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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.
VMware ThinApp [EOL]
Read 3 VMware ThinApp [EOL] reviews
    100% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

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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.

    DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
    To learn more, read our detailed Application Virtualization Report (Updated: May 2026).
    Buyer's Guide
    Application Virtualization
    May 2026
    Download the complete report
    Helped 899,917 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 (5th), Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (1st), Desktop as a Service (DaaS) (1st)
    VMware ThinApp [EOL]
    Average Rating
    9.0
    Number of Reviews
    3
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
     

    Featured Reviews

    SN
    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.
    Read full review
    it_user769638 - PeerSpot reviewer
    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.
    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

    "In terms of Citrix Workforce features, the most valuable for managing our remote workforce is security, especially AppProtect. Users cannot simply copy and paste data to their local devices. This prevents data breaches, as data can't be copied to OneDrive or Google Drive. Screenshots from local PCs are also blocked, though data can still be manually copied using a phone."
    "XenApp is fast and secure and reliable for remote connections."
    "It saves 50% to 60% of the total cost of a new device that needs to be bought for any new employee or for a specific service."
    "It has improved delivering applications to remote locations with its lower bandwidth utilization, giving better performance to the user even with the lowest bandwidth."
    "The Provisioning Services are the most valuable feature. We have Premium licensing, so Provisioning Services is huge for us, along with the Virtual Apps and Desktops part. It allows us to have a vDisk for every region, one that can easily be copied between them if we need to, to limit the amount of updates we have to do."
    "The only thing that is really important for me is being able to connect from wherever I am. It is important for me because sometimes I am in places where there are not enough safe conditions to be able to work safely, in terms of security and confidentiality of my data. Being able to access internal resources from a secure platform allows me to work without fearing that my data has been stolen."
    "Getting access to the applications for which we otherwise have to be on-site is probably the biggest advantage"
    "And our overall IT costs (hardware, software, utilities, etc.) dropped 44 percent over what we were spending in 2008 and certainly over our trajectory."
    More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) pros
    "A great solution to get started with app virtualization, app mobility and deployment"
    "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."
     

    Cons

    "It would be great if they included VPN features and improved connectivity."
    "I had a stability issue with Citrix XenServer. If you experience a problem with XenServer, you must know Linux commands, unlike with VMWare ESX."
    "Citrix Director, which is like the monitoring interface from Citrix could use a revamp in the way that it displays information."
    "The user profiles could use some improvement. They could use more stability and more functionality as well as user profile redirection."
    "As an end-to-end solution for implementing Zero Trust principles I would rate it a six or a seven out of 10, because it doesn't cover all aspects of Zero Trust. There are quite a few aspects you need to cover."
    "Citrix has undergone significant changes, primarily due to its acquisition. This acquisition impacted Citrix's value because of increased licensing costs under the new model. As a result, many customers are now considering alternatives to Citrix."
    "Dependency on server virtualization after v7.x is an issue which I encountered in small environments."
    "The initial setup of Citrix Workspace is a bit of a complex process, which should be made easier in the future."
    More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) cons
    "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."
    "There are some functional areas Thinapp could be improved. Perhaps including application specific or hardware specific virtual drivers"
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "A perpetual enterprise license costs approximately $300 USD."
    "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."
    "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."
    "The purchase price was around $300,000 USD and then the maintenance fees were 20%. There are no other additional fees."
    "It's my understanding that the solution license fee for each user is around $300 US. If we buy a personal laptop for each employee every five years, then the total cost is five times $300 US, or $1,500 USD. So we could buy 100 personal laptops instead of the Citrix solution."
    "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."
    "It is quite expensive, but so are the competitors on the market."
    "Based not only on the cost of Citrix, but additional costs like firewalls, IPS, and other solutions, the total cost of switching users from using normal laptops with VPNs to connection via Citrix were so huge that the CEO of our company decided to postpone the deployment process."
    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
    13%
    Financial Services Firm
    10%
    Manufacturing Company
    9%
    Comms Service Provider
    7%
    No data available
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business45
    Midsize Enterprise21
    Large Enterprise69
    No data available
     

    Questions from the Community

    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
    What advice do you have for others considering Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?
    I rate the overall product a six out of ten.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Workspace?
    Citrix DaaS is considered expensive, especially for companies that do not require multi-cloud. Tiered pricing based on company size would be beneficial.
    See all answers
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    Earn 20 points
     

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    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)
    June 2026
    Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) reportDownload Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Application Virtualization
    May 2026
    VMware ThinApp [EOL] reportDownload VMware ThinApp [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps), Citrix Workspace
    ThinApp
     

    Interactive Demo

    Citrix
    Demo not available
    Broadcom
     

    Overview

    Citrix DaaS provides centralized administration, high security, and app and desktop flexibility, offering excellent user experience and robust remote access. It is known for low bandwidth seamless performance and ease of use, ensuring consistent experience on diverse devices.

    Citrix DaaS is a comprehensive service for virtual application delivery and remote access, ideal for distributed teams and mobile workers. Its support for application virtualization, data regulation compliance, and business continuity makes it valuable in remote work environments. Organizations use it for centralized management and secure remote workflows, benefiting from low-bandwidth delivery in multi-city deployments. However, enhancements in speed, performance, and scalability are necessary, along with better monitoring and pricing improvements. Users face cloud compatibility challenges, and improvements in virtual desktop functionality and multimedia experience are desired.

    What are the key features of Citrix DaaS?
    • Centralized Administration: Streamlined management of virtual desktops and apps from a single console.
    • High Security: Advanced protection features for data and applications.
    • Flexibility: Customizable publishing options for apps and desktops.
    • Robust Remote Access: Reliable performance even on low bandwidth connections.
    • Device Support: Broad compatibility ensures seamless deployment across devices.
    What benefits should users look for?
    • Enhanced Business Continuity: Ensures consistent access to apps and data remotely.
    • Low Bandwidth Efficiency: Maintains performance in limited connectivity scenarios.
    • Centralized Management: Simplifies control over remote resources.
    • Remote Work Enablement: Facilitates secure access for distributed teams.

    In healthcare, Citrix DaaS supports secure access to patient records and applications essential for telemedicine. Financial services benefit from compliance with data regulation and secure workflows. In education, virtual desktops offer accessible learning resources, aiding remote teaching initiatives. Retail uses it for streamlining operations across dispersed locations, ensuring quick access to inventory systems and data management.

    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 Edmunds 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
    May 2026
    Download Free Report
    Find out what your peers are saying about Citrix, Microsoft, Parallels and others in Application Virtualization. Updated: May 2026.
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