Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Parallels Desktop comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Remote Desktop Se...
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (2nd)
Parallels Desktop
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
9th
Average Rating
7.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Market share comparison

As of June 2024, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the market share of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is 2.9% and it decreased by 81.6% compared to the previous year. The market share of Parallels Desktop is 16.1% and it increased by 194.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
Unique Categories:
Remote Access
16.3%
No other categories found
 

Featured Reviews

BN
Jul 22, 2022
Simple remote system access, reliable, and uncomplicated setup
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is used to connect to other systems Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has helped our organization because it provides easier access to desktops without having to be physically on-site. The most valuable feature of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is the ability…
MH
Jul 27, 2023
A great platform to develop interoperable code on
The decision to transition away from Intel chips to their silicon. They are processing, and there are many examples. Instead of not having a product to use for a while, they have just released it now. However, if you're seeking a product that is industry-ready regularly or has plans to make it so, considering the upcoming changes, I recommend trying out Parallels Desktop in beta. When you're only dealing with Windows, we do much in the Windows version, but it is not improving the Windows operating system. If you're hosting a Windows platform or another version of the machine, the code will have limitations. Windows is not a walled garden, with no significant volatility or instability. Windows is quite versatile. I never encountered intrusive ads or unused features, which is quite good. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's part of the Microsoft Operating system and is free."
"The most valuable feature is that it gives me full accessibility to my servers."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is scalable."
"The most valuable features are the desktop session and desktop virtualization."
"The most valuable features are availability and security."
"The tool shares computer resources perfectly."
"The most valuable feature is performance."
"The most valuable features are it is fast and cost-effective."
"Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems."
"I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode."
 

Cons

"The performance depends on connectivity."
"Sometimes difficult to set up without the requirement for login credentials each time."
"The price is too high."
"The stability could be improved."
"The solution should have better security."
"I would like to see the hard drives work without locking up and integrate the local drives in the next release."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services could improve by having a better application for managing multiple sessions. There used to be one but they stopped supporting it."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is its security and simple configuration."
"There may have been some issues with device drivers on my Mac. Similarly, there are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac."
"The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible. It can be challenging if you are switching between Windows and Mac. I recommend sticking with one product because there isn't good compatibility between the different products."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is less expensive than some other solutions on the market."
"The solution has a perpetual license and it is purchased upfront."
"The pricing could always be improved."
"I rate the price of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services a three out of five."
"The solution has a pretty comparable pricing."
"I think that Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is expensive compared to Login solution."
"The solution is expensive. My company pays toward the monthly licensing costs of the solution...The additional cost, apart from the solution's licensing cost, is related to the technical support a user wants."
"I am aware that for Azure we do have an extra license because we are leveraging on different tenants."
Information not available
report
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787,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Educational Organization
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
University
8%
 

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 Remote Desktop Services?
The tool must be cheaper. It should provide an option to pay the license fee once in a year or once in two years.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?
When we update the environment, we face problems sometimes, and the users cannot use the system.
What do you like most about Parallels Desktop?
I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Parallels Desktop?
If you want the standard version, it is more expensive but more advanced. You get what you pay for. These products cost money, and the company has to make a profit.
What needs improvement with Parallels Desktop?
There may have been some issues with device drivers on my Mac. Similarly, there are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac.
 

Also Known As

Remote Desktop Services, MS Remote Desktop Services
No data available
 

Learn More

Video not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bank Alfalah Ltd.
Lytro, University of Washington, Slalom, Veeva Systems, Oklahoma Christian University
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. Parallels Desktop and other solutions. Updated: June 2024.
787,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.