Amazon WorkSpaces vs DaaS
Amazon WorkSpaces
aws.amazon.comDaaS
desktop-as-a-service.ioSide by side
| Figure | Amazon WorkSpaces | DaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 8 | 2 |
| Spec score · Desktop as a Service Software | 9.5 (#1) | 8.4 (#4) |
| Operating systems | Supported desktop operating systems include Windows, Ubuntu Linux, Rocky Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Amazon Linux. | Free machines use Ubuntu Desktop 24.04; paid machines list Ubuntu Desktop LTS and Windows 11, with custom Qcow2 or ISO images. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.2 out of 5 from 110 reviews | 4.45 out of 5 from 2,500+ reviews for the overall Desktop as a Service category; the page highlights other vendors and does not show this DaaS product. |
| Rating on TrustRadius | 8.7 out of 10 from 39 reviews and ratings | 10 out of 10 from 21 reviews for Ace Cloud VDI in the DaaS category; this is a category listing, not a rating for Desktop-as-a-Service.io. |
| What it does | Amazon WorkSpaces provisions managed cloud virtual desktops that users can reach from devices or browsers. | DaaS provides browser access to cloud-hosted Linux or PC workstations managed by the provider. |
Plans
Amazon WorkSpaces
- WorkSpaces free tierFree
- Standby WorkSpace$3.25 a month
- WorkSpaces applications — Windows single-session user fee$4.19 a month
- WorkSpaces secure browser — standard.regular (US East/Northern Virginia)$7 a month
- Ubuntu Power hourly$7.25 a month
- WorkSpaces Personal AutoStop — Ubuntu Linux Power example (US West/Oregon)$7.25 a month
- Windows Value monthly$25 a month
- WorkSpaces Personal AlwaysOn — Windows Standard example (US West/Oregon)$44 a month
In their own words
Amazon WorkSpaces
Amazon WorkSpaces delivers managed cloud desktops and applications for remote and hybrid users. WorkSpaces Personal provides a persistent virtual desktop that retains installed applications, files, and settings between sign-ins. Customers can choose AlwaysOn monthly subscriptions or AutoStop hourly metering with a monthly base fee. The listed Free Tier runs for up to three months: it includes either two Standard AutoStop desktops with 40 combined monthly hours or five Performance AutoStop Ubuntu desktops with 100 combined monthly hours. WorkSpaces applications supports image building and streaming on general-purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, and GPU instance families. WorkSpaces DaaS includes persistent SSD-based storage and automatic backups; Amazon S3 or Amazon FSx can retain selected settings and files between sessions. Clients are listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, Android, Chromebook, and supported browsers. WorkSpaces Pools stopped accepting new customers on July 31, 2026, while existing customers can use it until December 31, 2027. Support for PCoIP-based WorkSpaces Personal ends October 31, 2027. The pricing note starts at $25/mo, and plan examples include additional hourly or instance charges.
DaaS
DaaS provides a cloud-hosted workstation that users access through a browser on an internet-connected device. Firefox, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge are listed as compatible browsers. Users can configure CPU, GPU, RAM, operating system, and storage, while the provider manages infrastructure, maintenance, and software updates. The maker describes the service for training organizations, enterprises, integration testing, and marketing workflows, and says rented computers can run tools such as Stable Diffusion, Mixtral, Whisper, and n8n. Its homepage describes scaling from zero to 100 machines. The free option provides one machine in a private network for one hour per day, with Ubuntu Desktop 24.04, 4 GB RAM, 8 GB storage, and one CPU core. Paid machines can use Ubuntu Desktop LTS or Windows 11; custom operating systems are supported in Qcow2 or ISO format. Paid rentals are charged per day, with hourly price depending on configuration. Multiple machines, GPU options, and optional live backup are listed for paid configurations. The provider recommends a stable connection of at least 5 Mbps per user.