Not every MDM license is built for selling on credit. These are the criteria to compare providers before you finance your first device.
If you sell phones on credit, the MDM license is what lets you protect each device while the customer finishes paying for it. But not every MDM license provider is built for that: many were designed to manage employees' phones inside a company, not to support a credit portfolio. This guide sums up what to compare before you choose.
What an MDM license for selling on credit is
An MDM license lets you enroll a device in a management platform and send it remote actions, such as lock and unlock. For a store that sells in installments, the license alone is only half the job: the other half is knowing which customer and which credit each device belongs to, and acting on the overdue installments of that contract.
That is why it helps to tell two kinds of provider apart:
- License provider: gives you access to the MDM. Customers, payments and collections live in another system or in spreadsheets.
- Complete platform: connects licenses with credit, payments and collections, so the status of each installment is reflected on the device.
To review the basics, read what an MDM is and how it works for financed phones.
Criteria to compare providers
| Criterion | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Does it manage Android, iPhone and iPad from one dashboard? | You can sell the brand each customer prefers |
| Delinquency lock | Can the lock be automatic based on the days overdue you define? | No more checking the portfolio by hand every day |
| Unlock on payment | Is the device released as soon as payment is confirmed? | A slow unlock costs you customers |
| Lock screen | Does it show your business details without exposing the debt? | Protects the relationship and the customer's privacy |
| Contract | Is each device linked to a signed contract? | Backs up every action |
| Collections | Does it include reminders, payment promises and collectors? | Locking works best as the last step |
| Branches and permissions | Can you separate branches and limit who can lock? | Every action has an owner |
| Pricing model | Does it charge per license, per subscription or both? | Defines your cost per device sold |
| Onboarding | Will they help you set up and train your staff? | The first month decides whether the system gets used |
| Integrations | Does it offer an API or webhooks for your systems? | Avoids duplicate data |
Questions to ask any provider
- Which models in my catalog can I finance? A good provider reviews your catalog with you before you start. If you work with several brands, read MDM for Samsung, Xiaomi, Redmi and HONOR phones.
- Who decides when a device is locked? It should be your policy, with your grace days, your hours and your exceptions.
- What happens when the customer pays? Ask whether unlocking is automatic and how long it takes to reach the phone.
- What does the history look like? Every evaluation and every action should be recorded with its reason and its author.
- How is it priced? Ask for the price per license and per platform, and whether there is a plan to start with a few devices.
- What support do I get? Ask about initial training and the day-to-day support channel.
Financing with your own credit or through a third party
There are two ways to sell phones in installments. In the first, an outside lender finances the customer and your store gets paid upfront; lender-led programs such as PayJoy work this way. In exchange, the credit margin and the customer relationship stay with the lender. In the second, your store finances with its own capital: you keep the margin and the customer, and you need a system that controls contracts, installments, collections and devices.
An MDM license provider built for the second model is the one that gives you independence. If you are getting started, read how to finance phones directly from your store.
How much an MDM license costs
Prices vary by platform (Android or Apple), by the number of devices and by what each provider includes. When you compare, do not look only at the price per license: add the system subscription, the time your team spends on collections and the cost of a device that is never recovered. A cheap license without built-in collections often ends up costing more than a complete platform.
How Shalom Trust handles it
Shalom Trust is a complete platform for businesses that sell on credit:
- Android, iPhone and iPad in one dashboard, with remote lock and unlock.
- Delinquency policies by days overdue, allowed hours and exceptions by branch or device.
- Automatic unlock as soon as payment of the overdue amount is confirmed.
- Lock screen with your business name and phone number, never the amount owed.
- Signed contracts, installments, payments, payment promises, collectors and WhatsApp reminders.
- Branches, users and permissions, with a record of every action and its author.
- API and webhooks to connect your systems.
CRM plans start with a free plan, and MDM licenses are quoted separately by platform and number of devices, so you pay for what you actually use. Before you start, we review the models in your catalog with you. See the plans and MDM licenses, how phone lock for non-payment works, or request a demo.
Want to resell MDM licenses to other retailers? See the MDM license distributor program.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a corporate MDM and one for selling on credit?
A corporate MDM manages a company's employee phones. One built for selling on credit links each device to a customer and a contract, and acts on the status of its installments.
Can I buy a few licenses to start?
Yes. At Shalom Trust, licenses are quoted by number of devices, so you can start small and grow with your sales.
Do I need different licenses for Android and iPhone?
Yes, each platform has its own license. At Shalom Trust, both are managed from the same dashboard.
Can the provider lock devices on its own?
It should not. The decision belongs to your business, based on the policy you agreed with the customer in the contract, and every action is recorded.
Conclusion
Choosing an MDM license provider to sell on credit means choosing how you will collect. Compare platforms, delinquency policies, unlocking, collections, pricing and support, and prefer a system that connects each device with its customer and its credit. That way every installment sale is protected from the counter.
