the browser, or a persistent machine for your repos, tools and agents.