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Parallels Desktop vs Workspace ONE UEM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

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

Parallels Desktop
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
6th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Workspace ONE UEM
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (5th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (2nd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (10th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Parallels Desktop is 11.2%, up from 11.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 2.6%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Parallels Desktop11.2%
Workspace ONE UEM2.6%
Other86.2%
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
 

Featured Reviews

Grant-Donald - PeerSpot reviewer
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…
Vishal Bhatia - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective product tracking and monitoring enhances daily operations despite needing documentation improvement
The documentation part of Workspace ONE UEM can be confusing. The documentation is not comprehensive compared to other VMware solutions or Microsoft documentation. Most people struggle to connect the dots when looking at the documentation. Even the training material and PowerPoint slide decks that trainers use are sometimes too confusing or overwhelming, with too much content but not enough clarity. The support side has recently become weaker compared to what it used to be with VMware. This is another area that needs improvement. Since working with Workspace ONE UEM from when it was AirWatch, it has improved significantly over the last five years. However, there are still some gray areas and scope for improvement, especially in documentation and workflow between different aspects of the solution.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems."
"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."
"It is like any other mobile solution. It gives us the ability to control remotely, and that is what we like. We can wipe out and deploy remotely."
"The product offers integration capabilities with third-party solutions."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the multi-platform support."
"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Among the most important improvements is the ability to set up different groups with different deployment policies."
"The bigger vendors like VMware, Insight, and MobileIron can assign engineers to customers. You can work with them to develop the right competency to use the product."
"I found the initial setup to be easy."
"If an end-user has an issue with a device, the administration has the ability to remote access the device after approval from the end-user."
 

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."
"Integration with Microsoft needs improvement. There are some dependencies with Microsoft that aren't 100% yet, for example: compliance synchronization."
"I would like to see some integration with native Microsoft products such as Anti-value."
"One thing VMware needs to improve is compatibility with different operating systems."
"When it comes to deployment and maintaining security, there should be an integrated console where you have a singular view of all of the products from the same OEM."
"They do have a good integration, but there is a long way to go as far as integration is concerned. They need to integrate with the cloud solutions a little bit more. We are looking for Azure integration."
"The console comes bunched together as a package and inbuilt. Its called Workspace ONE. Whenever we have an issue, we contact the service provider, and instead of a fix, we are just getting the next version of Workspace ONE."
"There are some bugs that our team needs to work around. It required some API integration required because visitor integration was not there. For example, we are currently working on a tunnel issue, and VMware doesn't have this solution."
"There could be ease of integration within the environment. I didn't have any issues when using it, but the integration part was a bit difficult for the other team."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"It is quite expensive, but I think large companies have agreements with these organizations that provide remote monitoring for phones, and they get massive discounts. The public price does not reflect what they pay. You won't get the same pricing if you're buying for 10 employees versus 1,000 employees. On the public price, you get perhaps a 10% discount, but if you're buying 1,000, the discount could be really massive, especially if you signed a contract for a number of years."
"Workspace ONE is on the higher end of the pricing band when compared to other players in the market."
"For the moment, we have a multi-year contract, meaning that we cannot go with a different solution at this time even if the price should prove more favorable."
"You should take out a dedicated license agreement of your MDM fleet and invest heavily in innovating in this space."
"If you purchase it for one year, it is very expensive. If you get it for three years or up to five years, then you can bargain a better price."
"VMware Workspace ONE can fit any organization because if you need more devices there are only additional fees."
"I think the pricing of the product needs advisement. It would be great to bundle the VM products together. I think the actual box itself should be included in the license. At present, it is not paired with the mobile device."
"The price of VMware Workspace ONE is expensive. However, for the features that are provided, the price is reasonable. There is a subscription to use the solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
13%
University
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise21
Large Enterprise57
 

Questions from the Community

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.
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.
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.
How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it easy to control security and manage the usage of mobile apps when you have a ...
How does VMware Workspace One compare with VMware Horizon 7?
VMware Workspace One has a powerful set of helpful features. The solution offers very good documentation, the initial setup is easy, and the product is very stable and reliable. I think the fact th...
What do you like most about VMware Workspace ONE?
The platform provides a stable environment for operations and quickly creates new environments. Additionally, it offers efficient flexibility.
 

Also Known As

No data available
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Lytro, University of Washington, Slalom, Veeva Systems, Oklahoma Christian University
Australian Sports Commission, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Lomond School, Merck, United Bank, Medical College of Wisconsin, Latymer Upper School, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, Dowling Aaron Inc., Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Harrogate Grammar School, Duke University Football, Delta Air Lines, Adventist Health System, Giochi Preziosi, Cramlington Learning Village, Intermountain Healthcare, Safexpress, TAG Aviation
Find out what your peers are saying about Parallels Desktop vs. Workspace ONE UEM and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
867,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.