SkieSkie vs Kandji (now Iru)
Apple-first device management that now lists Android and Windows, against an Android-only product. Apple fleets are a different fit.
Kandji, now operating as Iru, built its name on Apple device management for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and now lists Windows and Android alongside identity and compliance products. It is quote-based. Skie is Android only today, runs as the Android device owner and has a school, branch, group and student structure. This page helps buyers choose between an Apple-first platform and an Android institution tool.
For Apple fleets, Iru is a better fit and Skie cannot manage them; for Android institutions, Skie adds device-owner enforcement and a school structure.
Side by side
| What you are comparing | Kandji (now Iru) | Skie |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A device management, identity and compliance platform from Iru, formerly Kandji. | 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 | Companies, mostly technology firms, with Apple devices; education is not featured on the home page. | Schools, institutes, hostels, companies and families that run Android phones and tablets. |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro, Windows, Linux and Android per the home page. | Android 12 or newer phones and tablets. Android only today. |
| Do you have to buy hardware from them | No. Software. | 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 is listed; the depth of Android controls: Not publicly documented. | 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 for Android. | 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 | App management for Apple devices; Android: Not publicly documented. | 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 protection is a security product feature; school filtering: 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 | Not publicly documented for school-hour schedules. | 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 for Apple devices. Android and 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 | Not publicly documented for Android lost mode. | 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. | 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 | Alerts through compliance tooling; school routing: 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 | Admin roles and tags; school 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. | 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 | Kiosk modes exist for Apple devices; Android: Not publicly documented. | Full-screen kiosk mode, and a one-app allow list also locks a device to one app. |
| Tablet support | iPad yes; Android tablets: Not publicly documented. | Yes. Phones and tablets get equal weight. Wi-Fi-only tablets work for most features. |
| Pricing model | Quote-based. Capterra shows no public figures; third-party estimates are about USD 30 to USD 80 per device per year and are unverified. | Seat-based licences, one device per seat. Pricing is on request. |
| Countries available | Sold in many countries; list: Not publicly documented. | Worldwide, subject to local law, wherever the device has Google Play services. |
| Setup effort | Cloud console with Apple enrolment. Android steps: 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 | Iru lists a public trust center for compliance; region options: 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 | Companies with Apple fleets that want compliance automation. | Android-only schools, hostels, institutes and field teams that want device-owner enforcement and a clear structure without extra hardware. |
Iru does not publish prices; plans are quote-based, and third-party estimates of USD 30 to USD 80 per device per year are unverified (November 2026). Skie is Android only today, so it cannot replace Iru on Apple devices. Skie pricing is on request.
Where Kandji (now Iru) is strong
- Strong Apple device management with automation and compliance tooling.
- One agent across endpoint, identity and compliance products.
- A public trust center aimed at audit readiness.
- Android and Windows now on the platform list.
Where Skie stands out
- Built around Android device-owner mode with each protection as a switch.
- School, branch, group, student, device structure.
- Hostel night mode and schedule windows.
- Locked filtering DNS and forced SafeSearch.
- Education is the core focus, not an add-on.
- Breach centre with alerts to the exact device.
What Kandji (Iru) is, and what Skie is not
Kandji built its reputation on Apple device management and now operates as Iru, adding identity and compliance products and listing Windows, Linux and Android on its platform page. Its audience is mostly companies, and the home page does not feature education.
Skie is Android only today. It cannot manage Macs, iPhones or iPads. If your fleet is Apple, Iru or another Apple-first tool is the right fit.
Android in Iru
Iru lists Android and has a dedicated Android page, but the pages read do not detail what the Android controls are. That makes it hard to compare feature by feature.
Skie documents its Android controls as separate switches, from blocking factory reset in Settings to locking the date and time, and the device owner enforces them.
Where an Android-only institution fits
A school, hostel or institute with Android tablets needs a structure of schools, branches and groups, schedules for class and night, and filtering that follows the device. Skie has those. It also has an install guard and a breach centre that alerts down to the exact device.
Skie does not yet have per-app limits, usage reports or an API.
Cost and choice
Iru pricing is quote-based and reported to have minimum device counts that differ between sources. Skie pricing is on request, per seat, one device per seat.
Choose Iru for Apple fleets and compliance work. Choose Skie for Android phones and tablets in an institution.
Where each tool is strongest
Iru's strength is a single agent and automation across endpoint, identity and compliance, with a trust center for audit evidence. That suits a technology company with Mac laptops and a security team that must show evidence to auditors.
Skie is strongest where devices are shared, supervised and used by students or field staff: hostel night mode, school-hour schedules, parent read-only access and alerts that name the exact device. The two tools solve different problems and rarely compete for the same buyer.
Questions to ask Iru
Ask Iru for a price quote and its device minimum, since sources conflict between 25 devices and 50-device buckets. Ask for the Android feature list, particularly whether fully managed mode, kiosk and app blocking are available, and whether any education customers use it.
Ask Skie to show the device models page, the hardening switches and the schedule windows on a trial group. Skie is Android only and does not manage Apple devices, so say plainly which devices you have before any demo.
A mixed company or school
A company with Mac laptops for staff and Android phones for field teams can use Iru for the Macs and Skie for the phones. The field team gets a locked app list, location with geofences, and alerts to the exact device when a protection fails.
A school with Mac teaching laptops and Android student tablets can do the same. Staff manage two consoles, which is the cost of choosing a specialist tool for each platform. Skie does not offer an API yet, so integration between the two would be manual.
Choose Kandji (now Iru) if
- Your devices are Macs, iPhones or iPads.
- You want compliance automation and identity in one platform.
- You are a company with Apple laptops and a security team.
- You can budget for quote-based pricing.
Choose Skie if
- Your devices are Android phones and tablets.
- You run a school, hostel, institute or field team.
- You want teacher, warden and parent roles.
- You want protections enforced by Android as device owner.
Iru, formerly Kandji, is a strong choice for Apple fleets and compliance-minded companies, and it now lists Android and Windows too. Skie is Android only and cannot manage Apple devices. For an Android-only school, hostel, institute or field team, Skie offers device-owner enforcement, a school, branch and group structure, schedules and alerts to the exact device. Institutions with both platforms can use each tool for its platform.
Questions people ask
Skie vs Kandji: which is better for a school?
Kandji (Iru) is aimed at companies with Apple devices. For Android school devices, Skie is built around that case.
Is Kandji the same as Iru?
Yes. Kandji now operates as Iru.
Does Kandji manage Android?
Iru lists Android on its platform page. The Android feature depth was not detailed on the pages read.
How much does Kandji cost?
Quote-based. No public figures as of November 2026.
Does Skie manage Macs and iPads?
No. Skie is Android only today.
Sources
Not publicly documented when we checked: Price list; Minimum device count; Android control depth; Education features; Region options; Country list.
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. Kandji (now Iru) 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 Iru (formerly Kandji). If something here is out of date or wrong, email contact@knowphone.in and we will check and correct it promptly.