Azure Virtual Desktop vs Parallels RAS: Cloud Service or Hybrid Delivery Platform?

Quick Answer

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop is a Microsoft-run service: Microsoft operates the broker, gateway, web access and diagnostics, and your session hosts run as Azure VMs, or on-premises on Azure Local. Pooled host pools can run Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session, which Microsoft allows only on AVD, and access rights come with eligible Microsoft 365, Windows or RDS licenses. There's no broker tier for you to run. Microsoft's own tooling, or a management platform such as Atlas AVD, covers images, scaling and profiles.

Parallels RAS

Parallels RAS, from Parallels International GmbH, is an application and desktop delivery platform whose current release, RAS 22.0, shipped in October 2026. You deploy its Connection Broker, Secure Gateway and HALB load balancer on-premises, in Azure or in AWS, and it publishes from RD Session Hosts, VDI on Hyper-V, vSphere, Nutanix and Scale, Remote PCs, and AVD host pools managed from the RAS console. It is licensed per concurrent user, with Microsoft licensing still required on top.

Feature Comparison

Comparison reflects publicly documented capabilities and each vendor's own positioning as of 2026-11-09. Vendors change their products and pricing; confirm current details directly, or contact us for a side-by-side on your environment.

Who Each Platform Is Best For

Azure Virtual Desktop is best for

• Organizations whose desktops live in Azure and that don't want to run a broker or gateway tier
• Microsoft 365 shops whose licenses already include AVD access rights
• Pooled workloads that benefit from Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session density
• Teams that want Entra ID Conditional Access to apply directly to the desktop sign-in

Parallels RAS is best for

• Hybrid estates that must publish from on-premises hypervisors and the cloud through one console and one client
• Organizations moving from on-premises RDS gradually, keeping existing RDSH farms while adding Azure or AVD capacity
• Environments that need a Linux client or HTML5 access across every workload
• Teams that prefer concurrent-user licensing for a single delivery layer over several platforms

Key Differences Explained

A Service vs a Platform You Deploy

With Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft runs the broker, gateway, web access and diagnostics, and session hosts connect out to the service, so they need no inbound ports. You manage host pools, images and scaling. Parallels RAS is software you deploy: Connection Brokers to publish and load balance, Secure Gateways to tunnel and encrypt client traffic, HALB appliances to balance the gateways, an Enrollment Server for SAML single sign-on, and agents on each host. You choose where those run (on-premises, Azure IaaS or AWS) and you keep them patched and highly available. In return, RAS gives you one delivery layer for almost any workload location.

Parallels RAS Can Sit on Top of AVD

These aren't strictly either-or. Parallels RAS can create and manage AVD host pools from its own console, with RAS Autoscale creating hosts from a template, and it surfaces AVD features such as Windows 11 multi-session and Teams redirection. RAS 22 added management of on-premises AVD session hosts in hybrid deployments. Two points matter when you plan this: RAS doesn't configure or synchronize AVD scaling plans, so you pick one scaling mechanism per pool; and AVD session hosts still run the AVD agent alongside the RAS agent, so users still need AVD access rights. Microsoft names Citrix and Omnissa as the approved providers that can offer access to the AVD service, so RAS works alongside the Microsoft service rather than replacing it.

Licensing and Cost

AVD has no separate broker license: access comes with eligible licenses such as Microsoft 365 E3, E5, A3, A5, F3 or Business Premium, Windows Enterprise E3 or E5, or Windows VDA per user, and Windows Server session hosts need RDS CALs with Software Assurance or RDS user subscription licenses. You then pay for the Azure resources you use. Parallels RAS is licensed per concurrent user, and Parallels states that Windows Server and desktop OS licensing is required and isn't included, so RDS CALs still apply to Windows Server hosts and AVD access rights still apply to AVD hosts. Add the servers or VMs that run the RAS components and any hypervisor licensing on-premises. Model your own numbers: the Atlas AVD cost calculator covers the Azure side.

Where Your Desktops Can Run

This is where Parallels RAS is strongest. It publishes from Windows Server RD Session Hosts anywhere, from VDI on Hyper-V, VMware vSphere, Nutanix AHV and Scale Computing, from physical Remote PCs, and from Azure and AVD, all to the same Parallels Client. AVD runs session hosts in Azure, or on-premises on Azure Local with the control plane still in Azure, and Microsoft's newer AVD Hybrid option, built on Azure Arc, doesn't support multi-session, autoscale or Start VM on Connect. If most of your estate is already in Azure, that breadth matters less; if you have a large on-premises footprint you'll keep for years, it can be the deciding factor.

User Experience and Security

AVD users connect with the Windows App on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android or a browser, over RDP with RDP Shortpath, and Entra ID Conditional Access, MFA and single sign-on apply to the sign-in. Parallels Client runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and HTML5, which helps estates with Linux thin clients. RAS includes built-in MFA and integrates with RADIUS and third-party MFA providers, and RAS 22 added SAML as an MFA provider and HTTPS with HSTS on by default. Both can be made secure; AVD has fewer externally facing components for you to harden.

Running AVD Without a Separate Delivery Layer

If you choose Azure Virtual Desktop on its own, the brokering is Microsoft's and the day-two workflows are yours. Atlas AVD is a management platform for AVD that automates those workflows from your own Azure tenant. It doesn't replace the AVD service or your Microsoft licensing, and it doesn't manage Parallels RAS farms.

Provided by Microsoft (Azure Virtual Desktop)

• Brokering, gateway, web access and the Windows App client
• Host pools, application groups and workspaces
• Scaling plans and session host update
• Azure Compute Gallery for image versions
• FSLogix and App Attach
• AVD Insights in Log Analytics

Added by Atlas AVD

• Session host lifecycle: Drain, maintenance, scheduled re-image and Rolling Replace (Zero Downtime) to move hosts onto a new image in batches.
• Golden images and Azure Compute Gallery: Imaging captures and generalizes a VM, publishes an image version to your gallery, replicates it to your regions and lists hosts still on an older image.
• Autoscaling and cost optimization: Atlas's own scaling engine with DrainGuard, which re-checks live sessions before any shutdown, plus Adaptive Density and cost intelligence.
• FSLogix management: FSLogix settings pushed per host pool, and FSLogix Operations for profile health, capacity and remediation.
• Configuration Matrix: Every setting across global, tenant and host pool levels on one page, with inheritance and overrides shown.

Atlas AVD runs in your own Azure tenant. You can try every feature with a 30-day free trial.

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Pros and Cons

Azure Virtual Desktop

Pros

• Microsoft runs the broker and gateway, so there's no delivery tier to patch or scale
• Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session for pooled density
• No separate broker license on top of eligible Microsoft licenses
• Native Entra ID, Conditional Access and Intune integration

Cons

• Session hosts run only in Azure or on Azure Local
• No single console for on-premises RDSH farms or other hypervisors
• Day-two workflows need Microsoft tooling or a management platform

Parallels RAS

Pros

• One console and one client across on-premises hypervisors, RDSH, Remote PCs, Azure and AVD
• Can create and manage AVD host pools alongside on-premises workloads
• Parallels Client on Linux and HTML5 as well as Windows, macOS and mobile
• Built-in MFA with RADIUS, third-party and SAML providers

Cons

• Another platform to deploy, patch and make highly available
• Concurrent-user license on top of Microsoft licensing
• Doesn't manage AVD scaling plans, so scaling is configured in one place or the other

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Azure Virtual Desktop and Parallels RAS?

Azure Virtual Desktop is a Microsoft-run desktop service in Azure. Parallels RAS is a delivery platform you deploy yourself, with its own broker, gateway and client, that publishes apps and desktops from on-premises RDSH and hypervisors, Azure and AVD host pools through one console.

Can Parallels RAS manage Azure Virtual Desktop?

Yes. Parallels RAS can create and manage AVD host pools from its console and create hosts from a template with RAS Autoscale. It doesn't configure or synchronize AVD scaling plans, and AVD session hosts still need AVD access rights for each user.

Do I need Microsoft licenses with Parallels RAS?

Yes. Parallels states that Windows Server and desktop OS licensing is required and isn't included in Parallels RAS. Windows Server session hosts need RDS CALs, and AVD workloads need AVD access rights such as Microsoft 365 E3 or Windows Enterprise E3.

Is Parallels RAS a replacement for Azure Virtual Desktop?

Not for AVD itself. When RAS delivers AVD workloads, the AVD service still runs underneath and each host runs the AVD agent alongside the RAS agent. RAS can replace the need for AVD where you deliver from RDSH farms, on-premises VDI or Azure IaaS VMs instead.

Which is better for a hybrid on-premises and cloud estate?

Parallels RAS covers more locations from one console: Hyper-V, vSphere, Nutanix, Scale, Remote PCs, Azure and AVD. AVD's on-premises options are Azure Local, which keeps the control plane in Azure, and AVD Hybrid on Azure Arc, which doesn't support multi-session or autoscale.

Does Atlas AVD manage Parallels RAS?

No. Atlas AVD is a management platform for Azure Virtual Desktop. It automates session host lifecycle, golden images, autoscaling, FSLogix and app catalogs for AVD host pools in your own Azure tenant, without a separate brokering tier.

Microsoft documentation referenced

• Microsoft Learn: Licensing Azure Virtual Desktop
• Microsoft Learn: Windows Enterprise multi-session FAQ
• Microsoft Learn: Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid
• Parallels: Parallels RAS product page
• Parallels: RAS components
• Parallels: Azure Virtual Desktop integration
• Parallels: Manage AVD host pools (RAS 22)
• Parallels: Microsoft license requirements in Parallels RAS
• Parallels: RAS 22.0 release notes