Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs VMware Fusion comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and VMware Fusion based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. VMware Fusion Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The most valuable features are it is fast and cost-effective.""I like the way it can assess our system.""The most valuable feature is performance.""The solution is easy to deploy and there are many features available that you can turn on or off depending on your budget.""It's largely stable.""We use it to connect to the legacy system.""It's simple to set up.""The technical support is good."

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"The most value that it provides is that it is versatile.""It is a highly stable solution.""The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.""The whole point of it is to run Windows VMs on a Mac. This is the most valuable feature. There is snapshotting, but we don't really use that. The Pro version allows me to actually attach to the Windows ESXi infrastructure at the backend, and I'm able to create a session that I can attach to the VMware hooks at the backend, so one is running a VM, and the whole operating system is running on the actual Mac. The other one is literally a frontend to the VMs that are running in the infrastructure at the backend. These are the two main features I use."

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Cons
"There are problems with using Microsoft Teams within a virtual desktop on a mobile device.""The solution should introduce a chat feature for end users.""We'd like to see more integration with other vendors.""Microsoft Remote Desktop Services could improve by having a better application for managing multiple sessions. There used to be one but they stopped supporting it.""My customers are worried that the RDP protocol can be easily compromised and would like the option to use an alternative like Blast.""The biggest reason we don't use the solution for our company's clients is the solution's prices.""The administrative functionality is not enough for me.""We encounter challenges with portability, especially for users of iOS devices."

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"The way they handle snapshotting can be improved. One time, I moved a machine from one to another, and I tried to pull it up on the second machine, but it didn't work. This was because I had not cleaned up the snapshot before I deleted it and moved it across. So, when I tried to pull it up, it wouldn't let me bring it up. The backups for the VMs themselves can also be improved. I pretty much have to rely on Windows backups and not something on VMware. That's where it needs improvement. I am able to upload from my Fusion into the ESXi easily. I'm able to spin something up on Fusion and push it into the big arena, but the reverse is not as easy, that is, trying to pull something down from that. I would love to have a functionality where I could pull something from the VMware infrastructure into Fusion, but I'm not sure if I can take something from ESXi and pull it into Fusion.""VMware Fusion's licensing cost needs improvement.""Its installation process could be simpler.""I would like to see newer and updated cloud functions."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is moderate."
  • "The solution has a perpetual license and it is purchased upfront."
  • "It will probably cost about $500 USD to get the resources set up in the cloud."
  • "Although not an expensive product, pricing is always something that can be improved."
  • "It's not an expensive solution."
  • "It's not an expensive product."
  • "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 pricing could always be improved."
  • More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Starting with version 12, it is now free on a Mac for personal use. Fusion Pro has a cost."
  • "The cost varies depending on the season and whether it is scaled up or scaled down, but I would guess that it's approximately $1,000 per month."
  • "I rate the product's pricing a seven or eight. It is highly-priced."
  • More VMware Fusion Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.
    Top Answer:I rate the product's pricing a seven or eight. It is highly-priced.
    Top Answer:The solution could be a little more stable.
    Ranking
    Views
    9,813
    Comparisons
    8,606
    Reviews
    38
    Average Words per Review
    405
    Rating
    8.1
    Views
    7,442
    Comparisons
    6,719
    Reviews
    3
    Average Words per Review
    212
    Rating
    9.0
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Remote Desktop Services, MS Remote Desktop Services
    Learn More
    Overview

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is a highly regarded remote access tool in addition to being a top-ranked Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution in the marketplace today.

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is a suite of valuable elements of the Windows operating system (OS) that serve specific desired objectives. Microsoft RDS integrates various features that allow approved users to gain access to graphical desktops and Windows applications remotely. Approved users are able to deploy applications or even a complete desktop without having to install anything on their devices. Everything remains in the cloud. This ensures that there are never any compatibility issues and keeps the organization's original network secure at all times. Administrators are also able to ensure that data cannot be stored in any unapproved location, such as the local device, unapproved drives, or any other location.

    Microsoft RDS makes it easy for business organizations to access Windows Desktops and other Windows applications remotely to ensure today’s busy enterprise organizations are able to maintain the highest levels of productivity at all times. There are two basic ways organizations can effectively utilize RDS.


    • Microsoft Remote Desktop Component: This allows users to connect with various alternate desktops from their current device. Once the user has gained a secure connection based on the approved administrative permissions, the user can seamlessly access and interact with the remote desktop. Users have the feeling of having this new virtual desktop installed directly on their machine.


    • RemoteApp: Users are able to easily access cloud-based applications via their own personal desktop computers or other approved mobile devices. This application ensures overall application management is centralized and consistent throughout the entire business enterprise.


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Benefits

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has many benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:


    • Access Windows applications remotely from any device
    • Enhanced consistent application performance
    • Increased computing resources
    • Secure cloud-based data storage.
    • Streamlined management processes
    • Reduction in technical administrative resources
    • Reduction in hardware and device costs.
    • Improved employee productivity
    • Cost-effective
    • Improved Profitability
    • Reduce carbon footprint


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services makes it easy for busy enterprise organizations to stay productive and remain competitive in today’s aggressive marketplace. An organization's end-users can be given access to their own specific desktops from any location, anytime, using any approved device. Additionally, users can access Microsoft applications without having an effect on their device's resource capacity or performance.

    Reviews from Real Users

    “What I found most valuable in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is accessibility because the solution lets you take control of your computer remotely, and that's a good feature.” Pascal B., IT consultant at Secoptrial

    “The most valuable features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services are unification, central management, and accessibility.” Jan S. Solution Architect at a tech services company

    “The most valuable features are that it is fast and cost-effective. I am not aware of a replacement currently on the market.” Ramon H. Director at Empaco

    VMware Fusion is a software hypervisor for Macintosh computers. VMware Fusion allows Intel-based Macs to run operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, NetWare, or Solaris on virtual machines, along with their Mac OS X operating system using a combination of paravirtualization, hardware virtualization and dynamic recompilation.
    Sample Customers
    Bank Alfalah Ltd.
    NetApp
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm17%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Healthcare Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    University11%
    Educational Organization10%
    Government7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business47%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise32%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Midsize Enterprise57%
    Large Enterprise43%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise58%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. VMware Fusion
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. VMware Fusion and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is ranked 1st in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) with 69 reviews while VMware Fusion is ranked 7th in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) with 5 reviews. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is rated 8.2, while VMware Fusion is rated 9.0. The top reviewer of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services writes "Easy to set up and reliable, but needs an additional control panel". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware Fusion writes "Robust software with efficient snapshot and cloning features". Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is most compared with TeamViewer, VMware Horizon, VMware Workstation, Citrix Workspace and Parallels Access, whereas VMware Fusion is most compared with Parallels Desktop, VMware Workstation, VMware Player and VMware Horizon View. See our Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. VMware Fusion report.

    See our list of best Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) vendors.

    We monitor all Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.