Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has pushed many IT leaders to re-evaluate their virtualization strategy. Rising costs every year since the 2023 acquisition, new licensing models, and limited support options have left long-time customers feeling frustrated and looking elsewhere. Gartner has recently predicted that VMware will lose 35% of its workload over the next 2 years. More organizations are actively searching for a dependable VMware alternative that offers flexibility, better value, and a smoother experience overall. 2026 is the year when many are planning the move.
If your team is one of them, you’re not alone. The shift away from VMware isn’t just about price, although that certainly is the driving force for many. It’s about finding a solution that fits your business, not the other way around. In this post, we’ll break down why the market is moving, what to look for in a replacement, and how top alternatives like Inuvika OVD Enterprise (to replace VMware/Omnissa Horizon) and VergeOS (to replace VMware Broadcom) are stepping up to fill the gap.
What’s Driving the VMware Exit?
For years, VMware dominated the desktop virtualization space. Many enterprises built their infrastructure around it, confident in its capabilities and track record. But when Broadcom stepped in, the experience changed quickly.
Customers have reported:
- Confusing and restrictive licensing terms
- Elimination of perpetual licenses
- Required product bundles
- Rising annual costs
- Delays in technical support
VMware Broadcom also sent termination notices to partners who did not meet minimum sales requirement and stopper working with them in October 2025, leaving them little time to find a VMware alternative for their customers
These changes may work for large enterprises with deep pockets and dedicated support contracts, but for many IT teams, especially mid-sized or budget-conscious ones, it was too much, too fast. That’s why interest in a simpler, more cost-effective VMware alternative has surged.
What Should a VMware Alternative Deliver?
Replacing VMware isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about solving the same problems with less friction.
Many options exist on the market to replace the VMware Broadcom hypervisor. They range from long-established ones like Nutanix AHV, KVM and XenServer to newer and lower or no cost ones like Hyper-V, VergeOS and ProxmoxVE. Because there are fewer options in the end-user computing market to replace VMware Horizon, we’ll focus on VMware Horizon alternatives in this article.
The right virtual desktop infrastructure solution should deliver:
- Strong performance with support for real-world workloads
- Transparent, affordable pricing without surprise fees
- Accessible support that actually solves issues
- Smooth migration from existing systems without major disruptions
- Flexible deployment across on-prem, hybrid, or cloud environments
- Avoid vendor lock-in
Not all desktop virtualization solutions check those boxes. But some do, especially newer platforms that were built with these modern needs in mind.
The Top Alternatives to VMware Horizon (Omnissa) in 2026
Let’s take a closer look at how the most talked-about VMware Horizon alternatives compare across performance, cost, and usability.
Inuvika OVD Enterprise
What It Offers
Inuvika is a purpose-built virtual desktop solution that delivers apps and desktops across Linux and Windows environments. Unlike VMware, it’s lightweight, transparent, and designed to reduce total cost of ownership by up to 60%. For 500 users over 36 months, that amounts to a reduction of USD $430,000 without even accounting for the lastest VMware Broadcom hypervisor price increase. So there are considerably more savings depending on the choice of hypervisor.
Why It Works
Inuvika simplifies everything. From installation to day-to-day management, its intuitive interface lets IT teams deploy and manage desktops and apps quickly, without needing a dedicated virtualization specialist. With a Linux back-end, Inuvika OVD Enterprise was made to work with open source solutions like KVM and ProxmoxVE.
Key Benefits
- Lower licensing costs and predictable pricing
- Full support for Linux and Windows apps
- Compatible with a wide range of endpoints
- Cloud, hybrid, or on-prem deployment options
- Responsive, expert-led support: not outsourced tiers.
- Hypervisor-agnostic, allowing options for newer and lower cost hypervisors like VergeOS, ProxmoxVE, KVM and others to replace vSphere.
- Has its own thin client software called ResolutOS, as an alternative to IGEL, to futher reduce costs.
Bottom Line
Inuvika is a strong VMware alternative for organizations that want a modern, reliable desktop virtualization platform without the overhead and vendor lock-in.
Citrix
What It Offers
Citrix is a well-known name in VDI software, offering robust features and integration for large enterprises.
Challenges
Citrix often comes with a steep learning curve and a complex infrastructure. Like VMware, many users report unpredictable licensing and rising costs. Customers facing renewals were being forced into 3-year renewals at higher prices, but the practice of 3 year renewals seems to be easing. If you are looking for cost reduction, this will not be the way to go. And while Citrix used to own this market, many others have caught up significantly and can now deliver equal, if not better, performance and security. Concurrent user pricing comes with a massive premium price on an already pricey product.
Bottom Line
Still viable for large-scale deployments, but may not be worth the complexity or price for smaller organizations looking to simplify.
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)
What It Offers
Azure Virtual Desktop runs entirely in the Microsoft cloud and is deeply integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Challenges
Requires deep familiarity with Azure, and cost can spike depending on usage and scale. Not ideal for organizations that want to stay on-prem or hybrid nor for any organization that needs cost predictability. Other additional products need to be added on top of AVD to control the Azure costs and that adds additional expense. There is also a data sovereignty issue with the US Cloud Act where Microsoft has said Microsoft has said it will defend, but cannot guarantee that data will not end up in US government hands. Many users will also choose Hyper-V as their hypervisor to stay in the Microsoft family. However, Hyper-V still does not scale very well.
Bottom Line
A strong VMware alternative for cloud-native Microsoft environments, but may not suit all use cases especially for non-US governments, defence, healthcare and research institutions.
Amazon WorkSpaces
What It Offers
Amazon WorkSpaces provides a scalable, cloud-based virtual desktop solution that integrates seamlessly with other AWS services. It offers a secure, fully managed DaaS environment with flexible pricing and device access.
Challenges
It is only available as a cloud-based product. While powerful, it can be more costly at scale compared to other solutions. Some users find the configuration process initially complex. It is most useful for very small enterprises with no IT department. It also faces the same issue as AVD with the US Cloud Act and data sovereignty.
Bottom Line
A strong business-ready option, especially for organizations already in the AWS ecosystem. Offers scalability, security, and a consumption-based model.
Why Inuvika Is Leading the Shift
What sets Inuvika OVD Enterprise apart isn’t just that it’s a VMware Horizon alternative; it’s that it fixes many of the root problems that made Horizon hard to manage in the first place.
With Inuvika, you get:
- Clear pricing on a concurrent user basis
- A fast learning curve for IT teams
- True cross-platform support (not just for Windows)
- Cloud, hybrid, or on-prem deployments
- An end to vendor lock-in. Since it works on any hypervisor, you can switch if your vSphere replacement is not what you expected.
Unlike some newer solutions that only work in specific public cloud platforms, Inuvika fits into your existing infrastructure. That means fewer surprises and more flexibility as your needs evolve.
Migration Doesn’t Have to Be a Headache
One of the biggest concerns when switching from VMware is downtime. But platforms like Inuvika are designed for smooth migration.
With tools to support both gradual and full transitions, IT teams can move apps, desktops, and users at a pace that fits their environment. And with direct access to support, not just forums or generic ticket queues, you’re not left on your own.
Final Word
If your business is questioning its future with VMware, you are not alone. The market is shifting, and many organizations are ready to adopt a desktop virtualization platform that works for them, not just the vendor.
Inuvika OVD Enterprise offers a modern alternative to VMware Horizon that is secure, cost-effective, and built around the real needs of IT teams. The sooner you explore your options, the sooner you can regain control, without compromise.
Virtual Desktop Solutions Comparison Table
| Solution | Type | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Inuvika OVD Enterprise | VDI / DaaS | Low cost, hypervisor-agnostic, easy deployment, Linux-based, single admin console, delivers windows and Linux apps and desktops, concurrent user subscription |
| Citrix | VDI / DaaS | Mature platform, broad hypervisor support, enterprise features, HDX protocol, named user subscriptions |
| VMware/Omnissa Horizon | VDI / DaaS | Robust feature set, deploys on-premises or in the cloud, limited to VMware Broadcom Hypervisor |
| Azure Virtual Desktop(AVD) | DaaS | Azure-native, included licensing via MS 365, Windows multi-session support, No Linux apps, not available for on premises, named users subscriptions |
| Amazon WorkSpaces | DaaS | Managed cloud desktops, scalable, AWS ecosystem integrations, not available for on premises, named users subscriptions |
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