Citrix to Parallels RAS

Citrix CVAD and Small Businesses

Citrix CVAD is one of the most trusted virtual apps and desktops platforms available from small business to large global enterprises. It has been the “GoTo” platform since its release in the 1980s. However, since March 2024, major changes to Citrix’s licensing model have placed many small to mid-sized businesses (1–200 users) in a difficult position.

  • Transition from perpetual to subscription-only licensing.
  • Minimum 250-user commitment under the Citrix Universal Hybrid Multi-Cloud model.
  • Pricing increases of 2–3x in many cases — with some clients seeing signifcant increases over the previous years Citrix Software Assurance pricing.


For businesses with Citrix CVAD on-premise utilising Azure Site Recovery (ASR) for DR services, this means forced adoption of costly hybrid cloud licensing — even if cloud services are only used for failover and DR testing. Citrix CVAD On-premise licenses are available but cannot be used with cloud based DR solutions such as MS ASR.

Your Options: Stay or Migrate

Citrix continues to remain one of the key leaders in the VDI/EUC space with an extensive product portfolio and toolset, but the economics now favour large enterprises. If the new pricing structure doesn’t work for your business, we can help you evaluate and implement alternative VDI/EUC platforms that meet your performance, security, and cost requirements.

Viable Alternatives to Citrix CVAD

VMware Horizon – feature-rich and on par with Citrix CVAD.
Parallels RAS – Lightweight, cost-effective, excellent for SMBs.
Microsoft AVD – Deeply integrated with Microsoft Azure ideal for cloud-native orgs. On-premise with Azure Stack.
AWS WorkSpaces – Scalable and cloud-native services from AWS.
MS Remote Desktop Services (RDS) – Basic, low cost application delivery.

Why Parallels RAS ?

Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is a strong Citrix alternative for SMBs:

  • All-in-one licensing – Simple, transparent, affordable.
  • Any hypervisor on-prem, hybrid, or cloud – Flexible deployment.
  • Fast deployment – Minimal infrastructure, short rollout times.
  • Lower TCO – Drastically reduced ongoing support and licensing costs.
  • MFA, SSO, load balancing – Included at no extra charge.
  • Enhance MS AVD – integrate seamlessly and improve AVD.
  • Excellent user experience – High performance across devices and networks.

Parallels RAS aligns well with the needs of IT teams looking for Citrix-like functionality without the enterprise-scale price tag. It also enhances Microsoft AVD by reintroducing key management features that AVD lacks out of the box.

The “Citrix user’s guide to Parallels RAS” by Parallels provides further information for Citrix Administrators:

https://www.parallels.com/blogs/ras/citrix-migration-definitions/

Expert Guidance from a Team That’s Done It

We’ve helped clients navigate the transition — from upgrading Citrix XenApp 6.0 onwards to evaluating and deploying alternative platforms like Parallels RAS and AVD. If you’re planning a full migration from Citrix CVAD we offer strategic advice, expert implementation, and post-migration support.

Ready to take control of your VDI future?

Let’s talk. We’ll help you assess your current platform, understand your options, and execute a plan that fits your business — technically and financially.

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