VMware Horizon vs AVD: Which VDI solution fits your needs? 

Reassessing your remote working strategy? Exploring cloud alternatives to on-prem solutions? Or maybe you’re worried about licencing costs?

These are all common concerns faced by companies using VDI – virtual desktop infrastructure. Thoughts like these often cause them to think about moving providers.

And the biggest players in the virtualisation space right now are the old behemoth VMWare and the young(ish) juggernaut Microsoft. If you’ve ever used virtual desktops in your business, you will have at least considered one of these options.

In this article, we’ll examine VMware Horizon (now known as Omnissa Horizon) and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), two approaches to desktop virtualisation that solve similar challenges in fundamentally different ways.

We’ll explore what each platform offers, their strengths and limitations, and help you determine which solution makes sense for your organisation’s environment.

Before we dive in, let’s address the elephant in the room. Technically, VMware Horizon became Omnissa Horizon in 2024 following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware and the subsequent spin-off of their End-User Computing division. However, the product remains fundamentally the same, and most people still search for and refer to it as “VMware Horizon.”

For simplicity and clarity, we’ll use “VMware Horizon” throughout this article, as that’s what most IT professionals still call it. Just remember that if you’re speaking with vendors or reviewing current documentation, you’ll see it branded as Omnissa Horizon. Same product, same capabilities, new corporate structure.

With that clarification out of the way, let’s explore how these two VDI platforms compare.

The VDI market is getting bigger and bigger, with recent analysis showing the global market reaching $17 billion in 2024. It’s expected to grow at an annual rate of 16.6% through to 2032, more than tripling in size. This expansion is driven by the permanent shift towards flexible working arrangements and the increasing need for secure, scalable remote access solutions.

That said, the market dynamics have shifted a fair bit. Following Broadcom’s takeover of VMware, many firms have reported massive licensing cost increases, with some seeing their bills double or triple under new subscription models. Ouch. This pricing shock prompted a scramble for alternatives, with cloud-native solutions like AVD gaining particular attention.We’ll talk more about that below.

The trend towards cloud-first IT strategies has also reshaped expectations. Organisations no longer view VDI as simply a way to deliver desktops; they want solutions that integrate nicely with their broader cloud ecosystem and scale elastically with demand. If they can reduce the operational burden on IT teams, even better.

VMware Horizon (now known as Omnissia Horizon) is the big dog of enterprise VDI. It’s a comprehensive platform for delivering virtual desktops and applications across any device, anywhere. It provides both on-premises and cloud deployment options through Horizon Cloud.

The platform is really good for delivering a consistent user experience across diverse endpoints, from thin clients to tablets. Its strength lies in sophisticated session management, protocol optimisation through Blast Extreme, and granular control over the user environment. VMware Horizon supports both persistent and non-persistent desktop models, instant clones for rapid provisioning, and published applications alongside full desktops.

VMware Horizon is a mature and flexible platform. It can run on virtually any infrastructure, from your own data centre to public clouds, so your company has complete control over where data resides and how infrastructure scales.

Azure Virtual Desktop takes a cloud-native approach to desktop virtualisation. It’s built from the ground up as a managed service within Microsoft Azure. Rather than requiring you to build and maintain VDI infrastructure, AVD provides desktop virtualisation as a platform service, handling much of the underlying complexity.

AVD integrates deeply with the Microsoft ecosystem. You’ve got native connections to Microsoft 365, smooth Azure Active Directory integration, and support for a built-in, optimised Microsoft Teams experience. It’s designed to simplify VDI deployment, allowing organisations to provision Windows 10 and 11 multi-session desktops, seriously reduce infrastructure costs.

The platform’s cloud-native architecture means automatic updates, elastic scaling, and pay-as-you-go pricing. This means your costs should be much better aligned with your actual usage. For those already invested in the Microsoft cloud ecosystem, AVD feels like a natural extension of their existing environment rather than a separate platform to manage.

Deployment models

VMware Horizon offers maximum deployment flexibility. You can run it entirely on-premises, in any public cloud, or in a hybrid configuration. This flexibility suits organisations with specific data residency requirements or existing infrastructure investments. The trade-off is complexity; you’re responsible for the underlying infrastructure, whether that’s managing ESXi hosts or cloud instances.

Azure Virtual Desktop is inherently cloud-based, running exclusively on Azure. While this might seem limiting, it eliminates infrastructure management overhead. You don’t worry about host servers, load balancers, or connection brokers. Microsoft handles the control plane, leaving you to focus on desktop images and user management. For organisations comfortable with cloud-first approaches, this simplification is liberating.

Cost considerations

VMware Horizon follows a traditional enterprise licensing model with per-user or per-device options. The initial investment can be a big one, especially when you add in infrastructure, licensing, and ongoing maintenance. Recent changes under Omnissa ownership have maintained similar pricing structures, though without the broader VMware bundle complications that emerged post-Broadcom acquisition.

Azure Virtual Desktop operates on a consumption model. You pay for the Azure compute, storage, and networking resources that you use, plus Windows licensing (often covered by existing Microsoft 365 subscriptions). This model can deliver decent savings for variable workloads but it does take careful monitoring to avoid unexpected costs. The lack of upfront infrastructure investment makes AVD a good shout for pilot projects or seasonal workloads.

Performance

VMware Horizon delivers consistent, predictable performance, particularly when deployed on-premises or with dedicated cloud resources. The Blast Extreme display protocol adapts well to varying network conditions (giving you a super smooth display experience), and local infrastructure deployment can minimise latency. Performance tuning options are extensive, allowing fine-grained optimisation for specific use cases.

Azure Virtual Desktop performance depends heavily on Azure region selection and network connectivity to Azure. Microsoft’s global infrastructure generally delivers excellent performance, but you’re sharing resources in a multi-tenant environment. The RDP-based protocol, while it’s been improved with recent updates, might not match Blast Extreme’s efficiency in challenging network conditions. However, AVD’s Teams optimisation often outperforms VMware Horizon in Microsoft-centric workflows.

Security features

VMware Horizon has strong security controls, including multi-factor authentication, smart card support, and USB redirection policies. Network isolation through NSX integration enables micro-segmentation, while Workspace ONE integration adds device trust and conditional access capabilities. Security will remain largely under your control and you’ll have to configure many things yourself.

Azure Virtual Desktop benefits from Azure’s security infrastructure. You get to enjoy things like conditional access policies, Azure Security Center integration, and automatic threat detection. Multi-factor authentication through Azure AD / Entra ID is straightforward to get up and running. Microsoft handles infrastructure security patches automatically, reducing the attack surface that makes you vulnerable. The challenge comes in understanding the shared responsibility model and making sure your configurations align with security requirements.

Scalability

VMware Horizon scales predictably but does take some planning. Adding capacity means provisioning additional hosts (whether that’s physical or virtual) and making sure your supporting infrastructure can handle the load. Instant clones help with rapid desktop provisioning, but ultimately, capacity depends on how much you’ve invested into your infrastructure.

Azure Virtual Desktop offers near-infinite scalability within Azure’s capacity limits. Auto-scaling capabilities can automatically adjust capacity based on demand, spinning up additional session hosts during peak times and shutting them down when not needed. This elasticity is definitely valuable for firms with variable or unpredictable workloads.

Management and simplicity

VMware Horizon takes some serious expertise to deploy and manage it effectively. The management console is comprehensive but complex, with lots of configuration options across multiple components. While this gives you a precise level of control, it also means a steeper learning curve and higher operational overhead.

Azure Virtual Desktop simplifies management through Azure Portal integration and PowerShell automation. The managed service approach means fewer components to configure and maintain. That said, you’ll need familiarity with Azure concepts like resource groups, virtual networks, and Azure AD. For teams already managing Azure resources, AVD feels familiar; for those new to Azure, there’s still a learning curve.

So it’s clear that VMware Horizon is still a powerhouse in the VDI space, with capabilities honed from decades of enterprise refinement. But that sophistication comes with its own set of trade-offs that you’ll need to carefully consider.

Azure Virtual Desktop simplifies many of the traditional VDI challenges you may face. But this simplicity means accepting certain limitations that might not suit every organisation.

Large enterprises with complex requirements benefit from VMware Horizon’s flexibility and control. When you’re supporting thousands of users across multiple locations with diverse application needs, the platform’s maturity and extensive feature set justify the complexity. The fact you can optimise every aspect of the environment means that you can meet specific performance and user experience requirements.

Highly regulated industries often choose VMware Horizon for its deployment flexibility. Financial services, healthcare, and government orgs with strict data residency requirements can keep infrastructure on-prem whilst still benefiting from modern VDI capabilities. The granular security controls and audit capabilities align well with compliance requirements.

Graphics-intensive workloads perform really well on VMware Horizon. Creative professionals using CAD, 3D modelling, or video editing applications benefit from GPU support and protocol optimisation. The ability to deploy on high-performance infrastructure ensures these demanding workloads run smoothly.

Organisations with large VMware investments find VMware Horizon a natural fit. If you’re already running vSphere, vSAN, and NSX, adding Horizon means you can make use of existing expertise and infrastructure. This can simplify operations for teams that already have a good grip on VMware technologies.

Microsoft-centric organisations find that AVD integrates perfectly with their existing environment. If you’re already using Microsoft 365, Azure AD, and other Microsoft cloud services, AVD feels like a natural extension. The unified identity, security, and management model makes everything much less complex.

Remote workforce management becomes straightforward with AVD. The cloud-native architecture means users get consistent performance regardless of location, without complex VPN configurations. Automatic scaling means that resources are available when you need them, without having to overprovision.

Small to medium businesses benefit from AVD’s managed service approach. Without dedicated infrastructure teams, SMBs can still deploy enterprise-grade VDI. The pay-as-you-go model means starting small and growing as needed without significant upfront investment.

Seasonal or project-based workloads align perfectly with AVD’s elastic scaling. Accounting firms during tax season or retailers during holiday peaks can scale up temporarily without buying costly permanent infrastructure. When demand drops, costs automatically decrease.

Development and testing environments spin up quickly in AVD. Devs can provision desktop environments for testing, destroy them when complete, and only pay for actual usage. Integration with Azure DevOps and other development tools makes workflows smoother.

VMware Horizon has broad support throughout its whole ecosystem, with established partnerships across backup vendors, security tools, and management platforms. Most enterprise IT tools offer Horizon integration, though the depth of integration varies. The recent transition to Omnissa ownership hasn’t affected technical compatibility, though some vendors are still updating their documentation and support statements.

Azure Virtual Desktop benefits from Microsoft’s vast partner network and native Azure service integration. Azure Monitor, Microsoft Defender, and Azure Backup provide integrated operational capabilities. Third-party tool support is growing rapidly, though still catching up to VMware Horizon’s established ecosystem. The advantage is that any tool supporting Azure typically works with AVD.

Moving to Azure Virtual Desktop from VMware Horizon takes some careful planning but it’s increasingly common. The migration typically involves rebuilding desktop images for Azure and reconfiguring applications for cloud delivery. You also need to update the ways that users access things. Tools like Azure Migrate can help assess and plan the transition, though they still take some manual effort.

The technical migration can sometimes be easier than the organisational change! Users that are used to Horizon might need training on subtle differences in the AVD experience. IT teams need to shift somewhat from infrastructure management to cloud service optimisation. Doing this all successfully takes clear communication about the benefits (and temporary disruptions) that people might face.

Think about your existing infrastructure investments and expertise. If you have significant VMware infrastructure and expertise, you might find staying with VMware Horizon less disruptive, despite licensing concerns. But if you’re already embracing Azure and Microsoft 365, you’ll probably be drawn to AVD.

Then there’s your workload requirements. Graphics-intensive applications, legacy software, or specific hardware dependencies might favour VMware Horizon. Standard office productivity, modern web applications, and Microsoft-centric workflows align well with AVD.

Think about your strategic direction. If you’re committed to cloud transformation, migrating to AVD aligns with that journey. If you need to maintain on-premises infrastructure for regulatory or technical reasons, VMware Horizon provides that flexibility.

At Synextra, we specialise in helping organisations navigate these decisions. As an Azure-focused MSP, we’re transparent about our love for cloud-native solutions, but we also understand that one size doesn’t fit all.

If you’re considering other virtualisation alternatives, you might also find our comparisons of VMware vs Nutanix, Hyper-V vs Proxmox, and Proxmox vs VMware helpful in your decision-making process. And make sure you don’t miss our broader guide to VMware alternatives.

Ready to explore your VDI options? Contact us today.