4 Best Virtual Workspace Tools to Build Your Online Office in 2024

As physical office space is slowly becoming a thing of the past, virtual workspace tools are shaping the way remote and hybrid teams collaborate, innovate, and thrive.

Remote workers often deal with disjointed systems, scattered project management tools, and working out of multiple pieces of software, with 30+ tabs open on two different screens. A little bit confused about where the virtual environment ends and their computer begins. If you can relate to this then virtual workspaces could be just what you need.

I’ve done the research to identify the best of the best virtual workspace software; virtual environments that can still give that “office vibe.”

Whether your focus is on robust video conferencing, interactive documents, or creating a virtual office floor plan that mimics the physical workspace you miss, I’ve got you covered. Read on to discover key features that make a virtual workspace tool indispensable, explore top virtual workspace software, and unlock the secret to transforming your digital office space into a powerhouse of productivity and company culture.

Get ready to revolutionize the way your remote team collaborates, just with a few clicks!

What are the best virtual workspace tools?

There is a dizzying amount of options and information about virtual workspaces. How do you know which virtual workspace tool is the MVP for your remote or hybrid team?

Whether you’re a seasoned remote worker looking to upgrade or a company pivoting to a virtual office setup, I’ve compiled the best virtual workspace tools that are sure to satisfy your business needs.

I’ve evaluated these platforms based on key features like video conferencing capabilities, screen sharing, and file sharing options, and whether they play nice with tools like Google Workspace.

Click or tap on any name to view more information:

Howspace

Overview

Howspace describes itself as a transformation platform that helps organizations bring their people together to learn, collaborate, and make decisions. Essentially their main focus is to make it as easy as possible to involve everyone in decision-making on projects in one organized and centralized communication platform. Backed by the power of AI, they take everyone’s input and summarize it in a meaningful way.

Key Benefits

• Drag and drop interface for setting up a workspace with built-in widgets, and templates for fast and easy setup

• Central chat and polling ability to easily communicate and encourage participation. Easy file sharing between users

• AI integration analyzes participant interactions and information in real-time providing insightful summaries for easier decision making. Options for chat analysis include:

  • Word cloud – just like it sounds, a word cloud that populates as the chat grows

  • Theme clustering – pulls common themes discussed

  • Summary – of the entire chat

  • Sentiment Analysis – gauges how people are feeling about the chat

• Asynchronous collaboration where not everyone needs to be present at the same time. As people provide input and updates over time, information summaries change as well

• Multiple integrations including Microsoft Teams and customer API at higher pricing tiers

Pricing

Multiple tiers with increasing benefits.

• Free:

  • Basic functionality, use this to test out building a workspace

• Basic: $13 per user/per month billed monthly

  • If you want to take advantage of virtual onboarding then this is the option

• Team: $400/month billed yearly

  • This is for larger teams that want to utilize SSO and other integrations

• Business: $700/month starting billed yearly

  • For large teams with customized onboarding, API, and dedicated Customer Success Manager

First Impressions

Howspace has less of an office feel and more of an online community feel while using the platform. There are plenty of options to build/customize your workspace so it can feel overwhelming at first. However, there are plenty of templates to help get you started and give you ideas on what you can do with your workspace.

You can create and delete workspaces as you need them and also have the option to keep them open permanently so people can hop in and out as necessary. Overall it’s easy to use and can fit nearly any style of collaboration.

GoBrunch

Overview

GoBrunch is a multi-function virtual office space solution. Not only does it handle meetings, live classrooms, events, showcases, and webinars, but it also features a coworking space community. You can create and choose an office background to match your aesthetic which others can join as a 24/7 shared space, making it easier for team collaboration.

If you’re ready to create your own virtual space you can easily set one up with just a few steps. Within your virtual workspace, you can set up one or more rooms, customize the background of each room, the layout of the participants/cameras, have multiple screen sharing, and use productivity tools like a Pomodoro clock.

Pricing

Multiple tiers with increasing benefits.

• Free:

  • Great for a test run or a simple coworking space, gives you all the basic functions you’ll need

• Gourmet: $23.99/month billed yearly | $29.99/month billed monthly

  • Best for most people or small businesses. It allows more participants, more rooms per space, more room templates, and you can put your logo in your rooms.

• Prime Chef: $55.99/month billed yearly | $59.99/month billed monthly

  • If you want to run large events with presentations and videos this is the option. Also allows for full customization of your rooms. Create your own simple metaverse virtual environment.

• Enterprise: Custom pricing

  • Unless you’re a larger or scaling business or a school, you won’t need this tier.

Key Benefits

• Runs right in your browser, and virtual workspaces have no time limit

• Can create multiple rooms that are available 24/7 and password protected. If you want break-out rooms, coffee corners, or a private online conference room you can create it

• Complete customization and branding of your own virtual rooms

• Has a public roadmap, where you can be a part of choosing future enhancements

• Dedicated virtual coworking spaces where creators have made public meeting rooms that you can easily drop into

First Impressions

While a bit clunky feeling at first, the more I used the rooms the more I liked what I saw. The ease of use and guided approach to setting up your virtual coworking space is a big plus. Dropping into the GoBrunch Coworking Spaces in the Resources area was fun to poke around in.

It has easy customization and gets better with the higher subscription tiers.

The public roadmap is a great addition to the experience. At a glance, you can see what their plans for the future are and even vote on features you would like to see next.

SpatialChat

Overview

SpatialChat is a video chat platform that uses circular avatars, or video from your webcam, to represent users in a virtual space. This allows users to feel more present and engaged in virtual office spaces, meetings, and other events. It has a spatial audio feature which means the volume of the user’s voice is amplified or reduced depending on how close or far they are to other users. This helps to create a more natural and immersive experience.

Key Benefits

• Virtual spaces with proximity chat and custom backgrounds to move avatars simulating how you would move around in a physical space

• Breakout rooms with multiple areas where people can collaborate at the same time with Miro Whiteboard and Google Docs/Sheets/Slides integration, or place sticky notes and other images/PDFs

• Easy to navigate menus and intuitive design with very little learning curve.

• Workplace area that is a large collaborative canvas for groups with more room to display images, PDFs, show embedded videos, work simultaneously on documents, and chat at the same time with multiple screen sharing from more than one person at a time.

• Stage Room for presentations for large groups with built-in presentation tools that allow attendees to ask questions when invited “on stage” and react to content on screen

Pricing

Multiple tiers with increasing benefits.

• Free:

  • Good for a small team that just has daily meetings under two hours

• Startup: $5 per user/per month billed monthly | $4.50 per user/per month billed annually

  • This will give you the full virtual office experience

• Enterprise: $12 per user/per month billed monthly | $10 per user/per month billed annually

  • For large teams with significantly more rooms, SAML SSO capability, and custom documentation

First Impressions

I was impressed with how fast and easy it was to log in and immediately begin using all of SpatialChat’s features. It was like walking into an office with all of my tools and important files in hand, especially with the Google Docs integration. With a simple menu structure, it was easy to customize a room, invite people to my team, and pull up any media I wanted to share.

It also has a nice touch with built-in Giphy to make everything feel more personal. Overall it’s a very seamless experience jumping to different rooms and navigating the intuitive menus making it very easy for anyone to use.

Spot

Overview

Spot is a virtual office in a more literal sense. Each person is represented with a 3D avatar that you can personalize and actually walk around to different rooms or right up to people’s desks to speak to them. Their goal is to recreate the office in a way that will give remote employees the ability to organically interact with each other just like they would if they were in a physical office.

Key Benefits

• Always on virtual office space accessible via the web or by downloading the Spot desktop app for better and more seamless performance

• Naturally walk between rooms and up to people’s desks, or into a conference room for a meeting

• Shared browser function where anyone in the office can use the same web browser live at the same time. Can potentially be used for shared or officewide website accounts.

• Fully customizable virtual office from the layout of the floor plan to the furniture and decorations inside it, with a selection of templates to start quickly

• Built-in video and text chats, whiteboarding, and ability for multiple screen shares all within the platform with no need to leave the platform. Easily share stickies, images, and documents by dragging and dropping

Pricing

Multiple tiers with increasing benefits.

• Startup: Free

  • Has all the basic functionality and is a great way to find out if you want or need higher tiers

• Growth: $10 per user/per month billed monthly | $8 per user/per month billed yearly

  • This is if you want full customization and live customer support

• Enterprise: Custom pricing

  • If you have a very large team with dedicated IT

First Impressions

Creating an account and setting up your first office is a breeze. When you first log in you are guided through a step-by-step tutorial on selecting an office template, picking and customizing your avatar, and how to control it to explore the different rooms. Having interactive TV’s on the walls is a great touch. Just by selecting a TV you can share documents and pictures, start a whiteboard or a poll, and embed webpages or YouTube videos that everyone in the room can see or make fullscreen, with just a few clicks.

Every room has a group text chat, as well as office-wide chat channels. You can also turn on your webcam which will be a circular display taking the place of your avatar. As you add these documents or any other shared item to the office they can be interacted with by anyone and viewed in full screen.

Moving around the office was easy and felt fun. If you’re looking for a natural feeling way for people to work and collaborate in a virtual office then this is it.

What are virtual workspaces?

The concept of “virtual workspaces“—it’s a term that’s gaining traction, especially with the surge of remote and hybrid teams. But what exactly does it mean?

Think of a virtual workspace as your own digital HQ. It’s the online version of that cozy corner office space you might have in a physical office. The difference? You can access your digital desk from anywhere—no need to commute.

Virtual workspaces offer a range of features that go beyond just video conferencing or chat. They are integrated platforms that have screen sharing, multiple tool integrations, spatial audio for more natural conversations, and virtual rooms for team meetings or casual virtual drinks after work.

It’s like your physical workspace in the office but from the comfort of your own home. You can interact with team members just like you would in a physical location, share documents with just a few clicks, and collaborate on the same project in real time, thanks to a wide variety of virtual workspace tools. The best virtual workspace software even allows you to customize your environment, so it’s not just a one-size-fits-all situation.

If you’re realizing that maybe you don’t need to have all this extra functionality but still need something to help your productivity, virtual coworking spaces could be your thing.

How can virtual workspaces benefit you?

Now you know what a virtual workspace is, but you might be wondering, “What’s in it for me?” There’s a lot to consider when making business decisions.

Flexibility. With the right virtual workspace software, your work environment is wherever you want it to be. You, your team members, and even guest remote workers can collaborate from anywhere with an internet connection. Distributed teams are a non-issue. Virtual workspaces bring everyone together, no matter the physical location. But don’t forget your physical location is also important and a good desk setup can help you work easily and efficiently.

Virtual workspace tools are more than just video conferencing and screen sharing for virtual meetings. They’re integrated platforms where you can manage projects, hold team huddles in virtual rooms, and even indulge in some casual video chat during your coffee break. Features like spatial audio make conversations feel like you’re in the same room together.

The best virtual workspace solutions offer key features like project management tools, document sharing, and secure video conferencing options that can greatly boost your productivity.

Side note: Speaking of productivity, these spaces also help you utilize the growing practice of body doubling, which started out as a strategy to help people with ADHD focus but is proving to also be beneficial to neurotypical people.

Having a virtual environment reduces your overhead to a fraction of the cost of a physical office space. It’s not just about money, virtual workspaces cut down on commuting giving back some of your and your employees’ valuable time.

Buyer’s Guide: How I conducted my research

I’ve conducted my research to ensure I’m recommending the best of the best virtual workspace software.

First, I took a close look at user reviews. I scoured the web to find out what actual team members—those on remote teams, hybrid teams, and in physical offices—had to say about their experiences.

Next, I put those virtual workspace platforms through my own tests. I tried out key features like video conferencing, screen sharing, and virtual rooms. I even set up mini-virtual events to see how these platforms performed. I wanted to see how they compared to a typical physical office setup, especially when remote work is increasingly becoming the norm.

Getting technical I looked at criteria like security features, ease of use, and the range of collaboration tools offered. In a world that’s moving more and more towards digital office spaces, it’s crucial to find a solution that checks all the boxes.

And of course, I considered cost. Getting the best bang for your buck is something I always strive for. So, whether you’re part of a small remote team or a large, distributed workforce, I’ve taken budget into account.

Closing Thoughts

Choosing the best virtual workspace is like picking the perfect coffee blend. It has to be just right for you, your team members, and your work style. And just as you wouldn’t settle for mediocre coffee, why settle for a subpar virtual office?

From screen-sharing capabilities to the key features that make video conferencing a breeze, I’ve walked you through the ins and outs of virtual workspace software. So whether you’re part of a remote team, dabbling in hybrid work, or even if you’re still tethered to that physical office, there’s a virtual workspace tool out there with your name on it.

Give these virtual workspaces a try, they all have free trials to help you decide if any are right for you. You won’t know if it’s the perfect fit until you hop in and take a look around.

The future of work is not just around the corner; it’s already here.