Coworking is a method of work where people from different companies share one professionally run workspace. Instead of signing a multi-year lease or setting up at the kitchen table or in a coffee shop, you pay a membership to use a desk, an office, or meeting rooms. The space handles everything else: Wi-Fi, furniture, cleaning, coffee, snacks, mail, and the front desk.
If you’re searching “what is coworking” for the first time, the short version is this: a coworking space gives you a real place to work, with a real community around you, without the commitment of a traditional office.
What Is Coworking?
Most coworking spaces share a few traits:
- Flexible terms. Memberships usually run month to month instead of annual commitments.
- Everything included. Internet, utilities, furniture, and common amenities.
- Shared amenities. Conference rooms, phone booths, kitchens, and lounges are available to every member.
- Community. You work alongside freelancers, startups, remote employees, and established teams, which makes room for connection and the occasional new client.
You’ll also hear coworking called shared office space or flexible workspace. The terms overlap, but coworking puts more emphasis on the community side, not just the square footage.
A Short History of Coworking
Coworking is a more recent idea than you’d probably expect. The concept really took shape in the late 90s and the first dedicated space opened in 2005, built by people who wanted the freedom of working for themselves without the isolation that often came with it. Then, after companies started offering more flexibility post-pandemic, a lot of people started looking for a “WFH” away from home.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1995 | C-Base, a hackerspace in Berlin, gives engineers a shared place to work and build together |
| 1999 | Game designer Bernard DeKoven coins the term “coworking” |
| 2005 | Programmer Brad Neuberg opens the San Francisco Coworking Space, widely considered the first true coworking space |
| 2010 | The first International Coworking Day is held on August 9 |
| 2010s | Coworking spreads from freelancers to startups, remote employees, and enterprise teams |
| 2020s | Hybrid and remote work make flexible space a mainstream alternative to the traditional office |
What started as a handful of freelancers sharing a room is now a standard option for businesses of every size. The core idea hasn’t changed: good work happens more easily when you’re around good people.
Types of Coworking Memberships
Most coworking spaces offer three core membership levels, and the main difference is how much space is dedicated to you and your team Here’s how each one works.
Hot Desk (Club Membership)
A hot desk membership gives you access to the open coworking space. You grab any available seat when you arrive, whether you prefer a couch or a desk, so it’s a good fit if your schedule changes week to week or you’re only in a few days at a time. At Kiln, this is our Club membership, which also lets you work from any Kiln location across our portfolio.
Best for: freelancers, frequent travelers, and remote workers who want a change of scenery.
Dedicated Desk
A dedicated desk is your own desk within the shared space. You can leave your monitor, notebooks, and plants in place, and it’s waiting for you every morning. Kiln calls this a Resident desk, which comes with a dedicated lock box.
Best for: people who work on-site most days and want consistency or an extra monitor without paying for a full office.
Private Office
A private office is an enclosed, lockable room for you and your team, with full access to the shared amenities within the coworking space. Offices range from one-person rooms to suites for larger teams, and some spaces offer branded studios for groups that need more room.
Best for: teams, client-facing professionals, and anyone who needs quiet or confidentiality.
Every Kiln membership is all-inclusive and month to month. Compare all Kiln memberships.
Many spaces, including Kiln, also offer day passes and meeting room bookings, which are an easy way to try coworking before you commit.
Who Is Coworking For?
Coworking used to be thought of as a freelancer thing. Today, a coworking space is just as likely to hold a five-person startup or a regional team from a national company. You might be a good fit if you’re one of these:
- Remote employees who want a routine, a reliable connection, and a clear line between work and home.
- Freelancers and solo founders who need a professional address, a place to meet clients, and a built in network.
- Startups and small businesses that are growing and need the flexibility, rather than being locked into a long-term lease.
- Hybrid teams that come together a few days a week and don’t need a full office the rest of the time.
- Enterprise teams opening a satellite office or testing a new market before a bigger commitment. See how Kiln works with teams.
- Professionals between offices, like consultants, recruiters, and real estate agents, who need somewhere to land between meetings.
The common thread is flexibility. If your needs might change in the next year, coworking lets your space change with them.
Coworking vs. a Traditional Lease vs. a Home Office
Each option has its place. The right one depends on how much flexibility you need, how much you want to manage yourself, and how much you value being around other people.
| Coworking Space | Traditional Office Lease | Home Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Month to month | Typically 3 to 10 years | Dedicated space in your house |
| Upfront costs | Low; usually first month’s membership | High; deposit, build-out, furniture, IT | Low to moderate; desk, chair, equipment |
| What’s included | Wi-Fi, utilities, furniture, cleaning, coffee, front desk | Usually just the space; you manage the rest | Whatever you set up and pay for |
| Move-in time | Days | Months | Immediate |
| Room to grow | Add desks or move to a bigger office as needed | Fixed until the lease ends | Limited |
| Meeting rooms | Included or bookable on site | Only what you build | Coffee shops and video calls |
| Professional image | Staffed lobby and business address, with branded office | Strong, your own brand | Hard to host clients |
| Community | Built in, with events and networking | Your own team only | Isolated |
| Focus and boundaries | Clear separation from home life | Clear separation from home life | Easy to blur work and home |
For many people, coworking lands in the middle: more structure and support than working from home, without the cost and commitment of a lease.
How to Find the Right Coworking Space Near You
Searching “coworking near me” will turn up plenty of options. A few questions help narrow the list:
- Is it close to where you live or meet clients? A short commute is what turns a membership into a habit.
- Does it have the rooms you’ll use? Look for phone booths, quiet rooms, and conference rooms you can book.
- What’s actually included? Check whether coffee, printing, parking, and meeting-room time are part of the price.
- Can it grow with you? Ask whether you can move from a desk to a private office without starting over.
- How does it feel? Tour in person. The community and the light matter more than the photos suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two terms are often used interchangeably. “Shared office space” usually describes the physical setup, while “coworking” also covers the community, events, and hospitality that come with it.
Price depends on the city and the membership type. A hot desk is typically the most affordable, followed by a dedicated desk, with private offices priced by size. Because utilities, furniture, and amenities are bundled in, the total is often lower than it looks next to a lease. See Kiln membership options.
Yes. Most spaces offer tours, and many sell day passes so you can spend a full workday in the space first.
Yes. Private offices and team suites give a group its own room while still sharing conference rooms, kitchens, and event space. That makes coworking a common choice for satellite offices and hybrid teams.
Usually not. Most coworking memberships, including every membership at Kiln, run month to month.
Try Kiln
Kiln has coworking communities across Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and much more to come, each designed around the neighborhood it sits in. Every membership is all-inclusive and month to month, from a Club desk to a private office for your team.
Explore memberships or find solutions for your team. Better yet, stop by for a tour and see if it feels like your kind of place.
