Your team already uses a public device farm. It gives you access to a large catalog of Android and iOS devices without the cost and effort of buying and maintaining every model yourself.
But what happens when the device you need for testing isn't available on that public device farm?
Maybe it's a rugged handheld used by your field teams. A custom Android device built specifically for your business. A regional device variant. A pre-release device. Or simply a phone your organization already owns and needs to test on.
This is where things get complicated.
Some public device farms don't let you add your own devices at all. Others offer private-device capabilities at an additional cost, which can make testing on devices you already own surprisingly expensive.
With AstroFarm, you don't have to replace your public device farm. Keep using it for the broad device coverage it provides, and use AstroFarm to bring your own devices into your testing workflow.
Think of it as a simple extension to your existing testing strategy:
Public device farm for breadth. AstroFarm for the devices you own.
How AstroFarm Extends Your Public Device Farm in Practice
There are four practical ways teams can use AstroFarm alongside the public device farm they already have.
1. Cover the Devices the Public Cloud Cannot Get
Most public device farms offer a curated catalog, but some devices may not be available. These can include rugged handhelds, custom Android devices, kiosks, regional variants, or pre-release hardware. With AstroFarm, you can connect the devices you already own and make them available for manual or automated testing.
2. Test Apps on Devices You Want to Keep In-House
Some apps and builds may need to be tested in an environment you control. With AstroFarm, you can connect your own devices and use them for testing within your organization. This gives teams greater control over their devices, builds, and testing environment.
3. Reduce Costs on Long-Running Tests
Running automated regression suites for hours on a public device farm can add up. You can use AstroFarm for long-running tests on your own devices while continuing to use your public device farm for broader device coverage and occasional testing.
4. Give Support and Sales Engineering Secure Access
When a customer reports an issue on a specific device, support teams need access to that hardware to reproduce it. Similarly, sales and development teams may need devices for demos or validation. AstroFarm's role-based access and temporary session sharing make both possible without a single device leaving the lab, and without a compliance form for every demo.
You Don't Have to Choose Between Public and Private Device Testing
Public device farms give you broad access to devices and OS versions, but they cannot cover every device your team needs. A private device farm fills those gaps. Whether it is a rugged handheld, custom hardware, POS device, or a device you already own, AstroFarm lets you connect it and make it available for remote testing.
Use Your Own Devices Alongside Your Public Device Farm
Keep using your public device farm for broad coverage, and use AstroFarm for the devices that matter specifically to your business. You simply use each where it makes the most sense.
Where Each Farm Fits
| Testing requirement | Use |
| Test across a large range of popular devices and OS versions | Public device farm |
| Test on devices your organization already owns | AstroFarm |
| Test on rugged, custom, POS, or specialized hardware | AstroFarm |
| Run long-running regression suites on your own devices | AstroFarm |
| Get deep OS-level control for testing and debugging | AstroFarm |
| Keep test data within an environment you control | AstroFarm |
| Test on devices unavailable in a public catalog | AstroFarm |
| Run occasional tests across newly released devices | Public device farm |
Let's say your team uses a public device farm to test its consumer mobile application.
Your current workflow looks like this:
Public Device Farm
- Samsung Galaxy devices
- Google Pixel devices
- iPhones
- Different OS versions
- Browser and compatibility testing
Now your team needs to test on three additional devices:
- A rugged warehouse scanner
- A custom Android device
- An older internal test device
None of these devices are available in the public catalog.
Instead of replacing your existing setup, you connect those three devices to AstroFarm.
Now your testing strategy looks like:
Public Device Farm, For broad device and OS coverage.
AstroFarm, For your own devices and specialized hardware.
The two environments remain separate, but your QA team has access to both when planning and executing testing.
Who Benefits from This Setup?
QA Teams
Use your own device fleet for regular regression, functional, and exploratory testing while relying on public farms for broader device coverage.
Automation Engineers
Run automated test suites on connected devices using tools such as Appium and integrate them into your existing CI/CD workflows.
Mobile Developers
Access real devices remotely to reproduce bugs, test fixes, and debug application behavior without needing physical access to the device.
Distributed and Remote Teams
Give team members secure remote access to devices in a central lab, making it easier to collaborate without shipping hardware between locations.
Device Lab and IT Teams
Bring existing devices into a centrally managed testing environment, improve device utilization, and make hardware accessible across teams.
Enterprises With Specialized Devices
Test on rugged handhelds, POS systems, kiosks, custom Android devices, and other hardware that may not be available through public device farms.
Teams With Security and Compliance Requirements
Healthcare, fintech, and government teams often handle sensitive data and applications that require greater control over their testing environment. AstroFarm lets these teams use their own devices while maintaining greater control over test data, device access, and testing infrastructure.
Where Should You Start?
If your organization already uses a public device farm, start by looking at what it doesn't cover.
Ask:
- Which devices do we need that aren't available in the public catalog?
- Which devices do we already own?
- Are we paying extra to access privately owned devices?
- Do we have rugged, custom, POS, kiosk, or specialized hardware that needs regular testing?
- Which of our devices are currently sitting unused?
Those devices could be your starting point with AstroFarm.
Connect the hardware, make it remotely accessible, and integrate it into the testing workflows your team already uses.
Use it where it makes sense. Use AstroFarm where your own devices make more sense.
The Bottom Line
A public device farm gives your team access to a broad selection of devices.
But breadth isn't the same as complete coverage.
Sometimes the most important device for your application is the one that isn't in a public catalog — because you already own it.
Whether it's a rugged handheld, custom Android hardware, an internal prototype, or simply a device sitting unused in your lab, AstroFarm lets you turn that hardware into a remotely accessible testing resource.
Keep your public device farm. Add the devices you own. Test on the hardware that matters.
That's how AstroFarm extends your existing mobile testing strategy.
To learn what a private device farm looks like under the hood, read the AstroFarm 101 guide to private mobile device farms. For the broader case on private vs. public, see Is a Private Device Farm Better Than a Public One for Mobile App Testing?. And to see how real-device testing actually changes test outcomes, take a look at how device farms revolutionize mobile app testing.
Ready to extend your public device farm with a private lab? Start your free AstroFarm trial →
FAQ
Do I have to give up my public device farm?
No. AstroFarm extends it. Most teams keep both running in parallel — the public farm for breadth, AstroFarm for depth and control.
What kinds of devices can AstroFarm enroll in?
Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones and iPads, rugged handhelds, Wear OS, Android TV, and even custom or pre-release hardware. Any device that can connect over USB or Wi-Fi works.
Will my existing automation break?
No. AstroFarm is compatible with Appium, Selenium, Espresso, XCUITest, and most CI/CD systems. Tests written for a public device farm run unchanged on AstroFarm.
How long does setup take?
Most teams enroll their first 10 to 20 devices and run a parallel automation suite within a day. Larger fleets and enterprise SSO integrations typically take a week.
What about compliance?
AstroFarm runs in your infrastructure or a private cloud you control. It supports SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, Cyber Essentials, and HIPAA-aligned workflows. Devices, builds, and data never leave your perimeter unless you choose to send them to a public device farm.
