Desk booking software is one of the simplest pieces of software you can add to your workflows to make it easier to manage a flexible workspace, especially if you pick one that syncs well with the apps your teams use the most, such as Slack and MS Teams. The right app will help ensure your people get the most out of their time in the office, simplify desk sharing for everyone, and provide you detailed reports on resource utilization.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best desk booking tools out there and help you pick the right one for your needs.
Get to know desk booking software for hybrid work
Hot desking software is a tool that makes it easy for employees to reserve desks or workspaces ahead of time.
It’s built for hybrid and flexible workplaces and helps teams share desks, make the most of the available office space, and connect when they’re in the office. Most desk booking tools show which desks are free, enable team members to book them ahead of time, and sync with other tools and platforms you’re using, so that everyone can find a spot when they need it.
10 best desk sharing software tools for your workplace
To make hot desking work, you need the right software tools. Whether you’re looking for a simple solution or an app that can cater to a large workforce, you’ll find the right platform in this list. We’ll walk you through ten of the best desk booking apps, so you can pick the best one for your needs.
1. Officely: Best desk booking software on usability, flexibility, & integration
If you’re looking for a desk booking software that will simplify everyone’s life and make hot desking as intuitive and easy as possible, Officely is a top choice. It lives where your team already spends their days, in Slack or Microsoft Teams, making it super easy to implement into your existing workflows; your people won’t have to remember to open yet another app to book a spot in the office.
Instead, they can simply use Slack or Teams to let their coworkers know where they’ll be working from, and see who else is in the office. Because, let’s face it, nobody likes to commute to an empty office (or find out there’s no available desk for them!).
Officely solves all that by providing real-time updates on who’s where and when, encouraging attendance and collaboration in a non-forced way, and helping you organize social events easily, be it workshops or afterwork drinks.
Plus, thanks to its resource utilization features, the app makes it easy to understand how your team uses one of your most expensive resources, office space, and ensures you’re making the most out of it.
Additionally, Officely is very affordable, with prices starting at $2.50/user/month, making it a great fit for small and large businesses alike.
Want to know more and see whether Officely is the right fit for your company? Book a free demo to see how simple it is to implement and use.
Pros:
- Enables your team to quickly book desk spaces, meeting rooms, parking spots, and even spots for their pets
- Lives where your team already is – in your communication platform of choice (Slack or MS Teams)
- Very simple to adopt and use
- Gives you detailed insights into office use and attendance visibility
- Very affordable
Cons:
- Doesn’t have visitor management features
Free version? Yes, forever free for teams of up to 10 people
Price: Starting at $2.50/user/month
2. Robin: Best for large enterprises
Robin caters to large enterprises and has plenty of powerful features for big teams. It enables them to handle everything from desk sharing to visitor management and meeting room scheduling, and offers detailed analytics on occupancy and space use. Plus, it integrates well with many other tools, helping you build efficient workflows and processes.
In short, it’s a good fit for organizations that need to manage multiple office locations easily and have full control over their space. However, it can be overly complex to use; for smaller teams looking for simplicity, it’s an overkill.
Pros:
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting
- Strong space planning that simplifies the booking process
- Good fit for large organizations
- Integrates with a wide range of workplace software
Cons:
- May feel overly complex for small to mid-sized businesses
- Higher price point, best suited for larger companies
- Can require additional training and setup time
- Limited flexibility for smaller, more dynamic teams
Free version? No
Pricing: Available upon request
3. Envoy: Best for its comprehensive features
Envoy is a tool that covers more than just desk reservation: It also offers solutions for visitor management, room booking, emergency notifications, and multi-tenant management. This makes it a good choice for companies that want a single platform to manage those aspects of their workplace.
The app’s dashboards provide insights into how spaces are being used, which can help with planning and optimizing your office layout.
While Envoy’s extensive feature set is ideal for businesses that need an all-in-one solution, it might be overbuilt for companies just looking for an affordable and easy to use desk booking tool. For smaller teams or those who only need a desk sharing app, Envoy’s features can feel overwhelming and unnecessary.
Pros:
- All-in-one solution covering desk, visitor, and room management
- Extensive analytics and insights for space optimization
- Well-suited for medium to large businesses
- Offers additional workplace safety check features
Cons:
- May be overbuilt for companies primarily needing a hot desking tool
- Requires more setup and customization to fit specific needs
Free version? No
Pricing: Starting at $3/user/month
4. Deskfound: Best for its simplicity
At the other end of the spectrum, you have Deskfound – a straightforward desk sharing tool designed for hybrid offices, enabling employees to reserve desks directly through Slack.
It connects with Google Workspace and Google Calendar and offers features like floor plan uploads and office usage reporting, making it a practical choice for teams seeking ease of use.
However, for organizations needing more powerful space management tools or integrations beyond Slack and Google Workspace, Deskfound might not fully meet their needs.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface with straightforward setup
- Includes a permanent desk option
- Affordable pricing, free for up to 10 users
- Floor plan uploads
Cons:
- Limited features for larger organizations
- Does not support integrations beyond Slack and Google Workspace
- Lacks comprehensive analytics
Free version? Yes, free for up to 10 users
Pricing: Starts at $1 per user per month
5. Eden: Best for all-in-one workplace management
Eden is a platform designed to simplify various aspects of office operations, from desk sharing to visitor management, room scheduling, internal ticketing, and deliveries. This makes it a good fit for organizations aiming to centralize their workplace management, but might be an overbuilt solution for smaller teams.
All the features that Eden offers can make it too complex for users who need a simple and efficient solution. Plus, its hot desk booking system is sold in packs of 25 desks (at $2.25 per month), making it unsuitable for smaller teams or those who wish to stay more flexible.
Pros:
- Comprehensive suite covering different workplace management use cases
- User-friendly interface
- Advanced analytics for space utilization and optimization
Cons:
- May be overbuilt for teams who need a simple app
- Steeper learning curve
- Some features require additional setup and customization
Free version? No
Pricing: $2.25/desk/month, sold in sets of 25 desks
6. Archie: Best for coworking spaces
Archie is a platform designed for hybrid offices and coworking spaces. It features all the usual suspects: desk and meeting room booking, visitor management, and workspace analytics. But, what’s different is that you can use Archie to manage a coworking space, too, so if you’re managing one or are renting a part of your office to others, it can be a good fit.
While Archie is very simple and intuitive, some users say they’d like to see more in-depth analytics and customization options.
Pros:
- Intuitive and modern user interface
- Good option for coworking space management, offering custom branding and automations
Cons:
- Some find its analytics and customization options a bit lacking
- May require additional setup and training for certain features
- Pricier than other options
Free version? No
Pricing: Starting at $159/month for 25 desks
7. Skedda: Best for customizable space management
Skedda simplifies the booking and management of various spaces, including desks, meeting rooms, and other shared areas. It offers interactive floor plans, allowing users to visualize and reserve the exact spot they want.
Skedda integrates with tools like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other Office 365 tools; plus, it has excellent analytics features that provide insights into how organizations use their resources.
On the other hand, some users say its space maps are not very intuitive, especially if you make a few changes at once; in those instances, versions get easily mixed up.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface with interactive floor plans
- Customizable reservation rules and policies
- Can be used for coworking spaces
- Offers discounted pricing plans for non-profit organizations
Cons:
- Some users report challenges with certain integrations and floor plan versions
- Limited support for more complex booking scenarios
Free version? No, free trial
Pricing: Starting at $99 per month
8. Condeco: Best for workspace scheduling at large enterprises
Condeco offers lots of desk and space management features for large enterprises, including advanced analytics, integration with Microsoft 365, and support for flexible working arrangements. There’s also a mobile version that enables users to reserve a desk on the go.
However, its features can be overwhelming for smaller teams and require extra training.
Pros:
- Desk booking, meeting room scheduling, and workspace management in one
- Advanced analytics for space utilization and optimization
- Mobile app for on-the-go reservations
Cons:
- Extensive feature set that may be overwhelming for smaller teams
- Steeper learning curve
Free version? No
Pricing: Available upon request
9. WorkInSync: Best for employee scheduling
WorkInSync is a user-friendly platform that offers desk sharing, meeting room management, and employee scheduling. With it, employees can define their own schedules, say when they’ll be in the office and in which area exactly, and have the app book a desk for them. This way, you can also keep track of how your space is used and who’s coming to the office and when.
While the platform is generally quite simple to use, some users report that their visitors occasionally find it confusing. Additionally, getting everyone trained on it can be a hassle, as it’s yet another app your people need to learn how to use.
Pros:
- Features desk booking, visitor management, and employee scheduling
- Advanced analytics for space utilization and optimization
Cons:
- Requires training
- Adoption might not be immediate
Free version? No
Pricing: Starts at $2.50/user/month
10. OfficeRnD Hybrid: Best for visitor and delivery management
OfficeRnD Hybrid is a platform you can use to manage desks, visitors, and deliveries at once. Team members can see desk availability, book a spot, and coordinate schedules with their coworkers – and you can use it to simplify visitor access and deliveries.
Overall, it’s a flexible tool built for large companies, and one that helps them improve office operations. Despite this, some users mention that its customization and configuration options can be a bit limited and don’t always fit their use cases.
Pros:
- Comprehensive workspace management platform, including desk sharing, visitor management, and deliveries
- Advanced reporting tools
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Requires training
- Built for larger companies, might be too complex for smaller teams
Free version? Yes, for up to 20 users
Pricing: Starts at $199/month
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