VPN vs AWS WorkSpaces vs AVD: Which is Right for Your Remote Team?

The Three Options

For organisations with 20–250 people, there are three main approaches to remote access:

• Traditional VPN – Everyone connects through a VPN gateway to access on-premises or cloud resources
• AWS WorkSpaces – Fully managed virtual desktops running in AWS
• Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) – Microsoft's cloud-hosted desktop solution, tightly integrated with Microsoft 365

When VPN Still Makes Sense

VPN isn't dead. It's still the right choice if:

• You have minimal remote workers (fewer than 10% of staff)
• Your infrastructure is primarily on-premises with no cloud migration plans
• Users only need occasional access to file shares or simple line-of-business apps
• Your budget is extremely constrained and you already have VPN infrastructure

But if you're hybrid-heavy, have distributed teams, or run resource-intensive workloads (development, CAD, video editing), VPN becomes a bottleneck quickly.

AWS WorkSpaces: When It Works Best

AWS WorkSpaces are a good fit for organisations that:

• Already use AWS for hosting, storage or other services
• Need high-performance remote desktops for developers, designers or engineers
• Want predictable per-user pricing without complex licensing
• Have teams across multiple regions who need consistent low-latency access

Real-World Example

We helped a 200-person software company migrate from VPN to AWS WorkSpaces for their development team. Connection issues dropped by around 80%, and developers reported significantly better performance for builds and testing. Read the full remote development modernisation case study.

Cost Considerations

Expect roughly £25–£45 per user per month for standard WorkSpaces (varies by region and bundle). For 50 users, that's £1,250–£2,250/month before management costs.

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD): The M365 Native Option

If you're already invested in Microsoft 365, AVD might be the natural choice:

• Native M365 integration – Licensing, identity and security all within the Microsoft ecosystem
• Windows 11 multi-session – More cost-effective than one desktop per user
• Conditional Access and Intune integration – Leverage existing security policies
• Flexible sizing – Scale compute up or down based on workload

When to Choose AVD Over WorkSpaces

AVD tends to be the better choice if:

• You're primarily Microsoft 365 and Azure (not AWS-heavy)
• You want tighter integration with Intune and Conditional Access policies
• You need Windows-specific applications and don't need Linux desktops
• You prefer Azure billing and management over AWS

What About Hybrid Models?

Some organisations run both: AVD for office workers who need Microsoft apps, and AWS WorkSpaces for developers or design teams who need specific tooling. This adds complexity but can be the right answer if different user groups have genuinely different needs.

Just make sure you've got clear reasoning – don't default to "both" because you couldn't decide. Each platform has ongoing management overhead.

Decision Framework

Here's a simple framework for 20–250 person UK organisations:

Getting Started

Whichever route you choose, start with a pilot:

1. Identify 5–10 pilot users with varied workloads
2. Run a 4-week trial with proper baseline metrics (connection quality, app performance, user satisfaction)
3. Document costs including licensing, compute and management overhead
4. Get feedback from actual users, not just IT

If you'd like help scoping a pilot or running a Cloud & Workspace Health Check to evaluate your options, we're happy to talk through your specific situation.