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Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Parallels Access comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Remote Desktop Se...
Ranking in Remote Access
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
77
Ranking in other categories
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (4th)
Parallels Access
Ranking in Remote Access
12th
Average Rating
8.8
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2024, in the Remote Access category, the mindshare of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is 17.6%, down from 19.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Parallels Access is 3.7%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Remote Access
 

Featured Reviews

BHARAT B  SHARMA - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2022
Easy to set up and reliable, but needs an additional control panel
We've had issues with security breaches. The main problem is that if we are using this with the individual computer and using a remote desktop, there are some loopholes there. When I implemented this on an individual computer within two or three days it got captured. There is a problem with the printing and sharing of this program. There is a lot of customized software leaving the market due to this. If somebody wants to run a specific program with the specific settings, they don't want full access to the computer. Then there are some problems that have to be resolved. We'd like to have an additional control panel available in order o more easily give resources to the computers. There are a lot of restrictions and having a program panel would make things easier. It would help us set up the right access and permissions.
Binish Parikh - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 1, 2023
Easy-to-deploy and good for small as well as large setups
The primary use case is VDI.  Parallels Access is a very easy-to-deploy and secure solution. It is good for small as well as large setups. We can start with 15 users, and then it can go up.  There is room for improvement in the pricing policy. The price point is pretty aggressive. Since it is not…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's pretty stable."
"We have scaled the solution and find this easy to do."
"I like that it works. In most cases, it's predictable. You know what you get."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is stable and reliable."
"We use cloud remote support because we need to assist our customers. It allows them to connect from the web. I"
"The tool shares computer resources perfectly."
"The solution is easy to use."
"The solution is user-friendly and has a good user experience."
"We don't have problems with stability. Everything is good."
"It's great that the total deployment can happen completely remotely."
"Parallels Access gives me full access and control of the computer, and I can do anything I want remotely."
"It's got a very easy-to-use interface."
"Parallels Access has flexible licensing policies, which is beneficial for customers who have intermittent usage or users who are on and off the system."
 

Cons

"Remote Desktop Services doesn't scale well."
"The solution is unsuitable for direct external internet connections. You must set up a VPN and password handling to use it."
"In the next release, I would like to see better performance over slower networks, and integration with Linux, but this is something that we're going to get out of Microsoft in terms of a unified solution."
"We've had issues with security breaches."
"There are times I get disconnected from the service and when one or two attempts to establish a remote connection. Microsoft should show where the problem is, I have to find it by myself."
"Users have to re-enter their ID and password every time they log on, which is tedious and repetitive."
"The product is not very scalable."
"I would like to see a web-based interface, instead of client installation to refresh the UI through HTML."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing policy. The price point is pretty aggressive."
"When you want to transfer a file from your iPad or remote device to the computer, the copy-and-paste feature doesn't always work."
"The solution may not scale well for enterprises."
"They could improve the reporting."
"One challenge we do notice is that the application is limited to Windows servers only. If a customer has a Linux server, things get complicated. They should open it up a bit to be more compatible with different types of servers."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is fair."
"The pricing is moderate."
"The solution has a pretty comparable pricing."
"The price of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is reasonable. The solution can come for free for some clients with certain agreements."
"We do not have to pay for the product."
"The cost of the solution is low."
"The solution is expensive. My company pays toward the monthly licensing costs of the solution...The additional cost, apart from the solution's licensing cost, is related to the technical support a user wants."
"Its licensing is on a yearly basis. We're on the educational or academic license, and our terms are good. We're very happy with the pricing."
"The licensing costs are about $100 per user."
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813,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
15%
University
11%
Educational Organization
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

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 Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?
I've never had an issue with it. I've always thought the pricing for RDS was reasonable.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?
The current process I have to go through to get a Windows 11 VM up and running is difficult. Windows 10 worked a whole lot better than Windows 11.
What do you like most about Parallels Access?
Parallels Access gives me full access and control of the computer, and I can do anything I want remotely.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Parallels Access?
It's around $125 per user per year. It is a one-time charge for installation and implementation, which is a small cost we charge to our customers. However, it's not from our solution side. Basicall...
What needs improvement with Parallels Access?
When you want to transfer a file from your iPad or remote device to the computer, the copy-and-paste feature doesn't always work. I'd have to turn on the Bluetooth a lot of times and transfer it th...
 

Also Known As

Remote Desktop Services, MS Remote Desktop Services
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bank Alfalah Ltd.
Gilt Groupe K.K.
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. Parallels Access and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
813,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.