The short answer to what is Citrix DaaS: Citrix DaaS, short for Desktop as a Service, is the cloud managed version of Citrix virtual apps and desktops, where the management control plane runs in Citrix Cloud while your actual desktops and applications run in your own data center or a public cloud. It delivers the same virtual workspaces as the traditional product, but with the brokering, provisioning, and management layer hosted and maintained by Citrix. As of 2026 it is the subscription model the vendor steers most new and renewing customers toward.
What the term means
In a DaaS model, Citrix operates the control plane as a cloud service. That control plane handles session brokering, provisioning, monitoring, and management, and Citrix keeps it current so you do not run and upgrade that infrastructure yourself. The workloads themselves, the desktops and published applications users actually connect to, run on compute you provide, either on premises or in a public cloud such as Azure or Google Cloud. This split is the defining feature of DaaS: a managed cloud brain directing workloads that live wherever you choose to host them.
Citrix DaaS moves the management plane to the cloud, but the workloads, and their infrastructure bill, stay with you.
Where it appears in your agreement
Citrix DaaS is sold as a subscription, and since perpetual licensing ended in October 2022 it is subscription only. It is typically counted per user or per concurrent session depending on the edition, and it often sits inside broader packaging such as the Citrix Platform license or Universal Hybrid Multi Cloud licensing. Exactly which entitlements, hybrid rights, and consumption terms are included depends entirely on the order wording, so the only reliable way to know what you are buying is to read the current subscription documentation rather than assume a standard bundle.
How it is used for or against you
For the buyer, DaaS removes the burden of running the management infrastructure and adds deployment flexibility across clouds. Against the buyer, the risk is cost that hides outside the license line. The DaaS subscription covers the control plane and entitlement, but you still pay for the compute and storage the workloads consume, which on a public cloud can rival or exceed the license itself. Some packaging also carries consumption based charges that scale with use, and editions can bundle entitlements you do not need. Under Cloud Software Group, with renewal increases widely reported between 50% and 200%, the discipline is to model the full picture: the license, the consumption profile, and the infrastructure run cost together. The per user headline is never the total.
Related terms and guidance
Citrix DaaS is closely related to hybrid rights, which let you run across on premises and cloud, and to Universal Hybrid Multi Cloud licensing, the broader package it often sits within. For how the counting models work, see our guide to Citrix license types compared, and for the wider context see the DaaS and cloud pillar. Return to the full Citrix licensing glossary for more definitions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Citrix DaaS?
Citrix DaaS, or Desktop as a Service, is the cloud managed version of Citrix virtual apps and desktops. The control plane runs in Citrix Cloud while the workloads run in your own data center or a public cloud. As of 2026 it is the subscription model Citrix steers most new and renewing customers toward.
How is Citrix DaaS licensed?
Citrix DaaS is licensed by subscription, typically per user or per concurrent session depending on the package. Since perpetual licensing ended in October 2022, DaaS is subscription only. The exact counting model and what is bundled vary by edition, so the order wording matters.
Does Citrix DaaS include the cost of running the desktops?
Not fully. The DaaS subscription covers the Citrix control plane and entitlement, but you still pay for the infrastructure the workloads run on, whether that is your own data center or public cloud compute and storage. Buyers should model that infrastructure cost separately from the license.
What should buyers watch for with Citrix DaaS pricing?
Watch for consumption based charges that scale with use, packaging that bundles entitlements you do not need, and the separate infrastructure run cost. As of 2026 the total cost of DaaS depends on the license, the consumption profile, and the cloud bill together, so the headline per user price is only part of the picture.