Why teachers look for CBT Exam Browser alternatives
CBT Exam Browser from mimikridev covers the basic job of an Android exam client. It boots into kiosk mode, blocks screenshots and split-screen, runs a countdown timer with warning states, and reads its config from a QR code or an encrypted .cbt file. For a small tryout or a school-wide UAS, that is often enough. The trouble starts once you push it past that scope.
A few complaints we hear from admin ujian and teachers running larger deployments:
- The QR and
.cbthandoff is fine for one classroom, but scaling to hundreds of devices means a lot of repetitive setup, and there is no built-in fleet management. - The interface and documentation are Indonesian-first. That is a win for local kampus, but a blocker if the exam runs for international students or if IT support does not read Bahasa.
- The app assumes the exam lives on a web platform. If your ujian tool is a native LMS app or a proprietary testing engine, CBT Exam Browser cannot host it.
- The lockdown covers the browser but not the device. A determined student can still swipe in from the edge or reach the pull-down on some ROMs unless you pair the app with a real MDM.
- There is no proctoring layer (webcam, microphone monitoring, screen recording), so high-stakes tests need a separate service on top.
If any of that is why you are looking for CBT Exam Browser alternatives, here are seven Android kiosk and exam browsers worth comparing. Some are single-app lockdown tools built for tablets in schools, some are enterprise MDM browsers, and one is a free Indonesian competitor with a near-identical workflow.
Which app should you pick?
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Fully Kiosk Browser if you want the deepest kiosk feature set on a small budget and can live with a one-time license.
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Exam Browser Dark Mode if you want a free, Indonesian, drop-in swap with a similar QR-and-token flow.
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Kiosk Browser Lockdown if you need a simple lockdown browser for a handful of shared devices without recurring fees.
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SureFox Kiosk Browser if your school runs a real MDM and needs proper allowlists, remote config, and reporting.
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SureLock if you need to lock the whole device, not just the browser, during ujian.
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Hexnode Kiosk Browser if Hexnode UEM is already your device manager and you want the browser inside that console.
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Tabnova Browser KIOSK if you want a modern kiosk browser with a cleaner remote-config layer than the classic tools.
Stay on CBT Exam Browser if the whole ujian workflow at your kampus already runs through it and switching would mean rewriting the exam server integration. In that case, one of the picks below is worth pairing with it for the devices that need stricter lockdown or fleet management.
Comparison table
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Kiosk Browser | Full-featured kiosk on any Android | Yes, ad-supported | €35 one-time PLUS license | Remote admin API and MQTT | 4.5 |
| Exam Browser Dark Mode | Indonesian schools on a zero budget | Yes | Free | Near-identical QR workflow | 4.3 |
| Kiosk Browser Lockdown (Procoit) | Simple single-app lockdown | 30-day trial | £1.99/device one-time | Straightforward allowlists | 4.4 |
| SureFox Kiosk Browser | MDM-managed browser fleets | 30-day trial | USD 3.99/device/year | Deep 42Gears MDM integration | 4.4 |
| SureLock | Whole-device lockdown | 30-day trial | USD 3.99/device/year | Locks apps, gestures, hardware keys | 4.3 |
| Hexnode Kiosk Browser | Hexnode UEM shops | Bundled with Hexnode | From USD 1.08/device/month | Managed inside Hexnode console | 4.2 |
| Tabnova Browser KIOSK | Modern kiosk deployments | 14-day trial | From USD 2/device/month | Cloud config, remote reload | 4.3 |
1. Fully Kiosk Browser — the flagship Android kiosk tool
Fully Kiosk Browser from Alexey Ozerov is the reference kiosk app for Android, and it has earned that place. The free tier already turns any Chromebook, tablet, or old phone into a locked-down single-URL client with block-lists, wake and sleep schedules, motion detection, and a JavaScript API. The PLUS license unlocks the remote administration REST API, MQTT integration, provisioning URLs, screensavers, and the ability to strip the “unlicensed” banner. The app is used by museum installers and warehouse operators, and that engineering shows in how it handles unstable Wi-Fi, orientation locks, and hardware button suppression.
For CBT Exam Browser vs Fully Kiosk Browser, the real difference is the depth of configuration. Fully has hundreds of options. That is a strength if you want to fine-tune, and a mild learning curve if you just want to boot into an ujian URL.
Where it falls short: the settings screen is dense and can overwhelm a teacher who just wants to run a Friday quiz. There is no built-in exam timer or .cbt token model, you build that with the JavaScript interface or bake it into the exam URL. The default UI is English-only.
Pricing:
- Free: full kiosk features with an occasional watermark
- Paid: EUR 35 one-time PLUS license per device (business tier scales via bulk deals)
- vs CBT Exam Browser: pricier upfront than the free CBT app, but no recurring fees and far more depth
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: point Fully at the same exam URL, import your allowlist as a URL filter, and rebuild the countdown either through the exam app itself or Fully’s JavaScript screen. A single classroom takes a lunch break to set up. A district rollout takes a day if you script the provisioning.
Bottom line: the pick for any IT team that wants one kiosk browser to standardize on. Overkill for a single teacher running one quiz.
2. Exam Browser Dark Mode — the free Indonesian drop-in
Exam Browser Dark Mode by Riyatidevka runs the closest workflow to CBT Exam Browser. Boot into kiosk, scan a QR, enter an entry token, run the exam, exit with a token. The UI is Indonesian-first, the countdown behavior is similar (warnings, final-seconds highlighting), and it also blocks split-screen and screenshots. The dark theme is a comfort touch on cheaper Android tablets with weaker backlights.
Fully Kiosk Browser vs Exam Browser Dark Mode comes down to depth versus familiarity. Fully has everything and no local exam metaphor. Exam Browser Dark Mode looks and feels exactly like CBT so your dosen and admin ujian keep the same mental model, and you pay nothing.
Where it falls short: the developer is a small indie and updates are less frequent than the CBT or 42Gears cadence. No remote config, no fleet dashboard, no proctoring. The Play Store listing is thin, distribution is largely through Aptoide’s catappult store.
Pricing:
- Free: full feature set, no paid tier
- vs CBT Exam Browser: free like CBT, similar scope, mostly a philosophical swap
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: most schools can move the same QR config over with minor edits (the token fields and header labels differ). Plan a 15-minute pilot with a real ujian tryout before the first assessment.
Bottom line: the closest zero-cost replacement if you like the CBT Exam Browser model but want a second option to A/B test.
3. Kiosk Browser Lockdown by Procoit — the simple one-time buy
Kiosk Browser Lockdown from Procoit trades depth for clarity. Set a home URL, pick an allowlist, choose which UI chrome to show, and boot. There is a companion cloud service (Procoit Cloud) that pushes config to a fleet, and the app understands provisioning profiles. Procoit is a UK vendor that also builds Android launcher lockdowns, so the pieces feel consistent.
CBT Exam Browser vs Kiosk Browser Lockdown is a philosophical choice. CBT wants to be an exam app that happens to be a browser. Procoit wants to be a browser that happens to lock down. If the exam is web-based and you just need students to stay on one tab, Procoit is faster to configure.
Where it falls short: no built-in exam metadata (school name, exam title, token) the way CBT surfaces it in the header, no proctoring, and no advanced JavaScript hooks like Fully has. If you want to trigger events from inside the exam page, you will do more of that work on the exam server.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day trial, then a nag screen
- Paid: about £1.99 per device as a one-time in-app purchase, plus optional cloud tiers for fleet management
- vs CBT Exam Browser: not free, but the license is a one-time cost and includes cloud config on the paid tier
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: copy the exam URL and allowed hosts. Rebuild any header or entry-token UI in the exam app itself. A single-classroom rollout is under an hour.
Bottom line: solid pick for a tutoring center or small school that wants a lockdown browser without a subscription.
4. SureFox Kiosk Browser — the MDM-first browser
SureFox Kiosk Browser from 42Gears is built for the case where you already manage devices with MDM (either 42Gears’ SureMDM or something else). It gives you allowlists, blocked-URL patterns, background image, home button behavior, and remote profile updates. The reporting side is real, you can see which URL a device visited, how long a session lasted, and whether the device is online.
CBT Exam Browser vs SureFox is a fit question. CBT is designed for a single ujian at a time. SureFox is designed to keep a fleet of tablets on a specific set of URLs for years. During an exam period, SureFox absorbs the extra rules without any change in device state.
Where it falls short: it is a subscription. The UI has years of enterprise layering, so a teacher opening it fresh will not have the immediate “this is my exam client” feeling that CBT gives. There is no exam-native countdown timer, that lives in the exam server.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day trial
- Paid: from about USD 3.99 per device per year, volume discounts through 42Gears
- vs CBT Exam Browser: paid and per-device, but earns its keep the moment you have a fleet or need audit reports
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: the moving pieces stay the same (exam URL, allowed hosts). SureFox adds a profile you can push to hundreds of devices at once. Plan a day for the first profile and template rollout.
Bottom line: pick this if the browser lockdown must fit inside an MDM story, not the other way round.
5. SureLock — full device lockdown, not just the browser
SureLock, also from 42Gears, does something CBT Exam Browser deliberately does not. It locks the whole device, hides the home screen, blocks the notification shade, disables hardware buttons, and lets you pin one or more allowed apps. If your ujian tool is a native app, SureLock is often the right layer, with SureFox inside it for any web content.
CBT Exam Browser vs SureLock is not a like-for-like trade, it is a stacking decision. CBT keeps students in a browser. SureLock keeps students in a device state that only exposes what you allow, whether that is a browser, an LMS app, or a proprietary test client.
Where it falls short: more work to configure than a single-URL browser, and it needs a bit of device-admin setup on each unit unless you enroll through MDM. Overkill for a one-off Friday quiz.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day trial
- Paid: from about USD 3.99 per device per year, discounted with SureMDM bundles
- vs CBT Exam Browser: not free, but the only pick that covers native exam apps and blocks system gestures at the same time
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: replace the CBT-only workflow with a SureLock profile that pins your exam app. Add SureFox inside if the ujian is a web tool. Budget one day for the first policy and half an hour per device thereafter.
Bottom line: the right layer when the exam is not just a URL and you need to close every side door on the device.
6. Hexnode Kiosk Browser — the UEM-native option
Hexnode Kiosk Browser is a companion to Hexnode UEM. Config lives in the Hexnode console, deployment is a policy push, and the browser inherits allowlists, home URLs, download rules, and reporting from the platform you already use to manage school devices. If Hexnode is what your IT team logs into every morning, this is the browser that fits without adding a second dashboard.
CBT Exam Browser vs Hexnode Kiosk Browser is a decision about where you want to keep control. CBT keeps it in the app and its QR files. Hexnode keeps it in a cloud console that also handles enrollment, software updates, and lost-device workflows.
Where it falls short: the app is thin without the Hexnode account, and it is a poor pick if you do not already run Hexnode. Configuration outside the console is limited. Pricing follows the Hexnode plan, not the browser alone.
Pricing:
- Free: bundled with any Hexnode UEM trial or license
- Paid: from about USD 1.08 per device per month on the Express plan, higher on Pro and Enterprise
- vs CBT Exam Browser: only cheaper if you already pay for Hexnode UEM, otherwise pricier
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: enroll devices in Hexnode, push a Kiosk Browser policy with the exam URL and allowed hosts, monitor sessions from the console. Setup is measured in device count and MDM comfort, not app config.
Bottom line: the right browser if Hexnode already sits at the center of your device story, otherwise skip.
7. Tabnova Browser KIOSK — the modern remote-config pick
Tabnova Browser KIOSK is a newer entrant that puts cloud-based remote config at the front. You define a kiosk policy in the Tabnova dashboard (URL, allowed hosts, session behavior, reload rules), enroll a device, and any change you make in the console pushes to the tablet on next check-in. It looks and feels more like a modern SaaS product than the older kiosk browsers.
CBT Exam Browser vs Tabnova is a trade between a purpose-built exam app and a general-purpose kiosk platform with a friendlier admin experience. Tabnova will not give you an exam header out of the box, but it will let you flip URLs across a fleet mid-week without touching each device.
Where it falls short: the ecosystem is smaller, third-party guides are thin, and there is no exam-native metadata layer. If you rely on CBT’s countdown timer as your source of truth, you will move it into the exam app itself.
Pricing:
- Free: 14-day trial
- Paid: from about USD 2 per device per month on the Basic plan, more on Business and Enterprise
- vs CBT Exam Browser: paid, but adds a real cloud console the free CBT app does not have
Migrating from CBT Exam Browser: create a kiosk policy in Tabnova, point it at your exam URL, enroll a pilot device. A fleet migration usually takes a week for a mid-size kampus if you stagger the enrollment.
Bottom line: the modern option when you want a cloud console without going full 42Gears or Hexnode.
How to choose your CBT Exam Browser alternative
Pick Fully Kiosk Browser if you want the deepest kiosk feature set on Android and are willing to pay once for the PLUS license. Pick Exam Browser Dark Mode if you liked the CBT Exam Browser workflow and want a zero-cost second option. Pick Kiosk Browser Lockdown by Procoit if a small school or bimbel just needs a clean, one-time-purchase lockdown for a few tablets. Pick SureFox if your IT team is already invested in an MDM and needs proper reporting during ujian season. Pick SureLock if the exam is a native app or if system gestures on cheap tablets keep leaking out of the browser. Pick Hexnode Kiosk Browser only if you already pay for Hexnode UEM, since standalone it does not shine. Pick Tabnova Browser KIOSK if you want a modern cloud console and are willing to bring the exam metadata into the exam app.
Stay on CBT Exam Browser if the entire ujian workflow at your school is built around its QR and .cbt config, if the countdown header is a hard requirement your dosen and admin ujian rely on, and if devices are shared and the paid tools would add too much per-seat cost. In that scenario, use one of the picks above only for the subset of devices that need extra lockdown or fleet management.
FAQ
What is the best free alternative to CBT Exam Browser?
Exam Browser Dark Mode is the closest free swap, since it mirrors the QR-and-token flow and runs on the same low-cost Android tablets. Fully Kiosk Browser is also free, with far more features, though the unlicensed version shows an occasional watermark on kiosk sessions.
Can Fully Kiosk Browser replace CBT Exam Browser for online exams?
Yes, if you are comfortable rebuilding the exam header and countdown in the exam URL or through Fully’s JavaScript API. Fully covers the lockdown side better than CBT and adds remote administration through REST and MQTT, but it does not ship with an exam-native token or timer.
Does CBT Exam Browser work outside Indonesia?
The app runs on any Android device with a compatible OS version, but the UI, documentation, and support are Indonesian-first. Schools outside the region often prefer SureFox, Fully Kiosk Browser, or Hexnode Kiosk Browser because those tools ship with English UI and international support.
Which alternative is best for a school that already uses an MDM?
SureFox Kiosk Browser if your MDM is 42Gears SureMDM or you value depth of profile control, Hexnode Kiosk Browser if you already run Hexnode UEM. Both let the browser policy live inside the same console you use for device enrollment.
Do these alternatives support proctoring (webcam and screen recording)?
Most kiosk browsers focus on lockdown, not proctoring. If the exam requires webcam or screen recording, plan on a proctoring layer (running on the exam server or a companion service) on top of any browser here. A kiosk browser and a proctoring service are complementary, not overlapping.
What is the cheapest way to lock down a full classroom for online exams?
For a one-off exam on a handful of shared tablets, Exam Browser Dark Mode or the free tier of Fully Kiosk Browser get you there for zero cost. For repeated use across dozens of devices, Kiosk Browser Lockdown by Procoit at roughly £1.99 per device one-time is often the lowest total-cost option.
