The Citrix vs alternatives TCO model guide is the method we use to answer the question every cost pressured enterprise eventually asks: is it actually cheaper to leave. Since the 2022 Cloud Software Group acquisition and renewal increases widely reported between 50% and 200%, buyers reach for alternatives like Omnissa Horizon, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Windows 365, but most compare list prices and reach a conclusion the numbers do not support. This paper replaces that with a like for like total cost of ownership model, and the landing page below carries enough of it to be useful before you request the full asset.

Weighing a Citrix alternative on cost? A list price comparison will mislead you. Contact us for a free, confidential TCO review of your options.

What the model compares

The model does not assume the alternative is cheaper or that Citrix is. It builds a full cost picture for each option over a multi year horizon and lets the numbers decide. The comparison only means something when both sides count the same things: licenses, infrastructure, the one time migration project, and the ongoing cost to run and support each platform. As of 2026, the honest result for most estates is a partial move, because the cheapest option differs by workload.

The cheapest license is not the cheapest platform. Migration and run cost decide the real comparison.

Table of contents

The full white paper builds the model end to end. The sections are:

Key takeaways

Three conclusions recur across engagements. First, list price comparisons are misleading because licenses are a minority of total cost, and the layers that decide the answer are infrastructure and run cost. Second, migration is a real and front loaded expense that has to sit inside the model, not beside it, which is why a full exit rarely pays off as cleanly as a price comparison suggests. Third, a credible TCO model is valuable even if you never migrate, because it is the evidence that gives a renewal negotiation its leverage. These patterns appear in our case studies, including a manufacturer that completed a partial Citrix exit saving 44 percent.

How this connects to the rest of the site

The TCO model is the research. The working guidance sits in our pillar on Citrix alternatives and exit, and the method is applied to your estate through our Citrix exit advisory service. The decision framework that sits above the model is covered in our white paper on the Citrix exit decision framework.

Independence statement. We hold no reseller or vendor affiliations and accept no margin, rebate, or incentive from Citrix, Cloud Software Group, any alternative vendor, or any reseller. We are paid only by the buyer, so the model has no reason to favour staying or leaving.

Get the white paper

The full Citrix vs alternatives TCO model guide, including the model template and worked examples, is available for download in exchange for a corporate email. Request it below, then book a free assessment to apply the model to your own estate.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Citrix vs alternatives TCO model guide?

It is a method for building a like for like total cost of ownership comparison between staying on Citrix and moving to an alternative such as Omnissa Horizon, Azure Virtual Desktop, or Windows 365. It counts license, infrastructure, migration, and run cost over a multi year horizon rather than comparing list prices.

Why is a TCO model better than comparing license prices?

License price is a fraction of the real cost. A TCO model captures infrastructure, operational effort, migration project cost, and the ongoing run cost of each option, which is where alternatives often look cheaper on paper but cost more in practice, or the reverse. Only the full model supports a sound decision.

Do most enterprises save by leaving Citrix?

Not always, and rarely in full. As of 2026 a partial move is the most common outcome, because some workloads genuinely need the platform while others are served cheaply by an alternative. A proper TCO model finds that split rather than assuming a single answer either way.

Is the TCO model useful if we intend to stay on Citrix?

Yes. A credible, costed alternative is one of the strongest sources of renewal leverage. Even buyers who never migrate use the TCO model to show the vendor a real option, which changes how the renewal is priced.