Test Smarter, Save More: AstroFarm for Hybrid Dev/QA Teams

In a world where apps need to work perfectly across hundreds of devices and operating systems, Engineering (Dev/QA) teams are feeling the pressure. And if you're part of a hybrid or remote testing team, you're likely juggling more than just test cases—you’re dealing with time zone gaps, limited device access, spiraling costs, and frustrating debugging delays.

Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. These are real-life challenges faced by modern QA teams. But the good news is: you don’t need to build a full-blown test lab in every office—or rely on expensive, slow, and insecure public device farms. With AstroFarm by 42Gears, you can build your own private mobile device farm using devices you already own.

Let’s break down the top QA headaches—and how AstroFarm can help fix them.

Challenge #1: “I don’t have the right test devices with me.”

The problem: In hybrid and remote setups, not everyone has physical access to all the test devices they need. Some devices are locked up in office racks, some are sitting idle at a teammate’s desk, and others are stuck in courier limbo.

The AstroFarm solution: With AstroFarm, you can build a private mobile device farm using your company’s existing devices. Any device, anywhere—once enrolled—can be accessed remotely by QA team members. Whether you're at home or in another time zone, you get full control over the device, just like you're holding it in your hands.

Challenge #2: “We’re spending a fortune renting devices.”

The problem: Public device farms charge by the hour—some as high as ~$10//hour per device. For long or repeated tests, those costs add up fast. Not to mention, those devices are shared, which raises security concerns.

The AstroFarm solution: AstroFarm lets you use devices your company already owns, with zero device rental costs. You can enroll dozens, or even hundreds of Android and iOS devices and make them remotely accessible 24/7. And since these are private devices, you control the security, access, and data usage. Say goodbye to high rental bills and questionable device hygiene.

Challenge #3: “Debugging remotely used to be impossible.”

The problem: When a bug popped up on a customer’s device, developers had no real way to connect remotely. The usual workaround was to ask the customer to reproduce the issue, download crash logs, and send it back to the developer.

The AstroFarm solution: Developers simply ask customers to connect the device to AstroFarm. From there, debugging becomes straightforward:

• NextGen Remote Control for iOS and Android — Near-zero lag, with 3x faster performance than traditional tools.
  
• Live crash log capture — Instantly view and download crash logs, along with video evidence of what happened.
  
• Xcode and Android Studio support — Debug as if the device were plugged directly into your local machine.

Remote debugging goes from “not possible” to seamless.

Challenge #4: “Too many testers, not enough devices.”

The problem: When a critical testing phase hits, everyone wants the same set of devices—and chaos ensues. Manual coordination wastes time and delays testing cycles.

The AstroFarm solution: AstroFarm gives admins device booking controls to assign devices to specific testers for set periods. Once time’s up, the device returns to the shared pool. You can also group devices by type, test priority, or team—making access smoother and fairer for everyone.

Challenge #5: “Maintaining test environments is a time sink.”

The problem: Cleaning up test environments, uninstalling old apps, and preparing devices for new test rounds takes up hours that could be spent running actual tests.

The AstroFarm solution: AstroFarm’s App Manager for Android lets you install, uninstall, and manage apps across multiple devices remotely. No more device-by-device cleanup. Just a few clicks, and you're ready for the next sprint.

Why AstroFarm Just Works for Modern QA Teams

Whether you're a QA engineer working from a home office or part of a globally distributed DevOps team, AstroFarm helps you:

✅ Maximize ROI from devices you already own
✅ Eliminate rental costs from public device clouds
✅ Speed up testing and debugging with remote access and automation tools
✅ Maintain high device security and access control
✅ Support scaling without increasing infrastructure costs

Your Next Step: Stop Testing the Hard Way

QA shouldn’t be about fighting logistics—it should be about building better apps. AstroFarm gives your team the freedom, speed, and control you need to test smarter, debug faster, and reduce costs across the board.

Try AstroFarm today. Build your own device farm in minutes and unlock the true potential of your remote and hybrid QA teams.