Amazon DCV

Free plan APILinuxMacSelf-hostedWebWindows

What Amazon DCV is

Amazon DCV delivers remote desktops and streamed applications from cloud environments or data centers. Its server compresses application visuals and sends them to client devices as an encrypted pixel stream. H.264 encoding and adaptive compression help adjust the stream to bandwidth and latency; lossless-quality compression is supported when conditions allow. A session can span up to four monitors, and native Windows and macOS clients support high pixel density displays. Dynamic sessions let multiple clients connect and disconnect while a session is running. Linux servers can run multiple virtual sessions and share physical GPUs between them.

Clients are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and modern web browsers. The browser client does not work on mobile operating systems, and no mobile apps are available. Depending on server platform, users can access audio, printing, clipboard, file transfer, touch and stylus input, gamepads, WebAuthn, smart cards, and USB remotization. Session Manager supports programmatic session creation and lifecycle management across server fleets; a Web Client SDK and Session Manager APIs are available for developers. DCV is free on Amazon EC2, while production use outside EC2 requires licenses managed through a license server.

Who it suits

Amazon DCV suits teams delivering graphics-intensive desktops or applications from clouds and data centers, including high-performance computing visualization work in oil and gas, life sciences, and design and engineering. It may also suit teams that need multi-client sessions, Linux virtual sessions, or developer tools for customized browser clients and session management.

What it does well

Encrypted pixel-stream delivery for remote desktops and applications
Adaptive compression responds to bandwidth and latency
Sessions can span up to four monitors
Dynamic sessions allow clients to join or leave
Session Manager APIs support fleet-wide lifecycle management

What to know first

No mobile apps; browser client is unsupported on mobile operating systems
Production use outside EC2 requires a license server
Production license pricing is available only on request

Limits

On EC2, DCV has no additional charge, but standard EC2 and other feature charges still apply. Outside EC2, the automatic evaluation license lasts 30 days; production licenses are required and limit concurrent sessions to the number licensed.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Amazon EC2	No additional charge for Amazon DCV on EC2 · pay standard rates for EC2 instances and other features	Free
Automatic evaluation license	For servers outside EC2 · valid for 30 days after installation	Free
Production license	Required outside EC2 · one license per concurrent session · perpetual and subscription licenses available · purchase through a distributor or reseller	On request

As aws.amazon.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the Amazon DCV website
Choose whether to run the server on Amazon EC2 or outside EC2
For outside-EC2 servers, use the automatic evaluation license, valid for 30 days after installation
For production use outside EC2, obtain a production license through a distributor or reseller
Connect using a Windows, Linux, macOS, or modern browser client

Verdict

Choose Amazon DCV when you need to stream remote desktops or applications from cloud or data-center servers, especially for visualization workloads or multi-client sessions. Look elsewhere if mobile apps are essential, or if you need a published production-license price before proceeding.

Questions

Is Amazon DCV free?

DCV has no additional charge on Amazon EC2, though standard EC2 and other feature charges apply. Outside EC2, an automatic evaluation license is free for 30 days after installation; production licenses are required afterward.

How is production licensing handled outside EC2?

Production licenses are floating licenses managed by a license server, with one license required per concurrent session. Perpetual and subscription licenses are available through a distributor or reseller.

Which clients can connect to Amazon DCV?

Clients are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and modern web browsers. The browser client is not supported on mobile operating systems, and there are no mobile apps.

Can a session use multiple displays or support collaboration?

Sessions can span up to four monitors. Dynamic sessions let multiple clients connect and disconnect during a session.

What integrations use the DCV streaming protocol?

The protocol is used by Amazon WorkSpaces Applications, AWS Nimble Studio, and AWS RoboMaker.

Facts from Amazon DCV's own pages

Authorization: Permissions files let administrators grant or deny specific users or groups access to DCV session features. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Clients: Clients are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and modern web browsers; the browser client is not supported on mobile operating systems. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Collaboration: Dynamic sessions support multiple collaborative clients connecting and disconnecting during a session. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Developer tools: AWS provides a Web Client SDK for building customized browser clients and Session Manager APIs for managing sessions. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Displays: Sessions can span up to four monitors, and native Windows and macOS clients support high pixel density monitors. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
File transfer: Yes · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Sept 2026
Integrations: The Amazon DCV streaming protocol is used by Amazon WorkSpaces Applications, AWS Nimble Studio, and AWS RoboMaker. · aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
License limit: Outside EC2, production licenses are floating licenses managed by a license server and limit the number of concurrent sessions. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Linux capabilities: Linux servers support multiple virtual sessions and sharing physical GPUs between virtual sessions. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Mobile apps: No · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Sept 2026
Peripherals: Features include audio, printing, clipboard, file transfer, touch and stylus input, gamepads, WebAuthn, smart cards, and USB remotization, with availability varying by server platform. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Purpose: Amazon DCV is a high-performance remote display protocol for securely delivering remote desktops and application streaming from clouds or data centers. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Server platforms: The server software is available for Windows, Linux, and Amazon EC2 Mac instances, while macOS server support is limited to EC2 Apple silicon instances. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Session management: DCV Session Manager provides programmatic creation and lifecycle management for sessions across a fleet of servers. · aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Streaming: The server compresses application visuals and streams them to clients as an encrypted pixel stream. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Supported platforms: Windows,Linux,macOS,web browser · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Sept 2026
Use cases: AWS describes DCV as serving high-performance computing visualization workloads, including oil and gas, life sciences, and design and engineering. · aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026
Video and bandwidth: It supports H.264 encoding, lossless-quality compression when conditions allow, and adaptive compression based on bandwidth and latency. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 12 Oct 2026

Where Amazon DCV stands on Freedom251

Remote desktop software#17 of 135