10 Best VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) Software In 2024

Compare and review the top VDI Software providers including top features and pricing to select the best VDI solution for your requirements:

If you’re looking for information or business solutions about Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), you’ve come to the right place. This is a comprehensive artifact that has all the information about VDI, its advantages, available companies in this segment, prices, limitations, advantages and disadvantages, VDI vendor comparison, FAQs, and reviews.

The American company VMware Inc., listed on the Nasdaq, introduced the term “VDI” in 2006 and the technology acronym has been in widespread use ever since.

In the 21st century and in the future, SMEs and large enterprises will choose Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (as a service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), etc. because of its cost-effectiveness and reliable architecture.

VDI Software Review

As this tutorial deals with VDI, we will focus on information about VDI. Let us begin by understanding what is VDI and its graphical representation.

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What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) technology is a virtualization platform that can replace a physical desktop or PC. Virtual desktops come as a package of an operating system, hardware resources, and software applications that allow users to perform daily activities as they would on a physical desktop or laptop.

The below image shows the graphical representation of VDI:

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The below image shows the penetration of VDI in Global markets:

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List of the Top VDI Software Companies

Here is the list of popular VDI management software:

1. Venn
2. Amazon Workspaces
3. Microsoft Azure
4. Hysolate
5. Nutanix XI Frame
6. Citrix Workspace
7. Parallels RAS
8. V2 Cloud
9. Kasm Workspaces
10. Red Hat Virtualization
11. VMware Horizon Cloud

Comparison of the Best VDI Solutions

Let’s review above mentioned VDI in detail.

#1) Venn

Venn is a secure workspace for remote work that isolates and protects work from any personal use on the same computer. It modernizes legacy VDI solutions by creating a seamless local experience instead of forcing companies to rely on remote hosting of applications.

Venn’s unique solution creates a secure local enclave where work applications run under policies set by the company. Within the enclave, all data is encrypted and applications are walled off from anything that happens on the personal side. A “blue box” surrounds the work applications so that users can easily identify them.

For IT administrators, Venn offers additional centrally managed policies that govern file access and storage, browser usage, peripheral use, copy/paste and screen capture privileges as well as network access.

Features:

• The evolution of VDI – Fully local, apps run on the endpoint device.
• Blue box provides visual separation between work applications and other uses.
• No lag in performance.
• Data control and encryption to meet compliance requirements.
• Configurable policy including copy/paste protection, screen capture, etc.
• Remote wipe of secure enclave when required.

Verdict: Venn is the perfect solution for mid-market to enterprise businesses who are looking to secure BYO and unmanaged devices, have remote workers, independents or offshore contractors dealing with sensitive company data and applications. Venn improves upon and reduces the cost of using and managing legacy VDI.

Pricing: Venn pricing is per seat per month, paid annually. The company offers no-cost proof-of-concept trials.

#2) Amazon Workspaces

Recommended in personal and professional environments of all capacities, Amazon WorkSpaces is a secure and scalable cloud-based desktop service. It is made by the world’s leading retailer, Amazon Inc. The company claims to provide Windows and Linux operating system desktops in minutes and scale to thousands.

With the introduction of Amazon WorkSpaces, there is no longer a need to manage the on-premise desktops and their operational staff, risks, and other costs, because Amazon assigns desktops faster.

End-users or employees can quickly get to work and perform tasks from any Internet device such as Windows PCs, macOS, Ubuntu, and Linux systems, Chromebooks, iPads, Android devices, and Fire tablets.

Features:

• Data is encrypted in the AWS cloud and integrated into Key Management Service (KMS).
• A scalability model to set a few computers to thousands in a short time.
• Its unique pricing model has no minimum monthly fees and no long-term contracts.
• Its virtual desktop uptime is 99.9% SLA (Service Level Agreement).

Verdict: Amazon’s workspace is a great choice as it offers AWS two-factor authentication and key management services makes it secure and reliable for your sensitive data.

Its virtual desktop packages equip individuals, small businesses, or large businesses and support a wide range of functions, including training, testing, proof of concept, development, and support activities.

Pricing: The free tier model offers two work plans with the standard plan with 80 GB root and 50 GB user volume. There are also monthly and hourly billing plans. We can find more information about prices on the company’s website.

Website: Amazon Workspaces

#3) Microsoft Azure

Azure is the most recognized provider of VDI software and caters to the rapidly changing business needs of modern enterprises.

Microsoft Azure is one of the diversified platforms in virtualization technology. It not only supports virtual desktop infrastructure but also Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) through data centers managed by Microsoft.

Features:

Although the list of features is extensive, we listed many of the important ones below:

• Data redundancy.
• Data is encrypted with Microsoft-managed keys to storage and encrypted with AES 256-bit encryption.
• Versatile backup facility.
• Versatile Azure Backup system to back up indoors and even on Hyper-V and VMware platforms.
• Data capacity management.

Verdict: Microsoft Azure simplifies the end-to-end lifecycle, from development to automated deployment, to support a wide range of activities. In addition, specialized tools and applications allow for integrating local resources. Azure offers excellent documentation for all services, which makes it easy for beginners to get started with the platform.

Pricing: Azure pricing is based on execution time and the total number of executions. It also includes a monthly free provision of 1 million requests and resource consumption of 4,000,000 GB-s per month. Azure Functions Premium Plan allows users to get performance boosts.

Website: Microsoft Azure

#4) Hysolate

Hysolate allows companies to implement strong operating system-based isolation to secure corporate access and access risky documents, applications, websites, peripherals, and cloud services in an isolated workspace.

One of Hysolate’s greatest strengths is that it helps companies provide a temporary workplace for third-party companies and suppliers without exposing themselves to sensitive data and information.

Hysolate can be used with maximum security when accessing sensitive enterprise systems and data, without affecting user performance.

Features:

• Military security with a seamless experience.
• Highly compatible.
• Hysolate is managed centrally via management servers on-site or in the cloud.
• It has full disk encryption and supports remote wipes.

Verdict: If you are looking for a simple VDI solution without the integration of third-party tools for your sensitive and business-critical applications, then Hysolate is the right solution for you. Most VDI software provides persistent and non-persistent virtual desktops and each of them has merits and demerits. Hysolate overcomes the demerits of both models.

Pricing: The pricing model is very simple and comes in two versions, one free with limited features and the other is Enterprise version. The Free version contains important features like VM-Based isolation, Instant deployment. For Advanced security policies opt for Hysolate enterprise.

Website: Hysolate

#5) Nutanix XI Frame

The Nutanix framework offers a Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solution. The companies that are in the process of digital transformation or planning to streamline their IT infrastructure can adopt a DaaS (Desktop-as-a-Service) solution.

Nutanix may sound new to cyberspace, but it has extensive experience in End User Computing with 10+ years and 1,000 customers in it. It also has cloud-specific certifications such as ISO 27001, 27017 and 27018.

Implementing the Nutanix framework also addresses challenges posed by physical systems, such as increased hardware costs, maintenance and servicing updates, scalability and upgrades, and more.

Features:

• Nutanix security model uses a fully encrypted delivery stream.
• FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) mode and Multi Factor Authentication.
• Intuitive administrative interfaces and zero-touch maintenance.
• Zero server footprint.

Verdict: Nutanix is a good choice for businesses looking for a virtual desktop, but with minimal administration costs. Compared to other complex VDI solutions, no qualified employees are required for the provision of your IT infrastructure. Small startups and organizations looking for a virtual workspace can receive the Nutanix framework for as little as $24 per user.

Pricing: Nutanix frames are free to use for 30 days. They have a very simple pricing model

• $34 per user per month with no fixed term contract.
• $24 per user per month with a minimum 3-month contract.
• If you want a concurrent user connection, it costs $48 on the virtual desktop

Website: Nutanix

#6) Citrix Workspace

The Citrix Workspace virtual platform was developed by the US company Citrix Inc. The company is into Virtualization for the last 30 years and this proven virtual solution has helped many organizations to accomplish their tasks better.

They have migrated the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops into the cloud, to provide even more competencies that will help to reduce operational expenses, faster implementation of IT activities, and to connect anywhere and from any device.

The Citrix Workspace environment is faster, always available, stable and very easy to use. An important parameter is that the latency is very low.

Features:

• Provide robust enterprise protection.
• Advanced analytics make troubleshooting easy.
• Simplify administration and reduce costs by quickly delivering apps and desktops from the cloud.
• Citrix HDX technology enhances collaboration and performance.

Verdict: Citrix Workspace is a complete workspace solution that provides secure access to all applications and files through a single interface. Considering today’s security and homework scenarios, it regularly updates and keeps the work environment safe and its low latency plays an important role when you’re connecting from a remote location or working from home.

Pricing Structure: Its popular pricing structure is fixed, as shown in the image below. If you are looking for a tailored pricing model, then you can visit their customized tool option. It will help you find out your cost of implementation.

Website: Citrix Workspace

#7) Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server)

Parallels RAS was first published by 2X Software in 2014. It is a complete solution for VDI, which makes applications and virtual desktops available anytime, anywhere on any device.

All of this is embodied in a solution package with an enhanced protection model, making it popular in various sectors such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, retail, IT, and others.

Parallels RAS is one of the most secure virtual platforms for filtering data leaks and blocking cyberattacks because of the integration of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 encryption. Multi-factor acceptance and smart card authentication make it a more stable virtual platform.

Features:

• Connects anywhere and from any device. Can connect from any Internet-enabled device.
• Cross-platform support.
• Uniform and intuitive management console.
• Single license model: Parallels RAS is generally available in a single solution, which reduces overhead.

Verdict: Parallels RAS is one of the easiest VDI software to install and use. Its layered protection makes it strong in today’s world of data theft and malware attacks. This is a great VDI solution with the highest layer of protection for publishing resources on your network, as well as publishing desktops and providing access to users’ office computers.

Pricing: Before implementing, you can try its free trial for 30 days.

Its current plan is as follows:

• 1-year subscription: $99.99 per concurrent user
• 2-year subscription: $189.99 per concurrent user
• 3-year subscription: $269.99 per concurrent user

Website: Parallels RAS

#8) V2 Cloud

V2 Cloud was founded in Canada in 2012 to provide simple VDI software for small and medium enterprises. It provides solutions to individual, small, and medium-sized businesses.

It offers a simple method to deploy a cloud-based Windows desktop in less than 10 clicks. A simple, cost-effective, and scalable Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solution, which reduces IT deployment headaches and helps owners focus on their core business.

Features:

• It has some basic but essential functions that are essential for safe business operations.
• Intuitive management console.
• Intuitive web application.
• Raspberry Pi App.

Verdict: If you’re on a tight budget and looking for a simple and affordable VDI solution for your small or medium-sized business, then the V2 cloud is a great choice. It doesn’t offer any complicated setup, but it’s easy to do without any technical knowledge. However, it is not recommended for highly IT-oriented companies as it has limited features and tools.

Pricing: The company is having a contract-free pricing structure and also has no minimum order condition. They even have a 7-day free trial period.

There are two pricing models:

• Basic plan and business plan-based user connections and technical specifications.
• Basic plan pricing starts from $40/m to $1120/m and additional licenses at $10/m.
• Business plan pricing starts from $60/m to $1680/m and additional licenses at $10/m.

Website: V2cloud

#9) Kasm Workspaces

One of the cheapest VDI software in this category. Recommended for individuals to midsize companies. The Kasm workspace was designed by a team of cybersecurity experts to meet the needs of the US government by integrating security and remote workforce requirements but is now available to businesses of all sizes and industries.

Kasmweb provides a remote workspace that is accessible via a browser, so no client or software needs to be installed to access the virtual desktop. Kasm is a highly configurable platform with a developer API (Application Programming Interface) that can be tailored to the needs of users or enterprises.

Features:

• Web-based access – No need to install client software or VPN.
• Docket Containers.
• 24/7 Protection.
• Browser Isolation – Protects internal network or data from malware attacks.

Verdict: One of the affordable VD solutions in this category and offers seamless access to virtual workspaces by eliminating software installation. Kasm’s VDI software is best suited for people who do not have a dedicated access system for the workplace.

One of its lightweight models and its web isolation features are invaluable in today’s phishing environment.

Pricing: Kasm offers a simple and affordable pricing model and is divided into two main categories, namely deployment type and license type. The company also offers a free 30-day trial license.

If you are an individual or need less than 5 user connections, Kasmweb provides it for free. If you’re looking for regular usage and multiple connections, the self-hosted pricing model is recommended.

Website: Kasm workspace

#10) Red Hat Virtualization

Red Hat Virtualization, formerly known as Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, provides virtualization solutions for servers and desktops. Red Hat Virtualization has a robust architecture for businesses looking for enterprise-class solutions, especially on-premises.

Red Hat, Inc. is an American multinational software company and the world’s largest open-source Linux platform. It supports both Windows and Linux infrastructure. Being developed on Redhat Linux, it also supports SUSE Linux.

Features:

• Web UI simplifies administration.
• Offers an open-source Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) model.
• Its strong security functions, Red Hat Secure Virtualization (sVirt), and Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) keep virtual machines in isolation mode and thus preventing them to access resources of other VMs.
• The Virtualization Manager tool.

Verdict: If you want to deploy VDI for large enterprises or for complex environments, especially on-premises or data centers, then Red Hat Virtualization is the solution. Its protection at the hypervisor level is the highest of any VDI solution and is essential for business-critical and data-sensitive applications.

Pricing Structure: It offers 60 days’ evaluation period. Red Hat charges an annual subscription fee and no upfront licensing fees. The plan price is for a pair of hypervisor and CPU sockets managed per year.

Website: Red Hat virtualization

#11) VMware Horizon Cloud

VMware, Inc. is the first commercial company to successfully develop virtualization. If you are looking for a robust platform for your VDI software with additional tools to seamlessly meet your business and IT needs, then VMware Horizon is the solution.

VMware Horizon supports both Cloud and on-premises virtualization models.

As one of the oldest companies in virtualization, it offers a modern and efficient approach to deliver Windows and Linux desktops with maximum security, including applications. An inherently robust framework ensures users can work anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Internal security built into the VMware architecture provides complete security from device to data center. So if you are looking for 30x faster infrastructure and a 50% reduction in traditional cost, then Vmware Horizon 7 will help you achieve your goals.

Features:

• Multidimensional support
• This is a VDI exclusive solution that supports biometric authentication in addition to two-factor and smart cards.
• Cloud Pod Architecture.
• Unified Digital Workspace.

Expert Verdict: It is very convenient to use for providing applications and virtual desktops across any type of infrastructure, and its multidimensional nature makes it fast and, most importantly, seamlessly integrated.

Various additional tools such as Instant Clone Technology, VMware vRealize Operation, Virtual SAN for Desktop, ease the delivery of IT needs and requirements. Everything comes at a great price.

Pricing: You can try a 60-day trial period. The pricing model is divided into major products, such as VMware Workspace ONE, VMware Horizon 7, VMware Horizon Air, and VMware Horizon FLEX editions. Each of these base products has a different version and model of scalability and the price varies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Desktop virtualization is a necessity for every business today and has seen tremendous growth since the pandemic began.

As discussed above, each virtualization platform has advantages and disadvantages to its competitors, but if enterprises come to know their scalability needs and requirements, it becomes easy to choose the appropriate VDI for their IT infrastructure.

VDI ssoftware from Vmware, Citirx, and Red Hat have a robust architecture designed specifically for high workloads with a wide range of tools and functions, so they can be integrated into medium to large enterprises.

The startups or remote locations or branches, or small organizations can accept cloud VDI providers like Kasm Workspaces. V2 Cloud, Amazon AWS, Parallels RAS, etc. For a more isolated work area, companies can adopt Hysolate.

Research process:

The above information about the VDI tool is published based on intensive research. We invested 30 man-hours to thoroughly explore these tools and software. After an intensive examination of over 15 VDI software, we have selected the top 10 VDI solutions.