Onscryn vs Amazon
WorkSpaces Applications.
Amazon WorkSpaces Applications, formerly AppStream 2.0, is AWS's managed service for streaming desktop applications. Onscryn streams Windows apps from hosts you control. One is a managed AWS service billed by usage; the other is a platform you point at your own hosts.
| Onscryn | Amazon WorkSpaces Applications | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Windows apps streamed to a browser, with controls and automation | A fully managed application streaming service on AWS |
| Where apps run | Windows hosts you enroll, anywhere | AWS compute resources, managed by AWS |
| How users connect | A link in any modern browser | The WorkSpaces Applications client, or an HTML5-capable browser, for Windows users per AWS |
| Pricing model | Plan-based. Talk to us for your case | Pay-as-you-go per AWS. Fleet types (Always-On, On-Demand, Elastic) change how you pay |
| What you manage | Hosts and apps. We run the platform | Images, fleets and stacks on AWS |
| AI and automation | UI-tree workflows and a Copilot (preview) built in | AWS provides tools for AI agents to interact with cataloged applications, authenticated with IAM and logged in CloudTrail |
| Data controls | Clipboard and file policy at the broker, watermark, recording | Check AWS documentation for specifics |
Choose WorkSpaces Applications if
- You are already all-in on AWS and want streaming managed there, billed with the rest of your AWS usage.
- You like usage-based billing, and your usage is bursty.
- You want AWS identity, logging and monitoring tools around it.
Choose Onscryn if
- Your Windows apps need to run in your own network or on hosts you already have.
- You want a branded link, SSO and roles that are not tied to an AWS account.
- You want data controls, recording and automation designed together.
- You would rather not rebuild your apps as AWS images.
Cost shape
AWS says WorkSpaces Applications has pay-as-you-go pricing with no upfront investment, and its fleet types decide when instances run and how you pay. That can be a good match for variable use. It can also surprise you if instances run when nobody is using them, which is why the always-on and on-demand choices matter. Use AWS's pricing page for current numbers, since they change.
Hosts you control
If an application must run next to a database in your own data centre, or on a machine you already own, a service that runs only on AWS compute may not fit. Onscryn's hosts can sit wherever the application needs to be.
Sources, reviewed October 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.
AWS now calls it Amazon WorkSpaces Applications. The documentation uses the new name.
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