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Microsoft App-V vs Microsoft Virtual Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

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

Microsoft App-V
Ranking in Application Virtualization
2nd
Average Rating
9.4
Reviews Sentiment
8.4
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Virtual Server
Ranking in Application Virtualization
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Application Virtualization category, the mindshare of Microsoft App-V is 22.4%, down from 24.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Virtual Server is 2.0%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Virtualization
 

Featured Reviews

OA
centralized management reduces conflicts and enhances security while streamlining deployment processes
Microsoft App-V ( /products/microsoft-app-v-reviews ) does not require local installs and reduces application conflicts. It offers centralized management, allowing for the management, updates, or removal of an application from the server without touching the device. It facilitates faster deployments and is easy to update and roll back if an issue arises. It also supports legacy and new applications and improves security by reducing user admin rights.
ChimeremezeNwabueze - PeerSpot reviewer
Eliminates the need for physical hardware and is not platform dependent
You can detach and reuse the storage drive without disrupting the virtual server, which is quite useful. Additionally, it provides options like network security groups to protect virtual machines from unauthorized access. The tool offers compatibility with various operating systems through the Azure Marketplace. You can access a wide range of Windows operating systems, both enterprise and commercial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is easy to scale. You can quickly deploy additional instances. Rollbacks are easy because there is an automatic backup every hour. Deploying the application is straightforward and efficient."
"The most interesting and powerful feature for us is the fact that we can upgrade any kind of app instantly."
"I would recommend Microsoft App-V for its simplicity and efficiency."
"It is very easy to use from an administration point of view."
"We can deploy applications incredibly fast."
"The performance and scalability offered by the tool meet our company's expectations."
"The tool is productive and performs well. The server speed is also fast."
"It is stable and easy to use."
"Microsoft Virtual Server is stable."
"The most valuable feature is the tool's cheap cost."
"The dashboard is valuable to us."
"The performance, pricing, and PowerShell commands are valuable features."
"Microsoft Virtual Server is a highly scalable solution."
 

Cons

"The process was streamlined but didn't make our work simple. We encountered an issue with the person responsible for designing the website."
"The downside is that Microsoft bought this product and they are going to discontinue it in 2026. This is worrisome for us."
"The reporting features could be improved."
"If it were possible to integrate App-V with a cybersecurity solution then we could implement a documentation registry, which would be useful."
"The bandwidth to Singapore could be scaled better."
"The product must provide better data analytics."
"The pricing and scalability are areas of the product with shortcomings where improvements are required."
"Microsoft Virtual Server needs to improve its stability."
"They should introduce a way to localize the currency for product pricing."
"The response time from technical support could be faster."
"As certain medium-level complexities are involved in the product's setup process, the product's setup phase can be considered for improvement."
"Microsoft Virtual Server needs to improve its patching. It should offer us a review before updates. The solution should also improve its pricing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Clients do not pay licensing fees."
"The pricing of this product is competitive."
"The solution has a yearly license. If we switch to a yearly subscription plan for Microsoft Virtual Server, it would be cheaper in the long run. The price per month would be higher, but the overall cost for the year would be lower."
"There is no need for me to pay anything towards the solution's licensing costs."
"Microsoft Virtual Server’s licensing is expensive."
"The cost can also be optimized by changing the size of the implementation."
"It is an expensive platform. I rate its pricing an eight out of ten."
"The product is expensive."
"The price of this product could be better."
"Microsoft Virtual Server is a low-cost solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
17%
Government
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Healthcare Company
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft App-V?
It is way more expensive than other platforms. It is almost twice the price of other platforms. I rate the product’s pricing an eight or nine out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
What needs improvement with Microsoft App-V?
The process was streamlined but didn't make our work simple. We encountered an issue with the person responsible for designing the website. They installed a plugin that disrupted the services and m...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft App-V?
We use the solution for the Docker container.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Virtual Server?
One feature I would like to see is better compatibility with macOS. Due to business policies, macOS isn't currently available in the Azure Marketplace. Microsoft should come to agreement with it.
 

Also Known As

App-V, MS App-V
Virtual Server, MS Virtual Server
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), GDDKiA, P&V, Etisalat Lanka, Hellenic Petroleum
Paylocity, ASELSAN, Sochi Organizing Committee, Supervisor of Elections, Orange County, Florida, Netgem, Nav Canada, The British & Irish Lions
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft App-V vs. Microsoft Virtual Server and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.