Rigs vs Azure Virtual Desktop
AVD is the deepest way to deliver Windows desktops to a Microsoft-centric workforce — multi-session Windows 11, Entra ID, Intune. Rigs trades that Windows depth for breadth and programmability: three OSes, one API, agent-ready from day one.
Dimension by dimension.
Checks mark the stronger side; dashes mark a genuine tie.
| Dimension | Rigs | Azure Virtual Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| OS coverage | macOS, Windows, and Linux desktops from the same provision call | Windows 10/11 including exclusive multi-session; no macOS or Linux desktops |
| Agent control surfaces | MCP tools (rigs_list/create/action/term) gated by per-tool scopes | ARM templates and PowerShell target admins, not autonomous agents |
| Provisioning speed | Session-oriented: rigs queue in seconds, no host pools to warm | Host pools and session hosts require capacity planning and warm-up |
| Governance model | Keystone org/project scoping with capability-level OAuth scopes | Entra ID + Intune + Conditional Access — unmatched for corporate Windows fleets |
| Pricing model | Per-minute desktop pricing, one line item per session | Underlying VM, storage, and licensing costs assembled by you |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Not a focus — Rigs sessions are workload desktops, not office desktops | FSLogix profiles, Teams optimization, M365 licensing built in |
When to choose which.
Azure Virtual Desktop is a serious product. Here is where it genuinely beats us — and where Rigs is the obvious call.
Choose AVD when…
- Your entire estate is Microsoft: Entra ID, Intune, M365 — and you need Windows multi-session economics.
- You deliver office productivity desktops to thousands of employees with profile roaming.
- Compliance requires Conditional Access policies evaluated on every session.
Choose Rigs when…
- You need governed desktops as an API primitive, not a VDI estate to operate.
- Agents drive the desktops: computer-use models need pixels, input, and lifecycle through tools.
- You need macOS or Linux in the same fleet as Windows.
If you decide to move.
A migration is a mapping exercise, not a rewrite. The three moves that matter:
- 01
Identify workload desktops (automation, testing, agent sessions) — those move to Rigs first; keep office desktops on AVD.
- 02
Swap host-pool capacity planning for on-demand provisioning; stateless variant replaces pooled session hosts.
- 03
Express access policy as Keystone scopes per org and project instead of Conditional Access rules per host pool.
Your fleet is one provision call away.
Open the console and spin a governed desktop in seconds — or talk to us about running your whole fleet on Rigs.
npx @l1fe/rigs-mcp — for the agents in the room