Horizon 8 vs Horizon Cloud Service comparison

Horizon 8 and Horizon Cloud Service are both solutions in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category. Horizon 8 is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.9, while Horizon Cloud Service is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.0. Horizon 8 holds a 6.8% mindshare in VD, compared to Horizon Cloud Service’s 4.2% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Horizon 8 users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Horizon Cloud Service users who would recommend it.

Horizon 8

Read 117 Horizon 8 reviews

7,281 Views
7,063 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Horizon Cloud Service

Read 11 Horizon Cloud Service reviews

2,343 Views
2,156 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Horizon 8

Horizon Cloud Service

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Horizon 8 and Horizon Cloud Service compete in the virtual desktop infrastructure category. Horizon Cloud Service has the upper hand in adaptability and scalability.

Features: Horizon 8 integrates seamlessly with existing VMware environments, supports a wide range of endpoints, and enhances security protocols. Horizon Cloud Service is notable for its cloud scalability, flexible multi-cloud deployment, and simplified management through a centralized interface.

Room for Improvement: Horizon 8 could improve by offering more cloud-native features to match evolving demands, enhancing simplified management tools, and reducing initial setup complexity. Horizon Cloud Service could enhance its integration with legacy systems, streamline cost-efficiency measures, and expand localized control to match on-premise solutions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Horizon 8 allows for straightforward deployment within VMware ecosystems, offering granular administrative control. Horizon Cloud Service emphasizes speed and efficiency in its cloud-native deployment, along with strong cross-platform integration support.

Pricing and ROI: Horizon 8 involves higher upfront costs due to its integration efforts but provides significant ROI for VMware users. Horizon Cloud Service carries ongoing cloud expenses but is flexible in pricing and potentially offers quicker ROI with lower initial costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Horizon 8 vs. Horizon Cloud Service Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Horizon 8 vs. Horizon Cloud Service

June 2026

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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

Horizon 8

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

4th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

117

Ranking in other categories

User Virtualization (1st)

Horizon Cloud Service

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

11th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Desktop as a Service (DaaS) (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Horizon 8 is 6.8%, down from 7.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Horizon Cloud Service is 4.2%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Horizon 8	6.8%
Horizon Cloud Service	4.2%
Other	89.0%

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Featured Reviews

Sun Fung

Architect at Softcat plc

Architects have improved desktop environments and now optimize operations for diverse clients

From my perspective, there is significant room for improvement in Horizon 8. Many customers are actively seeking alternatives to VMware due to recent licensing changes after Broadcom's acquisition, necessitating upgrades or bundles that they often do not require. Given that Omniser builds on VMware technologies, this creates a negative perception, pushing customers to consider different brands or solutions.

Read full review

SivaKuppala

Enterprise Architect at Wipro Limited

Centralized management enhances multi-cloud flexibility with cost efficiency improvements

The cost of Horizon Cloud Service is high, however, it could be optimized. The licensing model is complex, particularly for hybrid deployments, and simplifying it could help. Improvements in application performance, especially for resource-heavy applications like intensive 3D workloads, are needed. More built-in automation for routine tasks like patching and upgrading could reduce administrative effort.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"VMware Horizon View is a stable solution."

"As a result of using VMware, we have to buy less hardware and do not need to replace thin clients."

"If it is a uniform VDI client, such as all Windows 10 systems for users to log in, like on host environment, or it's all a server farm, etc., for those kinds of environments, Horizon is a no brainer."

"This product works quickly and is reliable."

"It is easy to scale. I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is secure remote access to resources."

"Ability to log in from anywhere and from a variety of devices."

"The solution is secure."

More Horizon 8 pros

"VMware Horizon Cloud is easy to use and the full development cloud is very good. The main features of VMware are included. It's a cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure software that allows you to permit the virtual desktops and applications to any device from the single unified management control. These are managed from the dedicated remote session desktop."

"The interface is much easier to use compared to Microsoft and other VDI vendors that are well known on the market. I like VMware so much more than the others. With Horizon Cloud, you don't need to spend a lot of money upfront to buy the infrastructure. You can use it the on the cloud, so it lowers the barriers to entry. It's easier to test it and get started. Some clients stay in the cloud, but others prefer to go on-premise. It depends on the nature of the client."

"The product allows a VPN connection, adding extra value to its features."

"The main benefit of Horizon Cloud Service is that it is cloud-based, allowing our organization to leverage the service without having to manage all infrastructure directly."

"VMware Horizon Cloud is easy to use and the full development cloud is very good."

"I honestly liked the application itself because it was just like using a desktop. You could copy and paste, inside and outside, and you could use multiple monitors. You could access it anytime, anywhere, no matter whether you were in the office or out of the office. I could leave the office, go somewhere, go back in, and everything would be there. I could just leave it up and running. I absolutely love this feature in VMware Horizon Cloud."

"Its advanced management features are the most valuable, especially power management. One of the really important things was to be able to have power management in a consumption world. This means that unlike a Microsoft environment, you could actually turn off virtual desktops or have them start up and shut down. If you're consuming resources in the public cloud, you want to be able to do that because when you're not using those, such as at the weekend, you want to be able to turn them off. So, the advanced options for managing the BDIs are very important."

"From the scalability perspective, that's one of the great things, because even with the basic setup, which has essentially very few components, you can run 10,000 desktops straight off the bat."

More Horizon Cloud Service pros

Cons

"In the future, I would like to see better support for application virtualization."

"The support team needs improvement as cases are sometimes solved very slowly."

"I would like to see seamless integration with the cloud because right now, the dependency is on the cloud providers."

"Considering the tool's weaknesses, the product probably has scope for some improvement in the context of how the applications or Linux operating systems are delivered using VMware Horizon View."

"Horizon View's pricing is high."

"This solution is expensive."

"The solution is quite expensive. They should work to lower the costs if possible."

"Horizon View could be more stable."

More Horizon 8 cons

"Logging into VMware Horizon Cloud could be made easier. Additionally, the VMs could be better in their performance."

"It is very expensive. Its price needs to be improved. They can do a better job with external resources such as a USB or a hard drive. When I tried to connect using these external resources, it failed a lot of times. I had to do a shared connection with a local laptop and then connect from a network standpoint, rather than through VMware Horizon point. They definitely have weaknesses with external connections. A lot of companies probably don't let people use external connections because it defeats the purpose of having a cloud solution and keeping the data in a secure area. You can copy to an external device, and you can lose the data. A lot of companies may not focus on this feature, but if you are providing it, you should make it work."

"There should be more emphasis on the Workspace One access part of the solution. This is essentially identity management provided with Horizon. There needs to be some kind of integration because you are able to have all of these desktops on any device, but you have to have this other component to make it easier from a single sign-on perspective. That's why there should be an emphasis on Workspace One access. It actually comes free with the product, but people don't really know how powerful it can be."

"There should be more emphasis on the Workspace One access part of the solution."

"It is too expensive as compared to other solutions because of which we don't use it that much."

"It can be very expensive to scale up because each part of scaling up requires you to have new components of the infrastructure."

"The cost of Horizon Cloud Service is high, however, it could be optimized. The licensing model is complex, particularly for hybrid deployments, and simplifying it could help."

"The licensing model needs to be adjusted, as a cloud license is currently required even for on-premises devices."

More Horizon Cloud Service cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is hard to know for sure. It is definitely in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. It is quite expensive, but you do save money on desktop power, desktop upgrades, etc. You're able to extend the useful life of your previous desktops. Previously, we used to change desktops regularly, and now we just change them when they break."

"VMware Horizon only has one license, which is a license to run desktops."

"It falls on the more expensive end in terms of cost."

"There are different editions available at different cost points."

"The pricing can be relatively competitive, but sometimes you have to go back to VMware and ask for additional discounts. You can make it competitive If you're prepared to put in the work. The list prices and standard discounts may not be competitive, but if you push hard enough, you can get the price to where you need it to be."

"The price of VMware Horizon 7 is more than some other solutions."

"The solution's pricing depends on certain factors. It would be best if you know which components you are looking for, as you may have other hardware costs. It is recommended if users want to use the VMware HPE as the hypervisor."

"VMware Horizon View pricing is high compared to other solutions. I rate it two out of ten. Its licensing costs are monthly."

More Horizon 8 pricing and cost advice

"VMware Horizon Cloud is an expensive solution. This solution is approximately 30 percent more than Microsoft Azure Cloud. There can be extra costs."

"There is a license required for the use of this solution and there are different tier levels available."

"It is too expensive as compared to other solutions because of which we don't use it that much. We tend to go more for Hyper-V or Azure just because VMware licensing is quite up there. We sway people away from VMware Horizon Cloud. We have some clients who already have it. They stay on it for a little while, and then most of them end up moving off when we provide them a better solution that isn't as license heavy cost-wise."

"Initially, the product is cheap, but it starts to get expensive when users try to scale out."

"I rate VMware Horizon Cloud pricing a ten out of ten."

"VMware Horizon Cloud is a low-cost solution. The model that they have is consumption-based. However, some features are expensive."

"For what you get, it is very compelling. You've got to look at the total cost of ownership of this type of piece of software in terms of being able to utilize it as a cloud service. I don't have to run everything on-premises. When you look at the total cost of just being able to use it and then being able to point it to any public or private cloud, it is very compelling. You have one less thing to manage."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Performing Arts

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	62
Midsize Enterprise	23
Large Enterprise	45

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	6

Questions from the Community

How does VMware Workspace One compare with VMware Horizon 7?

VMware Workspace One has a powerful set of helpful features. The solution offers very good documentation, the initial setup is easy, and the product is very stable and reliable. I think the fact th...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Horizon 7?

We paid a lot of money for software that is not really fully operational out of the box. We had to have patches from VMware to get it into production. Hence, we lost a lot of time implementing the ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with VMware Horizon 7?

The solution should provide easy configuration.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Horizon Cloud?

The cost is considered normal, not remarkable but not outrageous. In terms of expense, compared to other virtualization products, I would rate it as a six.

See all answers

What needs improvement with VMware Horizon Cloud?

The licensing model needs to be adjusted, as a cloud license is currently required even for on-premises devices. Horizon Cloud Service should continue improving their protocol and work with other h...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for VMware Horizon Cloud?

Our primary use case focuses on virtual desktop and application hosting. This is spread across different industries. We have a large number of employees, and we are one of the largest GSIs globally...

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Horizon 8

Compared 13% of the time

VMware Workstation vs Horizon 8

Compared 10% of the time

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Horizon 8

Compared 10% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs Horizon 8

Compared 9% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops vs Horizon 8

Compared 4% of the time

More Horizon 8 Competitors

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Horizon Cloud Service

Compared 12% of the time

Nerdio vs Horizon Cloud Service

Compared 10% of the time

Azure Virtual Desktop vs Horizon Cloud Service

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Horizon Cloud Service

Compared 8% of the time

VMware Workstation vs Horizon Cloud Service

Compared 6% of the time

More Horizon Cloud Service Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Horizon 8

June 2026

Download Horizon 8 product report

Buyer's Guide

Horizon Cloud Service

June 2026

Download Horizon Cloud Service product report

Also Known As

VMware Horizon, VMware Horizon View, Mware Dynamic Environment Manager

VMware Horizon Cloud, VMware Horizon DaaS

Overview

Horizon 8 offers centralized management and robust security with ease of deployment and scalability. It provides virtualization and remote access to devices across platforms, ensuring improved performance and reliable remote desktop experiences.

Horizon 8 integrates instant clone technology, a security gateway, and supports USB redirection while minimizing bandwidth consumption for efficient resource utilization. Featuring a powerful administrative console, it simplifies backend control with a user-friendly interface. While effective, it can improve in areas like audio redirection, app volume configuration, and Azure integration. Enhanced connectivity, performance, and monitoring capabilities could elevate user experience alongside clearer licensing terms.

What are Horizon 8's key features?

Centralized Management: Simplifies control with a unified administrative console.
Robust Security: Ensures data protection with a comprehensive security gateway.
Scalability: Adapts to growing demand effectively.
Instant Clone Technology: Facilitates quick desktop deployment and updates.
USB Redirection: Enables seamless peripheral integration.

What benefits should users seek in Horizon 8 reviews?

Resource Efficiency: Reduces bandwidth and optimizes resource usage.
High Performance: Delivers fast and reliable remote desktop experiences.
Ease of Deployment: Streamlines setup processes.
Integration Across Platforms: Supports diverse device ecosystems smoothly.

Horizon 8 is widely implemented in industries like education, healthcare, and finance where it enhances remote work by securing virtual desktops and applications. It supports virtual desktop infrastructure enabling secure connection to internal resources, data center consolidation, and application delivery meeting specific industry needs.

Omnissa

Horizon Cloud Service offers stable, flexible access to virtual desktops anytime, anywhere. Its centralized cloud management and scalable architecture support hybrid environments.

Horizon Cloud Service provides a cloud-based desktop solution ideal for businesses seeking remote access and power management. With features like centralized management and dynamic environment handling, it supports a seamless desktop experience. While offering remote accessibility and advanced management, it aids in reducing infrastructure costs through cloud-based scalability. However, improvements are needed in VM performance and external connection support, with current licensing complexities posing a challenge. Designed for VDI and application hosting across platforms such as Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS, it enables secure remote working with efficient workload management.

What are the main features of Horizon Cloud Service?

Centralized Cloud Management: Efficiently manage desktops from a unified platform.
Dynamic Environment Management: Customize environments to suit user needs dynamically.
Remote Access: Access desktops from anywhere with high reliability.
Multiple Monitor Support: Enhanced user experience with multi-screen compatibility.
VPN Connectivity: Secure connections for remote access users.

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

Infrastructure Cost Reduction: Lower costs with cloud-based scaling.
Seamless Desktop Experience: Consistent user interface across devices.
Hybrid Environment Support: Foster versatile deployment methods across clouds.
Flexible Deployment: Accommodate diverse business needs with adjustable solutions.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and education, Horizon Cloud Service facilitates secure remote operations and automates cloud-based machine generation, supporting hybrid workspaces for resource-efficient deployment.

Omnissa

Sample Customers

LCMC Health

Marriott, Sprint

Buyer's Guide

Horizon 8 vs. Horizon Cloud Service

June 2026

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