Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Apache Guacamole vs Microsoft Remote Desktop Services comparison

Sponsored
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune
Sponsored
Ranking in Remote Access
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
247
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (2nd), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (1st), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (1st)
Apache Guacamole
Ranking in Remote Access
13th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Remote Desktop Se...
Ranking in Remote Access
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
78
Ranking in other categories
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Remote Access category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 9.5%, down from 11.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Apache Guacamole is 4.2%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is 11.0%, down from 14.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Remote Access
 

Featured Reviews

Joseph Merusi - PeerSpot reviewer
Everything has worked better since we started using it
Sometimes the syncing is inconsistent. I'm confident that the devices are checking in every eight hours, but sometimes the devices aren't picking up the settings as quickly as I would expect. Some features haven't been updated in a while, and Microsoft doesn't seem interested in developing them. Unless you talk to an engineer, you don't know whether there will be an update. There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now. Some reporting areas still need development. For example, I noticed that the reporting for driver updates is still confusing.
RV
Secure access is simplified with easy login for virtual machines
I am provisioning virtual machines for educational institutions such as schools and colleges. The access to these virtual machines is provided via Apache Guacamole Apache Guacamole is really easy to use. If I have ten virtual machines provisioned under my name, I can access them with a single…
Terje Romen - PeerSpot reviewer
Accessing the same desktop experience from anywhere but user template creation needs improvement
Mostly we are quite happy with it. However, some of us want a more powerful desktop. When not present, we use a remote tool called Splashtop, which is a good solution for some users. We have about ten licenses for those who need a powerful workstation at the office. We have not used many different tools. We are never in contact with Microsoft. These are quite basic configurations, to be honest. It's not complicated. AI is coming to or is already in some applications we are using. Not system-wise, however, it might be good. I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. It's quite good, yet certainly not perfect.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Intune has automated the deployment of patches and applications, which is more efficient and easier."
"The solution is fully integrated with the Microsoft platform and the Autopilot feature, which is a unique feature."
"At the moment, Autopilot is the most valuable feature."
"One of the standout features of Intune is its seamless accessibility to work data, eliminating the need to be tied to an office or a desktop."
"Among the most valuable features are the Company Portal that is built into Intune, and the update rings so that we can manage what types of future updates the devices get."
"Intune significantly simplifies application deployment, mobile application management, and policy enforcement, such as restricting user access to specific applications, thereby enhancing overall environment security."
"Technical support, in general, has been quite helpful."
"It is a helpful tool to manage BYOD policies."
"Apache Guacamole is really easy to use."
"For those considering using Apache Guacamole, I wholeheartedly support its users since it's a free open-source software that is easy to download and use with no significant issues."
"I'm using Apache Guacamole as a gateway."
"It's built into the operating system and has a command line interface capability to insert credentials, IDs, a password, et cetera."
"The solution is user-friendly and has a good user experience."
"The most valuable features of the solution are ease of use and the simple environment."
"The performance is one of the main features of this solution."
"The solution is easy to use."
"It's simple and easy to use."
"The solution now includes a multi-screen feature which is great."
"It's part of the Microsoft Operating system and is free."
 

Cons

"We had an APNS certificate set to expire last week. We tried to renew it two days before it expired. We logged in to the APNS portal but could not find that certificate. We didn't know where it went. All the iOS devices stopped working. We contacted the Apple and Microsoft teams, and each blamed the other. This is something that Microsoft should take care of. Last week, we had so many escalations from high-profile users who couldn't access corporate data on their devices."
"There can be more logs. I do not have any other requirements."
"Applying security recommendations can be difficult in Microsoft Intune. Sometimes, they give you recommendations, but you need a different server to manage the pieces, or you have to go to each device individually. However, it has been improving. Before, there were certain policies you could not implement directly in Intune, but now I see progress. I would like to see more improvement in policy management, similar to how we used group policies on-premises."
"For autopilot, there should be more granularity on the settings that they offer at this stage."
"The security features should be improved."
"Setting up Intune Autopilot can be a little complicated."
"The Mac integration has room for improvement."
"Cost is the biggest factor for us right now. Microsoft Intune and AD P1 together in a bundle is a good thing to have, but it is very costly compared to other products in the market. Otherwise, Microsoft Intune is the best."
"There should be good documentation regarding GUI customization. Even though I can try customizing the GUI, the documentation is not comprehensive."
"The solution's USB redirection could be improved."
"There should be good documentation regarding GUI customization."
"We encounter challenges with portability, especially for users of iOS devices."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is only available for the professional version of the Windows operating system. This restricts a lot of users. The feature should be available for all versions."
"There could be some improvement in the integration of the solution."
"I would say it's expensive as there similar products available for free."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services could improve by allowing the sharing of the office application. For example, the ability to replace a PC when something is wrong."
"My customers are worried that the RDP protocol can be easily compromised and would like the option to use an alternative like Blast."
"The current process I have to go through to get a Windows 11 VM up and running is difficult. Windows 10 worked a whole lot better than Windows 11."
"There are problems with using Microsoft Teams within a virtual desktop on a mobile device."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Any bundle package, such as Security E3, covers multiple things, such as AAP, BitLocker, etc. If you go for them individually, they would be more expensive. Bundling makes the price more attractive and competitive."
"Microsoft Intune is available for individual purchase at a low per-device cost."
"Its price is quite okay. I wish they provide certain additional features with the same license."
"Microsoft Intune is not cost-effective as a standalone product."
"Intune is cost-effective as it is included in some of the Office 365 packages."
"The price could be better."
"Intune is included with our F3 and E5 licenses."
"Our enterprise agreement includes Microsoft Intune at no additional cost."
Information not available
"I recall that you don't need to pay for Microsoft Remote Desktop Services because that's included in Windows."
"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services comes free as part of Microsoft Windows."
"It will probably cost about $500 USD to get the resources set up in the cloud."
"I would say it's expensive as there similar products available for free."
"Although not an expensive product, pricing is always something that can be improved."
"It's not an expensive solution."
"The solution has a pretty comparable pricing."
"The solution has a perpetual license and it is purchased upfront."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Remote Access solutions are best for your needs.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
24%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...
What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...
How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...
What do you like most about Apache Guacamole?
I'm using Apache Guacamole as a gateway.
What needs improvement with Apache Guacamole?
There should be good documentation regarding GUI customization. Even though I can try customizing the GUI, the docume...
What advice do you have for others considering Apache Guacamole?
For those considering using Apache Guacamole, I wholeheartedly support its users since it's a free open-source softwa...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?
I've never had an issue with it. I've always thought the pricing for RDS was reasonable.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?
We would like configuration to be automatic and the price to be close to zero, however, that's not realistic. Everyon...
 

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
No data available
Remote Desktop Services
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
Information Not Available
Bank Alfalah Ltd.
Find out what your peers are saying about Apache Guacamole vs. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.