Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Workspace ONE UEM comparison

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. Workspace ONE UEM

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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

Microsoft Intune

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 Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is 11.0%, down from 14.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 6.6%, down from 12.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Remote Access

Featured Reviews

Joseph Merusi

Collaborations engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

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.

Read full review

Terje Romen

CEO & Owner at Mono AS

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.

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Joel Amate

Project Engineer at CTC

The solution is stable, scalable, and offers single sign-on

I give the solution a nine out of ten. I suggest if a person wants to start using Workspace ONE, they should make use of the cloud instance instead of the on-premise instance. There is an on-premise instance available, but the cloud instance is a better option now. I advise them to make use of the cloud instance. This is because management-wise, there is no need to manage a server. For example, we don't need to buy a server, and we don't need to buy network switches, which are required for the on-premise. At the same time, I can advise setting up all the functionalities or whatever functionalities are available for the trial version. We need to check if the Workspace ONE integration includes Azure AD or other identity providers. A lot of applications are using these providers for authentication, such as Ping, Okta, and others. If the Workspace ONE integration doesn't include these providers, the company might have to find a different solution. Security projects should also be considered. Specifically, if the solution can integrate with local security solutions to secure mobile devices.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"If the product works, remote access will be a benefit. To this point we have not had reason to have confidence in achieving that access."

"Intune's most valuable features are the device, compliance, and configuration policies."

"Microsoft's cloud comes with a lot of extra features that are free of charge."

"Intune helps the organization manage access to its internal apps, data, and resources."

"It is user-friendly, and the performance is also good. It is a convenient product"

"This product offers an alternative solution to other UEM (Unified Endpoint Management) solutions."

"Internet-based access with security is what I have found to be most valuable. It is also a stable and scalable solution."

"Intune is valuable for managing various endpoints and integrating with the Azure cloud, which is essential for our organization."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is its security and simple configuration."

"Installing Microsoft Desktop Services is straightforward."

"The solution is user-friendly and has a good user experience."

"The most valuable feature is performance."

"The most valuable features are it is fast and cost-effective."

"The solution is stable."

"It is a stable product."

"The technical support is good."

More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services pros

"The solution is good for providing dedicated resources for dedicated users."

"It is like any other mobile solution. It gives us the ability to control remotely, and that is what we like. We can wipe out and deploy remotely."

"The solution has very good documentation."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"We used to have a system before, Mac OS Open Directory server and this open directory became obsolete because Apple decided to stop the enterprise market, so there was no other alternative for us to use. We chose this to replace the open directory and we found that it has many more features than the previous solution. We totally rely on it right now to manage all the devices on campus."

"The most valuable feature is the interface with SCAP, which is the Security Content Automation Protocol."

"The single sign-on feature, which integrates with the Identity Manager is one of the most vital features."

"The Client Control feature in VMware Workspace ONE is most valuable for managing client devices, including mobile devices and laptops. Another impactful feature is the per-service tooling, allowing access to the data centre on a per-application basis. We use the complete VMware stack, integrating Horizon for application delivery and Carbon Black for endpoint protection. We have outsourced our device management, which streamlines our IT tasks as our supplier handles them competitively."

More Workspace ONE UEM pros

Cons

"The solution requires Mac support."

"I would like to see better integration with Microsoft."

"It would really be helpful to have the option to manage server operating systems as well, like Windows Server, at least. That way, we could scrap the use of SCCM, which requires a lot of on-premises infrastructure."

"There should be more support for macOS. Even though macOS is supported by Intune and Microsoft is working very hard to get more features into Intune to manage macOS, that's one thing they can give a lot more attention to."

"There are items that require improvements. One is the controls from iOS."

"Intune's third-party patch management could be better. It should be easier for the average system admin to keep non-Microsoft applications updated."

"The worst aspect is the reporting."

"We would like to see the ability to use multiple personas on a device, similar to Samsung Knox, included in future updates."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"We face frequent disconnections."

"We'd like them to continue to improve on security."

"The solution isn't as good as the Citrix option."

"The DB card needs improvement. I have a lot of experience with other competitors and Citrix is better than VMware and Microsoft. Citrix has more extensive features."

"There are problems with using Microsoft Teams within a virtual desktop on a mobile device."

"Sometimes, the updates break the system."

"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services needs to improve its security."

"Remote Desktop Services doesn't scale well."

More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services cons

"vIDM could be improved with the multi-tenant capabilities that VMware tends to offer—features like customization branding and the integration of the app catalog based on the branding. Since the integration has been at top-level OGs, you were not able to then do rebranding if you were required to use specific user groups to highlight specific applications. At the time, I was personally opening feature requests for these things. I haven't worked with the latest release, so I don't know if these features were already deployed or not."

"VMware Workspace ONE can improve in virtual reality. Customers are now looking toward virtual reality devices. Though it supports virtual reality, it's treated as an Android device. Customers want to deal with VR devices, they want a specific VR tool. Not an Android device VR tool."

"The SaaS environment is not very responsive at times, so the performance can be improved in that regard."

"Lacks a modern enterprise mobility management platform."

"This product makes use of SAML across the board, which has seven known security flaws. It would be good if the company created a way to protect against SAML flaws. One way would be to integrate a firewall server or an endpoint out in the cloud with which you could establish trust. If you knew nothing about SAML and you did some Google searches about what SAML is, what are the flaws, and what are the known vulnerabilities, eventually, you'll find that there are seven flaws. There are two methods that you can use to solve those seven problems. They essentially involve putting a firewall or putting rules, such as access controls, so that anybody in the world can't just come in, authenticate, and either be a good guy or be someone trying to knock on my door and get into my house. If I could eliminate that, it would be awesome."

"There is a need for better user lifecycle management within VMware Identity Manager, along with better user governance...The scalability of the product needs to improve."

"The portal is not user-friendly."

"VMware Workspace ONE platform offers support for Mac Books and we see that there is some room for improvement in that area versus all the products out there."

More Workspace ONE UEM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing costs we leave up to the customer and these vary from one to another."

"Microsoft Intune is not cost-effective as a standalone product."

"Intune is inexpensive. It also comes bundled in some Office 365 licenses, so you can choose to purchase it separately or as a package."

"The price of Intune is included with the license for Office 365, so we don't have to pay anything extra for it."

"It is average. Some of the costs are quite high depending on what the customer currently uses, but overall, it is not bad. I would not say that I would not recommend Intune based on the cost. I definitely would, but they can definitely improve on the cost. So overall, its cost is not bad."

"It's reasonable. They're not giving it away, but it's reasonable."

"I am not that aware of the pricing, but as compared to other MDM solutions, Microsoft is providing a lot of things at the organizational level. So, it is quite reasonable as compared to other MDM solutions."

"Licensing depends on how you are providing support to your enterprise, whether it's device-based or user-based."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

"I recall that you don't need to pay for Microsoft Remote Desktop Services because that's included in Windows."

"The pricing could always be improved."

"It's not an expensive product."

"We do not have to pay for the product."

"The solution is overly expensive."

"Microsoft Remote Desktop Services comes free as part of Microsoft Windows."

"Although not an expensive product, pricing is always something that can be improved."

"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."

More Microsoft Remote Desktop Services pricing and cost advice

"VMware Workspace ONE is not cheap; it's quite expensive. However, in the end, they gave us a reasonable price."

"We are paying about $145,000 a year on a three-year subscription with no ability to scale up or scale down within that class model."

"We've purchased various licenses for VMware Workspace ONE, including premium and gold tiers. These licenses include security measures and support for managing telecom expenses like data and voice usage."

"VMware Workspace ONE licensing price is good with their supportability. The price of VMware Workspace ONE is reasonable. We are using an enterprise license."

"There is a separate cost for technical support and extra premium features. The pricing should be simplified."

"The solution is about $45 per device for a 12 month subscription. The price is standard across the world."

"The tool is expensive."

"The solution can be costly when the customer is dealing with multiple platforms. If a customer is only dealing with iOS, Windows, and Android then Intune is the better choice because there are free licenses."

More Workspace ONE UEM pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

23%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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 Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?

The tool shares computer resources perfectly.

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...

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...

What do you like most about VMware Workspace ONE?

The platform provides a stable environment for operations and quickly creates new environments. Additionally, it offe...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Workspace ONE?

I would rate the pricing a three out of ten. It's a highly affordable solution. If a customer knows the value of the ...

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Product Reports

Microsoft Intune

Download Microsoft Intune product report

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services

Download Microsoft Remote Desktop Services product report

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services report

Workspace ONE UEM

Download Workspace ONE UEM product report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Remote Desktop Services

VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air

Overview

Microsoft Intune provides centralized management of mobile devices and applications, ensuring security, compliance, and productivity through integration with Microsoft services like Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory.

Organizations use Intune for managing mobile devices and applications, enhancing security and compliance across platforms. With features like single sign-on, conditional access, and zero-touch deployment via Autopilot, it facilitates efficient operations. Intune's scalability, easy enrollment, and capabilities such as remote wipe support diverse device management, offering robust data protection and efficient operation. Despite its features, improvement areas include reporting, compatibility with non-Microsoft devices, and better support for macOS and Linux devices.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Seamless Integration: Works with Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, and System Center for streamlined management.
Conditional Access: Enhances security with policies that restrict access based on conditions.
Autopilot: Provides zero-touch deployment for setting up new devices efficiently.
Mobile Device Management: Enables control over both personal and corporate devices.
Application Deployment: Facilitates app delivery across a range of devices.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Centralized Management: Reduces complexity by managing devices and applications in one place.
Security Enhancement: Protects data with features like remote wipe and compliance monitoring.
Improved Productivity: Enhances efficiency with seamless integration and automation features.
Device Scalability: Supports diverse device management for growing business needs.

In industries such as finance, healthcare, and education, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure secure and compliant device management. Companies leverage its capabilities to deploy security policies and manage both corporate-owned and BYOD environments, facilitating a unified approach to data protection and compliance.

Microsoft

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

Microsoft

VMware Workspace ONE is an intelligence-driven digital workspace platform that delivers any app on any device. It integrates access control, multi-platform endpoint management, and application management. With the VMware Workspace ONE platform, IT teams can deliver a digital workspace that includes the devices and apps of the company’s choice, but with security and control.

VMware Workspace ONE is available:

As a cloud service
On-premises
Hybrid

VMware Workspace ONE Key Features

Simple app authentication: VMware Workspace ONE allows end-users to have password-less single sign-on, giving them access to virtually any app (mobile apps, web apps, cloud apps, and Windows apps).
Unified Endpoint Management options: VMware Workspace ONE aims to support all devices, offering convenience, access, security, and management that will work for any business.
Conditional access: VMware Workspace ONE provides a powerful policy engine to help you make dynamic decisions regarding end-user access rights and to protect sensitive information.
Automated app management: With VMware Workspace ONE the application delivery process can be automated, which improves security and compliance. Software packages can be automatically installed, updated, and removed, and automated workflows can also be created.

VMware Workspace ONE Benefits

Some of the benefits of using VMware Workspace ONE include:

Less IT intervention necessary: Because VMware Workspace ONE has simple app authentication, end-users can help themselves by selecting the applications they need rather than having IT intervene.
Smoother employee onboarding: Transform employee onboarding by enabling self-service access to the apps your end-users need to complete their job duties.
Compliance: VMware Workspace ONE helps end-users reach compliance by using advanced device restrictions.
Real-time visibility: You can have real-time visibility with application, device, and console events that provide detailed information for system monitoring. You can also view logs in the console or export pre-defined reports.

Workspace ONE Components

Workspace ONE Access
Workspace ONE UEM
VMware Workspace ONE® Intelligence
VMware Unified Access Gateway
Workspace ONE Intelligent Hub

Reviews from Real Users

Below is some feedback from our PeerSpot users who are currently using the solution:

PeerSpot user Patrick B., Cybersecurity Architect at a tech services company, says, "Its UI is extremely easy to use whether you're an advanced user or a novice user. When I first opened it up and had to learn the product, I was easily a novice. By the end of the third month, I was digging into the backend of the system and using it as a highly advanced user to accomplish what I needed to accomplish, and I was able to do it through the UI mostly."

Roshan T., Partner Manager North America at a tech company, mentions how satisfied he is with the product, saying, "You can put all your applications on a mobile device, be it a phone or tablet. It is secure and easy to use. Because it is centrally managed, you don't have to do any configuration on the phone. I just got the phone and connected to the central applications. I just downloaded one thing and everything got rolled out. Email, calendar, and other things were deployed centrally. If you don't have AirWatch, you have to configure your phone manually. For example, you need to deploy and configure your email manually and then synchronize everything. It is much simpler when a mobile device is centrally managed."

Omnissa

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Bank Alfalah Ltd.

Australian Sports Commission, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Lomond School, Merck, United Bank, Medical College of Wisconsin, Latymer Upper School, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, Dowling Aaron Inc., Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Harrogate Grammar School, Duke University Football, Delta Air Lines, Adventist Health System, Giochi Preziosi, Cramlington Learning Village, Intermountain Healthcare, Safexpress, TAG Aviation

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs. Workspace ONE UEM