Coworking spaces have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional office spaces for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote teams. However, managing a coworking space can be complex, especially when it comes to scheduling and managing bookings. This is where coworking space scheduling software comes in.
What is coworking space scheduling software?
Coworking space scheduling software is a tool that allows coworking space to manage bookings and reservations, allocate resources, and manage the availability of rooms and other shared spaces. It is designed to make the process of booking and managing coworking space as easy and efficient as possible.
One of the key features of coworking space scheduling software is the ability to display room availability in real-time. Guests can easily check the availability of a particular room or space before making a reservation. This feature is especially useful for coworking spaces that are open to the public, as it allows guests to plan their visit in advance.
Another important feature is the ability to let guests schedule rooms on their own. This eliminates the need for intermediaries, such as receptionists or managers, to handle bookings. Guests can simply go online and make a reservation, which can then be confirmed or declined by the coworking space staff.
Coworking space scheduling software also allows coworking space staff to allocate resources efficiently. This includes assigning specific rooms or spaces to different guests, as well as managing the availability of resources such as projectors, whiteboards, and other equipment. Whether your coworking space offers meeting rooms, conference rooms or private offices, a scheduling tool helps to maximize the usage of all resources available.
In addition, some coworking space scheduling software also provide an option to bill and charge the guests for the usage of the space, this could be on hourly, daily or monthly basis. This can help coworking space operator to keep a track of the revenue and occupancy rate.
What makes a great coworking space booking software?
When it comes to selecting the right coworking space scheduling software, there are several important factors to consider.
1. Ease of Use
The first and perhaps most crucial is ease of use. It's no use investing in a complex and confusing software that no one can figure out how to use. This could actually exacerbate your scheduling problems rather than solving them. Do your research and find a booking tool that fits your needs, and is intuitive to use not only for yourself but also for your employees and customers.
It’s also worth considering that not all scheduling apps are created equal. Some might be better suited for a room scheduling tool, while others might be geared towards team meetings or project time tracking. While you might be able to customize the booking tool, it can save you a lot of trouble if you find the software that works best for what you need.
2. Consider the Cost
Another important consideration is cost. Many scheduling software offer a free or low-cost version, which may be suitable for small teams or one-person businesses. However, larger teams or businesses that rely heavily on appointments or bookings will require a version of the software that can accommodate a higher activity level and more time slots. Be sure to take into account any additional costs as your business expands.
3. Technical Ability
Technical ability is also a key factor to consider. While free software may seem appealing, it's important to ensure that it integrates well with your existing apps and tools. For example, if you have an event space, you may want to add attendees to your email list for future events. A higher-level scheduler would be able to integrate with your CRM program and automate this process, making it more efficient and streamlined for both you and your customers.
4. Quick Booking Link
Finally, a quick booking link can be a valuable tool for increasing bookings and sales. Look for a scheduler that allows you to add a scheduling button to your social media pages, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. This can make it more convenient for customers to book appointments and may result in more business for you.
Best scheduling software for coworking spaces
CozyCal: best for simple coworking space booking
CozyCal (disclaimer: this is our tool) is a resource booking tool perfect for small to medium businesses.
Compared to more advanced coworking space booking software that offers an array of complex space mapping and resource allocation features, CozyCal provides a more streamlined and focused approach to space booking. It prioritizes simplicity and ease of use, rather than overwhelming users with a multitude of features that may not be necessary for their specific needs.
CozyCal integrates with external calendars to update real-time availability , accepts payments through Stripe, and sends reminders to keep everyone on track. With a clean and intuitive interface, clients can schedule coworking space rooms, shared event spaces or equipment rentals effortlessly.
With its straightforward approach, CozyCal helps you create a professional and efficient booking process that focuses on the most essential components of scheduling.
Relevant Features
- combines multiple resources’ availability on a customized booking page
- add availability, set booking rule, filter and view resource bookings all from a single account
- supports scheduling for both in-person and virtual events such as webinars, workshops and seminars
- resources can be auto-assigned to booking clients in a round-robin style
- embed a resource booking widget for seamless scheduling on your website and social media platforms
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- intuitive and clean UX/UI design making it easy to learn and navigate for non-tech savvy users
- users can manually approve or decline room or equipment booking requests
- package booking provides bulk booking options that boost revenue and foster royalty among customers
- transparent feature roadmap that accepts feedback and feature requests from users to improve the product
Cons:
- no analytics capability to track resource booking data
- no space maps to show room allocation and usage
Pricing
CozyCal’s Pro plan is priced at $20 per resource/month for monthly billing, or $15 per resource/month when billed yearly.
The Plaid plan that has white label features is priced at $25 per resource/month for monthly billing, or $30 per resource/month when billed yearly.
Skedda: best for versatile space booking
Skedda takes away the hassle of manual booking for co-working spaces. It’s a room and event space management tool for organizations of all sizes. It offers a streamlined user interface and several behind-the-scenes tools for space owners to control and manage usage.
Relevant Features
- space maps showing analytics to drive efficient room usage and future planning
- manage spaces, rooms, desks, and equipment by creating detailed listings, setting availability, and allocating resources
- manage user access and permissions, allowing administrators to control who can book and manage shared spaces
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- offers customizable branding options, allowing users to personalize the booking process with their own logos, images, and colors
- advanced reporting and analytics
- integrations with a range of third-party tools, such as payment gateways, calendar apps, and more
Cons:
- slightly higher pricing compared to some competitors
- limited direct integrations with other tools
Pricing
Skedda’s Core plan is free (online payments and integrations are paid add-ons). Their Pro plan starts at $50/month with additional charges for more than 5 bookable spaces.
OfficeRnD: best for hybrid co-working space
Key Takeaway: Office RnD has two products: one for coworking spaces with workers who don’t necessarily work for the same company, and one for single companies with hybrid employees. Both software products offer desk booking, space reservations, and data-driven efficiency.
Relevant Features
OfficeRnD Flex (for coworking spaces)
- app-based front-desk reception
- users can view and manage the availability of physical and virtual spaces
- detailed analytics and reporting capabilities to monitor utilization rates and track usage trends
Office RnD Hybrid (for companies)
- employees can choose what days they want to come in
- employees can collaborate through the app and book desks or conference rooms together.
- integrated with Microsoft Teams and Google Meet
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- a comprehensive platform supporting the management of both physical and virtual spaces, allowing organizations to optimize their use of resources
- allow users to access and manage shared spaces from any device
Cons:
- a steep learning curve for users who are new to hybrid space booking software
- more expensive than other space booking software solutions
- some users may require technical support to fully use the software
Pricing
The Hybrid plan starts at $200/month for hybrid office workers, and the Flex plan starts at $159/month for co-working spaces.
Cobot: best for scaling multi-location hubs
Cobot is a coworking space management software designed to help teams manage coworking spaces and memberships in multiple locations worldwide. Cobot supports space management, member portal, integrated invoicing and billing, built-in marketing, CRM, and reporting and analytics. With its customizable options and integration capabilities, Cobot can be adapted to meet the unique needs of each coworking space.
Relevant Features
- manage member information, billing, and payments in one central place
- manage and book shared spaces, including conference rooms, private offices, and hot desks
- automate billing and invoicing for members, with customizable plans and pricing options
- track the usage and utilization of your spaces, with detailed reporting and analytics capabilities
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- can market coworking spaces with built-in marketing and CRM tools, including email campaigns and lead management
- great for scaling coworking spaces in multiple locations as members can use time passes and check in all locations; multi-location discounts are available as the company scales
- provides an open API that supports custom developments
Cons:
- integration with other systems may be complex or time-consuming for some users
- learning curve can be steep for new and non tech-savvy users
Pricing
Cobot starts at $69/month with 15 members included.
Nexudus: best for white-label coworking space booking
Nexudus is a cloud-based platform that offers a range of solutions for coworking spaces, including space management, member management, billing, and marketing.
It has two main products. Coworking and Flex Workspaces offers a range of tools to automate workflows, streamline operations, and manage members.
The other solution is for hybrid workplaces which comes with an office management platform that integrates with popular tools such as Outlook and Zoom.
Relevant Features
- enables members to book meeting rooms, desks, and other resources through an online booking system
- manage member profiles through CRM
- automate invoicing, accounting and ledgers to automate payments and create accounts
- offers real-time data insights and reporting to help manage the coworking space
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- functional members portal and app supporting a fully white-label coworking space booking process
- engage with the community through selling event tickets, sending newsletters and Members’ Directory and Discussion Board
Cons:
- Some users have reported that they would like more customization options
Pricing
Nexudus offers a 21-day free trial. Nexudus Coworking starts at $150/month per location. Nexudus Flexible Workplaces starts at $175/month per location.
Robin: best for hybrid coworking space booking
Robin is a flexible workplace booking software that helps organizations manage their physical space more efficiently. The software provides a platform for booking meeting rooms, desks, and other workspaces.
Relevant Features
- users can view a real-time calendar of available rooms, book rooms for specific times, and receive email notifications of room bookings
- users can manage resources such as projectors, whiteboards, and other equipment
- provides real-time occupancy and utilization data, which helps organizations optimize their space utilization
Pros and Cons
Pros
- “Global Hybrid Trends Dashboard” shows usage data segmented by company size, sector and region, providing points of reference for space usage optimization
- algorithms recommend when employees come to the office and auto-suggest desks and spaces for coworkers
Cons
- pricing is not listed on their pricing page, you’ll need to contact them to find out
- some users may find the software lacking the level of customization they need to meet their specific requirements
Pricing
Starter plan is free and accommodates up to 25 users and one floor. Team plan’s pricing is not listed.
There are many great scheduling software options available for coworking spaces. Whether you're looking for a simple solution to manage your resources or a comprehensive platform to manage your entire operation, there's a scheduling software option that's right for you. By using a scheduling software solution, coworking spaces can streamline their operations, improve collaboration, and ensure that members have access to the resources they need, when they need them.
To see if CozyCal is right coworking space booking software for you, see what our satisfied customers have to say, or book a demo today.
