Microsoft App-V vs Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) comparison

Microsoft and Parallels are both solutions in the Application Virtualization category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.4, while Parallels is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.5. Microsoft holds a 21.9% mindshare in AV, compared to Parallels’s 16.7% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Parallels users who would recommend it.

Microsoft App-V

Read 9 Microsoft App-V reviews

1,382 Views
1,382 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

Parallels Remote Applicatio...

Read 25 Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) reviews

1,628 Views
537 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Microsoft App-V

Parallels Remote Applicatio...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

Microsoft App-V and Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) compete in the application virtualization category. Parallels RAS seems to have the upper hand due to its expanded feature set and ease of use.

Features: Microsoft App-V offers application isolation, centralized management, and seamless Windows integration. In contrast, Parallels RAS provides application delivery, desktop virtualization, and enhanced security features, positioning it as a robust solution for diverse environments.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft App-V could enhance user-friendliness and reduce complexity in setup. A broader platform support would be advantageous. Enhancements in cloud integration capabilities could be another area of focus. Parallels RAS might benefit from a more competitive pricing model, expanding integrations with non-Windows systems and simplifying its advanced feature configurations for easier implementation.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Parallels RAS is known for its easy deployment and responsive customer support, making it simple for IT administrators to manage. Microsoft App-V integrates well within Windows ecosystems but can be more complex to set up initially, which might require more specialized knowledge.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft App-V offers a cost-effective option for Microsoft-based infrastructures, though its complexity might lead to hidden costs. Parallels RAS, while potentially higher in upfront cost, provides a comprehensive suite that can yield better long-term ROI by enhancing operational efficiencies, justifying the investment for many organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft App-V vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft App-V vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)

September 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

Microsoft App-V

Ranking in Application Virtualization

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Parallels Remote Applicatio...

Ranking in Application Virtualization

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Application Virtualization category, the mindshare of Microsoft App-V is 21.9%, down from 23.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is 16.7%, up from 15.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Virtualization Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft App-V	21.9%
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)	16.7%
Other	61.400000000000006%

Application Virtualization

Featured Reviews

Francois Gotti

Senior Infrastructure Engineer at IQEQ

Streaming has impressed but integration and support require improvement

The problem with Microsoft App-V is that there is no choice since Microsoft has decided to stop it, and we are searching for alternatives. Microsoft App-V needs to evolve, possibly with better integration with other solutions, particularly since we use Citrix and want to integrate App-V packages more efficiently. The management of packages should be easier, possibly through a web console for visibility in versioning, and options to convert packages when changing technologies. Many companies avoid using tools like Admin Studio due to high costs. Additionally, Microsoft App-V has been slow, and users experience delays when launching applications, which presents significant challenges.

Read full review

JohanSkibdahl

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.

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

"I appreciate the process of being able to change or review my answers."

"We can deploy applications incredibly fast."

"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."

"Microsoft App-V is a simple, very good working product that just works."

"From my experience with Microsoft App-V, the feature I liked the most is the streaming."

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft App-V that I found is the possibility to bring old software back to life and publish it for users to do their jobs using those applications."

"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."

More Microsoft App-V pros

"Thin client management (Windows 10 client) provides an easy way to lock down client connection to the remote infrastructure. Policies are very helpful for preconfiguring client behavior. Finally, client management is easy."

"Setup was straightforward. Our particular use case involved an Active Directory forest involving two data centers and three domains. User authentication against Active Directory was the easiest to set up and validate of any application installed in the last three years."

"The most valuable feature is the ease with which you can publish applications to different groups of users, by integrating with Windows Active Directory."

"It is robust. We have some 75 users using it and it doesn't lag. It's very speedy."

"The solution is powerful, and it has good speed and performance."

"It permits us to control the applications that our users are able to get to, in a seamless manner. We're able to distribute applications to users' desktops, just like those applications are on each user's computer, but they're not."

"Parallels Desktop allows me to run both Mac and Windows operating systems on a single machine, eliminating the need for separate Windows hardware."

"We can provision the servers without the need for another third-party solution."

More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) pros

Cons

"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."

"Regarding improvements in Microsoft App-V, I would appreciate seeing the successor, MSIX, work better, as nothing is going to be implemented anymore since it is end of life by the end of the year."

"Microsoft App-V has been slow, and users experience delays when launching applications, which presents significant challenges."

"There is definitely room for improvement with Microsoft App-V, especially in terms of enhancing troubleshooting resources and user guidance."

"The process was streamlined but didn't make our work simple. We encountered an issue with the person responsible for designing the website."

"Microsoft App-V is more suited for legacy software usage, and trying to make it work in that context usually feels tricky and unreliable."

"The downside is that Microsoft bought this product and they are going to discontinue it in 2026. This is worrisome for us."

"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."

"The product does not utilize SQL for reporting purposes. Also, it does not support some hypervisors similar to Citrix. These particular areas need improvement."

"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."

"We would like the ability to provide a popup message, such as a maintenance notification. That same notification on the Parallels client would be awesome."

"Since I've been here less than a year, I have had to upgrade the system three times. The first time was the major upgrade but they have upgraded twice since, and I think that's too many times in that time span."

"We use several gateways because access to our secret zone requires two-factor user authentication. It is a lot of hassle differentiating among users with or without two-factor. Of course, we could use two farms, but that would mean more management too."

"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."

"If the solution crashes, then all the customers connected through that agent, lose their session."

More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of this product is competitive."

"Clients do not pay licensing fees."

"It is not that high. It is in the medium range. Of course, it could be lower, but the price is not the issue."

"Work with the vendor, as this is a fairly new product and they want use cases. Deals can be made."

"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."

"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."

"Pricing is a little steep."

"It is inexpensive compared to one of its competitors."

"Parallels is a cost effective alternative to Citrix."

"The pricing has always been competitive, and the new SPLA licensing model works great for our business and clients."

More Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Government

10%

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

15%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft App-V?

Regarding pricing, I believe flexibility would help retain customers. Costs could be more adaptable to meet varying budgets.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft App-V?

There is definitely room for improvement with Microsoft App-V, especially in terms of enhancing troubleshooting resources and user guidance.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft App-V?

I have been using Microsoft App-V for quite some time, and I can describe my use cases, which include various applications that enhance productivity.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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 ...

See all answers

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Compared 16% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft App-V

October 2025

Download Microsoft App-V product report

Buyer's Guide

Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)

October 2025

Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) report

Download Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) product report

Also Known As

App-V, MS App-V

Parallels RAS

Overview

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) enables you to make applications available to end users without installing the applications directly on end user computers. App-V transforms applications into centrally managed services that are never installed and don't conflict with other applications.

Microsoft

ApplicationServer delivers applications, data and virtual desktops from a central location, providing continuous availability, resource-based load-balancing and complete network transparency.

Parallels

Sample Customers

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), GDDKiA, P&V, Etisalat Lanka, Hellenic Petroleum

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

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft App-V vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)

September 2025

Free Report: Microsoft App-V vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft App-V vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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