Month: September 2021

In Singapore, there are lots of swanky coworking spaces that are very nicely appointed (with swanky prices to match, too). Leading global names like WeWork come to mind. But what if you’re a business owner who doesn’t need all the frills or the branding, and just wants an affordable place to get work done? That’s why we’ve specially scoured the internet to put together this list of the 5 cheapest coworking spaces in Singapore. Now, it doesn’t mean that just because these are the country’s most affordable coworking spaces that they’re dingy, or poorly furnished. You’ll find that many of these coworking spaces are not only competitively priced, but they’re also very nicely appointed, and represent great value for money. This list should help you save at least a couple hundred dollars on coworking spaces. You can put all that money you’ve saved to good use for your business.

Contents:

1. Summaries
2. Lionsworld Business Centre
3. Workbuddy
4. Workcentral
5. The Workshop
6. Cospace Park
7. Protecting your business

Summaries:

Cheapest hot desk coworking space: Lionsworld Business Centre

Price: $75/month

Location: 111 North Bridge Rd, #21-01 Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098 (5 mins walk from City Hall MRT)

Out of the 5 options listed here, Lionsworld is by far the cheapest hot desk coworking space. That they’re located in the CBD, close to City Hall MRT station, makes their rates even more impressive. As if this deal wasn’t aggressive enough, their hot desk plan even comes with a free daily meal (more info below)! The next 2 closest competitors are Workcentral at $200/month (Dhoby Ghaut), and The Work Shop at $220/month (Ang Mo Kio). This makes Lionsworld at least 70% cheaper than competing hot desk providers.

For context, the going rate for a hot desk at WeWork starts from $550-$600/month. At JustCo, another popular coworking space, a hot desk goes for $398/month.

Cheapest fixed desk coworking space:

Option 1: The Work Shop (Ang Mo Kio branch)

Price: $300/month

Location: 5008 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #04-09/16, Tech Place II, Singapore 569874

Option 2: Workcentral

Price: $500/month

Location: 190 Clemenceau Ave, #06-01 Singapore Shopping Centre, Singapore 239924

Out of the 5 options listed here, The Workshop (Ang Mo Kio branch) has the cheapest fixed desk coworking space. However, take note that it’s situated about 8 bus stops from Ang Mo Kio MRT station, so it’s not the most conveniently located. The next cheapest fixed desk option is Workcentral ($500/month, or $400/month per pax for team seating/private offices). Workcentral is just a 5-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT, which probably will be more convenient for most coworking office users.

For perspective, $500/month for a fixed desk in the CBD is competitive. A fixed desk at WeWork typically starts from $600-$650/month, and a fixed desk at JustCo starts from $750/month. You’ll typically pay at least $700-800/month for most coworking fixed desks in the central region. This makes Workcentral’s fixed desks at least 30% cheaper than competing coworking spaces.

Here are the 5 cheapest coworking spaces in Singapore:

#1. Lionsworld Business Centre

Website: https://lbcweb.sg

Coworking Office Address: 111 North Bridge Rd, #21-01 Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +65 6336 3232 / +65 9869 5512

Overview:

Lionsworld’s hot desk plan is the absolute cheapest in this list, coming in at just $75/month. That’s almost 1/3 of what its closest competitors charge! Although their coworking offices don’t sport the same snazzy interior designs as other more expensive options, they’re still nonetheless decently furbished. And at a price of just $2.50/day ($75/30), who’s complaining? You’ll still get all the amenities in a regular coworking space like WiFi, air-conditoning, 24/7 access, printing facilities, lounge areas, etc.

One of the reasons Lionsworld is able to charge such low rates is their location in Peninsula Plaza. If you want to impress business guests by hosting them in your coworking space, then a coworking space in this building might not be your best bet. However, if you’re looking to save as much money as possible, while still getting a fully-equipped office with an excellent location right in the middle the city, then Lionsworld looks hard to beat.

Source: Lionsworld

Even with such low monthly charges, Lionsworld manages to really go the extra mile by offering its customers free daily lunch and dessert (plus coffee/tea), from Monday to Friday. This is a standout feature that we have not seen in other coworking spaces. When you subscribe to their coworking plans (whether it’s a hot desk, fixed desk, or private office), you’ll get access to these free meals, desserts, and drinks throughout the work week! Now, that’s great value for money. Their meals are prepared without pork. Dessert items are also prepared without sugar, so you can control the level of sweetness you’d like.

Taking a look at Lionsworld’s website, some sample items from their menu (last updated October 2020) include:

Curry chicken

Source

Noodles in chicken broth

Source

All of Lionsworld’s coworking plans also come with registered business address and mail handling services. This means you can use Lionsworld’s address as your ACRA-registered address, and have your business mail stored for you. You also get a dedicated landline number, plus free call forwarding to your mobile number. That’s a really convenient way to answer business calls from clients wherever you are in the country. For an additional $125/month, you can have one of Lionsworld’s receptionists answer calls for you, with the ability to customise answer scripts based on your needs.

Private office plans:

Source: Lionsworld

Lionsworld’s coworking plans don’t feature fixed desks. Instead, they offer private offices. These private offices start can accommodate solopreneurs, all the way up to small teams. Prices for private offices aren’t publicly listed on their website, so drop them a message or call to enquire about their latest rates.

Their private offices are all fully-furnished, and ready for immediate move in. Because they’re located on a high floor in the city centre, you’re likely to get some nice views from your office. Lionsworld’s private office plans come with some nice perks. This includes 8 hours of free monthly usage of their meeting rooms, a free dedicated fax number, and dedicated support from Lionsworld receptionists for call answering. And just like with hot desk subscribers, private office customers get access to the free lunches and desserts being served Monday – Friday.

Other business services:

Lionsworld also offers incorporation services and web hosting services, which is convenient if you want to consolidate your back-end business needs with one service provider. Lionsworld also has another coworking space in Malaysia. This coworking space is located in central Kuala Lumpur (Bukit Bintang), just a short distance from the Petronas Twin Towers. This allows them to help you with mail forwarding services from Malaysia, if you happen to need to receive mail in Malaysia. For a small top-up fee, you can also access the business lounge in their Malaysian coworking office.

#2. Workbuddy

Website: https://work-buddy.com

Coworking Office Address: 49+ locations throughout Singapore

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +65 6727 4635

Overview:

Workbuddy has a truly impressive roster of locations in Singapore. When you sign up with Workbuddy, you immediately get access to 49+ coworking offices across Singapore.

You’ll be able to work from some of Singapore’s most well-known coworking spaces. Your Workbuddy subscription entitles you to get into spaces like WeWork (6 locations to choose from), The Working Capitol, ARCC Spaces, and more. Signing up with Workbuddy is even cheaper than signing up with some of these coworking spaces directly! For instance, a hot desk at WeWork starts from $550-$600/month. However, Workbuddy’s Unlimited Hot Desk Plan only costs you $299/month. That’s 50% cheaper than renting a space from WeWork directly!

These lower rates are possible because Workbuddy operates as a coworking membership platform. This gives Workbuddy customers enhanced choice and flexibility in choosing the coworking space they like best. As a Workbuddy customer, you’ll get access to all their 49+ locations island-wide. The only caveat with these low prices is that with Workbuddy’s Unlimited Plan, you can only visit each coworking location up to 12 times per month. This cap resets every month. That means if you’re in the office everyday, you’ll be rotating between 2 different coworking locations, at most. This monthly 12-visit cap per coworking space prevents too many members from crowding at any one location, which helps you get easier access to popular spots (like their locations in the CBD). However, with 49+ different locations to choose from, it’s unlikely that you’ll have trouble conveniently getting to another of Workbuddy’s coworking spaces.

Out of its 49+ offices, Workbuddy has 35+ coworking spaces clustered within the CBD. These CBD locations are spread across the Orchard belt, Bugis, Tanjong Pagar, Clarke Quay, and more. This gives you plenty of different centrally-located offices that you can choose from. This flexibility to choose your office is especially convenient if you have business meetings nearby, since you can choose the office that’s the shortest distance to your meeting. If you get tired of working in one location and want a change of scenery, simply pack up and head to another office!

The great thing about Workbuddy is that they also have a good number of locations in residential suburbs too. You can find Workbuddy coworking offices in areas like Changi, Paya Lebar, Kallang, Jurong West, Jurong East, Buona Vista, Queenstown, Harbourfront and more. They even have a coworking location in Sentosa island! Talk about accessibility. If you live close to these aforementioned areas and don’t want to travel too far from your home, then Workbuddy’s wide spread of locations may be ideal for you.

Workbuddy happens to have the lowest nominal rates for hot desk coworking plans in this list. However, take note that this $129/month rate only limits you to 5 visits per month. This works out to $25.30/day. If you need daily hot desk access, then it’s best to go with Workbuddy’s unlimited plan, which is $299/month (which is just under $10/day).

Amenities

Many of Workbuddy’s coworking offices are brand names in the coworking sector. Even though their rates are so affordable, Workbuddy’s offices are very nicely appointed. Their offices come with sleek interior décor, with all the amenities that you’d expect from a modern shared working space.

Here are some of the stylish and well-equipped coworking offices you’ll get access to when you sign up with Workbuddy:

1. WeWork @ 22 Cross Street

Source: WeWork

2. The Hive Carpenter @ 36 Carpenter Street

Source: The Hive

3. Spaces @ Paya Lebar

Source: Spaces

#3. Workcentral

Website: https://workcentral.com.sg/

Email: Submit contact form on their website to get in touch

Phone: +65 6708 8200

Coworking Office Address: 190 Clemenceau Ave, #06-01 Singapore Shopping Centre, Singapore 239924

Overview:

Workcentral’s coworking office is very conveniently located – it’s just a 5-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT. Its space is very nicely appointed. You won’t really miss out on amenities provided by more expensive coworking offices. The office is also open 24/7. Air-conditioning runs till 10PM daily, even on weekends and Public Holidays.

Hot Desk Plans:

Source: Workcentral

Workcentral’s hot desks ($200/month) are very affordable, especially given the office’s prime location within Orchard. If you’re a solopreneur on a budget who needs to be in the city, Workcentral’s coworking office would be an excellent option to consider.

Fixed Desk Plans:

Source: Workcentral

Workcentral’s fixed desks come in the form of a cubicle. Most other fixed desk options in other coworking spaces are arranged on an open plan basis, so there’s not a lot of privacy offered. If you have to take important calls or view sensitive documents, such open plan formats may not be the most ideal. Workcentral’s cubicles are therefore a useful option if you want a fixed desk that can provide you with a little more privacy. Also, having your own cubicle with a large table gives you more space to work on, plus extra storage to shelve files and other business knick-knacks.

Amenities:

Workcentral boasts a wide variety of communal spaces. It’s a thoughtfully designed coworking space that encourages interaction, and allows members to host good team discussions.

Concierge:

Brewhouse lounge area:

Communal dining area:

Reading room:

With all these amenities, well-equipped offices, sleek modern design, and its central location, Workcentral is a good value-for-money coworking space for small business owners.

All images above sourced from Workcentral.

Other business services:

Workcentral also offers virtual office services. This is useful if you need mail collection/forwarding services, or if you want to use Workcentral’s address as your registered business address. Their lowest-priced plan starts at $20/month. However, there are other virtual offices that can offer cheaper rates than that. If you want to save even more money, check out our guide on Singapore’s 5 cheapest virtual offices.

#4. The Workshop (Ang Mo Kio location)

Website: https://www.theworkshop.sg

Email: [email protected]

Phone: Not listed, email for more info

Coworking Office Address: 5008 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, #04-09/16, Tech Place II, Singapore 569874

Overview:

Hot desk plans

Source

The Workshop’s prices are the 3^rd lowest in this list, starting at $220/month for a hotdesk. This is best suited for solopreneurs who need an affordable space to get work done, without being too fussy about need a fixed desk to work from.

Fixed desk plans

Source

The Workshop’s fixed desks are priced at $300/month, which is the 2^nd most affordable in this list.

Storage unit plans

Source

The Workshop also offers storage units, which is quite unusual for a coworking space. These storage units are basically mini-warehouse-like storage rooms. These are particularly suitable for businesses that sell physical products, like clothing, toys, or other items. If you sign up for a storage unit, you’ll also get access to a hot desk. This way, you can drop by The Workshop to check in on your products, and you can then get some work done while you’re there.

The Workshop differentiates itself from most other coworking spaces by offering Makerpods. These are private offices designed for businesses that sell products. These include business producing 3D Printed products, fashion products, and more. If you’re running a business that makes physical products, you can contact The Workshop for more details to see whether their Makerpods are suitable for you.

The Workshop’s coworking space is most suitable for those who live near Ang Mo Kio, or especially for those who drive. Unlike the other coworking spaces in this list, The Workshop isn’t located within walking distance to an MRT station, and it’s not in the central area of Singapore. The Workshop is located in Ang Mo Kio, and if you’re taking public transportation, it’s 8 bus stops away from Ang Mo Kio station. The Workshop does have two additional locations in Lavender and Bukit Merah, but those are more expensive. The Workshop’s affordable Ang Mo Kio location is thus best suited for entrepreneurs who don’t need to meet clients or host business meetings in their coworking space, since its location doesn’t make it the most accessible.

#5. Cospacepark

Website: https://www.cospacepark.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +65 6735 5181

Coworking Office Address: Sparkle @ Singapore Science Park 2, 43 Science Park Road #01-11, Singapore 117408

Overview:

Source: Cospacepark

Cospacepark’s hot desks are the 3^rd cheapest in this list. Cospacepark offers a modern coworking office located in Science Park, right next to NUS. Cospacepark is especially suited for entrepreneurs who want to be close to NUS and/or the health sciences hub at Fusionopolis. Cospaceparks’ prices for private offices are not too bad at $500/pax. For coworking offices in central locations, $500 is what you’d pay for a fixed desk, and not a private office.

Protecting your business:

After you’ve gotten your coworking space, make sure that you protect your business. Provide is the easiest, quickest, and most affordable platform to get business insurance in Singapore. Click the links below to get insured online, in just 3 mins!

• Professional Indemnity Insurance (business lawsuit insurance) from $42/month
• Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance  from $42/month
• Work Injury Compensation (WICA) Insurance from $5/month
• Public Liability Insurance from $9/month