# Self-Host Cursor Agent CLI on a Server, 24/7

> Run Cursor Agent (the agent CLI) on its own Firecracker microVM. Terminal-first, BYO Cursor account or API key. 30-day money-back.

- Published: 2026-07-30 · Updated: 2026-07-30 · jurniti
- Canonical: https://www.jurniti.com/blog/cursor-hosting

Cursor shipped a first-class **Agent CLI** — same agentic loop, portable binary, installable with one curl. Hosting "Cursor" as a desktop app on a VPS is the wrong shape. Hosting **`agent`** on its own always-on Firecracker microVM is the right one: login in a remote PTY, rules in the repo, MCP when you need tools, and a blast radius that ends at the VM wall.

Here's the clean setup on [jurniti Cursor Agent hosting](/cursor).

## What Cursor Agent is

Cursor Agent is Anysphere's terminal coding agent. Official install:

```bash
curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash
```

That drops `agent` (and `cursor-agent`) under `~/.local/bin`, with the real binary versioned under `~/.local/share/cursor-agent/versions/`.

Useful entry points:

- **`agent`** — interactive session in the current workspace  
- **`agent login`** — account auth (`NO_OPEN_BROWSER=1` for SSH/remote)  
- **`export CURSOR_API_KEY=…`** — automation / CI  
- **`agent --print -p "…"`** — non-interactive one-shot  
- **`agent mcp`**, **`agent models`**, **`agent status`**

Settings live in `~/.cursor/cli-config.json`. Session auth is separate (do not publish it).

## Why a real microVM

Cursor Agent acts. It edits the workspace, can run tools, and can call MCP servers. On a laptop that's your whole home directory. A shared container still shares the host kernel.

**jurniti gives Cursor Agent its own Firecracker microVM** — own kernel, KVM boundary, one tenant per box. A bad tool call or a poisoned MCP integration stays disposable.

**You keep the Cursor relationship.** Login or `CURSOR_API_KEY` stays inside the guest. jurniti is not in the model path and does not mark up tokens.

Most work fits **Starter (1 vCPU / 2 GiB)**. **30-day money-back**, workspace kept after cancel per plan terms.

## Run it in 3 steps

### 1. Pick a plan and pay

[Starter](/pricing) is enough for most Cursor Agent work. Checkout triggers auto-provision.

### 2. Your microVM boots with `agent` ready

Ubuntu guest, CLI on PATH, in-browser terminal — no SSH required:

```bash
NO_OPEN_BROWSER=1 agent login
# or: export CURSOR_API_KEY=...
cd your-project
agent
```

### 3. Put it to work

Add project rules (`AGENTS.md` / team conventions), wire MCP, use `--print` for jobs you don't want to babysit. Config survives restarts on the persistent home.

## What people run it for

- **Always-on agentic coding** without pinning a laptop  
- **Remote PTY login** with `NO_OPEN_BROWSER` device/code flows  
- **Headless jobs** via `agent --print`  
- **MCP-heavy workflows** with secrets that never leave the guest  

Snapshot a configured agent into a [template](/templates) — settings and rules, never auth.

## jurniti vs laptop vs DIY VPS

| | jurniti | Laptop | DIY VPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always on | Yes | No | Yes |
| Isolation for tool-using agents | Firecracker (KVM) | Whole machine | Shared kernel |
| Cursor credentials | Yours, in the VM | Yours | Yours |
| Setup | ~3 min automatic | Local install | Manual forever |
| Refund | 30-day money-back | n/a | None |

## Pricing

Starter **$25/mo** ($250/year). Pro **$49/mo**, Max **$99/mo**. Model spend separate, never marked up. Every plan: **30-day money-back**.

Running a different agent? See [Claude Code](/blog/claude-code-hosting), [Devin](/blog/devin-hosting), or [CLI agents compared](/blog/cli-coding-agents-on-microvms), or [pricing](/pricing).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Cursor Agent?

Cursor Agent is Anysphere's terminal coding agent — the `agent` CLI documented at cursor.com/cli. It is not the Electron IDE; it is a shell-first agent with login, models, MCP, plugins, and non-interactive `--print` mode.

### Can I run Cursor Agent on a server?

Yes. Install with `curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash`, put `agent` on PATH, and log in with `NO_OPEN_BROWSER=1 agent login` on remote PTYs (or set CURSOR_API_KEY). jurniti boots a microVM with the CLI pre-installed and an in-browser terminal.

### Do I need my own Cursor account?

Yes. jurniti is bring-your-own-credentials. Use `agent login` or `CURSOR_API_KEY`. Auth lives in your VM under ~/.cursor/; traffic goes to Cursor's backend. jurniti never resells model tokens.

### Why a microVM instead of my laptop?

Cursor Agent can edit files, run shell tools, and call MCP servers. On a laptop the blast radius is your whole machine. On jurniti it gets its own Firecracker microVM with a KVM boundary — rebuild in seconds if something goes wrong.

### How much does managed Cursor Agent cost?

Plans start at $25/mo ($250/year — two months free), with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Cursor Agent fits Starter (1 vCPU / 2 GiB) for most work. Your Cursor/model spend is separate and never marked up.

### Is this an official Cursor product?

No. jurniti is independent managed hosting. We install the upstream Cursor Agent binary from cursor.com/install at bake time — no fork — so you run real `agent` with your account.