Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs VMware Player vs VMware Workstation comparison

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9,429 views|8,191 comparisons
84% willing to recommend
VMware Logo
3,801 views|3,556 comparisons
83% willing to recommend
VMware Logo
8,061 views|5,684 comparisons
95% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, VMware Player, and VMware Workstation based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, VMware, Citrix and others in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
To learn more, read our detailed Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Report (Updated: April 2024).
767,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The product is stable.""It's simple to set up.""In terms of the valuable features, I like the profile, the new version is really good.""What I found most valuable in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is accessibility because the solution lets you take control of your computer remotely.""The initial setup is not that difficult. I have gone through the RDS initialization steps, which only seem easy.""The solution is stable and reliable.""The solution works on Microsoft servers.""It's pretty stable."

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"VMware Player's best feature is the ability to run different OS's simultaneously.""It's really easy to build testing environments with VMware Player.""The most valuable feature of VMware Player is the ability to snapshot with or without memory.""The solution's technical support team is excellent.""VMware Player helps you to virtualize and install Ubuntu or any other operating system, even on a Windows laptop."

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"The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the speed of access and quality of upgrade. Those are the more important and pertinent aspects as far as we were concerned. Functionality and features were relevant for the customers. What a customer chose, we had to make sure that it operated.""We are able to simultaneously run multiple operating systems in a single machine and have virtually no performance hit.""The features are good.""VMware Workstation allows multiple operating systems in the same physical machine.""I appreciate the ease of backup and snapshot creation. The ability to revert to previous versions without losing data is very useful for our team.""The product is really easy to use.""The performance is good.""VMware Workstation’s most valuable feature is virtualization technology."

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Cons
"I would say it's expensive as there similar products available for free.""There is a limitation on the number of concurrent users.""Sometimes the server stops working, and we don’t know why. Occasionally we’ll get a message to the effect of "There is no remote license."""The solution isn't as good as the Citrix option.""Microsoft Remote Desktop Services needs to improve its security.""The only issue I experienced was with the initialization of the session, which affected the stability of the solution.""We'd like, in the future, if it would work with Linux or Unix-based operating systems or even Mac.""It could be more user-friendly."

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"VMware Player isn't downgradable, so if you have a later set of VMs, you need to upgrade it or figure out a workaround.""Its networking features need improvement.""When you go to work on a server, it opens up the whole window, and that causes an error inside VMware Player.""The tool has limited scalability.""VMware Player should provide a cloud version with no limitations to hardware resources."

More VMware Player Cons →

"The interface is a little wonky and needs to be improved.""It would be great if VMware Workstation had more networking options and compatibility, that would be great. I would like to deploy virtual switches and play around with networking a bit more. Otherwise, I have to deploy ESXi Virtual Edition and emulate it, which is painful and clunky.""I would want to see features included that make deployment easier.""The product’s virtual machine data backup feature needs upgrading.""The product could provide the features available in Microsoft Hyper-V.""The price of VMware Workstation could improve.""I would like to see more detailed reporting capabilities, particularly around snapshot activity. It would be helpful to have a summary of changes made prior to deploying an application, allowing us to provide comprehensive reports to our management on a regular basis.""It would be better if software updates occur automatically."

More VMware Workstation Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is moderate."
  • "The solution has a perpetual license and it is purchased upfront."
  • "It will probably cost about $500 USD to get the resources set up in the cloud."
  • "Although not an expensive product, pricing is always something that can be improved."
  • "It's not an expensive solution."
  • "It's not an expensive product."
  • "Its licensing is on a yearly basis. We're on the educational or academic license, and our terms are good. We're very happy with the pricing."
  • "The pricing could always be improved."
  • More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It has the best licensing modules."
  • "The solution's pricing is almost the same as what Google Cloud, AWS, or Microsoft would charge you."
  • "With all its support and ease of use, VMware Player's pricing is fair."
  • More VMware Player Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The pricing is a bit steep in my opinion for testing and there are other options."
  • "Licensing costs are paid on a yearly basis."
  • "The licensing costs are cheap. I pay approximately $100 per year."
  • "The cost differs depending on the customer's requirement."
  • "VMware Workstation has a high price than competitors in the market."
  • "With a VDI solution, there is always extra cost running a VDI solution but it's not for cost purposes anymore. In the beginning, it was to save money on hardware but at the moment it's other aspects that are more important why you should use a VDI solution."
  • "Licensing fees are paid on an annual basis."
  • "The price of the solution per workstation is approximately 200 Francs annually. We pay a total of 800 francs. Everything is included in the price such as the support."
  • More VMware Workstation Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of VMware Player is the ability to snapshot with or without memory.
    Top Answer:When you go to work on a server, it opens up the whole window, and that causes an error inside VMware Player. You'll see… more »
    Top Answer:We use VMware Player mostly to connect the server hosting the client. I use the solution more like a manager.
    Top Answer:VM Workstation’s setup is so easy, you can use it almost instantly, it works well with Windows and Linux. We like VM… more »
    Top Answer:The initial setup is simple and takes only five minutes to complete.
    Top Answer:The solution’s performance is low. Also, support should be enhanced after Huiwei's acquisition. They are migrating all… more »
    Ranking
    Views
    9,429
    Comparisons
    8,191
    Reviews
    37
    Average Words per Review
    412
    Rating
    8.1
    Views
    3,801
    Comparisons
    3,556
    Reviews
    5
    Average Words per Review
    281
    Rating
    8.8
    Views
    8,061
    Comparisons
    5,684
    Reviews
    28
    Average Words per Review
    346
    Rating
    8.6
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Remote Desktop Services, MS Remote Desktop Services
    Learn More
    Overview

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is a highly regarded remote access tool in addition to being a top-ranked Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution in the marketplace today.

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is a suite of valuable elements of the Windows operating system (OS) that serve specific desired objectives. Microsoft RDS integrates various features that allow approved users to gain access to graphical desktops and Windows applications remotely. Approved users are able to deploy applications or even a complete desktop without having to install anything on their devices. Everything remains in the cloud. This ensures that there are never any compatibility issues and keeps the organization's original network secure at all times. Administrators are also able to ensure that data cannot be stored in any unapproved location, such as the local device, unapproved drives, or any other location.

    Microsoft RDS makes it easy for business organizations to access Windows Desktops and other Windows applications remotely to ensure today’s busy enterprise organizations are able to maintain the highest levels of productivity at all times. There are two basic ways organizations can effectively utilize RDS.


    • Microsoft Remote Desktop Component: This allows users to connect with various alternate desktops from their current device. Once the user has gained a secure connection based on the approved administrative permissions, the user can seamlessly access and interact with the remote desktop. Users have the feeling of having this new virtual desktop installed directly on their machine.


    • RemoteApp: Users are able to easily access cloud-based applications via their own personal desktop computers or other approved mobile devices. This application ensures overall application management is centralized and consistent throughout the entire business enterprise.


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Benefits

    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has many benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:


    • Access Windows applications remotely from any device
    • Enhanced consistent application performance
    • Increased computing resources
    • Secure cloud-based data storage.
    • Streamlined management processes
    • Reduction in technical administrative resources
    • Reduction in hardware and device costs.
    • Improved employee productivity
    • Cost-effective
    • Improved Profitability
    • Reduce carbon footprint


    Microsoft Remote Desktop Services makes it easy for busy enterprise organizations to stay productive and remain competitive in today’s aggressive marketplace. An organization's end-users can be given access to their own specific desktops from any location, anytime, using any approved device. Additionally, users can access Microsoft applications without having an effect on their device's resource capacity or performance.

    Reviews from Real Users

    “What I found most valuable in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is accessibility because the solution lets you take control of your computer remotely, and that's a good feature.” Pascal B., IT consultant at Secoptrial

    “The most valuable features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services are unification, central management, and accessibility.” Jan S. Solution Architect at a tech services company

    “The most valuable features are that it is fast and cost-effective. I am not aware of a replacement currently on the market.” Ramon H. Director at Empaco

    VMware Player, or VMware Player Plus, is described by VMware as the easiest way to run a virtual machine on Windows or Linux PCs in a commercial environment. If you want to deliver a managed desktop to your employees, customers, students, contractors, or partners, then this virtual desktop solution is the way to go.

    VMware Player provides the most advanced virtualization platform available, which is capable of supporting even extremely demanding applications. Even though the platform is so advanced, the user interface is simple and easy-to-use.

    There is seamless integration with Windows XP and Windows XP applications even if the machine itself is a Windows 7 PC, a Windows 8 PC, or even Linux-based. It also gives your IT person the capability of restricting the virtual machines by requiring runtime passwords, adding an expiration date, blocking USB devices, or encrypting the machines. By using VMware vCenter Converter, VMware Player can even convert old machines into virtual machines without you needing to re-configure or re-install any applications.

    VMware Workstation is part of a suite of robust Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) tools or Desktop Hypervisors that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters, containers, and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users have the option to choose between VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Workstation Player to ensure that they get the most out of their VMware Workstation experience.

    Workstation Player is best used as a command line or single graphical operation. It works very well for running different operating systems using a secure cloistered sandbox on a general consumer PC. Workstation Player is an industry favorite for use in an educational environment to better expand the knowledge concerning computer systems and global information technology. Workstation Pro is created for astute IT developers and professionals. The solution provides an intuitive next-generation interface and gives users the ability to seamlessly run several virtual machines at the same time. Users can easily create clones, configure virtual networks, connect to vSphere, and more, using a crisp, visually enhanced dashboard that provides full transparency to show multiple VMs and more.

    VMware Workstation solutions rely on components in next-generation 64-bit x86 CPUs to develop robust, secure VMs that are able to utilize many different operating systems and all of their applications. VMware Workstation’s modern technology intuitively links the physical hardware devices to the virtual machine's virtual resources enabling each VM to have its own I/O devices, memory, disks, and CPU in addition to the equivalent of a standard x86 actual machine. It easily installs onto the host operating system and is able to offer comprehensive hardware support by utilizing the device support from the original host.

    VMware Workstation Benefits

    VMware Workstation has many desirable benefits. Some of those benefits include:


    • Improved overall IT processes.
    • Better, more efficient deployment outcomes.
    • Enhanced application performance.
    • Better server availability.
    • Less physical hardware and additional devices needed.
    • Cost-effective.
    • Decreased outages or downtime.
    • Faster provisioning of applications and resources.
    • Reduced power consumption.
    • Reduced Environmental Impact.



    Reviews from Real Users

    Walter G., Owner at Secacon Gygli Engineering LLC says, “The most valuable feature of the VMware Workstation is the ease of creating a development environment. When you have different ongoing developments, you often need to create a lot of different development environments. With this workstation solution, you can have a development environment for all the things you develop.” 

    Toni L., CEO at Virtual Consultants Sverige AB says, “The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the DirectX support; you can run Microsoft Hyper-V in virtual environments, which is good for me to test different installations. Additionally, you can set up different VLANs, and overall it is a complete solution.” 


    “Having a user-friendly interfaceis important for me. I'm not a coder, even though I do a little bit of programming. Also, I don't use the command-line interface when I can avoid it. When I do have to use it, I look up what I'm supposed to type and then type it.” A PeerSpot user who is a Chief Technical Officer at a construction company.

    are Workstation is part of a suite of robust Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) tools or Desktop Hypervisors that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters, containers, and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users have the option to choose between VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Workstation Player to ensure they get the most out of their VMware Workstation experience.

    Workstation Player is best used as a command line or single graphical operation. It works very well for running different operating systems using a secure cloistered sandbox on a general consumer PC. Workstation Player is an industry favorite for use in an educational environment to better expand the knowledge concerning computer systems and global information technology. Workstation Pro is created for astute IT developers and professionals. The solution provides an intuitive next generation interface and gives users the ability to run seamlessly several virtual machines at the same time. Users can easily create clones, configure virtual networks, connect to vSphere, and more using a crisp, visually enhanced dashboard that provides full transparency to show multiple VMs and more.

    VMware Workstation solutions rely on components in next-generation 64-bit x86 CPUs to develop robust, secure VMs that are able to utilize many different operating systems and all of their applications. Vmware Workstation’s modern technology intuitively links the physical hardware devices to the virtual machine's virtual resources enabling each VM to have its own I/O devices, memory, disks, and CPU in addition to the equivalent to a standard x86 actual machine.VMware easily installs onto the host operating system and is able to offer comprehensive hardware support by utilizing the device support from the original host.

    VMware Workstation Benefits

    Vmware Workstation has many desirable benefits. Some of those benefits include:


    • Improved overall IT processes.
    • Better, more efficient deployment outcomes.
    • Enhanced application performance.
    • Better server availability.
    • Less physical hardware and additional devices needed.
    • Cost-effective.
    • Decreased outages or downtime.
    • Faster provisioning of applications and resources.
    • Reduced power consumption.
    • Reduced Environmental Impact.



    Reviews from Real Users

    “The most valuable feature of the VMware Workstation is the ease of creating a development environment. When you have different ongoing developments, you often need to create a lot of different development environments. With this workstation solution, you can have a development environment for all the things you develop.” Walter G., Owner at Secacon Gygli Engineering LLC

    “The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the DirectX support; you can run Microsoft Hyper-V in virtual environments, which is good for me to test different installations. Additionally, you can set up different VLANs, and overall it is a complete solution.” Toni L., CEO at Virtual Consultants Sverige AB

    A Chief Technical Officer at a construction company says,“Having a user-friendly interfaceis important for me. I'm not a coder, even though I do a little bit of programming. Also, I don't use the command-line interface when I can avoid it. When I do have to use it, I look up what I'm supposed to type and then type it.” 

    Sample Customers
    Bank Alfalah Ltd.
    Akademiska Hus
    Akademiska Hus
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm17%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Computer Software Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    University9%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Government8%
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company20%
    Computer Software Company20%
    University8%
    Construction Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Government9%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business46%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise33%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise57%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business50%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise17%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business26%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise61%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business48%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise30%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise57%
    Buyer's Guide
    Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
    April 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, VMware, Citrix and others in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). Updated: April 2024.
    767,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.