A Citrix alternative
for a few Windows apps.
Citrix is a broad platform for large, varied estates. If what you really need is to put a handful of Windows applications in front of people without a client, you may be carrying more platform than the job asks for. This page is for the team that is weighing a smaller, browser-first option and wants to know what moving involves.
What a replacement has to do
- Open an application from a link in a browser tab, with nothing installed on the user's device.
- Give each person their own session, and end their access promptly when they leave.
- Control the clipboard and file transfer, and show who did what.
- Let outside people such as contractors reach one app, not a network.
- Run on Windows hosts you control, so the application and its data stay where you put them.
Moving one app at a time
- 01
Pick the application that causes the most trouble
A pilot on a single application tells you more than a feature list. Choose the one people complain about, or the one a contractor needs.
- 02
Put it on a Windows host
Enroll a Windows host that can run the application, then register the application on it. Most existing software is captured as a generic app, with no change to the software.
- 03
Connect your sign-in
Single sign-on over OIDC or SAML is available, depending on your plan, so people use the identity they already have.
- 04
Set the data rules before anyone relies on it
Decide clipboard, file transfer and watermark for that app, and whether sessions are recorded. Policy applies to new sessions.
- 05
Run both for a while
Keep the old route open while a small group uses the new link. Move the rest when you are comfortable, and retire the old route for that application.
The step-by-step setup is in the quick start.
Stay on Citrix if
- You already run it, have people and processes built around it, and it is working.
- You rely on its breadth: many client types, large estates and long-standing enterprise integrations.
- Your needs go beyond streaming apps to a browser.
Know the limits
- Single-application streaming suits classic Windows interfaces. Apps that draw with the GPU, such as Chromium and Electron apps, WPF and UWP, can render poorly in that mode, so stream them as a full desktop instead.
- Windows and your own software still need licences with Onscryn. We work through it with you.
- Onscryn is narrower than Citrix by design. Check that what you rely on is on the list before you commit.
Want the side-by-side? Read the full comparison.
Sources, reviewed November 2026
We make Onscryn. Vendors change products and terms, so check their documentation before you decide. Spot something out of date? Tell us at [email protected].
Questions.
For delivering a few Windows applications through a browser, often yes. For a broad estate with many client types and deep integrations, Citrix may remain the better fit. Pilot on one application to find out.