How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Omnissa Horizon is the closest Citrix replacement, with hybrid and multi-cloud control from one console and thin-edge scaling to 20,000 users per edge.
- Azure Virtual Desktop is the Microsoft 365 pick, with Windows multi-session cutting VM counts and built-in autoscaling.
- Windows 365 is the simplest pick, with a fixed per-user monthly price from 28 dollars and no host VMs to maintain.
- Amazon WorkSpaces is the AWS pick, with monthly flat rate or hourly metering across Windows and Linux in 16 regions.
- Inuvika OVD is the budget pick, with Linux-based delivery cutting total cost over 60 percent versus Citrix or Horizon.
Quick comparison
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The best Citrix alternatives
Starting price$7.50 per user per month
Free planFree trial
Omnissa Horizon is the closest Citrix replacement, because it is the former VMware Horizon product, now independent as Omnissa. Its homepage positions Omnissa as the last mile for running AI safely, with tens of millions of endpoints managed and 150 million plus workflow executions per month, but the Horizon value is classic VDI: desktops and apps delivered across Azure, other clouds, and on-premises from one console.
The delivery model is SaaS control plane with desktops and apps running in your Azure or other cloud subscriptions, and the thin-edge design cuts infrastructure components while scaling to 20,000 users per Horizon Edge and 5,000 per Azure subscription in 2026 comparisons. Omnissa's own comparison material notes that Horizon requires Microsoft SQL Server and Unified Access Gateway setup, versus Inuvika's Linux base and built-in gateway.
Pricing is subscription per user, with 2026 comparisons citing from 7.50 dollars per user per month billed annually, though VMware historically quoted by term and size. Omnissa Horizon is the pick for enterprises that want Citrix-class VDI with multi-cloud control.
What we like- Hybrid and multi-cloud control from one console
- Thin-edge design scales to 20,000 users per Horizon Edge
- Former VMware Horizon team and product
- Strong enterprise management
Watch out for- Subscription licensing only, no perpetual
- Still consumes your cloud compute and storage
- Cost control depends on Azure optimization
Starting pricePay as you go
Free planNo
Azure Virtual Desktop is the Microsoft 365 pick, a customer-managed desktop service running in your own Azure tenant. Its advantage is multi-session: Windows 10 and 11 multi-session lets multiple users share one VM, cutting VM counts and cost versus one VM per user, with built-in autoscaling to power VMs off when idle.
Deep Entra ID and Microsoft 365 tie-ins mean identity, compliance, and Office apps work natively, and AVD hybrid extends capabilities to local infrastructure. Azure's homepage confirms pay-as-you-go or free trial accounts, with global infrastructure across more regions than any other cloud provider.
Pricing is pay-as-you-go compute plus storage plus per-user RDS CAL, with no fixed list price, so cost depends on your Azure optimization. Azure Virtual Desktop is the pick for Microsoft shops that want control, multi-session efficiency, and native Microsoft 365 integration.
What we like- Windows 10 and 11 multi-session cuts VM counts
- Built-in autoscale powers VMs off when idle
- Deep Entra ID and Microsoft 365 tie-ins
- Runs in your Azure tenant
Watch out for- Requires Azure subscription and role management
- You patch host VMs
- Multi-session pools are non-persistent by license terms
Starting price$28 per user per month
Free planNo
Windows 365 is the simplest Citrix alternative: a fully managed Cloud PC service from Microsoft with a fixed, predictable price per seat and no host VMs to maintain. Managed completely through Intune, it suits IT teams that want desktops without VDI infrastructure.
Pricing starts at 28 dollars per user per month for a 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage plan in 2026 comparisons, varying by region, with higher specs available for power users. Microsoft's homepage confirms the broader Microsoft ecosystem, from Windows 11 Pro to Microsoft 365 with Copilot, that Windows 365 Cloud PCs plug into.
The tradeoff is flexibility: no multi-session means one VM per user, and OS customization is limited compared with AVD. Windows 365 is the pick for organizations that want the simplest possible virtual desktop with a fixed monthly price.
What we like- Fixed predictable price per seat
- Fully managed through Intune
- No host VMs to maintain
- Simplest deployment here
Watch out for- No multi-session, each Cloud PC is one VM
- Limited OS customization versus AVD
- Subscription licensing only
#4Amazon WorkSpaces
Best for: AWS-based desktops4.2/5 on
G2 (110 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit aws.amazon.com
Starting price$44 per user per month
Free planFree trial
Amazon WorkSpaces is the AWS pick, a fully managed desktop service with persistent Personal desktops or non-persistent Pools. Its model offers a choice of monthly flat rate or hourly metering plus a small base fee, across Windows and multiple Linux distributions in 16 AWS regions.
The 2026 comparison example puts a Windows Standard bundle at 44 dollars per user per month in US-West on AlwaysOn, while other comparisons cite from 25 dollars per device per month for entry bundles. AWS's homepage confirms the global infrastructure behind it: 124 Availability Zones within 39 regions, with the largest global community of innovators trusting AWS.
The tradeoff is the AWS tie-in: one VM per user with no multi-session, egress and network charges on top of the bundle price, and a VPC requirement. Amazon WorkSpaces is the pick for AWS-based teams that want simple browser-accessible desktops.
What we like- Monthly flat rate or hourly metering plus small base fee
- Windows and multiple Linux distributions
- 16 AWS regions
- Fully managed persistent or pooled desktops
Watch out for- One VM per user, no multi-session
- Egress and network charges add to total cost
- Tied to an AWS VPC
#5Parallels RAS
Best for: Simple cross-platform delivery4.2/5 on
G2 (68 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit parallels.com
Starting price$10 per user per month
Free planFree trial
Parallels Remote Application Server is the simplicity pick for virtual apps and desktops on any device or OS. Its platform offers an agile, cloud-ready foundation with end-to-end security from a centralized management console with granular policies, deployable on-premises, hybrid, or in public cloud, integrating with Microsoft Azure and AWS.
Parallels' homepage confirms the broader company: run Windows on any Mac, Intel or Apple silicon, trusted by more than 7 million Mac users, with Parallels RAS as the enterprise VDI solution alongside Desktop. RAS offers a single, full-featured licensing model that includes 24/7 support and access to product training.
Pricing is 120 dollars per year per concurrent user in 2026 comparisons, equal to 10 dollars per month, with a 14-day free trial, while Parallels DaaS starts at 9 dollars per user per month. Parallels RAS is the pick for mid-size organizations that want straightforward VDI without Citrix complexity.
What we like- Single full-featured licensing model with 24/7 support
- On-premises, hybrid, or public cloud deployment
- Integrates with Azure and AWS
- 14-day free trial
Watch out for- Smaller enterprise feature set than Horizon or Citrix
- Desktop for Mac branding can confuse buyers
- Concurrent-user licensing needs capacity planning
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Nutanix Frame is the browser pick: a desktop-as-a-service platform that delivers Windows desktops and apps through a browser with no client to install, running on Nutanix infrastructure or public clouds including Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud. It suits organizations that want instant access from any device, including Chromebooks and unmanaged endpoints.
Nutanix's homepage confirms the platform behind Frame: one platform to run apps, data, and AI anywhere, trusted by more than 32,000 companies, recognized as a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure, and built for hybrid cloud with one operating model.
The tradeoff is pricing transparency: Frame is quote-only, and its desktop service focus means app virtualization depth trails Horizon or Citrix for complex legacy apps. Nutanix Frame is the pick for browser-first delivery, especially for Nutanix shops and education or contractor use cases.
What we like- Pure browser delivery with no client install
- Runs on Nutanix, Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud
- Strong hybrid cloud platform behind it
- Gartner Leader recognition
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing
- Desktop-as-a-service focus means thinner app virtualization depth
- Nutanix platform knowledge helps
Starting price$7.50 per user per month
Free planFree trial
Inuvika OVD Enterprise is the budget pick, and it markets itself directly as the best alternative to Citrix and VMware Horizon. Its homepage claims a total cost over 60 percent less than Citrix or VMware Horizon, with Linux-based delivery eliminating most Microsoft licensing including SQL Server licenses, a smaller infrastructure footprint, and deployment in hours rather than weeks.
The platform delivers Windows and Linux apps and desktops to any device through a web portal, shared or dedicated desktop, or integrated local desktop, with best-in-class USB redirection, optimized video streaming, and native Microsoft Teams and Zoom support. Concurrent-user pricing means you pay for who is actually working, not every named user in Active Directory, and built-in 2FA costs nothing extra.
One customer quote on the homepage notes moving after Omnissa pricing spiked almost tenfold and gaining performance, usability, and support. Inuvika OVD Enterprise is the pick for cost-driven migrations that want Linux efficiency and concurrent licensing.
What we like- Linux-based delivery cuts total cost over 60 percent versus Citrix or Horizon
- Concurrent-user pricing
- No Microsoft SQL Server license
- Deploys in hours
- Runs on any hypervisor
Watch out for- Smaller vendor and community
- Linux base needs Linux skills for deep troubleshooting
- Fewer third-party integrations than Horizon
#8Kasm Workspaces
Best for: Container streaming4.7/5 on
G2 (49 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit kasmweb.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Kasm Workspaces is the modern architecture pick, a container streaming platform that replaces fragmented legacy tools with one unified platform for secure browsing, full desktops, and application streaming. Its homepage confirms zero-trust architecture, container isolation, compliance-ready controls, and open integration with zero lock-in.
The platform scales effortlessly with company needs, serves hundreds of organizations across the globe, and holds 4.9 stars on SourceForge, 4.7 on G2, 4.7 on Capterra, and 4.8 on GoodFirms and Expert Insights. Use cases span secure browsing for untrusted content, enterprise-wide desktop delivery, and application streaming without traditional VDI infrastructure.
The tradeoff is model fit: container streaming differs from traditional Windows VDI, so legacy Windows apps need evaluation before migration. Kasm Workspaces is the pick for security-first teams that want modern container delivery and a free plan to start.
What we like- Container-based streaming replaces legacy VDI complexity
- Zero-trust architecture with container isolation
- Secure browsing, desktops, and app streaming in one platform
- Free plan available
Watch out for- Container model differs from traditional VDI, needs evaluation
- Windows app support is thinner than Horizon
- Pricing is quote-led for enterprise
How we chose
We compared Citrix alternatives using 2026 comparisons and vendor homepages we opened on 27 October 2026 to confirm they load and belong to the vendor. Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 share Microsoft vendor pages, since product-specific pages sit under azure.microsoft.com and microsoft.com. Pricing is per user per month unless noted, and quote-only tools require a sales conversation. We did not claim hands-on testing.
What to check before you pick
Start from your cloud. Azure shops belong on AVD or Windows 365. AWS shops belong on WorkSpaces. Multi-cloud and on-premises shops belong on Horizon, Parallels RAS, or Inuvika. Browser-first shops belong on Frame or Kasm.
Next, model total cost, not license price. AVD and Horizon consume your cloud compute and storage, WorkSpaces adds egress and network charges, and concurrent licensing from Inuvika or Parallels can beat named-user pricing when only part of your workforce is active at once.
Finally, test your hardest apps before migrating. Legacy Windows apps, USB peripherals, Teams and Zoom optimization, and GPU workloads behave differently across platforms, and a pilot with real users beats any feature comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Citrix alternative overall?
Omnissa Horizon, for the closest feature match, multi-cloud control, and enterprise scale, with Azure Virtual Desktop as the Microsoft 365 pick and Windows 365 as the simplest fixed-price pick.
Why are companies leaving Citrix?
Pricing changes, licensing complexity, and a shift toward cloud-managed desktops have pushed many IT teams to evaluate Horizon, Microsoft, AWS, and lower-cost options like Inuvika, which claims over 60 percent lower total cost.
Is there a free Citrix alternative?
Kasm Workspaces offers a free plan, and most others offer free trials: Horizon, WorkSpaces, Parallels RAS, and Inuvika all offer trials, while Azure offers a free trial account.
What is the difference between AVD and Windows 365?
Azure Virtual Desktop is customer-managed DaaS in your Azure tenant with multi-session efficiency, while Windows 365 is a fully managed Cloud PC with a fixed per-user price and no host VMs to maintain.
Do I need VDI or is remote access enough?
VDI suits regulated, multi-user, and contractor scenarios where data must stay in the datacenter. Simple remote access tools suit one-to-one support and personal machines, but lack centralized control, compliance, and scale.
Can I migrate from Citrix without rebuilding everything?
Mostly yes: Horizon, Parallels, and Inuvika all support migration from Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, with Inuvika claiming deployment in hours. Test app compatibility, profiles, and policies in a pilot first.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.omnissa.com
- https://azure.microsoft.com
- https://www.microsoft.com
- https://aws.amazon.com
- https://www.parallels.com
- https://www.nutanix.com
- https://www.inuvika.com
- https://www.kasmweb.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Omnissa Horizon
Azure Virtual Desktop
Windows 365
Nutanix Frame
Inuvika OVD Enterprise