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Azure Virtual Desktop vs Workspace ONE UEM 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)
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Workspace ONE UEM
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
8th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (13th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (4th), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (16th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Azure Virtual Desktop is 7.1%, down from 7.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 3.0%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Azure Virtual Desktop7.1%
Workspace ONE UEM3.0%
Other89.9%
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
 

Featured Reviews

RC
Senior Advisor at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Enhanced collaboration and security with seamless remote access has transformed work efficiency
We can integrate anything with Azure Virtual Desktop from an application perspective. The App-V has evolved into MSIX. To deliver an application to Azure Virtual Desktop, MSIX can be used by expanding it as a virtual hard disk and attaching it to the virtual machine. When this is done, users who need the application will have immediate access through Active Directory group assignment. One challenge with Virtual Desktop infrastructure is application delivery. From an infrastructure perspective, it's beneficial as we can have a fallback point - if one machine is down, we can have a disaster recovery site for redirection. The delivery of applications is a tedious process. Microsoft is working on building new products for efficient application installation. This feature might be included in upcoming releases. Currently, it's burdensome for IT administrators to create applications compatible with Virtual Desktop infrastructure, unlike traditional machines where direct installation is possible.
Vishal Bhatia - PeerSpot reviewer
Trainer/Consultant at Koenig Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Effective product tracking and monitoring enhances daily operations despite needing documentation improvement
The documentation part of Workspace ONE UEM can be confusing. The documentation is not comprehensive compared to other VMware solutions or Microsoft documentation. Most people struggle to connect the dots when looking at the documentation. Even the training material and PowerPoint slide decks that trainers use are sometimes too confusing or overwhelming, with too much content but not enough clarity. The support side has recently become weaker compared to what it used to be with VMware. This is another area that needs improvement. Since working with Workspace ONE UEM from when it was AirWatch, it has improved significantly over the last five years. However, there are still some gray areas and scope for improvement, especially in documentation and workflow between different aspects of the solution.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Azure Virtual Desktop enables anyone connecting to Microsoft to use MFA (multi-factor authentication), totally secured to connect and has end-to-end encryption through tunnel encryption."
"Azure pricing is quite cheap due to licensing benefits with Microsoft."
"The best feature is scalability, as it can be used from anywhere."
"Azure Virtual Desktop provides users the ability to do remote work in a secure environment that is easy to manage."
"Scalability is very straightforward with Azure Virtual Desktop."
"This integration enhances productivity 100%, as it makes it much easier for us to give access to external third parties to work with us for collaboration."
"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."
"The biggest advantages are the price and flexibility."
"We've configured single sign-on for two or three enterprise customers, and it works very well."
"VMware Workspace ONE in the mobile space has been very sustained in terms of how they've been rated and how they've grown over time."
"Imagine that your business apps on your mobile device, for instance, no longer require you to type in your username, password, or second factor of authentication—as long as you're handling a managed and trustworthy device, you can seamlessly log in to applications."
"Its UI is extremely easy to use whether you're an advanced user or a novice user. When I first opened it up and had to learn the product, I was easily a novice. By the end of the third month, I was digging into the backend of the system and using it as a highly advanced user to accomplish what I needed to accomplish, and I was able to do it through the UI mostly."
"The most valuable feature depends on the use case of the clients. However, one feature I like is the Kiosk Mode. In the Kiosk Mode in most cases, the clients only can make available one application developed by the solution and permit the employee or the final client to use only this one application for interaction. This provides a security control layer limiting only one application functionally."
"Workspace One is a product that I strongly recommend."
"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"We provide smooth access with mobile SSO to these solutions with one click."
 

Cons

"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."
"My overall rating of Azure Virtual Desktop is five out of ten. While the stability and cost-effectiveness are commendable, there is room for improvement in technical support."
"The main issue is the response time, which needs improvement to be faster."
"The initial setup of Azure Virtual Desktop overall is complex. The complexities I've noticed are with application optimizations, and it can get complex by meeting customers' security requirements."
"The delivery of applications is a tedious process."
"Azure could improve its uptime and the scaling aspect, as it lacks intelligent scaling."
"The costs are a bit difficult to predict upfront."
"There are challenges when upgrading the OS from Windows 10 to Windows 11, such as facing a black screen during testing. It is essential for Microsoft to ensure better testing and smoother transitions when decommissioning previous versions."
"AirWatch doesn't seem to empower IT admins to try new things or get creative with implementations."
"Customer Service: This is an area that could use some improvement. We have had a few incidents where the level of support was not what it was pictured to be."
"Pricing is the only challenge right now. The licensing fee should be simplified a little bit."
"The technical support could be improved."
"When it comes to deployment and maintaining security, there should be an integrated console where you have a singular view of all of the products from the same OEM."
"There should be better compatibility with Linux devices."
"it's very dependent on an active directory"
"From an identity perspective, there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to integration with other solutions. I would say it needs more capabilities in terms of direct integrations, including cloud identity solution integrations."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"In terms of pricing, this solution is definitely much more expensive compared to other solutions, like MobileIron or MaaS360 or any other product in the market. This solution is more expensive by 30 or 40 percent."
"The solution runs at roughly around $36/user for a year."
"VMware Workspace ONE has a yearly license. You have to buy the license for one year at a time."
"The solution can be costly when the customer is dealing with multiple platforms. If a customer is only dealing with iOS, Windows, and Android then Intune is the better choice because there are free licenses."
"It's an expensive tool."
"It's a highly affordable solution"
"It is quite expensive, but I think large companies have agreements with these organizations that provide remote monitoring for phones, and they get massive discounts. The public price does not reflect what they pay. You won't get the same pricing if you're buying for 10 employees versus 1,000 employees. On the public price, you get perhaps a 10% discount, but if you're buying 1,000, the discount could be really massive, especially if you signed a contract for a number of years."
"We pay approximately thirty to thirty-five euros per device per month for the complete suite, and this is a fixed cost with one, three, or five-year licensing in advance. I would rate the pricing a four out of ten, making it affordable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
22%
Outsourcing Company
12%
Media Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise60
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Virtual Desktop?
The usual amount customers pay for this tool varies. I have seen large deployments catering to 500 or 700 users. Enterprises do use it, and they pay quite a bit for this.
What needs improvement with Azure Virtual Desktop?
I see areas for improvement in Azure Virtual Desktop, specifically regarding cost, as it is a little bit expensive. However, when you account for replacing dedicated hardware and the maintenance it...
What is your primary use case for Azure Virtual Desktop?
We use RDP with Azure and have some virtual desktops. A major use case for Azure Virtual Desktop is that we give access to external consultants so they can access our information and interact with ...
How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it easy to control security and manage the usage of mobile apps when you have a ...
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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Horizon Air?
I don't deal with the pricing side, so I don't have any insight about it. That's what the organization would have already handled in their environment or maybe they are comparing it with products s...
 

Also Known As

No data available
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Australian Sports Commission, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Lomond School, Merck, United Bank, Medical College of Wisconsin, Latymer Upper School, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, Dowling Aaron Inc., Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Harrogate Grammar School, Duke University Football, Delta Air Lines, Adventist Health System, Giochi Preziosi, Cramlington Learning Village, Intermountain Healthcare, Safexpress, TAG Aviation
Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Virtual Desktop vs. Workspace ONE UEM and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.