Ace Cloud Hosting Desktop as a Service

Overview

Ace Cloud Hosting Desktop as a Service runs managed virtual desktops on Citrix Cloud, with Windows and Linux workspace options. It is a strong fit for organizations that need centralized desktop administration across a team, especially when some users have demanding visual workloads. Its broad management and access controls are useful, but the per-user prices and extra capacity charges make careful sizing essential.

Key features

Customized Windows and Linux workspaces let businesses accommodate different environments, while on-demand NVIDIA GPU desktops extend the service to CAD, BIM, 3D, and rendering. That range can serve mixed teams, but the GPU option should be matched to the workloads that need it rather than treated as a standard desktop feature.

Administrators can use auto-scaling, centralized app management, OS and patch management, and one-click admin-rights provisioning. Together, these controls support centralized operations, particularly for organizations managing many user desktops. SSO, MFA, Active Directory integration, role-based access, and 256-bit encryption with TLS 1.3 in transit add access and data safeguards suited to business use.

The service includes 30-day automatic backups; displayed plan costs include 30 days of rolling server backup. Active Directory and Microsoft 365 integrations cover Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive. Ace advertises support by phone, chat, and email around the clock, including weekends and holidays. Its U.S.-based data center partners are SOC 2, HIPAA, and SSAE 16 certified.

The offering is identified as Citrix Cloud, and Ace is a Citrix partner. Downloads include a Microsoft RDP Generator and client tools for printing, scanning, and USB redirection in remote desktop sessions. These are practical complements for organizations that need peripherals in remote sessions, though the listed tools do not change the underlying plan capacity.

Pricing

Ace has no free plan and offers a 7-day trial. Its team plans are billed per user per month, with materially different seat counts and shared resource allocations. Enterprise (Team Desktops) costs $352.19 a month and is configured for 100 users with Windows Server 2022, 40 vCPUs, 120 GB RAM, 80 GB C: SSD, 20 GB D: SSD, and unlimited bandwidth. It is the lowest-priced listed option and suits large teams that can share a team-desktop configuration.

SMB (Team Desktops) costs $417.85 a month for 50 users, with Windows Server 2022, 26 vCPUs, 72 GB RAM, the same 80 GB C: and 20 GB D: SSD allocation, and unlimited bandwidth. It has fewer seats and lower aggregate CPU and memory than Enterprise, so it is the more appropriate team tier when a 100-user configuration is unnecessary. Startup (Team Desktops) costs $669.06 a month for 5 users, with Windows Server 2022, 2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, 80 GB C: SSD, 20 GB D: SSD, and unlimited bandwidth. It keeps the same listed storage allocation for a small team but has substantially less compute capacity.

Dedicated Desktops are priced for one user each. Light Workload costs $1,114.56 a month and includes Windows 11, 2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, 80 GB C: SSD, 20 GB D: SSD, and unlimited bandwidth. Heavy Workload costs $1,676.16 a month for Windows 11, 6 vCPUs, 16 GB RAM, the same SSD allocation, and unlimited bandwidth. These configurations suit users who need a dedicated desktop; the heavier tier raises CPU and memory capacity at a steep increase in monthly cost.

Custom Cloud has custom pricing, with configuration shaped around workflows, performance demands, and operational needs. Additional vRAM costs USD 15/month per 1 GB, and additional SSD storage costs USD 40/month per 100 GB, so teams needing more capacity should include those charges in their budget. All listed prices are per-user monthly amounts; compare the seat count and resource allocation as well as the headline price when choosing a plan.

Platforms

Users can access desktops from Windows, macOS, Linux, web browsers, iOS, and Android. This breadth suits teams whose staff use different devices, while the Windows and Linux workspace choices cover different desktop environments. Both persistent and non-persistent sessions are supported.

Who it's for

Ace targets businesses of all sizes, with use cases including development and testing, CAD/CAM, remote monitoring, video editing, and remote learning. It makes the most sense for organizations that want managed desktops, centralized administration, and business access controls, or that need GPU desktops for visual work. A small group seeking inexpensive individual cloud PCs, or an organization unwilling to budget for per-user capacity and possible add-ons, should compare alternatives.

Pros and cons

Pros: Windows and Linux workspaces, broad client-platform support, and GPU desktop options cover varied team and visual workloads.

Pros: Central app, OS, and patch management plus SSO, MFA, Active Directory, and role-based access provide administrators with useful operational and access controls.

Pros: 30-day backups, Microsoft 365 integrations, 24x7 support, and certified U.S.-based data center partners address common business deployment needs.

Cons: There is no free plan, and the 7-day trial is brief for evaluating a managed desktop deployment.

Cons: Dedicated desktop plans are costly at 1114.56 USD and $1,676.16 a month per user, while extra vRAM and storage carry separate monthly charges.

Cons: The team plans trade seat count against shared CPU and memory allocations, so the lowest price is not automatically the right fit for a workload.

Alternatives

Amazon WorkSpaces is worth comparing for readers who want a free plan or a low user fee: its Windows single-session user fee is $4.19 a month, plus provisioned instance-hour charges. V2 Cloud may suit basic users such as front-desk staff, data-entry teams, call centers, or administrative workers, with its Basic Users plan starting at $35 a month.

MacinCloud is an option for pay-by-the-day access, starting at US$4/day, with RDP, a static IP, a 100/1000 Mbps port, and no admin/root access. LoLa Cloud PCs offers a free Remote Desktop Personal plan for one person's non-commercial use with their own compatible PC and no Cloud PC required.

Shells starts at $14.95 a month for one processor, 40 GB storage, and 2 GB memory with unlimited use, a simpler low-cost configuration than Ace's business-oriented team plans. ubiDesktop starts at $10.90 a month for a Mini plan with 1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, and 40 GB NVMe storage.

Shadow PC may fit users who prefer time-limited personal tiers: Neo Lite costs $29.99 a month for 120 hours, sessions up to four hours, 1440p, and 256 GB SSD. TrueCloud is another paid cloud desktop option, with its Night Owl 2060Super plan priced at ₹520 a month and access restricted to midnight through 8 AM.

For broader comparisons, see Cloud PC Services and Desktop as a Service Software.

Verdict

Choose Ace Cloud Hosting Desktop as a Service when your organization needs managed Windows or Linux desktops with centralized controls, broad device access, and GPU options for visual workloads. Its strongest case is the combination of administration, security, backup, and support provisions for business teams. Look elsewhere if low per-user cost or a free ongoing option matters more than managed business capabilities, or if your deployment cannot absorb added capacity charges.