Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Parallels Desktop comparison

Citrix and Parallels are both solutions in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category. Citrix is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.2, while Parallels is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.0. Citrix holds a 10.5% mindshare in VD, compared to Parallels’s 14.3% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Parallels users who would recommend it.

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Read 126 Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) reviews

7,174 Views
3,119 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Parallels Desktop

Read 2 Parallels Desktop reviews

4,984 Views
4,438 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Parallels Desktop

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Citrix DaaS and Parallels Desktop are competing in the virtual desktop and application delivery market. Citrix DaaS has an advantage in scalability and support, while Parallels Desktop is noted for its feature set and overall value.

Features: Citrix DaaS offers robust enterprise-level capabilities, providing extensive scalability and integration with various IT environments. Key features include scalability, enterprise-level security, and integration with different IT ecosystems. Parallels Desktop delivers flexibility for seamless integration with macOS and Windows, making it ideal for high-performance application access on Mac devices. Key features include cross-platform compatibility, high-speed performance, and ease of use for both personal and professional tasks.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix DaaS supports complex enterprise needs with a sophisticated deployment process, backed by comprehensive customer service. Parallels Desktop provides a straightforward setup process, beneficial for individual and small business users seeking quick, efficient deployment, and is supported by accessible customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix DaaS generally incurs a higher setup cost due to its extensive capabilities, promising significant ROI for large enterprises over time. Parallels Desktop offers a cost-effective solution with quicker ROI, appealing to smaller businesses or individuals. Citrix focuses on long-term value for large-scale operations, while Parallels emphasizes immediate cost efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs. Parallels Desktop Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs. Parallels Desktop

June 2025

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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

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

126

Ranking in other categories

Application Virtualization (1st), Remote Access (4th), Desktop as a Service (DaaS) (1st)

Parallels Desktop

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

6th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is 10.5%, down from 12.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Parallels Desktop is 14.3%, up from 7.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Featured Reviews

Grant Waddell

Head of IT Architecture & Operations Support at Lyntia

User-friendly and easily accessible, but cost could be made cheaper

We use Citrix Workspace on Citrix Cloud. We have all of our servers on the AWS public cloud. There are a number of tools that we can implement that would save us costs. However, we've stuck to Citrix for convenience. If the prices keep increasing, we will have to consider other solutions. Users need to understand the tool's limitations correctly and what they require from a usability perspective. They should also understand the configuration of security policies. In some cases, people are unable to download or upload files onto their PCs, which is necessary for them to do their work. Users should understand the limitations of the product or the configuration options. Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

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Grant-Donald

Information Security Consultant at Excellenta

It integrates seamlessly with macOS, but it's not compatible with VMware

Parallels Desktop does the same thing as VMware but for Apple users Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems. The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible. It can be…

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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 basic virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) feature is most valuable. We were lucky to have it in place when the pandemic hit. It is used very heavily now."

"The most valuable feature is the watermark because most of the time our employees connect from a remote location. In case they photograph the DDA or some data, the watermark will show which user did so and from which IP they connected. That makes it more secure."

"Citrix has had the top remote display for the last 20 years, and there is a huge technological gap between Citrix and its competitors."

"It has improved delivering applications to remote locations with its lower bandwidth utilization."

"The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the convenience and the ease of setup the tool provides."

"Citrix DaaS’s most valuable feature is the virtualization of applications and desktops."

"There are many features that I like, but the stability over the Internet is exceptional. Even if there's bandwidth fluctuation or network jitter, it performs well, offering a seamless experience to end-users without noticeable disruptions."

"It has very good performance in delivering 3D applications over WAN."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) pros

"I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode."

"Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems."

Cons

"The price is currently high, and having tiered pricing would benefit companies."

"The product is currently not working well in hosting conferencing software like Zoom, Team, and Salon."

"There have been many issues with stability."

"The solution's cost has almost doubled this year, and it could be made cheaper."

"The lag when using Skype or Screen Sharing with multiple users needs to improve, as it makes it difficult for us to continue when we have to restart the system."

"If there are connectivity issues, there are stability issues."

"The visibility the solution provides across SaaS, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments, for user and application traffic, is also limited if you do not enable all the services and is based on which services you are utilising. Citrix provides end-to-end visibility based on their services you are utilising."

"I think improvement around the Analytics piece is super important. There has been a lot of maturity over the last year in that area, though a lot more needs to be done. Also, a lot more of the value of those Analytics needs to be sold to end users. Citrix is working on a lot of things that are ahead of the curve and a lot of organizations aren't quite there yet with implementing those technologies and capabilities."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) cons

"There may have been some issues with device drivers on my Mac. Similarly, there are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac."

"The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible. It can be challenging if you are switching between Windows and Mac. I recommend sticking with one product because there isn't good compatibility between the different products."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I suggest using the concurrent user licensing scheme."

"It is an expensive solution. I rate its pricing a nine out of ten."

"We are just now approaching the end of our initial purchase, which was an excellent price for us as an academic institution. We got a very good deal to get us on board. That license is up for renewal in about a year, and we are nervously waiting to see what the pricing will be."

"A perpetual enterprise license costs approximately $300 USD."

"The product, XenServer, is free to use, and XenApp has a one month free license."

"Citrix solutions cost a lot in comparison with competitors, like Azure Virtual Desktop or VMware Horizon. Those solutions cost around 50 to 60 percent less, per month per user, than Citrix."

"The licensing of Citrix Workspace is worth it. However, it is expensive. Citrix is probably more competitive now than VMware, but it is still a costly solution."

"You have to do some hard work in order to get the suitable licenses."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

13%

University

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

My focus has primarily been on publishing virtual applications.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

I rate the product’s pricing a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

I have found that Citrix DaaS is still a complex product, especially on the desktop side, which affects scalability. Although it works well on the apps side, the desktop aspect still has room for i...

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What do you like most about Parallels Desktop?

I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Parallels Desktop?

If you want the standard version, it is more expensive but more advanced. You get what you pay for. These products cost money, and the company has to make a profit.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Parallels Desktop?

There may have been some issues with device drivers on my Mac. Similarly, there are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 8% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

Rocket Exceed TurboX vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 5% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 79% of the time

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Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 2% of the time

Azure Virtual Desktop vs Parallels Desktop

Compared 2% of the time

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Parallels Desktop

Compared 1% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

June 2025

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) report

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Buyer's Guide

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

May 2025

Download Parallels Desktop product report

Also Known As

XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps), Citrix Workspace

No data available

Interactive Demo

Citrix

Demo not available

Parallels

Overview

Enable secure, flexible work with the leader in virtual apps and desktops

Deliver desktop as a service (DaaS) from any cloud or datacenter

Get started with Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) in minutes to provide a familiar, high-performance digital workspace experience to your users. We’ll manage the infrastructure and security. You focus on your business.

Citrix

Parallels Desktop is a virtualization software for Mac that allows users to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems alongside macOS without rebooting. It provides a seamless experience for users who need access to different operating systems on a single machine.

As a powerful cross-platform solution, Parallels Desktop is designed for developers, testers, and users who require flexibility in operating multiple systems concurrently. It efficiently manages resources, offering significant advantages for those who need Windows applications on a Mac without compromising on performance. Its intuitive setup and strong integration with macOS make it highly appealing to technical teams looking for productivity enhancements.

What features stand out in Parallels Desktop?

Coherence Mode: Integrates Windows applications with macOS for a unified user experience.
Resource Allocation: Allows users to fine-tune resources dedicated to each virtual machine for optimal performance.
Cross-Platform Data Transfer: Enables easy sharing of files and data between operating systems.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Increased Productivity: Seamless access to Windows applications on Mac can enhance workflow efficiency.
Cost-Effective Solution: Reduces the need for multiple devices, saving on hardware costs.
Improved Flexibility: Offers the ability to run testing environments on a single device, increasing operational flexibility.

In industries like software development and design, Parallels Desktop is often implemented to streamline operations, allowing professionals to simultaneously utilize macOS and Windows tools. This adaptability proves essential in environments that demand the use of diverse software applications, ensuring continuity and productivity.

Parallels

Sample Customers

Exelon, Aeronamic, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Alameda County Medical Center, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Aloysius Stichting, Amarchand Mangaldas, AmBev, Amnet Technology Solutions, Arval

Lytro, University of Washington, Slalom, Veeva Systems, Oklahoma Christian University

Buyer's Guide

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs. Parallels Desktop

June 2025

Free Report: Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs. Parallels Desktop

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