AppSense [EOL] vs Horizon 8 comparison

Ivanti and Omnissa are both solutions in the User Virtualization category. Additionally, 100% of Ivanti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of Omnissa users who would recommend it.

AppSense [EOL]

Read 1 AppSense [EOL] review

100% willing to recommend

Horizon 8

Read 116 Horizon 8 reviews

6,735 Views
135 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

AppSense [EOL]

Horizon 8

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

AppSense [EOL]

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Horizon 8

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

116

Ranking in other categories

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (4th), User Virtualization (1st)

Featured Reviews

Gaurav Chandola

Senior Associate Specialist at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

It has customization features, lets you do network redirects via the DNS, and is stable and scalable

An area for improvement in AppSense is pricing because it's much higher than Citrix and VMware solutions. It's one of the virtualization software that allows user profile virtualization, but you can also find that capability in the lower-priced VMware and Citrix software. AppSense has many features but is more expensive, so it would be better if it had a reduced cost or the solution had more enhanced capabilities. For example, in group policies, you can maintain the redirections and registry settings through the group policy via PolicyPak, another third-party product for managing the group policy. If AppSense could have a configuration similar to what PolicyPak has, then that would make AppSense better. AppSense is OS-based, so when my company purchased it in the past, it could run on Windows 7. Eventually, Ivanti told my company that it no longer supported Windows 7, so my company had to purchase AppSense for Windows 10. In the future, the new version of AppSense should work on different Windows versions.

Read full review

Michael Baars

Owner at CoBSS

Experience with remote access facilitates seamless user management, though improvements in integration and analytics are desired

From the analytical aspects, we used Horizon 8 Advanced Analytics and most companies switched to another product to gain insights because the insight is not as helpful as other products that are built for it. What was missing in Horizon 8 to make it a better tool was in analytics, specifically getting the right information and the drill-down process to find out where the problem is. If a user has an issue, it is crucial to determine what the issue is that the user is having and since when they have the issue. For example, if a user reports back that they had an issue yesterday evening, getting that information and ensuring that you have it was hard to find, especially to pinpoint if the issue lies with the network or the Horizon 8 platform. We utilized the multi-factor authentication, conditional access in Horizon 8, but we are not satisfied with that. It lacks some integration options that make it easy to run with Microsoft Entra, for example, and authenticate using your regular authenticator besides just getting a pop-up that says, 'I'm the one that's trying to log on.' Nowadays, there are many more complex authentication methods, but even a basic confirmation with a number to verify that you are the person connecting is not supported. I would like to see improvements in Horizon 8, specifically integration with NVIDIA for graphical performance upgrades because it creates many issues such as crashing and black screen systems, causing users to lose access to their current desktop and work. This is a real issue at the moment for many customers worldwide.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like the customization features of AppSense. It also allows you to push DNS settings, so if you want to redirect a network using the DNS, you can do that from AppSense, which I find beneficial."

"We don't have to pay for HyperFlex. The solution's speed gives a nice user experience."

"The best thing about this product was the ease of customizing the terminal, including the ability to add or decrease memory."

"VMware Horizon 7 has its proprietary Elastic streaming protocol, which is very good for delivering VDI and helps provide a seamless experience for graphic-intensive applications."

"The initial setup is very simple."

"With Horizon, the difference is more on the simplicity of the user experience and the speed and delivery of the application."

"The USB redirection is one of the valuable features of VMware Horizon"

"Horizon View's best features are that it gives you more control over the PCs on your infrastructure, and it's specialized for banking environments."

"The product helped us deploy complex applications."

More Horizon 8 pros

Cons

"An area for improvement in AppSense is pricing because it's much higher than Citrix and VMware solutions. In the future, the new version of AppSense should work on different Windows versions."

"The primary concern lies with licensing. There’s confusion regarding licensing terms following the new management’s takeover. Consequently, our resellers and distributors are confused."

"The vendor must move the infrastructure into the public cloud."

"The solution isn't quite mature yet; it needs more time to mature and to get more market recognition."

"The solution must be faster and smoother."

"I had a few challenges when using VMware's View that included support for desktops that are offline and services at the terminal as well as their management."

"The initial setup is not always straightforward. It can be a bit complex, a bit difficult."

"The initial setup was complex, and you need system experience to walk through it."

"There could be some improvement with the automation of the setup. If deployment and configuration were simplified, more companies will choose the product."

More Horizon 8 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate AppSense pricing as six out of ten because it's an expensive product, and the organization won't buy if it only requires limited configuration."

"VMware Horizon View's licensing cost is not expensive."

"VMware Horizon is priced high."

"It falls on the more expensive end in terms of cost."

"Its cost is fair. You can go for a free trial, but for initializing a project, you need to purchase a license. There are different types of licenses."

"I don't know about the price. I know there are different tiers with the license, but I'm not sure exactly what it costs anymore."

"We pay for the solution annually at a cost of approximately 10,000 HKD."

"Licensing and hardware outsourcing is expensive, but can be cost-effective in the three to five-year range."

"It is hard to know for sure. It is definitely in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. It is quite expensive, but you do save money on desktop power, desktop upgrades, etc. You're able to extend the useful life of your previous desktops. Previously, we used to change desktops regularly, and now we just change them when they break."

More Horizon 8 pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which User Virtualization solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

894,738 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	62
Midsize Enterprise	23
Large Enterprise	44

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

How does VMware Workspace One compare with VMware Horizon 7?

VMware Workspace One has a powerful set of helpful features. The solution offers very good documentation, the initial setup is easy, and the product is very stable and reliable. I think the fact th...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Horizon 7?

We paid a lot of money for software that is not really fully operational out of the box. We had to have patches from VMware to get it into production. Hence, we lost a lot of time implementing the ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with VMware Horizon 7?

The solution should provide easy configuration.

See all answers

Comparisons

Liquidware Labs ProfileUnity vs AppSense [EOL]

Compared 46% of the time

More AppSense [EOL] Competitors

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Horizon 8

Compared 12% of the time

VMware Workstation vs Horizon 8

Compared 11% of the time

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Horizon 8

Compared 10% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs Horizon 8

Compared 9% of the time

Nerdio vs Horizon 8

Compared 9% of the time

More Horizon 8 Competitors

Product Reports

No data available

Buyer's Guide

Horizon 8

May 2026

Download Horizon 8 product report

Also Known As

No data available

VMware Horizon, VMware Horizon View, Mware Dynamic Environment Manager

Overview

With AppSense, IT delivers a user experience that that enables knowledge workers to be more productive and effective. They gain exactly what they need to do their jobs - no more and no less.

Ivanti

Horizon 8 offers centralized management and robust security with ease of deployment and scalability. It provides virtualization and remote access to devices across platforms, ensuring improved performance and reliable remote desktop experiences.

Horizon 8 integrates instant clone technology, a security gateway, and supports USB redirection while minimizing bandwidth consumption for efficient resource utilization. Featuring a powerful administrative console, it simplifies backend control with a user-friendly interface. While effective, it can improve in areas like audio redirection, app volume configuration, and Azure integration. Enhanced connectivity, performance, and monitoring capabilities could elevate user experience alongside clearer licensing terms.

What are Horizon 8's key features?

Centralized Management: Simplifies control with a unified administrative console.
Robust Security: Ensures data protection with a comprehensive security gateway.
Scalability: Adapts to growing demand effectively.
Instant Clone Technology: Facilitates quick desktop deployment and updates.
USB Redirection: Enables seamless peripheral integration.

What benefits should users seek in Horizon 8 reviews?

Resource Efficiency: Reduces bandwidth and optimizes resource usage.
High Performance: Delivers fast and reliable remote desktop experiences.
Ease of Deployment: Streamlines setup processes.
Integration Across Platforms: Supports diverse device ecosystems smoothly.

Horizon 8 is widely implemented in industries like education, healthcare, and finance where it enhances remote work by securing virtual desktops and applications. It supports virtual desktop infrastructure enabling secure connection to internal resources, data center consolidation, and application delivery meeting specific industry needs.

Omnissa

Sample Customers

Alstom, Auto Trader, Banner Bank, Baylor Scott & White Health Central Texas, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, British Columbia School District 67, British Energy, Catholic Church Insurance, Accountants International

LCMC Health

See our list of best User Virtualization vendors.

We monitor all User Virtualization 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.