6 Best Temporary Office Space Providers
Sheena has over 20 years of combined experience in sales and marketing and earned her MBA in International Marketing. You can find her experience throughout Fit Small Business’s content about sales management, strategies, and tools.
This article is part of a larger series on Starting a Business.
Temporary office spaces typically have month-to-month leases and are great for startups, enterprise organizations, and freelancers wanting emergency locations, work from home alternatives, or a space to test new markets. We evaluated dozens of options and narrowed it down to the best six based on affordability, lease term flexibility, and number of locations.
Top 6 Temporary Office Space Providers for 2019
| Best Temporary Office Space Providers | Best For |
|---|---|
| (Best Overall) Companies that want the flexibility to expand into the most geographic markets | |
| Individuals looking for shared work spaces that provide opportunities to network and build relationships | |
| Organizations that want single desks to full offices with flexible lease terms and affordable prices | |
| Business owners that want temporary office space along with virtual office and community membership options | |
| Entrepreneurs that need temporary spaces and want to support independently owned spaces | |
| Tech startups that want access to tech hubs, education, and mentorship |
How We Evaluated Temporary Office Space Providers
Temporary office space providers offer professionals and businesses the ability to use office space for a limited time without committing to long-term leases, which is beneficial in situations like starting a new venture or emergencies when you need backup office space. When evaluating the best temporary office space providers, we looked at affordability, flexible lease terms, non-traditional payment options, and geographic footprint.
The criterion we used to identify the top six temporary office space providers is as follows:
- Affordability: We looked at temporary office space providers that offered affordable options suitable for small businesses, startups, and freelancers
- Flexible leasing options: Providers with flexible leasing and membership options that allowed for shorter lease terms, month-to-month contracts, and membership-based pricing models were considered
- Geographic footprint: While there are a number of local providers in major markets, we evaluated offerings with a national presence with offices that are centrally located
- Support: We looked at temporary office space providers and included ones that offered support to their customers or members
- Technology: Whether or not each provider offered technology like Wi-Fi access, telephony, and audio-visual equipment to support business activities was a consideration
- Decor & amenities: We evaluated the type of decor and amenities suitable for conducting business in a variety of office space settings
- Conference rooms & meeting space: Amenities like conference spaces or other meeting spaces was another consideration
- Community building: We considered temporary office space providers build a sense of community within their spaces, networks, and entrepreneurial and local communities
Based on these criteria, we’ve determined Regus to be the best overall temporary office space provider because it’s affordable, offers flexible leasing options, and has the largest network of locations. Its 3,000 buildings around the world makes it an ideal temporary office space provider because they are more likely to have an office where you need one and makes it great for businesses from solopreneurs and startups to large enterprises.
Best Overall Temporary Office Space Provider: Regus
Regus is the largest temporary office space provider, featuring more than 3,000 locations in more than 120 countries. Its vast network of temporary office spaces in major markets, affordable prices like its $93 per month membership, and flexible lease terms make it right for businesses of all sizes looking for a professional environment that’s affordable no matter where the company is located.
Regus Pricing
Pricing for Regus varies by market, lease type, and type of office space, but is very competitive compared to other coworking and temporary office space providers. Leasing options can range from month to month to traditional one-year agreements. There’s also a membership option where you can access all locations starting at $93 per month.
Regus Features
Regus offers essential and more sophisticated features that business owners need in a temporary office space provider. Key features include an extensive network of locations, guaranteed disaster recovery services, modern decor, helpful amenities, and excellent support staff. Compared to the other providers, Regus also offers the most locations, making it easy for businesses to expand almost anywhere in the world.
Geographic Locations
Regus offers the most locations of all the providers featured. With more than 3,000 locations in 120 countries, it’s great for businesses that want a temporary space provider that can help them establish a physical presence quickly and affordably wherever their market takes them. Businesses like real estate, law offices, or consulting firms could open satellite offices easily through Regus with access to this number of locations.
Temporary Office Space Options
In addition to traditional offices, Regus also offers other options like coworking spaces, meeting spaces, virtual offices, and business lounges. Coworking allows you to use a desk in a shared space, while meeting spaces allow you to use conference rooms, and virtual offices let you establish a presence in a particular location. Business lounges are for travelers, with spaces in airports, train stations, and city centers, and is also a unique Regus offering.
In addition, Regus offers two types of disaster recovery services: Dynamic and Reserve. Dynamic gives you 30 days of office space that you can choose from within its available network of locations in the event of a disaster. Reserve offers you the ability to reserve a specific location for disaster recovery, configure the space to your needs ahead of time, and set-up storage. You’re also able to use the space for other business needs outside of emergencies.
Community Building & Coworking Benefits
Regus lacks a robust community-building program like offered by other providers, but office space locations within the Regus network offer on-site support like a receptionist to greet guests. There is also tech support if you’re having issues with its technology, and phone answering if you want your phone calls to be answered and transferred to you. Support staff is also available for lite administrative tasks like handling mail.
Membership Options
In addition to coworking, traditional offices, and virtual office space, Regus offers a membership option that allows you to gain access to its network of offices for a monthly fee. You can choose from five days per month to unlimited days and work from any of its offices. This is great for field-based entrepreneurs who need access to offices in a wide geographical area to meet clients.
Decor & Amenities
Each Regus location has a look, feel, and personality of its own, but the spaces are modern and professional. It also features amenities like a kitchen with supplies to make coffee or tea. There are also restrooms available for your staff and guests. Locations also offer conference rooms for private meetings outside of your office or desk space.
What Regus Is Missing
Local Regus offices plan events to connect business owners. However, its programs aren’t as formal or as extensive as WeWork’s community-building initiatives. It also does not foster mentoring or offer formal technology education the way Galvanize does. If community building and access to mentoring and technology education are important, WeWork and Galvanize are better options.
What Users Think About Regus
Most people who have used Regus temporary office spaces have loved its offices and services. They love the extensive network of office spaces, the affordable prices, and the professional environment in its offices.
“I selected Regus because we needed a private office and having the Regus office space has helped us grow. We have a quiet collaborative space for working together. Also, going into the office has helped me to focus more during the day. It is tough staying on task when you are home day-in and day-out.”
― Rob Black, Founder & Managing Principal, Fractional CISO
“I selected Regus because we needed a private office and having the Regus office space has helped us grow. We have a quiet collaborative space for working together. Also, going into the office has helped me to focus more during the day. It is tough staying on task when you are home day-in and day-out.”
Regus work sharing.
Best Temporary Office Space Provider for Networking: WeWork
WeWork has a significant yet much smaller geographic footprint than Regus with more than 500 offices worldwide and $45 per month memberships. What makes it unique is the priority it places on building community and relationships through events and programming. It’s right for solopreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers looking for a sense of community and networking opportunities as well as an affordable temporary office space.
WeWork Pricing
Pricing for WeWork varies by market and the type of space you need. It’s affordable and competitively priced compared to other coworking and temporary office space providers with community memberships through WeMembership starting at $45 per month.
WeWork Features
WeWork offers features that business owners need in a temporary office space provider including prime locations, a significant geographic footprint, modern decor, helpful amenities, and friendly support staff. Compared to Regus, WeWork has more offices that are less formal, including pet-friendly offices and offices with more artistic decor. It’s similar to Novel, which has a smaller presence and also places an emphasis on community.
Geographic Locations
WeWork has more than 500 offices in nearly 100 cities and more than 30 countries. Although there are not as many locations as offered by Regus, this is best for businesses that want to break into new geographic markets while also being able to build connections and relationships with other entrepreneurs in those markets.
Temporary Office Space Options
In addition to private office spaces, WeWork offers coworking space with hot desks as well as dedicated desks. Private offices allow individuals, teams, and entire companies to have privacy in their own dedicated office space. Hot desk space allows individuals to pick a desk in a location chosen ahead of time. Dedicated desks allow you to use the same desk at the location you choose. These options are similar to options offered by other providers we compared.
Community Building & Coworking Benefits
Office space locations within the WeWork network offer on-site community managers who plan events, educational programming, and facilitate member connections based on mutually beneficial goals. Each provider covered offers support and aims to achieve satisfaction, but WeWork goes further to understand its members’ needs and facilitates meaningful connections to other members, information, and resources.
In addition, each year, WeWork hosts the Creator Awards, which is open to both WeWork members and nonmembers. This award is a contest that allows businesses of varying sizes to compete for $72,000 to $360,000 in funding. In addition to businesses, there are two other categories that fall under nonprofit organizations and performing arts where contestants can compete for $17,000 to $72,000.
Membership Options
Like the other providers, WeWork offers a variety of membership options that correspond with office space options. Through WeMembership, it also offers memberships that provide access and connection to its 400,000 members and give the right to book office space. WeMembership’s pricing starts at $45 per month and gives you access to community programming and events in addition to being able to book office space.
Decor & Amenities
Each WeWork location is unique but, like the other providers, the environments and spaces are trendy and professional. Because WeWork is more informal than Regus, you’ll find modern art on the walls of some locations. WeWork also features amenities like herbal tea, fruit-infused water, and craft beer. It also offers services like printing, mail services, and guest reception.
What WeWork Is Missing
WeWork is missing the massive geographic footprint that Regus has. Therefore, if your business plans to expand into areas where WeWork does not have a location, Regus may be a better option. Also, if you have a mobile workforce that needs office space even while they’re traveling, Regus may be right for you.
What Users Think About WeWork
Most people who have used WeWork love its temporary office spaces and appreciate its programming and efforts to build community. They love the significant and global network of office spaces, access to 400,000 members worldwide, and affordable pricing for startups, freelancers, and established businesses alike.
― Weiting Liu, CEO, Codementor
“WeWork has been great for customer and product development. Since our business’ target customers are startups, small and midsize businesses (SMBs), and freelancers, working from these types of spaces has put us closer to where our customers are at. It’s not only helpful in terms of sales and marketing like building relationships, referrals, and networking, but it has also given us the opportunities to talk to potential customers to help us continually refine our product.”
WeWork common meeting space.
Best Temporary Office Space Provider for Flexible Office Configurations: Novel
Novel is a small temporary office space provider with locations in 18 major United States markets. What makes it unique is that it owns its office spaces, giving it more control of pricing and customization of leased space. The provider is great for businesses that need aggressive monthly rents and space flexibility. Pricing varies by market and is up to 50% lower than other providers featured. It’s ideal for businesses that need space customization at affordable prices.
Novel Pricing
Novel’s pricing varies by market and the type of space you need. It’s the most affordable option, with prices up to 50% lower than other providers featured in this article. For example, in the Chicago Market, coworking shared desk options range from $129 per month to $169 per month, significantly less than other providers featured.
Novel Features
Novel offers features that business owners need in a temporary office space provider including prime locations in 18 U.S. markets, modern decor, helpful amenities, and friendly staff. Of all the providers Novel along with Galvanize Coworking Space are in the fewest markets, with Galvanize only being in eight. Novel places emphasis on community building, which is similar to WeWork and Galvanize.
Geographic Locations
Novel has nearly 30 offices in 18 major U.S. cities. This is great for businesses wanting to break into new geographic markets within the U.S. or for those who wish to remain local in a market where Novel has a presence. Both Novel and Galvanize have the smallest footprint, which allows them to focus on community engagement and meeting the needs of their markets.
Temporary Office Space Options
Novel offers coworking, dedicated desks, office space, and office suites. Office spaces can be private or shared, allowing individuals and teams to have more privacy than coworking. Coworking space allows individuals to pick a desk within a shared space. Dedicated desks allow you to use the same desk each time you use the coworking space. These options are similar to options offered by other providers covered in this article.
Because Novel owns its office spaces, it can be more flexible as far as space configuration goes. It can customize spaces for teams and companies or paint logos on office doors for company brand distinction. Owning its properties makes this possible and affordable.
Community Building & Coworking Benefits
Novel builds community and helps foster member relationships through events and lunch and learn series. It also hosts happy hours and professional networking events. This is similar to how WeWork promotes a sense of community within its office spaces.
Membership Options
Novel offers a coworking membership plan that costs between $129 and $169 per month. This membership gives individuals daily access to any available open common space within its national network of coworking locations. Individuals who sign up for the upgraded $169 membership also have access to five hours per month of conference room rental space.
Decor & Amenities
Each Novel location is modern and professional, and the decor is trendy. Novel is more informal than Regus and very similar to WeWork. Amenities you’ll find at Novel include local craft beer on tap, espresso machines, and healthy snacks.
What Novel Is Missing
Novel is missing the larger international geographic footprint that Regus, WeWork, ServCorp, and Alliance Business Center Network have. If your business plans to expand internationally or into national markets where these providers have a presence, one of them may be a better option. Also, if you have a mobile workforce that needs office space even while they’re traveling, Regus may be right for you with its business lounge membership.
What Users Think About Novel
Overall, most people who have used Novel like its temporary office spaces. They like the pricing and flexibility. There are a few criticisms about coffee and related supplies running out in the kitchen, but those types of complaints are common with shared spaces.
Novel common meeting space.
Best for Virtual Office Spaces & Community Memberships: ServCorp
ServCorp is a temporary office space provider with more than 160 locations in 54 global markets with virtual offices, which offer member benefits like a mailing address as well as physical work and meeting space. It’s great for businesses that need alternative office space for a short time but want a connection to the community long-term. Pricing varies by market but is slightly higher than industry average for private office space.
ServCorp Pricing
ServCorp’s pricing varies by market and the type of space you need. However, pricing is slightly more expensive in the private office space category compared to similar providers. For example, in the Chicago Market, ServCorp’s prices start at $1,000 per month.
ServCorp Features
ServCorp offers features like modern decor, amenities, and friendly support team. ServCorp is in more than 160 locations and has more than 40,000 members within its business community. Of all the providers featured, it’s the only one that offers both virtual memberships and community access memberships. It’s great for businesses only wanting access to temporary space for a limited time but want community access and a virtual address long-term.
Geographic Locations
ServCorp has more than 160 locations in the U.S. and internationally. This is great for businesses wanting to break into new geographic markets both within the U.S. and outside of the country. However, it’s not as extensive as Regus or WeWork’s network of locations.
Temporary Office Space Options
ServCorp offers coworking, office space, and virtual office space. Office spaces are private and allow individuals and teams a private space to collaborate. Coworking space allows individuals to pick a desk within a shared space or have a dedicated desk. Virtual office space lets you have an address and phone number in the local market you choose. These options are similar to options offered by other providers covered in this article.
Community Building & Client Benefits
ServCorp offers community memberships that allow you to plug into its network of 40,000 users. There are three different membership levels ranging from free to $50 per month for a premium membership. The premium plan allows you to create business and personal profiles so you can get found by other members in the directory. It also allows you to create and publish articles to establish yourself as an authority in your field.
Membership Options
ServCorp offers virtual office memberships that comes with a prestigious business address, mail management, call answering, and office or meeting space hours depending on your plan. Some plans also combine community membership options where you can tap into programs for the community. Pricing starts at $82 per month.
Decor & Amenities
Each ServCorp location is modern and professional. Amenities you’ll find at Servcorp include free coffee and tea, and receptionist to greet your guests. It also offers free high-speed internet to log in quickly to browse the internet.
What ServCorp Is Missing
ServCorp is missing the larger community network of 400,000 that WeWork has. It’s also missing a formal program that proactively facilitates introductions among members. If this is important, WeWork is a better option.
What Users Think About ServCorp
Overall, most people who have used ServCorp like its office spaces. They like the international footprint and number of locations. There are a few criticisms about poor customer service, but most reviews are positive.
ServCorp: coworking common space.
Best Temporary Office Provider for Independently Owned Spaces: Alliance Business Centers
Alliance Business Centers is a network of local independent providers with more than 650 locations in 40 countries. It’s unique in that it provides access to a network of independently owned providers who can offer greater space and membership flexibility with local market knowledge. It’s great for businesses wanting to work with local property owners who could offer more custom lease terms and local market insights. Pricing varies by market and provider.
Alliance Business Centers Pricing
Alliance Business Centers pricing varies by market and the type of space you need. Serviced office space pricing is unpublished. However, rates for virtual offices and meeting rooms are available online and are competitive. For example, virtual offices in the Chicago area cost between $59 and $85 per month and meeting rooms are priced hourly.
Alliance Business Centers Features
Alliance Business Centers offer features like modern decor, yet each location is unique as it is independently owned and designed to meet the needs of its community. Properties also include many helpful amenities and friendly support staff. This temporary office space provider is in several markets around the globe and, like Regus, offers disaster recovery services. It also offers virtual memberships.
Geographic Locations
Alliance Business Centers has more than 650 locations in the U.S. and internationally. It has a presence in 40 countries. Although it is not as large of a footprint as Regus, this is great for entrepreneurs wanting to break into new geographic markets both within the U.S. and overseas, utilizing locally owned and operated temporary office spaces.
Temporary Office Space Options
Alliance Business Centers offer office space, coworking, and meeting rooms. Office spaces are private and allowing for individual privacy or team collaboration. Coworking space gives individuals the opportunity to work in a professional community without long-term, expensive leases. Virtual office space lets you have a premium address and phone number in the local market you choose. Options here are similar to those offered by other providers.
Community Building & Coworking Benefits
Unlike the other providers we compared, Alliance Business Center locations are entirely individually owned and operated. This means that it has the flexibility to offer benefits tailored to the specific needs of each location. This also means that individuals and businesses who choose to partner with Alliance Business Center know are supporting other local entrepreneurs and that the majority of revenue will go back into their community.
Membership Options
Because each location is individually owned and operated, Alliance Business Center does not offer a membership that gives you access to its entire network for a flat monthly fee, although businesses can still partner with a specified location. In addition to gaining access to a location, this partnership also grants members access to in-house publications, training, aggregated purchasing power, marketing resources, and outsourced sales.
Decor & Amenities
Because properties are independently owned, amenities within the Alliance Business Center network are unique to each property and therefore vary by location. For information on amenities available in each property within the network, visit the website for details on specific properties.
What Alliance Business Centers Is Missing
Alliance Business Centers is missing community access memberships where you could pay a fee to access the community of members with options to book the physical space. It’s also missing formal uniform programming that proactively facilitates introductions among members. If community access and engagement are important, WeWork and ServCorp are better options.
What Users Think About Alliance Business Centers
There aren’t many reviews about Alliance Business Centers, but there are reviews about its virtual brand, Alliance Virtual Offices. Alliance Virtual Offices have mostly positive reviews, with the occasional complaint about errors that the company replied back to, offering to assist.
Best Temporary Office Space Provider for Tech Startups: Galvanize
Galvanize started off as a tech education bootcamp and branched into offering coworking space for tech entrepreneurs. Leveraging access to universities and technical training programs, it offers access to education, mentoring, and talent to startups. Pricing varies, although it starts at $349 per month, making it slightly higher than other providers featured. However, it is a value for tech startups that need greater access to community, education, and other emerging talent.
Galvanize Pricing
Pricing for Galvanize varies by market and the type of space. It’s competitively priced but slightly on the higher end compared to other providers featured here. Coworking space starts at $349 per month for shared office space and goes up to $4,200 for a private suite.
Galvanize Features
Galvanize offers features that startups need in a temporary office space provider including locations in tech hubs, flexible pricing models, trendy hip decor, amenities, and a sense of community. Compared to Regus, Galvanize is more informal, more similar to WeWork. Its footprint is the smallest with eight coworking locations in seven major U.S. tech-friendly markets.
Geographic Locations
Galvanize has eight U.S. based locations in seven tech-friendly markets, including Austin, Boulder, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle and two in Denver. This is great for startups wanting to break to build connections and relationships with other entrepreneurs in these markets. While the geographic footprint is small compared to the other providers we compared, it allows Galvanize to focus on the success of the startups it’s serving.
Temporary Office Space Options
Galvanize offers only three types of office space options and plans. These include shared spaces, dedicated desks, and private suites. Prices vary by market but range from $349 per month to $4,200 per month, which is on the higher end for temporary office space.
Community Building & Coworking Benefits
Galvanize offers mentors to the startups it serves to help them build a solid foundation and scale their businesses. It also offers tech education through member workshops on a variety of topics from MVP development to sales strategies. If appropriate, members could also inquire about technology courses offered by Galvanize.
Membership Options
In addition to gaining access to temporary office space, membership with Galvanize grants businesses access to continuous education. Galvanize offers both part-time and full-time courses, giving businesses insights into cutting-edge technology or emerging trends in their industry in a way none of the other services we compared can provide. In addition, membership can help individuals find a mentor who can help take their business to the next level.
Decor & Amenities
Each Galvanize campus location is unique with environments that are conducive to collaboration with trendy decor. Amenities at Galvanize campuses include technology-rich conference rooms, private phone booths, and restaurants. Other amenities include community kitchens, high-speed internet, 24/7 access, and free printing services.
What Galvanize Is Missing
Galvanize is missing a bigger geographic footprint the other providers have. If your business is ready to expand rapidly into multiple markets any of the other providers would work depending on the number of physical locations you need. Galvanize is best for startups wanting to stay in one market to focus on building a solid foundation for their companies.
What Users Think About Galvanize
Most people who have used Galvanize temporary office spaces love the energy. People say they enjoy coming to work at Galvanize ― at the San Francisco location ― and that there plenty of hot desks available. There aren’t many negative reviews, but the ones I’ve seen had to do with events held in the space, which are likely no reflection on the actual space.
Galvanize Austin location.
Bottom Line
The best temporary office space providers are affordable, offer flexible pricing models or lease options, are located in multiple markets for expansion, and offer great support. Whether you’re looking for temporary space to start a new venture, plan ahead for disaster recovery, or get out of the house and network with other business owners, you are sure to find a solution in this article to fit your needs.
If you want a temporary office space provider offering affordable temporary office space that helps you scale your business into new markets with more than 3,000 locations, Regus is a great option for you. To learn more about Regus and to find out if there’s one near you, visit its website for more information.
