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Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) 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 Remote Applicatio...
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
9th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Application Virtualization (4th)
Workspace ONE UEM
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
100
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (3rd), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (3rd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (8th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is 2.1%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 2.4%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
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.
Joel Amate - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is stable, scalable, and offers single sign-on
I give the solution a nine out of ten. I suggest if a person wants to start using Workspace ONE, they should make use of the cloud instance instead of the on-premise instance. There is an on-premise instance available, but the cloud instance is a better option now. I advise them to make use of the cloud instance. This is because management-wise, there is no need to manage a server. For example, we don't need to buy a server, and we don't need to buy network switches, which are required for the on-premise. At the same time, I can advise setting up all the functionalities or whatever functionalities are available for the trial version. We need to check if the Workspace ONE integration includes Azure AD or other identity providers. A lot of applications are using these providers for authentication, such as Ping, Okta, and others. If the Workspace ONE integration doesn't include these providers, the company might have to find a different solution. Security projects should also be considered. Specifically, if the solution can integrate with local security solutions to secure mobile devices.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has allowed us to centralize the software location so we don't have to update the software client on 70 computers."
"It provides flexible access to Windows applications from many types of devices."
"Valuable features include the ability to set up security groups for accessing certain apps, and the ability to add apps easily and centrally without touching the servers they’re hosted on."
"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."
"Allows us to publish applications accessible by current-generation HTML5 browser or OS-specific client (Windows, Android, iOS), and it supports popular single sign-on and multi-factor authentication protocols."
"Parallels Desktop allows me to run both Mac and Windows operating systems on a single machine, eliminating the need for separate Windows hardware."
"We use Cloudpaging to package and deploy the vast majority of our applications to our standard Windows 10 desktops. With the use of Parallels integration into Software2 AppsAnywhere hub, this means we can use the same packages to deliver Windows applications to almost any device - Windows, mac OS, iOS, Android, Linux, Xbox One, PS4 - just by ticking a box."
"It is a stable solution."
"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"The solution has proven to be very stable."
"A very easy to use solution."
"Its value is when you use it with a Workspace ONE UEM solution as it is part of the ecosystem for VMware Workspace ONE."
"We've found the solution to be easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of VMware Workspace ONE is its reliability."
"The most valuable features are the ones that control the leaking."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it enables us to remotely manage the devices, which is its purpose, and to push applications to the mobile devices from the portal."
 

Cons

"HALB is not stable in our environment. When running two HALBs we have stability problems, so we use an active one and a passive for backup. Also, it would be nice to implement an upgrade of the environment without having to stop the servers. As it is, this must be done during off-hours."
"The customization of the web interface could possibly use some improvement. Little things, like being able to place a background image instead of just choosing from a palette of colors, would be nice."
"From a seller's point of view, there are a lot of things that they could do better in the sales cycle."
"It needs Windows scaling on Android/iOS devices. At present, the concept of delivering apps to Android and iOS devices is appealing, but the reality is the screen size on these devices is so small that, unless there is some scaling option, it is not really usable."
"A potential improvement could be reducing the dependency on Microsoft solutions for Parallels RAS."
"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."
"Opening a ticket should be available from the actual RAS console. It is cumbersome to go to a portal, hunt around for five minutes for a link to open a ticket, answer questions meant to direct you towards FAQs instead of live support, then fill out information (license #, version #, etc.) which could more easily be supplied by sending a ticket straight from the console with all of that information automatically specified."
"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."
"The database gets corrupted when used in the cluster. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."
"The product's stability for certain instances needs improvement."
"The license could be better."
"The initial setup should be simplified."
"The portal is not user-friendly."
"Pricing is the only challenge right now. The licensing fee should be simplified a little bit. They have kept too many products as add ons. These need to be bundled with the low-cost, standard version. This will help customers in adopting this technology at a faster pace."
"I'd like to see expanded device support, particularly for IoT things like SCADA devices."
"The solution is too complicated. A lot of end customers don't know how to start when they go into the console."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Just compare it to Citrix and you will see the value in it."
"Pricing is a little steep."
"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."
"Parallels is a cost effective alternative to Citrix."
"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."
"The product is not expensive. I rate its pricing a three or four out of ten."
"The pricing has always been competitive, and the new SPLA licensing model works great for our business and clients."
"It is very affordable."
"In terms of pricing, this solution is definitely much more expensive compared to other solutions, like MobileIron or MaaS360 or any other product in the market. This solution is more expensive by 30 or 40 percent."
"It's a highly affordable solution"
"We are paying about $145,000 a year on a three-year subscription with no ability to scale up or scale down within that class model."
"Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis."
"The solution is more expensive than Intune."
"VMware Workspace ONE is not cheap; it's quite expensive. However, in the end, they gave us a reasonable price."
"Our organization has stopped using the solution because it was expensive."
"VMware Workspace ONE licensing price is good with their supportability. The price of VMware Workspace ONE is reasonable. We are using an enterprise license."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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.
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...
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.
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

Parallels RAS
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

Overview

 

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
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 Remote Application Server (RAS) vs. Workspace ONE UEM and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,760 professionals have used our research since 2012.