👉 How to Choose the Best Virtual Desktop Solution for Yourself?

These are some of the critical parameters that must be considered while choosing the best cloud desktops service are: Device Compatibility: Your tool should work nicely with all your devices and platforms. Security: Always prefer services with the highest standards to ensure your remote access cannot be misused. Customer Support: Choosing a tool with responsive customer support that can quickly address all your needs and requirements is recommended. Pricing: You should always choose a service that provides excellent value for money and fulfils your needs.

7 Best FREE Virtual Desktop Solutions (Cloud Desktop Services)

Virtual Desktop solutions allow for easy remote access to workstations, servers, and various other environments. Most DaaS have high costs, unreliable connections, and lack controls. Some virtual desktop solutions might not be compatible with your tech stack and integrations as well. That’s why it is important to choose the best virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for your needs.

An ideal DaaS will enable users to access apps, and data, transfer information and run actions with minimum delays. You can use these desktop virtualization solutions to centralize your device management, improve security, and manage access. We’ve carefully handpicked the 7 most advanced virtual desktop solutions. Our research involved evaluating all apps based on device support, security, customer service, and pricing amongst other parameters.

Best Virtual Desktop Services & Solutions: Top Picks

Name	Device Support	Security features	Technical Support	Free Trial	Link
V2 Cloud	Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Raspberry Pi 4, Android, iOS and iPad OS.	DDoS Protection, HTTPS, SSL HIPAA, PCI and SOC Multi-Factor Authentication	Chat, Email and Virtual Assistant	Yes, 7 Days	Learn More
Shells	Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android, iOS.	HTTPS, SSL, HIPAA and DDoS Protection.	Email, Virtual Assitant, Messages and extensive FAQs	Yes, 7 Days	Learn More
Amazon Workspaces	Amazon Linux, Ubuntu and Windows	HTTPS, Multi-factor Authentication, AWS single sign-on and GDPR.	Virtual assistant, FAQ’s, ticketing system, discussion forums.	Lifetime Free Basic Plan	Learn More
Flaneer	Linux, Ubuntu and Windows	PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, Multi-factor Authentication and GDPR compliant.	Email ticketing system.	90% Money-back within two days	Learn More
Microsoft Azure	Ubuntu, macOS and Windows	PCI-DSS, HIPAA and GDPR compliant.	Email and Virtual Assistant	Yes, 30 Days	Learn More

1) V2 Cloud

Best for small and medium-sized businesses

V2 Cloud is among the best virtual desktop services. It provides a robust control panel with access to cloud resources, user controls, billing, and security settings. In large teams, administrators get granular control over the rights and capabilities of each user. You can deploy the virtual desktops with no technical expertise or knowledge requirement.

V2 Cloud is integrated with built-in real-time malware protection and scans. All Ransomware attacks can be retained and prevented with this software. The servers run on the latest hypervisor updates with an all-inclusive UFW firewall to ensure the best possible experience. It ensures optimal speed and capacity utilization by creating Pools of VMs for load distribution.

Features:

Multi-User: It allows users to have their desktops, which are part of the same virtual machine.
Manage Programs: You can publish any Windows program to an end-user without giving access to an entire desktop.
Access: Easy-to-use web/mobile application instantly provides users access to their Cloud desktop with an SSL connection.
MFA: You can enforce Multi-factor authentication like OneLogin, Okta, V-KEY or any other SAML.
SSO: Integrate your preferred SSO provider, such as Azure SSO, to have a hassle-free login to your system.
Connections: Connect to onsite resources like domain controllers or printers to communicate between your office and the cloud.
Storage: Create and store data in Storage Buckets, giving high-performance storage options with reliability.
Finance: Cost-efficient data durability with triple-replication data protection.

👍 Pros	👎 Cons
Uses high-performance NVMe Drives for storage.	Initial setup is often time-consuming.
Provides off-site daily backups with snapshots stored for 7 Days
API to help you build custom integrations for your needs.
Easily install applications that are incompatible with Microsoft 365.

Pricing:

Pricing Plans (per month)	CPU Cores	Memory (RAM)
$46.00	2	4 GB
$80.50	2	8 GB
$161.00	4	16 GB

All plans include 1 Admin.

Free Trial: Yes, 7 Days

Link: https://v2cloud.com/

2) Shells

Best for large-scale deployment and scalability

Shells utilize many sophisticated servers to provide an ideal desktop virtualization experience, even on older devices. The dedicated team helps you with setup, establishing connections, and troubleshooting configuration errors. This free cloud pc hosting you to quickly access non-native apps on different devices, like playing PC games on Mac and using Desktop-class Excel on iPad.

Shells automatically take off-site backups of your data in the cloud. The end-to-end encryption and firewalls keep all your data safe and protected. You can use auto-save to ensure the shell keeps running in case of an unexpected crash or power outage.

Shells

Features:

Scalability: It can scale immediately from 0-1000 machines in no time, allowing you to meet the demands of your clients.
Terminal: You can use the terminal with various tools, including git, grep and curl, to implement modifications.
Configurability: Upgrade your virtual desktops with multiple plan options and optimize performance, speed and memory as needed.
Device Support: It supports devices based on platforms like Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android, and iOS.
Security: Your systems remain protected with advanced DDoS and Malware Protection, HTTPS and SSL HIPAA compliance.

👍 Pros	👎 Cons
Global data centre infrastructure provides high bandwidth streams with minimum latency.	Can experience high delays when connected with multiple devices.
Enable BYOD and avoid security policy breaches by saving all files in company-owned accounts.
Allows you to log into your virtual Desktop from anywhere, on any device, like a standard desktop.

Pricing:

Pricing Plans (per month)	Processors	Storage	Memory
$8.95	1	40 GB	2 GB
$13.95	2	80 GB	4 GB
$24.95	4	160 GB	8 GB

All plans include unlimited usage.

Free Trial: Yes, 7 Days

Link: https://www.shells.com/

3) Amazon Workspaces

Best for Advance Virtual Desktop features and Scalability

Amazon Workspaces is an among the best virtualized desktop solutions for enjoying smooth audio/video delivery on Windows. It uses specific algorithms and protocols to ensure a perfect user experience. You can use its expert advice and professional guidance to get a tailor-made pricing plan for your needs.

The AWS End User Computing services are easily scalable according to your requirements. It strengthens security by implementing no-log policies and supporting Zero Trust encryptions and proofs. You can use AWS IQ to connect with certified freelancers with vast experience seeking consultation.

Features:

AV Plugin: The audio/visual plugin is intended for users who want native AV performance when using PCoIP WorkSpaces.
Performance: Various technologies reduce latency and improve worker productivity, helping lower VDI expenses by reducing server resource requirements.
Compatibility: Provides fully managed, Linux-based service that facilitates access to business intranet and SaaS apps.
Geographical Redundancy: These free virtual desktop services are spread in a wide range of AWS regions and availability zones, ensuring a reliable experience globally.
Knowledge Base: Official AWS Knowledge base includes articles and videos guiding the most frequent customer questions and requests to clear doubts.
Monitoring: Proactively monitor and automate your environment with AWS Personal Health Dashboard and Trusted Advisor tools.
Security Features: Provides Identity and Access management system, Multi-factor Authentication, AWS and single sign-on.

👍 Pros	👎 Cons
It supports various devices on platforms such as Linux, Ubuntu and Windows.	Relatively expensive pricing plans and not ideal for small enterprises.
Support BYOD users with simple, secure, isolated browser access to the internal web and SaaS apps
Access powerful workstations and execute intensive workloads on high-end GPUs and CPUs.

Pricing:

Platform	Base price (Monthly)	CPU	RAM	Root Volume	User Volume
Ubuntu Linux	$23	1	2 GB	80 GB	10 GB
Linux	$21	1	2 GB	80 GB	10 GB
Windows	$25	1	2 GB	80 GB	10 GB
Free Tier	Free	1		80 GB	100 GB

All plans include options for monthly pricing

Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan | includes 2 standard desktops, 80 GB Root and 100 GB Volumes

Link: https://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/

4) Flaneer

Best for cloud workstations development

Flaneer is an ideal desktop virtualization tool that allows for effortless collaborations. You can directly upload files to their high-speed servers or sync your file system with the server. It works well with other cloud services, including AWS, for accessing and syncing files.

This cloud desktop service lets you install an on-premise VPN to access your locally stored files. You can invite users and give them access to a provisioned desktop and a file system with the help of custom Invitations. It helps eliminate upfront capital expenses for equipment, hardware, storage and maintenance and pay the operational costs.

Flaneer

Features:

Bandwidth: Video editing workstations can be created quickly with internal bandwidth of up to 3Gb/s for faster playback.
Windows Support: The Virtual Desktop is provisioned with Windows, so it can efficiently run any Windows-compatible software.
Cross-Platform: Access your workstations and data on any device, anywhere, at any time, with cross-device compatibility.
User Management: Manage user access, resources, data and security settings in one place with a centrally controlled portal.
Workstations: Provide quick workstations to new collaborators without shipping laptops.
Security Standards: Uses modern security standards like HTTPS, PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, 2FA and GDPR.

👍 Pros	👎Cons
Supports real-time screen sharing at 4k resolution.	Not ideal for niche use cases like game streaming.
High-bandwidth servers allow for fast uploads and downloads of all the files.
Choose from multiple streaming protocols based on your requirements.

Pricing Plan (per month)	RAM	GPU	SSD	Cloud Storage
€95	16 GB	None	128 GB	100 GB
€265	16 GB	Nvidia Tesla T4 16GB GPU	256 GB	200 GB
€558	32 GB	Nvidia A10G 24GB GPU	512 GB	500 GB

Pricing:

Free Trial: 90% Money-back within two days

Link: https://www.flaneer.com/

5) Microsoft Azure

Best for pay-as-you-go pricing plans

Microsoft Azure is an ideal tool for enjoying pay-as-you-pricing, where you are billed per minute. This ensures that you are charged only for the resource you use, making it much more economically viable. It uses advanced encryption standards to protect your data and automatically scans for detecting vulnerabilities.

Microsoft Azure provides curated reports, diagnostic tools, and resources for application performance tracking. You can also explore data-rich performance statistics and parameters through a centralized log system. It has been specifically optimized for Windows virtual desktop services making it ideal for Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 users.

Features:

Encryption: It encrypts sensitive data, protects your Desktop from malicious threats, improves network security, and meets regulatory and compliance requirements.
Management: Organize workloads on the cloud to manage compliance, improve security, and utilize operational advantages.
Dashboard: The centralized dashboard lets you monitor, work on, and track your activities.
Reports: You can use its analytics to optimize cost, security, reliability, operational excellence, and performance.
Connections: Establish secure connections from apps to dependencies with built-in topology views like application maps.
Templates: Simplify large-deployments using the resource management templates with a basic framework to get started.
Access: It helps you manage role-based access controls and policies using a single blueprint definition.
Security: Assists you in securing your data and maintaining compliance with security standards that can proactively detect threats and take remedial action.

👍 Pros	👎 Cons
Quickly Scale VM instances using Azure Virtual Machine scale sets.	Not ideal for non-Windows users.
Minimizes costs with per-second billing and lets you pay only for the actual usage
Native client apps for operating systems like Ubuntu, macOS and Windows

Pricing:

Free Trial: Yes, 30 days
Price: Contact Customer Support For Pricing

Visit Microsoft >>

6) Venn

Best for high-performance Desktop as a Service

Venn is one of the best virtual desktop hostings that use a private gateway to anonymize your data, ensuring maximum privacy. It allows you to quickly provide delegate access to your employees or revoke the access with complete account seizure in one click.

Venn is designed to be easy to integrate using its API and various tools for working with almost all tech stacks. You can even connect it to OneDrive or Box to access critical documents. Its centralized dashboard gives you all relevant information and allows real-time data monitoring.

Venn

Features:

Admin Control: Robust administrative control over work applications and data, including network policies, peripheral use, and copy–paste.
Network Routing: It uses network routing and encryption techniques to ensure data privacy keeping your data inaccessible to any other application.
User Management: Allows for easy onboarding/offboarding by enabling admins to instantly remotely/delete the Venn enclave.
Connections: Restricts application connections to LocalZone’s secure enclave and improves security.
VPN: It locks the network traffic to your VPN or SASE solutions like ZScaler Umbrella.
Application Control: Configurable policies allow you to control all applications. You can specifically assign specific apps to be used by users in the virtual desktop environment.
Security Features: Uses modern technology standards like FINRA, NAIC, NYS DFS, and Mass 201 CMR 17.00.

👍 Pros	👎 Cons
Improve security with zero trust policies and limit data access to the minimum with SASE frameworks.	Lacks responsive customer support for addressing urgent issues.
Manage user identities using Azure or Okta.
Ability to remotely enable, suspend, terminate or wipe at the press of a button.

Pricing:

Free Trial: No
Price: Contact Customer Support For Pricing

Link: https://www.venn.com/

7) Citrix Workspace

Best for Zero-trust end-to-end security approach

Citrix allows you to deliver highly scalable applications on multiple devices quickly. Its advanced security systems proactively detect any vulnerabilities and take action to defend you against all threats. You can utilize its machine learning-driven tools to discover issues and improve the health of your systems as well.

Citrix’s Zero Trust Network Access ensures that remote workforces can work with critical data without hackers intercepting them. The adaptive authentication tools are ideal for distributing access based on individual requirements and job roles. During an attack, you can lock down critical data like user information to safeguard your systems.

Features:

ZTNA: It provides ZTNA for all apps and services, improving security and privacy.
BYOD: The universal client maintains robust compatibility allowing it to work with all employee devices easily.
Deployment: You get entirely private access to deployed in-house or on-cloud and to defend against network attacks.
SSO: FAS is deployed in a customer-managed environment and leverages active directories to issue certificates and provide SSO.
Device Support: Works natively and via HTML5 on popular browsers and the broadest range of desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Access Policies: Use adaptive authentication and access policies based on device posture, location, and Browser isolation and risk scores.
Management: Various tools help you monitor performance, perform troubleshooting, and control costs.
Optimization: It utilizes various optimizations for delivering the desired user experience according to your requirements.

👍Pros	👎Cons
Beginners can learn and progress quickly to better understand this course’s core concepts.	Initial setup is cumbersome, involving a lot of steps.
Modern technologies ensure crystal-clear graphics and video with smooth motion and crisp audio.
Native desktop clients for macOS, Windows, and Linux operating system.

Pricing:

Free Trial: No

Pricing Plans (per month)	Features
$10	• Virtual Apps and Desktop • Remote access to desktops
$13	• Everything in the $10 plan • Hybrid multi-app desktop provisions • Session recording
$20	• Everything in the $13 plan • Advanced monitoring and historical data • Image management tools
$23	• Everything in the $20 plan • Performance analytics for optimizations • Advanced security analytics for early threat detection.

All plans come with native integrations with Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Link: https://www.citrix.com/products/citrix-daas/citrix-virtual-apps-and-desktops.html

FAQs

A virtual desktop solution is a tool that allows you to access, control, and monitor another device remotely. Robust tools installed on both sides facilitate communication and allow for controlling the machine remotely. It gives you complete control with the ability to perform secure data transfer, change settings, and perform necessary actions.

These are some of the critical parameters that must be considered while choosing the best cloud desktops service are:

Device Compatibility: Your tool should work nicely with all your devices and platforms.
Security: Always prefer services with the highest standards to ensure your remote access cannot be misused.
Customer Support: Choosing a tool with responsive customer support that can quickly address all your needs and requirements is recommended.
Pricing: You should always choose a service that provides excellent value for money and fulfils your needs.

Virtual Machine (VM): Virtual machines represent a machine that doesn’t exist in reality. Advanced software creates virtual hardware for running these machines. This virtual hardware utilizes the resources of the parent machine for its functioning.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): A virtual desktop infrastructure provides remote access and controls to another existing machine. These VDI solutions simply communicates the inputs and outputs between the host and client devices.

Yes, end-to-end solid encryptions, real-time network monitoring, constant vulnerability detection, and firewall protection. The advanced systems of modern cloud desktop services intercept any attacks and, at the same time, ensure minimum data loss.

Best Virtual Desktop Services & Solutions: Top Picks

Name	Device Support	Security features	Technical Support	Free Trial	Link
V2 Cloud	Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Raspberry Pi 4, Android, iOS and iPad OS.	DDoS Protection, HTTPS, SSL HIPAA, PCI and SOC Multi-Factor Authentication	Chat, Email and Virtual Assistant	Yes, 7 Days	Learn More
Shells	Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android, iOS.	HTTPS, SSL, HIPAA and DDoS Protection.	Email, Virtual Assitant, Messages and extensive FAQs	Yes, 7 Days	Learn More
Amazon Workspaces	Amazon Linux, Ubuntu and Windows	HTTPS, Multi-factor Authentication, AWS single sign-on and GDPR.	Virtual assistant, FAQ’s, ticketing system, discussion forums.	Lifetime Free Basic Plan	Learn More
Flaneer	Linux, Ubuntu and Windows	PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, Multi-factor Authentication and GDPR compliant.	Email ticketing system.	90% Money-back within two days	Learn More
Microsoft Azure	Ubuntu, macOS and Windows	PCI-DSS, HIPAA and GDPR compliant.	Email and Virtual Assistant	Yes, 30 Days	Learn More

The Verdict

We’ve shown you some of the best virtual desktop solutions for various use cases. All of these are capable of handling your needs. However, some courses are more optimized for specific use cases and requirements. Our final verdict will help you in the decision-making:

If you want a solution for SME business use cases, V2 Cloud is ideal.
On the other hand, Amazon Workspaces is a perfect scalable solution with rich features for your needs.
In case you want to prioritize your privacy and security, you should choose Microsoft Azure.