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Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops comparison

Parallels and Red Hat are both solutions in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category. Parallels is ranked #13 with an average rating of 7.5, while Red Hat is ranked #14 with an average rating of 6.0. Parallels holds a 2.8% mindshare in VD, compared to Red Hat’s 0.8% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Parallels users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 50% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.
Parallels Remote Applicatio...
Read 25 Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) reviews
  • 1,628 Views
  • 1,547 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Red Hat Enterprise Virtuali...
Read 2 Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops reviews
  • 462 Views
  • 462 Comparison Views
50% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops and Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) compete in virtualization solutions. Parallels RAS seems to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive features and perceived value for the price.

Features: Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops values robust security, scalability, and integration with existing Red Hat infrastructure. Parallels RAS stands out with ease of use, application delivery, and versatility across various devices and environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Parallels RAS offers a straightforward deployment model and strong customer service. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops has powerful management tools integrating with existing Red Hat systems, suitable for companies invested in the Red Hat ecosystem.

Pricing and ROI: Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops offers competitive pricing for businesses using Red Hat services, focusing on long-term cost-effectiveness. Parallels RAS presents a higher upfront cost but is considered worth the investment due to advanced features and faster time to value.

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To learn more, read our detailed Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
September 2025
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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 Remote Applicatio...
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
13th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Application Virtualization (4th)
Red Hat Enterprise Virtuali...
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
14th
Average Rating
7.0
Reviews Sentiment
2.4
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is 2.8%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops is 0.8%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)2.8%
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops0.8%
Other96.4%
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
 

Featured Reviews

JohanSkibdahl - PeerSpot reviewer
Secure access across devices with cost-effective seamless integration
One valuable feature is the ability to securely use a wide range of devices to access the company's infrastructure. The inclusion of all necessary components, such as load balancer and gateways, in a monthly fee is also beneficial. In terms of Parallels Desktop, the coherence mode that allows Mac and Windows applications to run seamlessly side by side is highly regarded.
Read full review
RobertThompson 1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Free version available but hard to understand
Personally, I don't think it has any commendable features. The biggest thing about it is that, compared to what you can do with VMware and Horizon, it just seems like there's an awful lot of extra work involved with the Red Hat virtualization. It doesn't just work out of the box. You have to read through about six different documents, and everybody's experience is different. So it's kind of annoying. That would be the main thing. If you're not a Linux geek, it's very hard to understand. And it's probably because I came out of the Windows world. I learned this as part of my cross-training, but I just found the way that it happens with VMware and all that stuff to be easier to use.
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

"You have the opportunity to virtualize applications in different locations. Everything is in one pane or one window, which is quite good."
"It provides flexible access to Windows applications from many types of devices."
"We use RAS to publish cloud desktops to our clients. The ability to easily publish resources to a subset of users is what we find most valuable."
"We can provision the servers without the need for another third-party solution."
"The solution is powerful, and it has good speed and performance."
"The management capability from the RAS portal provides greater control than using pure MS inbuilt into RDS capabilities."
"Setup was straightforward. Our particular use case involved an Active Directory forest involving two data centers and three domains. User authentication against Active Directory was the easiest to set up and validate of any application installed in the last three years."
"Thin client management (Windows 10 client) provides an easy way to lock down client connection to the remote infrastructure. Policies are very helpful for preconfiguring client behavior. Finally, client management is easy."
More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) pros
"There's lots of good support out there in the community."
"The improvement to our organization is managing all our KVM-based virtual machines in a management environment."
"The most valuable features are automated deployment and transparent movement for virtual machines over all our locations."
 

Cons

"We would like to be able to re-label the OTP (One Time Password) popup so our users can easily recognize that they are to put in their DUO code on that line. Most users see OTP and ask what that is."
"Generally, it is a very good solution. The main thing that I would improve is their presence here in Mexico. They don't have strong local support here in Mexico. They should have a worldwide presence so that we don't have to do everything through the people in the US. The initial setup was a little bit complex because we were migrating from Citrix. For customers who are migrating from another platform like VMware or Citrix, it would be great if they can provide an automated migration solution."
"We would like the ability to provide a popup message, such as a maintenance notification. That same notification on the Parallels client would be awesome."
"The main issue we have with all of our users is printing. Randomly, a printer will disconnect or someone won't connect to it and I will have to reset the print service and then nobody can print. That's the big headache we've had over the course of the five years."
"Currently in the RD Session Hosts – Sessions section, I can see what server a user is logged into but not what app he is using. Being able to do so would be immensely helpful when a non-technical user is complaining of issues, but I can’t tell which app he is using, and he is actually logged into multiple servers since they serve multiple apps."
"From a seller's point of view, there are a lot of things that they could do better in the sales cycle."
"We have had significant, ongoing issues with printing. It would be great to have a best practice for dealing with printing that we can offer to our customers."
"Improvement is needed in performance monitoring of the client's endpoint, and automatic re-connection of the client in the event of circuit disruptions (this works well generally but can present challenges)."
More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) cons
"The best improvement for oVirt 4.2 is to enable backup features for major backup products of virtual machines."
"The biggest thing about it is that, compared to what you can do with VMware and Horizon, it just seems like there's an awful lot of extra work involved with Red Hat virtualization."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I recommend testing Parallels and comparing it to your needs. Compare the prices against what you are able to do with the product and its alternatives. Parallels is not a cheap product."
"It justifies the price. In terms of licensing, initially when we got the product it was an unlimited licensing strategy. We knew would grow in the coming years. So initially, we took a plan which had no limit. After a year or so the strategy changed and we were being limited to 105 licenses, that was the minimum... If there was flexibility for increasing the number of licenses that would be great because you never know how much you are going to grow in the next year."
"I don't like the subscription model because it feels like I have to pay every month. If Parallels could go back to the professional license, it would be much better."
"It is not that high. It is in the medium range. Of course, it could be lower, but the price is not the issue."
"We currently use Parallels side-by-side with an Azure cloud-hosted solution. This may be from a lack of product knowledge on my part, but we still need to work out the most effective way to shut down servers outside of hours, thereby reduce hosting costs. I am not entirely convinced Parallels does this well yet."
"Just compare it to Citrix and you will see the value in it."
"Comparable performance to Citrix for our use case at a significantly lower cost. Pricing is clear and there are relatively few options or other pricing considerations when compared to similar products. Just be sure not to forget the Microsoft licensing that goes along with a Parallels deployment."
"Work with the vendor, as this is a fairly new product and they want use cases. Deals can be made."
More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) pricing and cost advice
"I use the free developer stuff right now."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
University
22%
Manufacturing Company
18%
Government
12%
Computer Software Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise10
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)?
The solution is powerful, and it has good speed and performance.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)?
The pricing for Parallels RAS is straightforward with a monthly fee for a minimum of 15 licenses. For Parallels Desktop, it is a yearly cost of a couple of hundred euros. No additional fees for mai...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)?
A potential improvement could be reducing the dependency on Microsoft solutions for Parallels RAS. As for Parallels Desktop, there is nothing specific that needs improvement.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops?
I use the free developer stuff right now.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops?
Personally, I don't think it has any commendable features. The biggest thing about it is that, compared to what you can do with VMware and Horizon, it just seems like there's an awful lot of extra ...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops?
I've used it more as a user than as an administrator setting it up. Just mainly getting access to legacy systems and programming that's not Windows 11 compatible.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Logo
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
Compared 20% of the time
Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Logo
Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
Compared 16% of the time
Amazon WorkSpaces vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Logo
Amazon WorkSpaces vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
Compared 9% of the time
Horizon 8 vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Logo
Horizon 8 vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
Compared 9% of the time
Parallels Desktop vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Logo
Parallels Desktop vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
Compared 7% of the time
More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Competitors
Horizon 8 vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops Logo
Horizon 8 vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
Compared 51% of the time
Oracle VDI vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops Logo
Oracle VDI vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
Compared 31% of the time
Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops Logo
Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
Compared 17% of the time
More Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)
September 2025
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) reportDownload Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) product report
Buyer's Guide
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
September 2025
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops reportDownload Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops product report
 

Also Known As

Parallels RAS
Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
 

Overview

ApplicationServer delivers applications, data and virtual desktops from a central location, providing continuous availability, resource-based load-balancing and complete network transparency.
Parallels
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops complete desktop environments are hosted virtually. Users connect to these virtual desktops using either inexpensive thin clients or re-purposed PCs. No data is actually stored on the thin client - it's stored in a secure centralized location and can be accessed from anywhere. Red Hat Virtualization is an open, software-defined platform that virtualizes Linux and Microsoft Windows workloads. Built on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM), it features management tools that virtualize resources, processes, and applications providing a foundation for a cloud-native and containerized future.
Red Hat
 

Sample Customers

Arsari Group _ PT Netmarks Indonesia, Izhevsk Elektromekhanicheskiy Zavod (IEMZ) _ Kupol, Abilene Diagnostic Clinic, Fylde Borough Council, YARSTROYREZE LLC, VSK Insurance House, Melenkovsky District of Vladimirskaya Oblast, Sofrigam SA, Antenna International, KingsGate Community Church, Norwegian American Hospital, Island Hotels Group, Medway Council, Medway Council, Voices of September 11th, MacDonald Training Center, Kansas Childrenês Service League, Scope,Next Generation Clubs, WTC Communications, Opera Australia, HSE Integrated, Danier, Bridgwater College, Kern County Mental Health, Tony Tiendas, Spears Manufacturing, Managed Insurance Services Inc., Intuitive Medical Software, M.J. Soffe, Mazda Motors, Israel Military Industries (IMI), Telfair, Upic Solutions, Teleflora, Fisher & Company
Casio, Telef‹nica, British Airways
Buyer's Guide
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
September 2025
Free Report: Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops
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