Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs VMware ThinApp [EOL] comparison

Citrix and Broadcom are both solutions in the Application Virtualization category. Additionally, 93% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Read 128 Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) reviews

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825 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

VMware ThinApp [EOL]

Read 3 VMware ThinApp [EOL] reviews

100% willing to recommend

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

VMware ThinApp [EOL]

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) and VMware ThinApp [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Citrix, Microsoft, Parallels and others in Application Virtualization.

To learn more, read our detailed Application Virtualization Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Application Virtualization

March 2026

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Helped 884,933 peers since 2012

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...

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

128

Ranking in other categories

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

VMware ThinApp [EOL]

Average Rating

9.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Sorin Neacsu

Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange

Has delivered consistent desktop experiences across remote locations and has supported multimedia workloads efficiently

I have utilized the HDX protocol for compression and audio-video capabilities. When users need to conduct meetings with customers or colleagues, they can use Teams solutions and open a bridge where video and audio are encapsulated within the ICA protocol, which is protected by SSL and certificates for security. This provides secure communication at good quality through the HDX protocol. HDX protocol has improved application performance as it is specifically designed for multimedia applications. If processing audio or video files, such as in telecom where discussions are recorded and then prepared as video or audio, this does not consume excessive bandwidth during the operation compared to a normal remote desktop connection provided by Microsoft. Everything is compressed and provides sufficient bandwidth for multiple people to perform similar tasks without interruption or session disconnection. All multimedia-related activities, such as playing content on YouTube, deliver a better experience with this protocol overall. I use multi-factor authentication for opening sessions to the data center where users access their machines or software. Multi-factor authentication has helped secure applications because users typically have two-way authentication software on their phones. They use a password first and then authenticate themselves through their mobile application to grant access to resources. This approach is effective because if a hacker attacks a user, they need more than just the password and username. They must also possess the device that provides authentication. The device typically has facial recognition, a password, and provides better security overall.

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it_user769638

Associate Operations at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Streamlines checking our app after pushing an update, which helps cut costs

In the past we used multiple servers to load-balance the application and when we pushed updates to the application we would need to check it on all servers. But when it comes to VMware ThinApp we can do it on a file server or Isilon share and this helps cut costs and create a healthy environment. If we publish an application in Citrix through a server we should have more capacity. On multiple occasions, some applications need updates so at that point we need to disable the servers. But in this case there is no need for disabling user sessions, they can use it and we can do just gpupdate to update all servers in a row.

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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."

"With this product, everyone can have a similar kind of desktop environment."

"Instead of pointing to any single feature, I would say the most valuable aspect of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops is the overall product itself. Virtualized apps and desktops, in theory and in practice, are very helpful to users."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the desktop virtualization, which allows me to connect from anywhere."

"First of all, the manageability of the applications for publishing is valuable. Second, it is about being able to run the applications on all main platforms. Third, its licensing is valuable. You can either switch to the cloud and keep on-prem. You can work with this hybrid scenario."

"Citrix support is very good."

"The price and user-interface are great."

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

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

"In the past we used multiple servers to load-balance the application and when we pushed updates to the application we would need to check it on all servers, but when it comes to VMware ThinApp we can do it on a file server or Isilon share and this helps cut costs and create a healthy environment."

"A great solution to get started with app virtualization, app mobility and deployment"

Cons

"There is room for improvement on the hypervisor side, providing better integration between the hypervisor and the product line."

"Citrix duplicates multiple processes."

"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."

"Some customers find the price to be a significant factor. They have a hard time understanding the extra cost of the services"

"The place where this application can most probably be improved is in the integration with other environments."

"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 Citrix's support is good, but sometimes it is a little slow."

"We would like to be able to provide VDI, a full desktop, to each of our users."

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

"There are some functional areas Thinapp could be improved. Perhaps including application specific or hardware specific virtual drivers"

"There are some improvements needed regarding different types of options and still they are in research and build stage so once everything is set it will look good."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"My company opts for the yearly subscription model to pay towards the licensing costs attached to the solution."

"They offer licensing per user. From time to time, they give discounts. Because it's a hybrid model, you can deploy some portion of it on cloud and some portion your on-prem."

"As for the cost, it is neither cheap nor expensive. Personally, I find it quite expensive, especially if you want to add more features. The security features we use include App Protect and Endpoint Protection."

"The cost of the Citrix software reflects what I would expect a product of that nature, in that market, to be. Understanding the licensing is quite a bit more complicated, because one of the things about Citrix is that you can buy licensing at different levels... Yet I still like the idea because it means that if all you need is a basic load balancing solution, then you don't need to buy an advanced or premium license."

"I suggest using the concurrent user licensing scheme."

"It is a bit costly, but enterprise class features come with a cost."

"The price of the solution could be less expensive. There are different versions to their solution and the price keeps increasing."

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

Educational Organization

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	44
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	69

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...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

March 2026

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

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

Buyer's Guide

Application Virtualization

March 2026

Download VMware ThinApp [EOL] product report

Also Known As

XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps), Citrix Workspace

ThinApp

Interactive Demo

Citrix

Demo not available

Broadcom

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

VMware ThinApp accelerates application deployment and simplifies application migration with agentless application virtualization. Deploy ThinApp packages on "locked-down" PCs and allow end users to run their favorite applications without compromising security. ThinApp eliminate application conflicts by isolating applications from each other and the underlying OS into a single executable file that can be easily deployed to many endpoints.

Broadcom

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

Delhi International Airport, Telus Communications Company, Mansfield District Council, St Edmunds College, Sydney Adventist Hospital, ITSAM, Hertz International, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. , ASVZ, Appenzell Ausserrhoden Informatik, MTF, Stadt Hattingen, €sterreichisches Verkehrsbªro AG, DER Reisebªro GmbH & Co OHG, Thomas-Krenn.AG, BFI Wien, Metal One Pipe & Tubular Products Inc., NTT Neomeit

Buyer's Guide

Application Virtualization

March 2026

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