Amazon WorkSpaces vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Amazon WorkSpaces and Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
768,578 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The best thing about Amazon WorkSpaces is the security it provides.""The most valuable features are easy provisioning, an active directory, and mobile access.""Amazon WorkSpaces is very fast.""The tool has low latency and multimedia support. For instance, running Zoom calls on Amazon WorkSpaces seamlessly supports local microphones, speakers, and web cameras. This feature is transparent for applications, allowing me to use the Zoom application without requiring exceptional support for remote web cameras or microphones. Amazon WorkSpaces provides this functionality at the operating system level, enabling effortless video conferencing. To my knowledge, Microsoft Remote Desktop does not offer the same support.""Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.""The experience is seamless and there is no delay. The performance is very good. Initial startup times is a little bit of wait time, but it is bearable.""Performance and scalability are valuable features.""The product is easy to access. You can access the solution from anywhere at any time."

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"The most valuable feature is the ability to connect to our on-premise applications, through the Workspace app and the Workspace experience. The user experience when using the solution's technology remotely is good. Our users are able to work and it's seamless. The performance is also good.""Citrix is used by many organizations to make it possible to streamline the way different developers work together from different locations.""We can provide tons of applications with different settings, behaviors, and operating systems. It is the same way for the user. Then, we are totally transparent for the user to use a lot of totally different applications, which is the most important part of Citrix today.""It provides the flexibility of being used on any device which makes the employee experience better, in terms of ease of use.""The remote desktop feature allows employees to work from home.""It is a stable solution. We don't usually have problems with the platform...It is a very scalable solution.""Citrix offers a range of products that can be used straight out of the box.""I found the ease of deployment, scalability, and security to be to our benefit when supplying virtual applications to our clients."

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Cons
"The solution lacks a shadow mode option, and it needs to have it.""Amazon WorkSpaces needs to improve its pricing.""Its features for the hardware version could work faster.""The speed and performance are not always the greatest. It can be improved.""I would say that it is a little complex to configure.""Configuration was a bit complicated at first but manageable.""Making it more self-service friendly would be the implement I'd be looking for. When we have to add new applications, we have to go through the IT to do that, and they need to do some configuration changes. I believe they have to reevaluate the computation and storage and the memory. So this is this is something that as an unrequired and should be changed. Also, the initial start time takes couple of minutes and it is easy for get distracted during the time. So if it can reduce the start time to a reasonable start of time to a reasonable time of five to ten seconds. That will be great.""The product needs to improve its pricing. It should also improve corporate identity management and single sign-on."

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"When I needed support for a couple of things, three people intervened. Each time, three people gave me a different answer. In the end, they did not manage to give the right answer. At a certain point, they stopped replying.""There are a lot of shortfalls with supporting printing over XenApp.""Templating the deployment process could use improvement. When you start, there are a large number of details that are quite client-specific, although they do share common themes. To get somebody up and running in a day is very difficult to do. They should streamline by use case.""As an end-to-end solution for implementing Zero Trust principles I would rate it a six or a seven out of 10, because it doesn't cover all aspects of Zero Trust. There are quite a few aspects you need to cover.""The video conferencing feature needs to be improved.""Citrix's functionality depends on you having access to Microsoft Azure. Microsoft offers a broad range of features and solutions. Overall, it may make sense for some users to move all their services to Microsoft services.""Pricing can be lower and roaming profiles need to be fixed to work consistently.""The only thing we have found to be detrimental is when we have tried to find training. I realize that we're looking at it at the worst time possible, with a pandemic going on, but it seems that most of the training offered is learn-by-yourself online."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "There are several different options available, but it can range anywhere from $85 to $150 a month per machine."
  • "The bundle works out to be approximately $20.00 per month."
  • "The solution is not very cheap and it is not too pricey."
  • "On a scale of one to ten, where one is low and ten is a high price, I rate the pricing a two."
  • "The solution is expensive."
  • "I think that the price can be lower. We have cases where the customer needs to have lower costs. So since we don't have options, like, shadow mode, they need to decrease pricing or have other models for reduced pricing."
  • "They have hourly and monthly pricing, and because our use case is, more of a sporadic use, so I go for hourly pricing. Again, the details of the pricing is handled by the procurement. From an end user perspective, pay as you use hourly is suitable"
  • "Price-wise Amazon Workspaces is cheaper than most services available."
  • More Amazon WorkSpaces Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "You have to do some hard work in order to get the suitable licenses."
  • "The licenses are affordable, but the support is a bit expensive, though worth the value.​"
  • "The product, XenServer, is free to use, and XenApp has a one month free license."
  • "It is a bit costly, but enterprise class features come with a cost."
  • "It is quite expensive, but so are the competitors on the market."
  • "I think it is a little high priced."
  • "I suggest using the concurrent user licensing scheme."
  • "A perpetual enterprise license costs approximately $300 USD."
  • More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Performance and scalability are valuable features.
    Top Answer:It is very expensive. I would rate the pricing model a ten out of ten, with ten being the most expensive. There are additional costs to the standard licensing fees.
    Top Answer:Configuration was a bit complicated at first but manageable. In future releases, I would like to see more user-friendly administrator controls.
    Top Answer:My focus has primarily been on publishing virtual applications.
    Top Answer:In the past, the prices of the product were great. With the acquisition of Citrix by your company, the prices have drastically increased. For my company, it has become a bit of a problem to sell… more »
    Top Answer:Pricing and technical support need improvement.
    Ranking
    Views
    1,987
    Comparisons
    1,338
    Reviews
    11
    Average Words per Review
    439
    Rating
    8.1
    Views
    2,703
    Comparisons
    1,647
    Reviews
    23
    Average Words per Review
    592
    Rating
    7.5
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    WorkSpaces
    Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps)
    Learn More
    Overview

    Amazon WorkSpaces is a fully managed desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) solution provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It allows users to access a virtual desktop environment in the cloud from various devices, including laptops, tablets, and thin clients.

    With Amazon WorkSpaces, users can have a complete desktop experience with their familiar applications and data, while the underlying infrastructure and management tasks are handled by AWS. The virtual desktops provided by Amazon WorkSpaces are persistent, meaning that user data and settings are retained even when disconnected from the virtual desktop.

    Amazon WorkSpaces Features:

    • Desktop Experience: Provides a complete Windows or Linux desktop experience for users.
    • Device Flexibility: Accessible from various devices such as computers, tablets, and thin clients.
    • Managed Service: AWS manages infrastructure, updates, patches, and backups.
    • Flexible Scaling: Easily scale the number of virtual desktops based on needs.
    • Security and Compliance: Built-in security features and compliance capabilities.
    • Cost-Effective: Pay-as-you-go pricing model for optimized cost management.
    • Integration with AWS Services: Seamlessly integrates with other AWS services.
    • User Profile Management: Supports saving and applying user-specific settings.
    • Application Compatibility: Supports a wide range of applications.

    Amazon WorkSpaces Benefits:

    • Flexible Accessibility: Users can access their virtual desktops from various devices, providing flexibility and mobility.
    • Simplified Management: AWS manages the underlying infrastructure, reducing the burden of desktop management for organizations.
    • Scalability: Easily scale the number of virtual desktops up or down based on business needs, accommodating workforce changes.
    • Enhanced Security: Built-in security features and compliance capabilities ensure data protection and regulatory compliance.
    • Cost Savings: Pay-as-you-go pricing eliminates upfront infrastructure costs, allowing organizations to optimize their desktop infrastructure expenses.
    • Integration with AWS Services: Seamlessly integrate with other AWS services for enhanced functionality and capabilities.
    • User-Friendly Experience: Offers a familiar desktop environment with customizable settings and application compatibility.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Sachin Narvekar, IT-IS LEAD at Tata Consultancy, writes that "Amazon WorkSpaces is a virtual desktop platform. So, instead of having your laptops, and desktops, you can have your data on the cloud.”, he also adds, "Security, streaming, faster performance, scalability, and the fact that it is very much cost-effective, are some of the solution's valuable features."

    Ravi-Bhardwaj, Manager at Ravi RITS Enterprice, states that “The solution has improved the organization because now any user who doesn't have a corporate laptop can connect to the system, security is still high, and it uses very low bandwidth.”

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    Sample Customers
    GrubHub, Endemol Shine Nederland, CMC Property Services
    Exelon, Aeronamic, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Alameda County Medical Center, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Aloysius Stichting, Amarchand Mangaldas, AmBev, Amnet Technology Solutions, Arval
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Government14%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Insurance Company8%
    Energy/Utilities Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Government8%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business38%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise38%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise61%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business28%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise56%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business23%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise63%
    Buyer's Guide
    Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    768,578 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Amazon WorkSpaces is ranked 2nd in Desktop as a Service (DaaS) with 14 reviews while Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is ranked 1st in Desktop as a Service (DaaS) with 90 reviews. Amazon WorkSpaces is rated 8.2, while Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Amazon WorkSpaces writes "A High Performing Amazon Workspace Solution for Seamless Workspace Management". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) writes "Flexible Deployment, reliable performance, and fast transmission speeds". Amazon WorkSpaces is most compared with Amazon Appstream, Teradici PCoIP Zero Clients, VMware Horizon DaaS and Nutanix Frame, whereas Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is most compared with VMware Horizon View, Citrix Workspace, Amazon Appstream, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS). See our Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) report.

    See our list of best Desktop as a Service (DaaS) vendors.

    We monitor all Desktop as a Service (DaaS) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.