One policy, many devices
Set kiosk mode, approved apps and restrictions once in a policy, then apply it to a group of devices. Send a command to one device from the same policy.
Spreadsheet or MDM
From spreadsheets to an MDM
A spreadsheet records devices. An MDM changes them. If you keep a list of tablets and phones and still visit each one to set it up or fix it, Nomid's Free plan covers up to 10 devices, so you can test the switch before you commit.
- What it does
- NomidConfigures, updates and supports devices
- SpreadsheetLists what people type in
- Setup
- NomidQR code, zero-touch or Samsung KME enrollment
- SpreadsheetManual, on each device
- Remote help
- NomidRemote device control on Pro
- SpreadsheetNone. Someone visits the device
- Cost
- NomidFree up to 10 devices, then per device
- SpreadsheetNo license cost, plus staff time
Signs a spreadsheet has run out
Three problems a list cannot solve, however carefully it is kept.
-
The list drifts from reality
A sheet holds what someone typed in. Devices change hands, apps and settings without the sheet knowing, and the gap grows with the fleet.
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Fixing a device means finding it
With no remote access, recovery starts with locating the device and visiting it. That is slow for a shared tablet in a warehouse and slower across sites.
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Setup depends on one person
Each device is configured by hand, so the result depends on who did it and when. Two tablets in the same role can end up different.
A spreadsheet and Nomid, task by task
A spreadsheet is a fair tool for a short list that never changes. This table shows where the work starts that it cannot do.
Based on how a spreadsheet works and on Nomid documentation, checked November 12, 2026.
| Task | Spreadsheet |  Nomid |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment | ||
| QR code enrollment | No Setup is manual on each device. | Yes Company-owned devices, new or factory reset. Wi-Fi can be in the policy. |
| Zero-touch enrollment | No A sheet cannot assign or configure a device. | Yes Eligible devices assigned by an authorized reseller. |
| Kiosk and apps | ||
| Single-app kiosk | No A sheet cannot lock a device to an app. | Yes Company-owned devices. Not inside a work profile. |
| Multi-app kiosk or launcher | No A sheet cannot change what a device shows. | Yes Multi-app and launcher modes. Depends on device and Android version. |
| Approved apps through a policy | No You can list the apps a device should have. A sheet cannot install them. | Yes Pick apps in the library, assign them in a policy. |
| Change a setting on many devices | No Each device is changed by hand. | Yes Edit the policy and save. Whether each device applies it depends on the device and its connection. |
| Remote support and location | ||
| Remote device control | No None. A technician visits the device. | Partly In Pro, not Free. Depends on device, policy and permissions. |
| Device location | Partly Only a site or owner that someone typed in. | Yes Last reported location on a map, not live. |
| Geofencing | No A sheet cannot tell where a device is. | Yes Circular areas. Devices outside get a tag. No automatic lock or wipe. |
| Records and cost | ||
| Inventory list | Yes Any columns you want, such as budget codes and purchase dates. | Yes A device list with what each device reported, and when it last checked in. |
| Any kind of device | Yes Any device, because it is only a list. | Partly Android Enterprise devices and PICO VR headsets. Not iOS, macOS, Windows or Meta Quest. |
| License cost | Yes No license cost. Staff time is not included. | Partly Free for up to 10 devices in total. Pro is priced per device. |
Which one fits your fleet?
Move to an MDM when
- Devices need policies, apps or a locked-down screen that someone sets by hand today.
- Fixing a device means finding it, and finding it takes longer than the fix.
- The fleet has grown past what one person can track in a list.
Stay with a spreadsheet when
- You have a few devices that never change and nobody needs remote help.
- A shared list is all anyone reads, and the devices are not company-owned Android or PICO ones.
- The work of keeping the sheet accurate is small and stable.
What you get with Nomid
Set it once in a policy, instead of on each device by hand.
Approve apps once
Keep the apps your team may use in one library and select them in policies. Check each device afterwards.
See each device and where it last reported
Open a device to see what it reported, including its last reported location. A last known location is not where the device is now.
What Nomid costs
A spreadsheet has no license fee and does no device work.
Nomid is free for up to 10 devices in total. Past 10 devices, Pro bills every device, at $1.29 per Android device per month, or $1.10 billed annually.
The cost to compare is the staff time spent updating the sheet and visiting devices, which only you can measure.
What moving from a spreadsheet takes
You already have the hardest input: a list of devices and what each is for. The work is turning that list into policies and enrolling the devices.
Export your list
Start from the sheet you have: device, model, owner or site, and the job it does. Mark the ones that run one app or need the same setup.
Group devices by job
Give each group a clear purpose, such as shared tablets, handhelds or headsets. One group becomes one Nomid policy.
Build one policy per group
Create the kiosk, app and restriction settings in the Portal, starting with one group. The Free plan covers up to 10 devices, so the pilot costs nothing.
Enroll and reconcile
Company-owned devices should be new or factory reset before enrollment, and a reset erases local data, so check backups first. Then compare what each device reports with your sheet.
Keep the sheet for what the MDM does not hold
Budget codes, purchase dates and contract notes can stay in the sheet. Treat the MDM as the record of what each device reports and the sheet as your own notes.
Questions about spreadsheets and Nomid
How many devices before I need an MDM?
There is no fixed number. The trigger is the work: devices that need policies, apps or recovery. Nomid's Free plan covers up to 10 devices, so you can pilot before you decide.
Can I keep my spreadsheet after I adopt an MDM?
Yes, for information the MDM does not hold, such as budget codes or purchase dates. Treat the MDM as the record of what each device reports and the sheet as your own notes.
What can an MDM do that a spreadsheet cannot?
It changes devices: it applies policies, delivers approved apps, enrolls new devices the same way each time and, on Pro, supports remote device control. A spreadsheet only records what people enter.
Does trying Nomid cost anything?
No. The Free plan covers up to 10 devices in total with no time limit. It excludes remote access and the API.
Do I need to factory reset my devices to enroll them?
Nomid's documentation describes enrolling new or reset company-owned devices. A reset erases local data, so check backups, accounts and factory reset protection first.
Does Nomid manage iPhones, iPads, Macs or Windows PCs?
No. Nomid manages Android Enterprise devices and PICO VR headsets. It does not manage iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows or Meta Quest devices today.
Sources and limits
What Nomid does not manage
Nomid manages Android Enterprise devices and PICO VR headsets. It does not manage iPhones, iPads, Macs, Windows PCs or Meta Quest headsets today.
If one team must manage those too, a platform that covers them may fit better, or you can run Nomid for the Android and VR part of the fleet. VR headsets count toward the Free plan limit of 10 devices.
Nomid wrote this page. It compares a spreadsheet with an MDM from how each works and from Nomid's own documentation, and it names no other vendor. It says nothing about the staff time your team spends, because only you can measure that.
Test it on your own devices
Start with up to 10 devices on the Free plan, or book a 20-minute demo.