VMware Horizon vs VMware Player comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between VMware Horizon and VMware Player 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 VMware Horizon vs. VMware Player Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 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 of the solution stem from the fact that it is easy to set it up, and the user experience it provides is just like a normal desktop.""One of the most interesting features in the enterprise version is the ability to do some support. There is a feature for remote control and debugging, which is something we didn't have before having Horizon 7 and the enterprise version.""I like VMware Horizon's ability and performance.""The application delivery is it's most valuable feature.""The most valuable feature of this solution is secure remote access to resources.""It stands as a robust setup with considerable capabilities.""We are happy with the interface, configurations, pricing and support.""Its most valuable feature is the rapid and versatile access from clients operating on various Windows, Linux, and MacOS systems."

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"The solution's technical support team is excellent.""VMware Player's best feature is the ability to run different OS's simultaneously.""It's really easy to build testing environments with VMware Player.""The most valuable feature of VMware Player is the ability to snapshot with or without memory.""VMware Player helps you to virtualize and install Ubuntu or any other operating system, even on a Windows laptop."

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Cons
"Areas for improvement in VMware Horizon 7 would be the logging and the troubleshooting, e.g. they could be made clearer.""The initial setup may be a little difficult for those with no experience.""VMware Horizon's initial setup is fairly complex.""The remote connection, bandwidth usage, and error connection can be improved. Working with the load balancer sites should also be improved. For example, with Horizon, we can use two clients with a one megabit connection, but with Citrix, we can use four or five clients with the same bandwidth through ICA protocol. VMware must improve remote connection, connection stability, and load balancing.""VMware Horizon 7 could improve by supporting the active-active data center. At this time we are only deploying it in the production environment. Our customer is considered to deploy the VMware Horizon 7 to a secondary data center, but we found out that it cannot fully support the user in the deployment in the active-active data center. Any improvement on this would be beneficial.""What I would like to see improved is not so much about the product. It's more about how to get information about products. It's always too much sales pitching and fancy works and stuff.""There are some issues with RAM in the system.""I would love to see so they can actually allow the use of Linux, from a hosting environment as well as from a VDI client environment."

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"When you go to work on a server, it opens up the whole window, and that causes an error inside VMware Player.""The tool has limited scalability.""Its networking features need improvement.""VMware Player should provide a cloud version with no limitations to hardware resources.""VMware Player isn't downgradable, so if you have a later set of VMs, you need to upgrade it or figure out a workaround."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Its cost is fair. You can go for a free trial, but for initializing a project, you need to purchase a license. There are different types of licenses."
  • "There are different editions available at different cost points."
  • "I don't know about the price. I know there are different tiers with the license, but I'm not sure exactly what it costs anymore."
  • "It is hard to know for sure. It is definitely in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. It is quite expensive, but you do save money on desktop power, desktop upgrades, etc. You're able to extend the useful life of your previous desktops. Previously, we used to change desktops regularly, and now we just change them when they break."
  • "The VMware Horizon 7 license is for three months. We are in the testing stage, we are still evaluating the product. We are sure now that we need to buy a license for the production environment."
  • "The license is very costly, as well as the renewal cost."
  • "We are happy with the price."
  • "The license for this product is paid on a monthly basis."
  • More VMware Horizon Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It has the best licensing modules."
  • "The solution's pricing is almost the same as what Google Cloud, AWS, or Microsoft would charge you."
  • "With all its support and ease of use, VMware Player's pricing is fair."
  • More VMware Player Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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 that… more »
    Top Answer:Its most valuable feature is the rapid and versatile access from clients operating on various Windows, Linux, and MacOS systems.
    Top Answer:Pricing for Horizon is relatively high, earning a rating of one out of ten.
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of VMware Player is the ability to snapshot with or without memory.
    Top Answer:When you go to work on a server, it opens up the whole window, and that causes an error inside VMware Player. You'll see it on your web front, and you'll be unable to change the resolution. You can't… more »
    Top Answer:We use VMware Player mostly to connect the server hosting the client. I use the solution more like a manager.
    Ranking
    Views
    5,717
    Comparisons
    4,787
    Reviews
    20
    Average Words per Review
    400
    Rating
    8.6
    Views
    3,869
    Comparisons
    3,632
    Reviews
    5
    Average Words per Review
    281
    Rating
    8.8
    Comparisons
    Learn More
    Overview

    VMware Horizon is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution designed to allow users to create secure and scalable virtual desktops and applications that work on any device, from any location. These virtualization capabilities help simplify and speed up application delivery and greatly reduce enterprise costs.

    VMware Horizon’s centralized management console provides IT admins with comprehensive control over all of their virtual desktops and applications, making them simple to manage and secure. The solution enables using features such as identity and access management, multi-factor authentication, and encryption, to ensure ultimate data protection.

    VMware Horizon benefits:


    Some of key the benefits of using VMware Horizon include:


    • Increased security: VMware Horizon includes multiple security features such as identity and access management, multi-factor authentication, and encryption, to ensure a high level of security and data privacy.


    • Compliance: Meet regulatory and compliance requirements by providing users with secure and controlled access to data and applications.


    • Reduced costs: By using VMware Horizon, organizations can reduce the costs associated with managing and maintaining physical desktops and applications, as well as reduce the costs associated with providing secure remote access to these resources.


    • Easy management: VMware Horizon provides IT administrators with a user-friendly centralized management system, making it easier and faster to manage and secure their virtual desktops and applications.


    • Enhanced user experience: Users are able to access their virtual desktops and applications from any device, and from any location. Work from any location, without being tied to a specific device or area.


    VMware Horizon features:


    Some of the top features of VMware Horizon include:


    • Virtual desktops: Create secure and scalable virtual desktops, with a choice of operating systems and settings.


    • Virtual applications: Create virtual applications that can be run from any device or operating system.


    • Central management: Control and manage virtual desktops and applications from a single pane of glass.

    • Quick duplications: Clone virtual machines and applications instantly.


    • Scalability: VMware Horizon can scale on demand to meet the needs of any business large or small.


    • Reporting and analytics: Gain insight into user activity and behavior with detailed analytics and reporting.


    • Security features and ID management: Ensure the security and privacy of data with a wide variety of security features, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on (SSO), and network security.


    • Seamless integration: VMware Horizon integrates easily with other VMware solutions, including VMware vSphere, VMware NSX, and VMware Workspace ONE.


    Reviews from Real Users

    VMware Horizon stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Several major ones are its high performance, flexibility, and powerful virtualization capabilities.

    Natnael A., a consultant at IWM Network Solutions, writes, “The app virtualizing is a great feature. The system developers use it to deliver apps to targeted staff. It basically reduces the server infrastructure resource. The solution provides good functionality.”

    Rob M., a systems administrator at Saint Tammany Parish Hospital, says, “The solution has provided flexibility by allowing an end user to remote in, log in, and get their VM. VDI session and have all the icons and applications they need to use and retain the same booking view regardless of location.”

    VMware Player, or VMware Player Plus, is described by VMware as the easiest way to run a virtual machine on Windows or Linux PCs in a commercial environment. If you want to deliver a managed desktop to your employees, customers, students, contractors, or partners, then this virtual desktop solution is the way to go.

    VMware Player provides the most advanced virtualization platform available, which is capable of supporting even extremely demanding applications. Even though the platform is so advanced, the user interface is simple and easy-to-use.

    There is seamless integration with Windows XP and Windows XP applications even if the machine itself is a Windows 7 PC, a Windows 8 PC, or even Linux-based. It also gives your IT person the capability of restricting the virtual machines by requiring runtime passwords, adding an expiration date, blocking USB devices, or encrypting the machines. By using VMware vCenter Converter, VMware Player can even convert old machines into virtual machines without you needing to re-configure or re-install any applications.

    Sample Customers
    LCMC Health
    Akademiska Hus
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    University20%
    Government15%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    University9%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Government8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business51%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise29%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise64%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business50%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise17%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business24%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise62%
    Buyer's Guide
    VMware Horizon vs. VMware Player
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about VMware Horizon vs. VMware Player and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    VMware Horizon is ranked 4th in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) with 33 reviews while VMware Player is ranked 8th in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) with 10 reviews. VMware Horizon is rated 8.6, while VMware Player is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of VMware Horizon writes "Compelling solution for virtual desktop infrastructure with advanced technology, straightforward licensing, easy setup, and seamless integration". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware Player writes "A highly stable solution that has the ability to snapshot with or without memory". VMware Horizon is most compared with Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, VMware Workspace ONE, VMware Horizon View, VMware Horizon Cloud and VMware Workstation, whereas VMware Player is most compared with VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation, Citrix Workspace and Parallels Desktop. See our VMware Horizon vs. VMware Player 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.