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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.8
Citrix DaaS offers varied ROI, enhances efficiency, flexibility, data protection, and supports continuity, with unquantified access and productivity benefits.
Sentiment score
7.9
Parallels RAS is valued for cost prevention and business continuity, despite challenges in quantifying its exact return on investment.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Customer service is praised for responsiveness, but technical support quality varies, especially needing improvement in first-level interactions.
Sentiment score
7.6
Parallels Remote Application Server support is generally well-rated, with some issues in initial support stages and time differences.
The best support I have received is from Ireland, Dublin.
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
The first level often wastes time because I usually have to escalate to an engineer for proper support.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Citrix support is better than Microsoft support.
IT Technical Advisor Specialist at Intact
For Parallels RAS, the support is rated eight out of ten.
CEO at Etcetera Networks
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Citrix DaaS enables scalable, adaptable deployments for thousands of users, overcoming diagnostic challenges with strategic planning and regular updates.
Sentiment score
7.9
Parallels RAS efficiently scales to support thousands of users, though some find load balancing and usage optimization challenging.
The platform can scale to very large numbers.
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
It supports over 100 apps and 20,000 users in our organization, demonstrating impressive scalability.
IT Technical Advisor Specialist at Intact
Citrix DaaS offers vast scalability options as workloads can be deployed across multiple data centers like Azure, Google, or AWS.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
I can start from fifteen users and scale it to nearly any size.
CEO at Etcetera Networks
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Citrix DaaS is reliable and efficient, with improvements enhancing stability and scalability, despite occasional network-related stability issues.
Sentiment score
7.3
Parallels Remote Application Server is stable for most users, though issues with version 13, licensing, and connectivity exist.
I evaluate Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) as a very stable solution and very sturdy in how it operates.
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
Citrix DaaS allows for satisfactory stability by facilitating workload deployment in various data centers including Azure, Google, or AWS.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Citrix DaaS has configuration complexities, high costs, and integration challenges, with users seeking better performance, usability, and scalability.
Parallels RAS could improve by enhancing monitoring, integration, interface, support, web management, cost, and expanding application and hypervisor compatibility.
Creating App-V applications is not an easy task and could take from hours to weeks without success.
IT Technical Advisor Specialist at Intact
Citrix should have different pricing based on company size.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
This makes it challenging to remain with them, and it becomes necessary to explore alternatives to achieve the same performance with less expense.
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
A potential improvement could be reducing the dependency on Microsoft solutions for Parallels RAS.
CEO at Etcetera Networks
 

Setup Cost

Citrix DaaS is costly, especially with added Microsoft licensing, though offers comprehensive features and negotiable pricing options.
Parallels RAS is valued for its cost-effectiveness and clear licensing but desired more flexible growth options by some users.
Citrix DaaS is considered expensive, especially for companies that do not require multi-cloud.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
No additional fees for maintenance or support are required.
CEO at Etcetera Networks
 

Valuable Features

Citrix DaaS provides scalable, secure remote access with low bandwidth, centralized management, and multi-device compatibility for seamless user experience.
Parallels RAS provides ease of use, stability, broad compatibility, and cost-effective remote access for diverse devices and infrastructures.
The scalability of Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is impressive, supporting over 100 apps and a user base of 20,000 within our organization.
IT Technical Advisor Specialist at Intact
With Citrix, all connections are outgoing, minimizing firewall vulnerability.
Pre-Sales at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Multi-factor authentication has helped secure applications because users typically have two-way authentication software on their phones.
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
In terms of Parallels Desktop, the coherence mode that allows Mac and Windows applications to run seamlessly side by side is highly regarded.
CEO at Etcetera Networks
 

Categories and Ranking

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citri...
Ranking in Application Virtualization
1st
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
128
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (4th), Desktop as a Service (DaaS) (1st)
Parallels Remote Applicatio...
Ranking in Application Virtualization
4th
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
13th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Application Virtualization category, the mindshare of Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) is 22.8%, down from 27.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is 14.4%, down from 16.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Virtualization Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)22.8%
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)14.4%
Other62.8%
Application Virtualization
 

Featured Reviews

SN
Technical Lead on Virtual Desktop at Orange
Has delivered consistent desktop experiences across remote locations and has supported multimedia workloads efficiently
I have utilized the HDX protocol for compression and audio-video capabilities. When users need to conduct meetings with customers or colleagues, they can use Teams solutions and open a bridge where video and audio are encapsulated within the ICA protocol, which is protected by SSL and certificates for security. This provides secure communication at good quality through the HDX protocol. HDX protocol has improved application performance as it is specifically designed for multimedia applications. If processing audio or video files, such as in telecom where discussions are recorded and then prepared as video or audio, this does not consume excessive bandwidth during the operation compared to a normal remote desktop connection provided by Microsoft. Everything is compressed and provides sufficient bandwidth for multiple people to perform similar tasks without interruption or session disconnection. All multimedia-related activities, such as playing content on YouTube, deliver a better experience with this protocol overall. I use multi-factor authentication for opening sessions to the data center where users access their machines or software. Multi-factor authentication has helped secure applications because users typically have two-way authentication software on their phones. They use a password first and then authenticate themselves through their mobile application to grant access to resources. This approach is effective because if a hacker attacks a user, they need more than just the password and username. They must also possess the device that provides authentication. The device typically has facial recognition, a password, and provides better security overall.
JohanSkibdahl - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at Etcetera Networks
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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise21
Large Enterprise69
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise10
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?
My focus has primarily been on publishing virtual applications.
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.
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...
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.
What is your primary use case for Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)?
The primary use case of Parallels is to offer it to customers as a hosted service. I help them to migrate from other solutions like VMware to Parallels RAS. I recommend it to companies that prefer ...
 

Also Known As

XenDesktop, XenApp (Citrix Virtual Apps), Citrix Workspace
Parallels RAS
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Exelon, Aeronamic, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Alameda County Medical Center, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Aloysius Stichting, Amarchand Mangaldas, AmBev, Amnet Technology Solutions, Arval
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
Find out what your peers are saying about Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.