Coworking Membership Plans: Which to Offer and How to Price Them
A practical look at membership plans for coworking space operators: which ones to offer, how to price them, how to promote them and how to keep members.
In this article
Coworkism earns from purchases made through the MaviGadget links in this post.
Most coworking spaces do best with a short menu of four to six plans: a flexible hot desk, a fixed desk, a private office, a pay-per-use option, and add-ons such as meeting rooms or a mailing address. Each plan should answer one clear need, be priced to cover your costs, and be easy for a visitor to understand in under a minute.
Why does a single membership type not work?
Your visitors work in different ways. A freelancer who comes in two mornings a week, a three-person team that needs a door that locks, and a remote employee who wants a quiet room for client calls will not all buy the same thing. If you offer one plan, you lose whoever it does not suit.
A range of plans also gives you several ways to earn from the same floor space, and lets members move up as their needs grow instead of leaving.
Which membership plans should a coworking space offer?
You do not need every option. Pick the ones your space can deliver well.
| Plan | Who it suits | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Day pass / pay-as-you-go | Visitors, occasional users, people trying the space | Access for a set period, charged per hour or day |
| Hot desk | Freelancers and part-time users | Any free desk, shared areas, Wi-Fi |
| Dedicated desk | People who want a consistent spot | Their own desk and storage |
| Private office | Small teams, or work needing privacy | A lockable room, often with a longer commitment |
| Meeting room credits | Anyone who meets clients now and then | Bookable rooms and presentation equipment |
| Virtual membership | Home-based businesses | A business address and mail handling, with optional desk time |
How many plans is too many?
If a visitor needs a chart to choose, you have too many. Start with three or four, watch which ones people ask for, and add another only when you hear the same request repeatedly.
How should you price your plans?
Work from your costs first, then check the market, then decide what you add on top.
- List your fixed costs: rent, utilities, internet, insurance, cleaning, staff and software.
- Estimate realistic occupancy. Do not assume every desk is full all month. Price so that the space covers its costs at an occupancy you can honestly expect.
- Check nearby spaces. Look at what other local spaces charge for similar plans. This tells you the range, not the right price.
- Price the extras separately. Printing, lockers, meeting rooms and guest passes can be add-ons rather than being bundled into every plan.
- Use tiers. A clear step from hot desk to dedicated desk to private office makes the next step feel natural.
Be honest about what makes your space different, whether that is quiet rooms, location, opening hours or the community, and let that justify the price instead of a long feature list.
How do you let members change plans?
Flexibility is the point, so make changes easy. Month-to-month terms lower the barrier to joining. Allow members to move up or down with notice, and consider a short trial, such as a free day or a discounted first week, so people can see the space before committing.
Spell out the rules: notice period, what happens to unused hours, guest policy and how a pause works. Clear terms avoid arguments later.
How do you tell people about your plans?
- Your website: show each plan with its price, what is included and who it is for. Hiding prices makes visitors leave.
- Photos and short videos of the real space, on social media and your listing pages.
- Local events: host or attend them. Our post on hosting workshops in a coworking space shows how events bring in people who might join.
- Trials and referral offers for current members who bring a friend.
Some spaces also serve specific groups. For example, creators who need a shoot-ready room may be a good fit; see how coworking spaces can work as a photography studio alternative.
What software helps run memberships?
Once you have more than a handful of members, a spreadsheet gets hard to manage. Membership platforms handle sign-ups, recurring payments, bookings and member communication in one place. Common options for coworking spaces include Nexudus, Optix and Cobot. Compare features and pricing on their own sites, and try a demo before you commit, since needs differ by space size.
What keeps members from leaving?
Plans bring people in, but community and reliability keep them. A few habits make the difference:
- Ask for feedback regularly and act on it visibly.
- Keep the basics solid: a fast connection, working equipment and a clean kitchen. If connectivity is a recurring complaint, our guide to reliable internet for remote workers lists the checks worth making.
- Introduce members to each other and run small events.
- Review your plans every few months and retire the ones nobody picks.
Good equipment helps too. If you are fitting out desks, you can browse practical items in the Cool Gadgets for Work collection at MaviGadget.
