Amazon WorkSpaces vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Citrix are both solutions in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.2, while Citrix is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.2. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 0.7% mindshare in VD, compared to Citrix’s 8.9% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Citrix users who would recommend it.

Amazon WorkSpaces

Read 16 Amazon WorkSpaces reviews

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394 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Read 125 Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) reviews

8,155 Views
5,393 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Amazon WorkSpaces

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Citrix DaaS and Amazon WorkSpaces compete in the desktop virtualization space. Citrix DaaS appears to have the upper hand due to its richer feature set and advanced performance protocols.

Features: Citrix DaaS offers quick provisioning, WAN optimization, and secure access to virtual desktops on various devices. It enhances performance through ICA and HDX protocols, offering superior results on low-bandwidth connections. Amazon WorkSpaces provides reliable cloud-based desktop deployment with seamless integration and ease of use, emphasizing security.

Room for Improvement: Citrix DaaS struggles with setup complexity and a confusing licensing model, along with integration challenges with third-party applications. Amazon WorkSpaces could improve in video conferencing capabilities and VPN stability, with both needing pricing structure enhancements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix DaaS supports on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud setups, offering flexibility but posing deployment challenges. Technical support satisfaction varies. Amazon WorkSpaces, with its focus on public cloud simplicity, is noted for responsive customer service despite occasional support speed issues.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix DaaS is costly due to features like XenApp and XenDesktop but offers potential long-term savings via reduced hardware costs and stronger security. Amazon WorkSpaces provides more budget-friendly pricing, though perceived as expensive, with ROI dependent on cloud service savings and operational continuity.

To learn more, read our detailed Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) Report (Updated: February 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

February 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

Amazon WorkSpaces

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

8th

Ranking in Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

3rd

Ranking in Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Application Virtualization (1st), Remote Access (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Amazon WorkSpaces is 0.7%, down from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is 8.9%, down from 14.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Featured Reviews

Bhaskar Rao

Network manager admin at Yamaha

Management console is very easy to use, readily available infrastructure and easy to scale

It's very stable. There is a big difference between traditional physical servers and cloud servers. With physical servers, we need to plan for purchasing, procurement, capacity, storage, get quotations, and then procure them. That took some time. Maybe it would take more than one month or maybe two months to procure and then install. With AWS, it is readily available. Just pay and immediately create the VPC, network, and everything. It is very easy. Within two or three hours, we can implement any server or launch any application. Within five minutes, we can just spin up and publish our servers on the Internet.

Read full review

Mohd Abdul Aziz Shah Sulaiman

Assistant General Manager Endpoint Application at Telekom Malaysia

Delivers secure and unified access to apps, desktops, and content for enhanced productivity

Citrix Workforce is good, but it needs improvement in diagnosing network issues. When errors occur, it is difficult to determine if they're due to network issues, Workspace issues, or environment issues. The error messages are too vague, just stating "connection error" without specifying if it's an IP address issue, connectivity problem, or something else related to the network. This lack of detail makes troubleshooting difficult. We often have to reinstall everything in Workspace, without knowing the root cause. Even after engaging with Citrix and sending logs, the feedback is often unsatisfactory, not meeting my expectations. This trial-and-error approach isn't effective problem-solving. While these issues aren't everyday occurrences, when they do happen, they can be catastrophic for our operations team.

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

"The best feature is that it operates very quickly. It depends on the regional location. If we choose a nearby location, nearby servers, it will be best for users to use."

"The product is easy to access. You can access the solution from anywhere at any time."

"The experience is seamless and there is no delay. The performance is very good. Initial startup times is a little bit of wait time, but it is bearable."

"The tool has low latency and multimedia support. For instance, running Zoom calls on Amazon WorkSpaces seamlessly supports local microphones, speakers, and web cameras. This feature is transparent for applications, allowing me to use the Zoom application without requiring exceptional support for remote web cameras or microphones. Amazon WorkSpaces provides this functionality at the operating system level, enabling effortless video conferencing. To my knowledge, Microsoft Remote Desktop does not offer the same support."

"It has good speed and connects well with computers."

"We can work remotely using the solution."

"Security, streaming, faster performance, scalability, and the fact that it is very much cost-effective, are some of the solution's valuable features."

"The infrastructure is readily available, with minimal latency, which each user can benefit from."

More Amazon WorkSpaces pros

"Centralization and security are the most valuable features of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops."

"The scalability is fine. We have about 400 users, who are supported by six staff members. We use the product company-wide throughout 40 different locations, and we currently do not have plans to increase the scale of use."

"In terms of scalability, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops have a lot of technologies baked in there that allow an organization to scale up or down, as required. Further, leveraging Azure for scalability has added value to our organization. For example, pre-COVID-19, we had very few resources in Azure. We had some Virtual Desktops and no application servers. When COVID-19 came along, we knew people were going to be home. We knew that we had to ramp up very quickly. We fully leveraged MCS to be able to scale. Being able to take a single image and build 400,000 Virtual Desktops, all within minutes, was second to none in terms of any other technology out there that we could have used. The scalability to be able to do that in Azure, where we really don't have to worry about storage and compute power because Microsoft does that for us, was fantastic. It was almost like giving our environments steroids. It has been amazing in terms of that scalability. Now, as people start coming back to the office, we can just as quickly scale down so the compute and resource costs in Azure aren't so great anymore."

"The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the convenience and the ease of setup the tool provides."

"XenApp is a fast, secure and reliable solution for remote connections that is completely different than and superior to older Windows solutions."

"The most valuable feature is connectivity. The remote connection is the reason we are using this solution."

"Remote work has been enhanced"

"The ease of access and the confidentiality and security that it provides is what we like best."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) pros

Cons

"One area that can be improved is the ability to install third-party apps."

"The solution lacks a shadow mode option, and it needs to have it."

"Amazon WorkSpaces needs to improve its pricing."

"If they had a cheaper option for graphics pro, I think that it would be beneficial and I would use it."

"The product needs to improve its pricing. It should also improve corporate identity management and single sign-on."

"The agent sometimes has connectivity issues, but otherwise, it's good."

"There is always scope of improvement in the stability."

"I would say that it is a little complex to configure."

More Amazon WorkSpaces cons

"There have been many issues with stability."

"I have to re-enter my user password when I am not using the tool for some time around ten minutes. I want to also improve the need to download other Citrix apps."

"Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops is a complex solution."

"It takes time to load."

"We have had issues with certain aspects, which is why we are looking for alternatives. For example, the firewall solution from Citrix is a bit complicated. Integration is hard."

"The dashboard should be more user-friendly as the tabs are not organized clearly."

"Pricing and technical support need improvement."

"The initial setup is complex."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They have hourly and monthly pricing, and because our use case is, more of a sporadic use, so I go for hourly pricing. Again, the details of the pricing is handled by the procurement. From an end user perspective, pay as you use hourly is suitable"

"It is very expensive."

"The pricing is based on consumption. You pay for each process based on the transactions you make."

"We need to spend some amount for the support. Without money, they won't respond."

"The bundle works out to be approximately $20.00 per month."

"The solution is not very cheap and it is not too pricey."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is low and ten is a high price, I rate the pricing a two."

"I think that the price can be lower. We have cases where the customer needs to have lower costs. So since we don't have options, like, shadow mode, they need to decrease pricing or have other models for reduced pricing."

More Amazon WorkSpaces pricing and cost advice

"You can buy an on-cloud or on-prem license. You can switch between on-cloud users and on-prem users. Its licensing is cheap. It is from $8 to $15 per user. It is not that expensive when you compare the cost of buying new hardware with the cost of the license. For example, at $15 per user, it costs around $180 for a year, which is cheaper than buying a $600 PC that at a certain stage, you will again have to change because its hardware is not supported. It may also get damaged or stolen. So, you can compare the cost of the actual hardware that you have to buy and the time spent in supporting the clients with the cost of its license."

"I think it is a little high priced."

"Citrix solutions cost a lot in comparison with competitors, like Azure Virtual Desktop or VMware Horizon. Those solutions cost around 50 to 60 percent less, per month per user, than Citrix."

"The price of the solution could be less expensive. There are different versions to their solution and the price keeps increasing."

"Citrix licensing is expensive."

"I don't quite remember the specifics of what we had. I believe we had a 25-user license, and I don't recall it being overly expensive."

"It is a bit costly, but enterprise class features come with a cost."

"We are just now approaching the end of our initial purchase, which was an excellent price for us as an academic institution. We got a very good deal to get us on board. That license is up for renewal in about a year, and we are nervously waiting to see what the pricing will be."

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

18%

Government

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Amazon WorkSpaces?

Performance and scalability are valuable features.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Amazon WorkSpaces?

The pricing is based on consumption. You pay for each process based on the transactions you make. The investment is almost the same as having your own on-premises solution, with the added costs of ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Amazon WorkSpaces?

There is always scope of improvement in the stability.

See all answers

What do you like most about Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

My focus has primarily been on publishing virtual applications.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

I rate the product’s pricing a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

I have found that Citrix DaaS is still a complex product, especially on the desktop side, which affects scalability. Although it works well on the apps side, the desktop aspect still has room for i...

See all answers

Comparisons

Amazon Appstream vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Compared 25% of the time

VMware Workstation vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Compared 9% of the time

Teradici PCoIP Zero Clients vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Compared 9% of the time

Nutanix Frame vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Compared 8% of the time

Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Compared 7% of the time

More Amazon WorkSpaces Competitors

Azure Virtual Desktop vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 32% of the time

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 9% of the time

Amazon Appstream vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 9% of the time

Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 6% of the time

VMware Workstation vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Compared 2% of the time

More Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Amazon WorkSpaces

March 2025

Download Amazon WorkSpaces product report

Buyer's Guide

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

March 2025

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) report

Download Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) product report

Also Known As

WorkSpaces

XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps), Citrix Workspace

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Citrix

Overview

Amazon WorkSpaces is a fully managed desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) solution provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It allows users to access a virtual desktop environment in the cloud from various devices, including laptops, tablets, and thin clients.

With Amazon WorkSpaces, users can have a complete desktop experience with their familiar applications and data, while the underlying infrastructure and management tasks are handled by AWS. The virtual desktops provided by Amazon WorkSpaces are persistent, meaning that user data and settings are retained even when disconnected from the virtual desktop.

Amazon WorkSpaces Features:

Desktop Experience: Provides a complete Windows or Linux desktop experience for users.
Device Flexibility: Accessible from various devices such as computers, tablets, and thin clients.
Managed Service: AWS manages infrastructure, updates, patches, and backups.
Flexible Scaling: Easily scale the number of virtual desktops based on needs.
Security and Compliance: Built-in security features and compliance capabilities.
Cost-Effective: Pay-as-you-go pricing model for optimized cost management.
Integration with AWS Services: Seamlessly integrates with other AWS services.
User Profile Management: Supports saving and applying user-specific settings.
Application Compatibility: Supports a wide range of applications.

Amazon WorkSpaces Benefits:

Flexible Accessibility: Users can access their virtual desktops from various devices, providing flexibility and mobility.
Simplified Management: AWS manages the underlying infrastructure, reducing the burden of desktop management for organizations.
Scalability: Easily scale the number of virtual desktops up or down based on business needs, accommodating workforce changes.
Enhanced Security: Built-in security features and compliance capabilities ensure data protection and regulatory compliance.
Cost Savings: Pay-as-you-go pricing eliminates upfront infrastructure costs, allowing organizations to optimize their desktop infrastructure expenses.
Integration with AWS Services: Seamlessly integrate with other AWS services for enhanced functionality and capabilities.
User-Friendly Experience: Offers a familiar desktop environment with customizable settings and application compatibility.

Reviews from Real Users

Sachin Narvekar, IT-IS LEAD at Tata Consultancy, writes that "Amazon WorkSpaces is a virtual desktop platform. So, instead of having your laptops, and desktops, you can have your data on the cloud.”, he also adds, "Security, streaming, faster performance, scalability, and the fact that it is very much cost-effective, are some of the solution's valuable features."

Ravi-Bhardwaj, Manager at Ravi RITS Enterprice, states that “The solution has improved the organization because now any user who doesn't have a corporate laptop can connect to the system, security is still high, and it uses very low bandwidth.”

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Enable secure, flexible work with the leader in virtual apps and desktops

Deliver desktop as a service (DaaS) from any cloud or datacenter

Get started with Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) in minutes to provide a familiar, high-performance digital workspace experience to your users. We’ll manage the infrastructure and security. You focus on your business.

Citrix

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Buyer's Guide

Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

February 2025

Free Report: Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)

Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon WorkSpaces vs. Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) and other solutions. Updated: February 2025.

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