How to Choose the Best Coworking Space Management Tool

It's important to choose the right tool to manage your coworking space. Your choice has a big impact on daily operations and the overall member experience.

Key Factors to Consider in Coworking Space Tools

When evaluating coworking space management tools, several factors should guide your decision-making process:

• Ease of use: The tool should be easy for managers to navigate and offer a great experience for members, who will use it to book meeting rooms, manage their memberships, or even engage with the community. A good coworking space management tool reduces complexity and allows users to handle their needs efficiently without requiring extensive training or technical knowledge.
• Integration Capabilities: The best tool for managing a coworking space should easily connect with the software systems required to run a coworking space. These systems could include access control, payment processing, printer management, and calendar applications. Connecting these systems allows for more automation, reducing errors and duplicates.
• Responsive Customer Support: Your coworking space management tool provider should offer a responsive and attentive support team to address any issues you encounter quickly. You have access to an experienced customer service team and resources such as tutorials, forums, and documentation to help you make the most of the tool.
• Legal Compliance: The coworking space management tool must comply with local and international laws and rules. It should also include features to protect data privacy, meet financial reporting requirements, and follow accessibility guidelines. These features keep your coworking space safe from legal issues and protect members' data.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Look for tools prioritizing customer feedback and continuously evolving based on user suggestions.

Recommendations for Coworking Management Tools

Each coworking space management tool comes with its own set of functionalities and pricing models, so it's vital to understand your business's specific requirements.

Do you need a tool that offers detailed analytics on space usage and member behavior? Or are you looking for something that simplifies booking and billing processes? You may require a highly customizable platform that can adapt to your unique operational style. Whatever your needs, there's likely a tool out there that fits the bill.

To make the most informed decision, it's recommended to prioritize tools that offer strong customer support and regular updates. As the coworking industry evolves, so should the tools supporting its operation. Choosing a tool that stays up-to-date with the latest technology and industry practices is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and providing the best possible experience for your members.

Cobot

Our list starts with Cobot, which was created by former coworking space owners and is known for its ease of use and excellent customer support.

Cobot is a great option for coworking operators who want to worry less about their day-to-day operations. Setting up services and landing pages is quick and easy, making it easy to start. The mobile-first, responsive web app ensures that the platform is accessible on any device, providing the best user experience overall.

With Cobot, administrators can easily monitor usage statistics, manage bookings, and customize membership tiers. A recent review from a long-time user, Christopher Floyd, founder of Indie Workshop, notes,

"It's a wonderful service. It quietly runs without needing my attention - a crucial advantage for running a business."

Cobot offers a range of features for coworking spaces, including a white-label member portal that allows customization without coding. It also provides automated invoicing, membership management, a reporting and analytics dashboard, and integrations with tools like Google Calendar, Mailchimp, and other software important for managing a coworking space. With external bookings and event tickets, you can earn extra revenue by selling to non-members. Cobot’s Unique Advantages

• Quick Setup: You can set up your services and landing page in minutes, allowing you to start using Cobot's features without delay.
• Mobile-First Responsive Web App: This ensures that you always have the best version of Cobot on every device, providing flexibility and convenience for both managers and members.
• Reliability: As a self-funded company that has been serving coworking spaces for decades, Cobot offers reliability and stability, ensuring that they will be around to support your needs in the long term.
• Compliance and Data Privacy: As a European company, Cobot prioritizes compliance and data privacy, ensuring that it adheres to regulations like GDPR and provides a secure environment for your members' data.
• Revenue Opportunities: Generate more revenue by using Cobot’s additional built-in features, such as external booking, a tool to help optimize your space’s capacity by allowing non-members (visitors) to book your Resources on public pages, drop-in passes, and event tickets.

"One thing that is really interesting with Cobot is that members can do almost everything independently. For me, running the space, we have so many things to do. We do invoicing, billing, marketing, sales, social media, running the space, and then we have strategic tasks. Whatever we can hand over to the members that they can take care of themselves, like booking rooms or day passes, that’s very helpful for us."

Irene Baumann- zentroom

Cons: Lacks some advanced features that larger flex spaces might need.

To avoid unnecessary complexity and unsatisfying solutions, Cobot focused on the key areas of coworking management, memberships, bookings, and on-demand services. Therefore, compared to other software, it may have fewer features.

Nexudus:

Nexudus, an established vendor, it is designed for coworking spaces that require extensive management features. The platform's versatile features are designed to handle the complex needs of larger coworking spaces. Nexudus is known for its wide range of features that cover almost every aspect of managing a coworking space, including visitor management, digital signage, detailed analytics, and member communication.

While Nexudus delivers many benefits, it is also recognized for its complexity and cost. New users might initially find the platform's extensive features overwhelming, underscoring the importance of a well-planned onboarding process. You may need to pay extra to get someone to help with the onboarding and setting up.

Cons:

• Nexudus requires a lot of professional assistance to use its full potential.
• Some components are outdated, which can impact user experience
• Expensive for small and medium spaces

It may be overwhelming for space owners who want to get started quickly.

OfficeRnD:

OfficeRnD is a well-funded startup known for its powerful capabilities and range of features, especially for flex offices.

OfficeRnD is known for its modern design and wide range of flex space features like contract management and collaborative scheduling. These make managing spaces for larger teams and offices easier. Also integrations play a significant role in OfficeRnD's offering. It can connect with tools such as CRM systems, email marketing software, and payment gateways to simplify the management process.

However, OfficeRnD’s complex pricing and feature set can be a challenge for smaller coworking spaces that serve individuals and smaller teams. The pricing includes robust features and premium design qualities but requires a significant investment. This cost may be too high for smaller operations, making it less accessible for those just starting out or operating on a tighter budget.

Cons:

• Potential learning curve for new users
• Features more focused on flex office and hybrid teams

Spacebring

Spacebring is a relatively new player in the market, offering diverse features designed to enhance member interaction and streamline daily operations. These features include real-time communication tools and event management capabilities. It is particularly beneficial for coworking spaces that emphasize community and seamless collaboration.

However, Spacebring has some limitations:

• Some features are very surface-level and do not offer the refined solutions that more mature products provide.
• Many integrations offer basic functionality, lacking advanced customizations for larger setups.
• High costs for premium features, which may not fit smaller budgets.

To make the most informed decision possible, it's recommended to prioritize tools that offer strong customer support and regular updates. As the coworking industry evolves, so should the tools supporting its operation. Choosing a tool that stays up-to-date with the latest technology trends and industry standards is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and providing the best possible experience for your members. Ideally, vendors offer you a free and open trial period with enough time to evaluate their offerings.

How to Decide on the Best Coworking Space Management Tool for Your Space

When deciding on the best coworking space management tool for your space, it's crucial to weigh the pros and cons of each option against your specific needs and priorities. The services you offer and your space’s size can be good factors for limiting the initial selection of coworking management tools.

Consider trying out the closer selection for a while to see how each tool fits into your operations. A free trial will give you practical insights into how effective and user-friendly the software is, making sure it works well with your current system and meets your team's and your members' expectations.

If you are at the beginning of opening coworking spaces, I recommend you read the coworking checklist and then set up a demo with our team for further help.