What is a cloud phone, and do I need one?
A cloud phone is an Android phone that runs in a data center. You see its screen in your browser, and you or your AI agent tap, type and install apps on it. You need one when you run more app accounts than you have phones, or when each account must be on a device of its own. For one or two accounts, your own phone is enough.
How it differs from an emulator
An emulator runs Android on your computer. Apps that check the device can tell, and every account on one emulator shares its fingerprint. A cloud phone runs on a server, keeps its own device identity, and comes with its own IP. See Distilled as an emulator alternative.
How it differs from a phone farm
A phone farm is racks of physical phones with SIM cards. Apps see real hardware, but you buy, power and replace every phone and SIM, and running all day wears out their batteries. A cloud phone is rented monthly or hourly, and the provider keeps it running.
What to check before you pick one
Providers differ most on these points.
- Does it pass Play Integrity, and at which level?
- Does each phone have its own device identity, or are the phones copies of one image?
- Does it come with an IP, and is that IP mobile, residential or datacenter?
- Can you drive it from an API or an AI agent, or only by hand?
- Is it billed monthly, hourly or per minute, and does a stopped phone cost anything?
Distilled's cloud phones
Each Distilled phone identifies as a Google Pixel 7, 7 Pro or 7a, passes Play Integrity at the strong level and has its own US mobile IP. It costs $50 a month, or $0.28 an hour while it runs. See pricing.
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