01
Overview
OpenRouter's new hosted Shell runtime introduces a second cost component beside model tokens: sandbox execution time. For teams evaluating agentic code execution, understanding that billing model matters more than the headline per-second number.
02
Current sandbox price
OpenRouter documents Shell and Bash at \$0.0001 per active second of sandbox time. That metering starts when a request first runs a sandbox command and ends after the last sandbox command for that request. Model-token charges are separate. The total request cost is therefore the selected model's usage plus sandbox time.
03
Cold-container minimum
A request that starts a new container, or one that has gone idle, is billed for a minimum of 30 seconds of sandbox time. At the current \$0.0001-per-second rate, that works out to \$0.003 of sandbox cost before model tokens. That \$0.003 figure is simple arithmetic from OpenRouter's published rate and minimum; it is not a separate fee named by OpenRouter. If an agent sends several requests to the same active container in succession, OpenRouter says only the first request pays the cold-container minimum.
04
Is idle time billed?
OpenRouter says time spent idle after the request ends is not billed. Containers themselves sleep after five minutes of inactivity.
05
Files API pricing
Files API usage currently has no separate charge. Workspace storage is included with Shell usage, subject to a total storage limit of 10 GiB during the beta.
06
File and retention limits
OpenRouter currently allows up to 20 attached files per container. Files generated in a container are retained for 30 days. If a generated file needs to be kept longer or reused in future jobs, it can be promoted into workspace storage.
07
What does a real request cost?
A simple cold-start job that completes in under 30 seconds still pays the 30-second sandbox minimum, currently \$0.003, plus its model-token charges. A longer 120-second sandbox job would contribute \$0.012 in sandbox time, again before model usage. For repeated multi-step work, reusing a live container can reduce the number of cold-start minimums. But cost optimization should not override isolation requirements: separate workloads when security or tenant boundaries require it.
08
What is not included in these numbers?
The published sandbox rate does not replace model pricing. You still pay for the model tokens used by the request. External services reached through allowed networking may also have their own costs. The beta announcement does not establish a universal all-in price for an agent run because the model, token count, execution duration and external services all vary.
09
Beta warning
Shell, Bash, Files API and containers are beta features. Pricing, limits, storage policy and API behavior can change. Recheck OpenRouter's current documentation before approving a production budget or publishing hard cost comparisons.
10
Source
OpenRouter's September 8, 2026 Shell/Files announcement and linked product documentation.
Sources
Primary and supporting sources
Facts were rechecked against the linked sources immediately before publication. Pricing, product availability and rollout status can change.