SkieSkie vs 42Gears SureMDM
An 11-platform MDM and kiosk specialist from India, against an Android-only product shaped for schools and hostels.
42Gears SureMDM manages Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS and other platforms from one console, and its SureLock product is a long-standing Android kiosk tool. The maker lists Android Enterprise Recommended status and education use cases such as shared classroom devices. Skie is Android only, runs as the device owner and is built around a school, branch, group and student structure. This page compares them for Android-only institutions, with honest notes on where SureMDM is the wider choice.
Skie offers a lighter, Android-only path with a school structure and device-owner enforcement, while SureMDM is the choice for rugged devices, many platforms and deep kiosk customisation.
Side by side
| What you are comparing | 42Gears SureMDM | Skie |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A cloud and on-premise MDM and UEM, with SureLock for kiosk lockdown and related remote support tools. | Android device management software for parents, schools, hostels and organisations. It runs as the Android device owner, so Android itself enforces the rules. |
| Main audience | Enterprises, retail, logistics, healthcare, education and other fleets with dedicated or mixed devices. | Schools, institutes, hostels, companies and families that run Android phones and tablets. |
| Platforms | Android, iOS and iPadOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Wear OS, VR and other platforms from one console. | Android 12 or newer phones and tablets. Android only today. |
| Do you have to buy hardware from them | No. Software, with support for rugged devices from Zebra and Honeywell among others. | No. Skie is software. Customers use devices they already own or buy their own. |
| Works on devices you already own | Yes. | Yes. Any Android 12 or newer phone or tablet with Google Play services, after a one-time setup or reset. New models go through a one-time model review during setup. |
| Level of control on Android (device owner or app level) | Android Enterprise Recommended solution. Supports zero-touch, Samsung Knox and QR enrolment and work profiles for BYOD. Fully managed and dedicated modes are supported. | Device owner. Each protection is its own policy switch, set from organisation down to group. |
| Can the user remove it or reset around it | Not publicly documented on the pages read. Remote factory reset is listed for lost devices. | Built to be tamper-proof: factory reset, safe mode, developer options, uninstalling Skie and force stop are blocked by default. Factory Reset Protection is tied to the Skie admin account. If anything ever did get through, the admin is alerted, down to the exact device. |
| App control | Silent app push through managed Google Play and a curated enterprise app store. | App lists per group with an impact preview before any change. An app installed later that is not allowed is removed silently. Apps are hidden or suspended, not deleted. The Play Store is shown or hidden by policy. All apps come from Google Play. |
| Web filtering and safe search | Web content filtering is part of the product line. Details of DNS locking and forced SafeSearch: Not publicly documented. | Filtering DNS locked on the device, so it follows the device on any Wi-Fi or mobile data. Chrome SafeSearch and YouTube restricted mode are forced, and more than 50 alternative browsers, VPN apps and proxy apps are always blocked. Per-website allow or block lists are not available yet. |
| Schedules, school-hour and night modes | Time-of-day and location-based policies are listed. | Windows with days, start, end and allowed apps, including overnight. Devices switch app sets on their own for school hours, a study block, break or night mode. Hostel night mode can keep calls allowed. |
| Location, geofences and SOS | Location-based policy is listed. The page read did not use the word geofence. SOS: Not publicly documented. | Live location, fresh location on request, geofences attached to groups and a go-to directions button. The SOS button is part of the parents product. |
| Lost or stolen device handling | Remote factory reset for lost or stolen devices is listed. | Lost mode locks the device, shows a contact message, tracks it and gathers evidence for a police report. Remote erase of a lost device is not available yet. Factory Reset Protection means a wiped device is of no use to whoever took it. |
| Replace or reassign a device | Not publicly documented as a named workflow. | Replace a device keeps the student, group and history and frees the old seat. Identity by IMEI or serial means a reset device does not take a second seat. |
| Alerts and who gets them | Data usage alerts are listed. Alert routing by role: Not publicly documented. | A breach centre across organisation, school, branch, group and device, with resolve at each level. A missing check-in counts as a breach. Email alerts and parent notification of alerts are not available yet. |
| Roles and organisation structure | Groups and role-based access are standard in the console. Education-specific structure: Not publicly documented. | Organisation, school, branch, group, student, device. Roles from organisation admin to class teacher, and parents read-only on school devices. Rules flow down and the most specific level applies last. |
| Screen time reports and per-app limits | Not publicly documented for student-focused per-app limits. Data consumption alerts exist. | Not available yet. Per-app time limits, daily limits and usage reports are something the team is working on. Schedules control when apps work today. |
| Kiosk or single-app lock | Strong: SureLock lockdown to one app or a curated store, with kiosk branding options. | Full-screen kiosk mode, and a one-app allow list also locks a device to one app. |
| Tablet support | Yes, Android tablets are supported, including shared classroom devices. | Yes. Phones and tablets get equal weight. Wi-Fi-only tablets work for most features. |
| Pricing model | Per device per month, billed annually. As of November 2026 review sites report Standard USD 3.99, Premium USD 5.49 and Enterprise USD 7.99. SureLock is also sold separately. | Seat-based licences, one device per seat. Pricing is on request. |
| Countries available | Offices and customers in many countries; the exact country list: Not publicly documented. | Worldwide, subject to local law, wherever the device has Google Play services. |
| Setup effort | Several enrolment routes. Effort depends on route. Time per device: Not publicly documented. | Provision with the Skie Provision app (Wi-Fi pairing, guided steps, live progress) or a laptop with adb. A device must be freshly set up or reset once. QR provisioning is not available yet. |
| Data and privacy approach | Privacy policy on the maker's site. Hosting region choices: Not publicly documented. | Data is stored in an India region (Mumbai). Skie does not read private messages and has no hidden mode. Location tracking needs clear consent; the organisation provides the notices. |
| Best suited for | Rugged and shared devices, retail and logistics kiosks, and mixed-platform fleets. | Android-only schools, hostels, institutes and field teams that want device-owner enforcement and a clear structure without extra hardware. |
As of November 2026, review sites report SureMDM Standard at USD 3.99, Premium at USD 5.49 and Enterprise at USD 7.99 per device per month billed annually, with SureLock sold separately. These figures come from third-party listings of the maker's prices, so confirm with 42Gears. Skie pricing is on request.
Where 42Gears SureMDM is strong
- One console for 11 platforms, including rugged and wearable devices.
- SureLock is a mature kiosk product with single-app and curated-store modes.
- Android Enterprise Recommended and Samsung Knox validation, which suit large managed rollouts.
- Education use cases include shared device mode for classrooms.
- An Indian maker with local presence, useful for support and invoicing in India.
Where Skie stands out
- Device-owner enforcement with each hardening control as its own switch.
- School, branch, group, student and device structure with teacher and read-only parent roles.
- Hostel night mode and schedule windows built in.
- Install guard and a signed-policy model, with compliance read back from Android.
- Breach centre with alerts down to the exact device.
- No hardware to buy and no extra product to add for kiosk, since kiosk is built in.
What SureMDM is
SureMDM is a unified endpoint management console from 42Gears, an Indian company. It manages Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS and several other device types from one console and one agent. The company also makes SureLock, the kiosk product many retailers and hospitality businesses use to turn a tablet into a single-purpose terminal.
On Android it is listed as an Android Enterprise Recommended solution and supports zero-touch, Samsung Knox and QR enrolment. Day to day, an admin enrols devices, assigns profiles, pushes apps silently through managed Google Play and uses remote tools for support.
How it fits schools and hostels
The maker lists education use: managing student devices, protecting learning resources and a shared device mode for classrooms. Time-of-day and location-based policies cover timing and place. What the pages read do not show is a school-specific structure, such as sections inside a branch, or a parent role with read-only access.
Skie builds that structure in. Organisation, school, branch, group, student and device are the levels, rules flow down, and a teacher or hostel warden sees only their own group. Skie also ships a hostel night mode and schedule windows that move a device between app sets on their own.
Enforcement and what each does well
SureMDM is broad and proven in large rollouts, including rugged devices and cross-platform estates. Skie is narrower. It works on Android 12 or newer phones and tablets and enforces rules as the device owner: factory reset from Settings, safe mode, developer options, uninstalling Skie and force stop are blocked by default, and Factory Reset Protection ties a wiped device to the Skie admin account.
Skie does not yet have QR provisioning, per-app time limits, remote erase or an API. If you need those today, SureMDM is the safer choice. If you need an Android fleet in a school locked down quickly, with alerts down to the exact device, Skie is a simpler fit.
Cost and choosing
As of November 2026, third-party listings report SureMDM Standard at USD 3.99 per device per month billed annually, with higher tiers at USD 5.49 and USD 7.99. Kiosk is included in Standard on those listings, and SureLock is also sold alone. Skie pricing is on request, seat based, one device per seat.
Choose SureMDM for mixed platforms, rugged hardware and deep kiosk branding. Choose Skie when the whole estate is Android phones and tablets in a school, hostel, institute or field team, and you want the structure and tamper protections included.
Choose 42Gears SureMDM if
- You manage rugged scanners, Windows PCs or Apple devices alongside Android.
- You want a dedicated kiosk product with extensive branding and layout options.
- You need an on-premise deployment option.
- You want QR or zero-touch enrolment at scale, which Skie does not offer yet.
Choose Skie if
- You run Android phones and tablets in a school, hostel or institute.
- You want a school-shaped structure with parents and teachers without configuring it yourself.
- You want one product for control, schedules, location and kiosk without choosing between add-ons.
- You want protections enforced by Android itself with clear compliance scores.
SureMDM is the wider and more established platform, covering 11 device types, rugged hardware and a dedicated kiosk product, so it is the right choice for mixed or industrial fleets. Skie is the better fit for an Android-only school, hostel, institute or field team that wants device-owner enforcement, a school, branch and group structure with parent and teacher roles, and alerts down to the exact device. Skie does not yet offer QR provisioning, per-app time limits or an API.
Questions people ask
Skie vs SureMDM: which is better for schools?
For Android-only schools, Skie offers a built-in school structure, parent and teacher roles and device-owner enforcement. SureMDM suits schools with other platforms or rugged devices.
How much does SureMDM cost?
As of November 2026, review sites report USD 3.99, 5.49 and 7.99 per device per month billed annually across three tiers. Confirm with 42Gears. Skie pricing is on request.
Is SureLock the same as SureMDM?
No. SureLock is 42Gears' kiosk lockdown product, sold separately and also included in some SureMDM plans.
Does Skie have a kiosk mode?
Yes. Skie has a full-screen kiosk mode, and a one-app allow list locks a device to one app.
Does Skie support iPads?
No. Skie is Android only today. SureMDM supports iPadOS.
Can Skie be used outside India?
Yes. Skie is available worldwide, subject to local law, wherever the device has Google Play services.
Sources
Not publicly documented when we checked: Current price on the maker's own pricing page; Country list; DNS locking and forced SafeSearch; Education-specific structure; Hosting region options.
This comparison was prepared from publicly available information and was last checked on 12 November 2026. Product features, prices and availability change, and anything we could not find is marked as not publicly documented. 42Gears SureMDM and other product names belong to their owners and are used here only to identify their products. Skie is not affiliated with or endorsed by 42Gears Mobility Systems. If something here is out of date or wrong, email contact@knowphone.in and we will check and correct it promptly.