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Citrix DaaS vs. Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS)

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Citrix DaaS

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/ACitrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, or XenDesktop) is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and application virtualization solution from Citrix.

    $375

    Parallels RAS

    Score6.8 out of 10
    N/AParallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS, formerly 2X RAS), is application virtualization technology, billed as a solution to extend the life of legacy OS (like Windows XP) with its virtual desktop for any device. Maltese company 2X Software developed the technology, but was acquired by Parallels (in Seattle, WA) in February, 2015 to extend their cross-platform support solutions.

    $120

    per year per user

    Pricing
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Editions & Modules
    Virtual Apps
    $375
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Considered Both Products
    Citrix
    No answer on this topic
    Alludo
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Citrix has more bells and whistles within their product line, but we've actually been pleasantly surprised with the performance of Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) vs our Citrix implementation. Citrix Netscaler has way more functionality than the Parallels …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Better overall
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Citrix is a great products but very expensive. That's why we choose Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS). Citrix is a great products but very expensive. That's why we choose Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS). Citrix is a great products but very …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    We evaluated Citrix as well as Parallels when we undertook this project, and our research concluded that not only was Parallels much easier to set up and use, but it was much more cost-effective.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Cost-effectiveness; Technical and Service Support.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    The cost of the two products is significantly different. Though Citrix has many advantages and features, the cost was a primary factor that helped us make that choice.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallels Remote Application Server is a cost-effective solution for Citrix and VMware products. It is also less complex to configure and manage. Offers similar connectivity options and integrates easily with 2FA authentication, for example from Google which is a free option.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    faster, leaner and more comfortable at the same time cheaper than Citrix, and in relation to the benefits to native RDS good price/performance ratio
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    For the time we've used Parallels, we've found Parallels much easier to set up and manage over Citrix.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    The least prerequisites for RAS server compare to other solutions. Server configuration is totally based on user load. Licensing model is impressive. The most important factor for us was the support. Parallels Remote Application Server support is more than expected and all …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Primary objective is save cost. Easy to configure policy and has more security
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    I think it's a pretty easy comparison of the two. Citrix is more expensive and more complicated compared to Parallels Remote Application Server; however, Parallels Remote Application Server misses the nice audio plugins that Citrix has for teams, etc. Parallels Remote …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallel RAS is so much easier to install than Citrix. Doesn't require a NetScaler for external access. The customizing for the login page is so much simpler they anything we have used. The single console helps our helpdesk staff manage clients much easier.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallels is far superior to basic RDS and is comparable to Citrix at less cost and hassle.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallels Remote Application Server competes against Citrix on a one-for-one feature setlist. It provides many of the same services and capabilities. It is, overall, a simpler product to use and configure. It does not compete perfectly in the VDI space, as the Citrix offering …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Setting up and managing Parallels RAS is extremely quick and easy. Support in the form of manufacturer support is better. In general, support for resellers is better at Parallels and easier for resellers.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Citrix Virtual Apps has too many constraints to integrate into our corporate network.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    We use Citrix and RAS both, and RAS is a cheaper, simplified solution compare to Citrix.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallels Remote Application Server is easier for implementation and maintenance. Cheaper than Citrix.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Parallels RAS combines almost all features in one product.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    10 years ago we selected what was called 2X at that time, and is now Parallels, because it was much cheaper and easier to handle than Citrix Desktop. We have used it every day since although I believe the pricing nowadays is about the same. But we can't see any reason to change …
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Set-up is many times faster especially for remote/external access. It takes hours with Parallels instead of the days it takes with other alternatives.
    Incentivized
    Chose Parallels RAS
    Citrix Virtual Apps is quite complicated and requires about 8-10 servers, almost all redundant and duplicated. It seems to also require someone that is certified to be on your staff in order just to understand the setup, install, monitoring, and use. Citrix does have great …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    100%
    Would buy again
    20 Answers
    97%
    Would buy again
    146 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    19 Answers
    99%
    Delivers good value for the price
    141 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    20 Answers
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    148 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    15 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    127 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    94%
    Implementation went as expected
    15 Answers
    97%
    Implementation went as expected
    143 Answers
    Best Alternatives
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Small Businesses
    VMware Fusion
    Score7.8 out of 10
    VMware Fusion
    Score7.8 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    VMware Fusion
    Score7.8 out of 10
    VMware Fusion
    Score7.8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    VMware Workstation Player
    Score9.9 out of 10
    VMware Workstation Player
    Score9.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (55 ratings)
    8.9
    (151 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.2
    (4 ratings)
    8.8
    (21 ratings)
    Usability
    9.0
    (7 ratings)
    8.0
    (28 ratings)
    Availability
    8.4
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    Performance
    7.4
    (4 ratings)
    4.5
    (4 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.9
    (8 ratings)
    8.6
    (129 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    8.3
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (2 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.0
    (4 ratings)
    8.2
    (10 ratings)
    Configurability
    8.4
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (4 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    2.4
    (4 ratings)
    4.5
    (3 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.2
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (3 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    5.2
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    7.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Citrix DaaSParallels RAS
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Citrix
    DaaS is ideal in large-scale environments that require centralized, secure management. Remote workforces at large organizations. Highly regulated industries like finance. It allows for easy security and monitoring over one aspect instead of multiple remote machines. DaaS is not ideal for organizations with small budgets due to the pricing and organizations with lousy network connectivity. This would make the end-user experience terrible.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Scenarios where time is a factor in having a solution in place and up and running safely and securely. Where there are older devices that ordinarily wouldn't be up to the task of running modern apps and services. Where users need to work away from the network, and security is a concern.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Citrix
    • Enables remote access anywhere, to any device which eliminates managing the endpoints how traditional VPN would require.
    • Integrates well with modern applications to offer optimized user experiences similar to native applications which increases user acceptance.
    • Extremely flexible in how policies are applied to different use cases to ensure the appropriate security mitigations are in place with minimal effort.
    • Easy to maintain and expand environments to fit business needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    • The printing driver is quite excellent, both in the Parallels Client and on the HTML5 client.
    • Setup is incredibly easy; the default setup is very functional, and adding features is a breeze.
    • Speed is very acceptable in general for end-users, the clients adapt quite well to the amount of bandwidth available, and features are available to adjust further.
    • Automation through PowerShell is great.
    • Support is usually quite fast and efficient.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Citrix
    • A single console to manage the environment.
    • The configuration is a bit complicated and we have hired Citrix administrators. But it's a good solution.
    • User profiles need improvement. They could use more stability and more functionality as well as user profile redirection.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    • Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) continually improves the product but has broken some features recently. For example the web management portal lost the ability to manage user sessions after a major update. That issue was fixed in a later release
    • Multi-monitor support beyond 4 monitors (It does handle up to 4 -1080 monitors well)
    • More options around connection security and MFA. current options are sufficient but limited
    • We've noticed some performance issues with Windows Server 2019 and 2022. I'd like to see more robust support for remote applications running from those platforms.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Citrix
    Because it has been a mainstay of our business for many years.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    We have been using Parallels since it was called 2X - it is a major part of how we do business. It is fairly simple to use and maintain - staff like it, we like it. It is a product that makes a promise - and it keeps it. As Parallels evolves, and clean bandwidth becomes more readily available everywhere - it just makes sense to continue to use Parallels in our environment
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Citrix
    Getting the environment setup took me three months of off and on work, with 3 complete rebuilds of the environment. Utilizing the WebUI to access the environment had presented so many random issues that we had to require end users to use the Citrix Reciever App. As it was the only stable solution. Aside from that, it hasn't required much admin intervention since the stand-up was completed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Parallels RAS was easy to setup, with great admin guides and resources. We especially liked the included Visio templates which made diagramming much easier. The reference deployment diagrams also simplified our deployment process. Our end users love Parallels RAS. Apps launch faster than Citrix, and the Parallels RAS client is far more reliable than Workspace.
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Citrix
    Xendesktop did a great job with HA of all the components.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    If there are any issues with Parallels - they are usually more about the server operating systems than Parallels itself. It would be rare for us to have any reason to take Parallels offline - we schedule a reboot on the servers at 3am to keep the O/S itself fresh, but again - it is not a Parallels issue. If individual users have any issues we ask them to completely log out of parallels - which ends their session - and then back in - and that typically resolves the issue right away.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Citrix
    The performance of XenDesktop is the best in the industry because of the fine-tuned protocol and years of updating. Overall, I don't think there is a better performer on the market. The question is if the added complexity of running XenDesktop is really worth the performance gain. While the latest version of XenDesktop is the easiest to deploy so far, it is still more challenging than the competitors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    I am giving Parallels 9/10 on this one because the only application that sometimes seems slow or has issues - is Microsoft Outlook. It is sometimes the result of a pop-up that may not show up in the published application (vs full desktop). Other than that - pages load very quickly - and it does not seem to slow down other applications that are running at the same time. Most of our users run Outlook, softphone and Teams locally - and published applications for everything else. When they do that - it is very solid.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Citrix
    The support is great when you get an engineer that knows what they are doing but getting that individual sometimes takes a while. Overall, they are professional and polite and competent in their knowledge. Sometimes the cases are open for an extended period of time which becomes very frustrating when dealing with critical issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Good support in place if required, very helpful when it comes to upgrades or any issues faced. The support team is knowledgeable, friendly, and quick to respond to issues The company also provides a range of online resources, including a
    knowledge base, documentation, and forums, which can be helpful before raising a ticket
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Citrix
    I was self trained
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Citrix
    Easy to understand and learn at my own pace
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Documentation is fair but sometimes a little difficult to follow
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Citrix
    Take it slow and read the directions each step of the way. If you are not familiar with Citrix products, use a reseller or other experienced engineer to assist you in the setup of your environment
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Overall, it was pretty simple compared to most other projects. Again, we had a strong familarity with the product so there was not much of a learning curve. Our 'biggest' issue is the end-user understanding of a 'local' application and a published application. For example - Online meetings need to run locally for camera/video to work smoothly so opening a link to a meeting from a published application continues to be an occasional issue.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Citrix
    Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops is platform agnostic (we can use any underlying hypervisor technology) and really flexible for any use case. Using a golden image and provisioning it (with Machine Creation Services or Provisioning Services) is powerful and really straightforward, compared to the complexity in Microsoft RDS of maintaining a coherent farm, or the limitation of VMware Horizon to run on VMware Products.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) provides the finest end user experience while being cost-effective and reducing administrative and support man hours.
    Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) is platform agnostic; it works with various kinds of devices (computers, phones, tablets) and several operating systems (Windows, Linux, Apple, etc.), allowing users to access it on gadgets of their choice.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Citrix
    Easily scalable
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    We added our Integrated Services Staff to parallels, with filtered, published applications - in a single afternoon. We added licensing and installed the desktop client software on multiple platforms both in the office and at remote sites all on the same day - and got remote users that had never used the product up and running - very quickly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Citrix
    • XenApp has allowed us to continue support of legacy applications and all access of those applications to users across the globe with any device.
    • XenApp can also manage software licenses by restricting number of users, number of concurrent sessions, or combination of both to required specification.
    • While initial investment in XenApp can be costly, continuing support and upgrade are very cost effective and product stability is excellent.
    • While there are competing products from Microsoft and VMware, when it comes to remote application access, XenApp is the best of breed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alludo
    • Our customers have had dramatic cost decreases due to no longer needing IT departments to work with our software.
    • We've been able to charge more for our hosting services due to our customers saving money in the long run. Parallels Remote Application Server has more than paid for itself, and the increased income has gone right back into the business.
    • Both our customers and our company have benefited from this transition.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Parallels RAS Screenshots

    Screenshot of the console interface, showing Parallels RAS' support for on-premises, private and public cloud providers, including Azure and AWS.Screenshot of the Parallels Web Client, which is accessible from any HTML5 browser or choose one of the many local clients.Screenshot of Parallels RAS' integration with MSIX app attach for modern, dynamic app delivery.Screenshot of Parallels RAS' support for multiple MFAs for security and flexibility.Screenshot of the integrated Let's Encrypt security certificates, to issue and manage certificates in Parallels RAS.Screenshot of expression-based filtering which makes it easier to set policies in the Parallels RAS.