Simple hosting & virtual desktops
Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) vs Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365 (Cloud PC)
Amazon WorkSpaces maps to Azure Virtual Desktop (you run the session hosts) and Windows 365 (fully managed per-user Cloud PCs).
WorkSpaces Personal is closest to Windows 365, and WorkSpaces Pools is closest to pooled Azure Virtual Desktop.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) | Azure Virtual Desktop Windows 365 (Cloud PC) |
| Lifecycle | The WorkSpaces Pools and PCoIP protocol end of support is June 30, 2027 (sunset announced June 30, 2026). WorkSpaces Personal on the DCV protocol continues. | Azure Virtual Desktop (classic) retired Sep 30, 2026. Only ARM-based host pools are supported. Generally available |
| What it is | Managed cloud desktops on Windows, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, or RHEL. Personal gives persistent per-user desktops, and Pools gives non-persistent ones. | Desktop and app virtualization on session hosts you run in Azure (or on Azure Local). Windows 11/10 Enterprise multi-session is exclusive to it. Supports RemoteApp. Per-user Cloud PCs licensed per user per month and managed with Microsoft Intune. Microsoft runs the infrastructure. |
| Pricing model | Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. | Azure Virtual Desktop is billed for the session-host VMs, storage, and networking, plus per-user access rights (often included in Microsoft 365 or Windows E3/E5 licenses). Windows 365 is a fixed per-user per-month license by Cloud PC size. |
| Docs | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) docs | Azure Virtual Desktop docs Windows 365 (Cloud PC) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) pricing | Azure Virtual Desktop pricing Windows 365 (Cloud PC) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 | AZ-104 |
Key differences
- Multi-session. Windows 11/10 Enterprise multi-session (many users per VM) is exclusive to Azure Virtual Desktop, which can lower costs for pooled desktops. WorkSpaces Pools uses per-user sessions on ephemeral infrastructure.
- Lifecycle. WorkSpaces Pools and the PCoIP protocol reach end of support on June 30, 2027, so new WorkSpaces deployments should use Personal on DCV. Azure Virtual Desktop (classic) retired Sep 30, 2026, so use ARM host pools.
- Operating systems. WorkSpaces offers Windows, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, and RHEL desktops. Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 are Windows-focused.
- Management. Windows 365 is managed through Intune like a physical PC. Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts are Azure VMs (or Azure Local) that you size, patch, and scale. WorkSpaces is managed in the WorkSpaces console with directory integration.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) pricing →
- Azure
- Azure Virtual Desktop is billed for the session-host VMs, storage, and networking, plus per-user access rights (often included in Microsoft 365 or Windows E3/E5 licenses). Windows 365 is a fixed per-user per-month license by Cloud PC size. Azure Virtual Desktop pricing → Windows 365 (Cloud PC) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
Verification notes
- Azure Virtual Desktop has its own specialty exam (AZ-140), which isn't tracked on this site.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools)?
Amazon WorkSpaces maps to Azure Virtual Desktop (you run the session hosts) and Windows 365 (fully managed per-user Cloud PCs). WorkSpaces Personal is closest to Windows 365, and WorkSpaces Pools is closest to pooled Azure Virtual Desktop.
How does pricing compare between Amazon WorkSpaces (Personal & Pools) and Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 (Cloud PC)?
AWS: Per WorkSpace, monthly or hourly by bundle, with optional license-included Windows or Microsoft 365 apps. Azure: Azure Virtual Desktop is billed for the session-host VMs, storage, and networking, plus per-user access rights (often included in Microsoft 365 or Windows E3/E5 licenses). Windows 365 is a fixed per-user per-month license by Cloud PC size. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).