Azure Virtual Desktop: The Complete Guide
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a cloud-native desktop and application virtualization service running on Microsoft Azure. It delivers Windows 10/11 multi-session desktops and remote apps with pay-as-you-go pricing and deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
What Is Azure Virtual Desktop?
Azure Virtual Desktop (formerly Windows Virtual Desktop) is Microsoft's cloud-based VDI solution. Unlike traditional VDI platforms, AVD is native to Azure and offers unique capabilities including Windows 10/11 multi-session (multiple users on a single VM), which significantly reduces cost compared to traditional per-VM-per-user VDI models.
AVD provides virtual desktops and RemoteApp applications accessible from virtually any device through a lightweight client or web browser. It integrates with Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft 365 Apps, and Windows security features.
Key Features
- Windows 10/11 Multi-Session: The only platform that allows multiple concurrent users on a single Windows 10/11 VM, dramatically reducing infrastructure costs.
- Pay-As-You-Go Pricing: No upfront licensing costs for eligible Microsoft customers. You pay only for Azure compute, storage, and networking resources consumed.
- Native Microsoft 365 Integration: Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 Apps, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint for optimized performance.
- Azure AD Integration: Conditional access, multi-factor authentication, and identity-driven security built-in.
- FSLogix: Included profile management for fast, reliable user profile containers in non-persistent environments.
- Windows 365 Integration: Combine AVD for virtualized desktops with Windows 365 Cloud PCs for hybrid scenarios.
Pricing
AVD pricing is based on three components: Azure infrastructure (compute VMs + managed disks + networking), RDS Client Access License (included if you have eligible Microsoft 365 or Windows licenses), and AVD service (no additional service fee for Azure customers).
For eligible Windows 10/11 Enterprise or Microsoft 365 E3/E5 customers, there is no per-user AVD licensing cost — you only pay for Azure infrastructure. This can result in significant savings compared to Citrix or VMware where separate per-user licensing is required on top of infrastructure costs.
Monthly cost estimates for a typical AVD deployment range from approximately $20–40 per user per month for pooled multi-session scenarios, depending on VM size, storage, and usage patterns.
AVD vs. Citrix vs. VMware
AVD vs. Citrix vs. VMware
| Feature | Azure Virtual Desktop | Citrix DaaS | VMware Horizon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment Model | Cloud (Azure only) | Cloud, On-Prem, Hybrid | Cloud, On-Prem, Hybrid |
| Multi-Cloud | Azure only (not multi-cloud) | AWS, Azure, GCP | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCV |
| Windows 10/11 Multi-Session | Yes (unique to AVD) | Supports Windows 10/11 multi-session | Supports Windows 10/11 multi-session |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | Native and deep | Good via integrations | Good via integrations |
| GPU Acceleration | Yes (GPU preview) | Excellent (HDX) | Excellent (Blast) |
| Protocol | RDP (improved) | HDX | Blast Extreme |
| Identity Management | Azure AD + AD DS | Azure AD, AD, SSO | Azure AD, AD, SSO |
| Mobile Support | iOS, Android, Mac, Web | iOS, Android, HTML5 | iOS, Android, HTML5 |
| Management Tools | Azure Portal, Intune, Windows 365 | Citrix Cloud, DaaS Console | Horizon Console, Cloud Console |
Use Cases
- Remote Work: Deliver full Windows desktops or specific applications to remote employees on any device.
- Contractors and Temporary Workers: Rapidly provision desktops with Azure-based deployment and deprovision automatically.
- Legacy App Modernization: Lift-and-shift legacy Windows applications to the cloud without rewriting.
- Development and Testing: Provision isolated development environments in minutes with Azure integration.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Quickly provide IT environments to acquired teams without hardware procurement.
Getting Started
Implementing AVD requires: an Azure subscription with sufficient compute quota, Azure AD tenant (or Azure AD DS), a virtual network with connectivity to resources, and appropriate licensing (eligible Microsoft 365 or Windows licenses). Deployment is managed through the Azure Portal with pre-built templates, or using Infrastructure-as-Code via ARM templates or Terraform.
For step-by-step deployment guidance and a comprehensive comparison of all solutions, download our free buyer's guide. Also see our full software comparison and app virtualization vs. VDI guide.