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Azure Virtual Desktop vs VMware Workstation comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Azure Virtual Desktop
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
11th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware Workstation
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
1st
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Makarand-Shrikhande - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables flexible remote application access with auto-scaling and hybrid work support
The use cases include providing application access to users through Azure Virtual Desktop using MSIX App Attach or remote app, enabling remote users like BPO or contact center resources to connect and work on applications, and allowing vendors to access specific applications securely without a…
Shambhu Narayan  Singh - PeerSpot reviewer
An easy-to-manage solution that has really good customer support compared to other market players
VMware Workstation makes it easy to manage all the resources that we are handling. VMware Workstation has reduced our infrastructure cost. If someone wants machines, I can create them easily using the solution. VMware Workstation is easier to manage than other workstations like Oracle Workstation. VMware Workstation is an easy-to-manage solution, and its support is really good compared to other market players. Overall, I rate VMware Workstation an eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."
"Scalability is very straightforward with Azure Virtual Desktop."
"I've always found Azure Virtual Desktop to work for me without issues."
"The scalability is probably the most valuable feature since I can quickly add or remove machines or increase or decrease the size depending on resources to manage the cost better."
"Absolutely, this solution is probably the leader in its field."
"The cost-effectiveness of Azure Virtual Machines is one of the most valuable features."
"The ability to spin up virtual machines quickly and speedily in Azure has been really valuable."
"The biggest advantages are the price and flexibility."
"Instead of relying on dual-boot operating systems, I can utilize open-source tools within my infrastructure. This approach allows me to create an in-house cloud platform suitable for testing. VMware Workstation enables me to perform tasks across various operating systems using a single device. It has helped me save time."
"VMware Player's best feature is the ability to run different OS's simultaneously."
"I haven't faced any inconveniences working with this solution. It is very easy to use."
"I appreciate the ease of backup and snapshot creation. The ability to revert to previous versions without losing data is very useful for our team."
"Great at solving connection problems."
"The tool’s GUI is very user-friendly."
"VMware Workstation’s most valuable features are backup and data transfer from one server to another."
"The initial setup is simple and takes only five minutes to complete."
 

Cons

"The primary area for improvement is around the scalability of Azure, specifically on the desktop side."
"The costs are a bit difficult to predict upfront. When I am trying to sell it to a customer as a consultant, it is hard to give them a fixed price."
"The costs are a bit difficult to predict upfront."
"Access from Entra ID should be implemented to provide only tenant access to users connecting to the Azure Virtual Desktop environment, eliminating the need for on-premises requirements."
"I would like to see built-in proxy and internet filtering."
"Azure is vast, and perhaps an architect-level experience could provide more insights into potential improvements."
"One of the issues I had was the ability to add an internet proxy. I would like to see built-in proxy and internet filtering."
"Azure could improve its uptime and the scaling aspect, as it lacks intelligent scaling."
"Lacks the ability to clone onto another system rather than starting from scratch."
"They could bring in many different features from VMware vSphere to Workstation."
"It would be helpful if VMware Workstation included an in-built monitoring tool for monitoring things."
"I have had issues with the virtual network adapters in the past that has taken some time to troubleshoot."
"VMware Workstation’s scalability could be improved."
"Performance could be improved, it's somewhat clunky."
"The product's integration capabilities are an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required."
"It takes too much time to load all the plug-ins and software."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"VMware Workstation's costs are lifetime."
"Licensing costs are paid on a yearly basis."
"You need to pay for a license, but I don't think it costs that much. I think it's a one-time payment."
"The cost differs depending on the customer's requirement."
"I use the free version of VMware Workstation."
"I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being expensive."
"VMware is expensive. Licensing can be tricky. For example, I recently had a client running VMware vSphere Essentials and wanted to migrate to a more scalable solution. However, they had no choice but to purchase a completely new license and deploy a completely new instance of VMware."
"The solution’s pricing is moderate."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
57%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Virtual Desktop?
Purchasing high-configured virtual machines can be costly, but Azure Virtual Desktop offers cost-effective opportunities by allowing us to utilize resources as needed and shut them down when not in...
What needs improvement with Azure Virtual Desktop?
Currently, based on my understanding and knowledge, everything is good and meets customer requirements. However, Azure is vast, and perhaps an architect-level experience could provide more insights...
What is your primary use case for Azure Virtual Desktop?
We are dealing with Azure Virtual Desktops as well as physical desktops and laptops. We manage the endpoints and customers, so we use this solution in collaboration with a distributor partner for A...
Which VMware solution would you go with - Workstation or vSphere?
VM Workstation’s setup is so easy, you can use it almost instantly, it works well with Windows and Linux. We like VM Workstation primarily to test environments to determine how well a solution will...
What do you like most about VMware Workstation?
The product is stable, very easy to deploy, easy to use, easy to configure, and easy to set up.
What needs improvement with VMware Workstation?
The product's integration capabilities are an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Akademiska Hus
Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Virtual Desktop vs. VMware Workstation and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.