Top VMware Horizon Alternative Solutions for Your Business

VMware Horizon has long been a go-to solution for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), enabling organizations to deliver virtualized desktops and applications from a centralized location. However, businesses often seek a VMware Horizon alternative for various reasons, including specific platform needs, licensing costs, feature sets, or the desire for open-source solutions. Whether you're looking for a Linux-centric option, cross-platform compatibility, or a cloud-based service, this guide will help you discover the best alternatives.

Top VMware Horizon Alternatives

If you're ready to explore options beyond VMware Horizon, you're in the right place. This comprehensive list details eight robust alternatives, each offering unique strengths to meet diverse enterprise requirements for virtual application delivery and desktop management.

Inuvika OVD Enterprise

Inuvika OVD Enterprise is a powerful VMware Horizon alternative that focuses on delivering virtualized Windows and Linux applications and shared desktops to any network-connected device. This commercial solution supports a wide range of platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, Self-Hosted, and Software as a Service (SaaS). Key features include remote desktop capabilities, a subscription-based model, support for multi-tenancy, virtualization, and application virtualization, making it a comprehensive choice for flexible deployment.

QVD Virtual Desktop

QVD Virtual Desktop stands out as an open-source VDI solution, providing a secure and accessible alternative for desktop virtualization, particularly strong in Linux environments. It offers on-site and cloud desktop services with benefits like high availability, desktop density, load balancing, and self-provisioning of virtual machines and users. Compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iPhone, QVD is an excellent open-source VMware Horizon alternative focused on Linux-based remote desktop and virtualization.

Unidesk

Unidesk offers best-in-class virtual desktop management software designed to revolutionize VMware Horizon View and Citrix XenDesktop deployments. This commercial solution, available for Windows, Linux, Self-Hosted, VMware vSphere Hypervisor, and Microsoft Hyper-V Server, provides robust application virtualization, support for layers, and general virtualization capabilities. It's a strong VMware Horizon alternative for organizations looking to enhance their existing VDI infrastructure management.

Userful Multiplatform

Userful Multiplatform simplifies the deployment and management of digital displays with its desktop virtualization software. This freemium Linux-based solution allows organizations to replace numerous physical PCs with affordable, low-wattage zero client devices, all managed from one server. It's a cost-effective and flexible VMware Horizon alternative, especially for those prioritizing ease of management and reducing computing hardware in environments like retail stores or call centers, offering strong virtualization features.

Cloud Workspace Management Suite

Cloud Workspace® Management Suite (CWMS) is a commercial, web-based solution that enables easy provisioning and management of cloud workspace solutions using existing infrastructure and hypervisors. It aggregates all layers of the IT stack, providing a centralized location to manage the entire lifecycle for end customers. Features include web remote desktop, Azure integration, cloud-based capabilities, multi-cloud management, and real-time collaboration, making it a comprehensive cloud-centric VMware Horizon alternative.

flexVDI

flexVDI empowers employees with the freedom to work from anywhere while reducing IT costs by securely delivering Windows, Linux, web, and SaaS apps, plus full virtual desktops to any device. This commercial, self-hosted VMware Horizon alternative supports Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and iPad. It emphasizes an easy-to-use, fully documented HTTP/JSON API for automation and integrates with the open SPICE protocol, making it a highly customizable and flexible virtualization solution.

Oracle VDI

Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (Oracle VDI) is a commercial software solution designed for managing, hosting, and providing access to virtualized desktop operating systems directly from the data center. Available for Linux and Solaris platforms, Oracle VDI provides a robust, enterprise-grade virtualization solution that serves as a direct VMware Horizon alternative for organizations embedded in the Oracle ecosystem or those seeking a data-center-centric VDI deployment.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Gateway

Microsoft Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) is a commercial solution that allows end-users to securely connect to internal network resources from outside the corporate firewall. It can be easily integrated into existing connection flows for fast, secure access to published feeds. Supporting a wide array of platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Phone, iPad, Self-Hosted, Apple TV, Chromecast, and SaaS, RD Gateway offers a highly compatible and secure remote access component as a VMware Horizon alternative, particularly for environments heavily invested in Microsoft technologies.

Choosing the right VMware Horizon alternative depends on your specific needs regarding platform compatibility, budget, desired features, and IT infrastructure. Each of these solutions offers unique advantages, from open-source flexibility to enterprise-grade cloud management. We encourage you to explore each option further to find the perfect fit for your organization's virtual desktop and application delivery requirements.