6 Best Hot Desk Booking Software for Hybrid Teams

​Hot desking should make hybrid work easier, but it often creates small daily hassles that add up. Peak days get crowded, quiet days feel empty, and people are not sure where to sit or who they will see. Desks get “reserved” and then sit empty when no one checks in. A few employees grab the best seats every time, and others give up…

Sounds familiar?

When companies brought people back to the office, many ran into the same problem: not enough desks and confusing bookings. In London, some JPMorgan staff said they had to come in early just to find a seat. HSBC’s new HQ showed big desk shortages on busy days. Amazon heard complaints in a few cities and slowed its rollout where space was tight. Google Cloud even asked teams to share desks on alternating days, which upset people and proved how much clear rules and visibility matter.

The good news is that desk reservation tools fix these problems by making booking fair and simple.

How desk booking software works

Desk booking software lets people reserve shared desks and helps admins keep the office running smoothly:

1. Employees open a web or mobile app, see a live floor plan or a calendar, and pick a desk for a day or a time block. They can filter for what they need (power, monitor, quiet area), sit near teammates, or choose a favorite spot. Many tools also let you book straight from Google or Outlook and send reminders in Slack or Teams, so you don’t have to learn a new routine.
2. On the day, the person checks in (usually by scanning a QR code at the desk). If they don’t check in within a short window, the system auto-releases the desk so someone else can take it. That one feature kills most “ghost” bookings.
3. Behind the scenes, simple rules keep things fair. You can cap attendance on busy days, add short buffers between bookings, limit how long booths can be used, and set neighborhoods for teams. Those nudges spread demand so Tuesdays aren’t chaos and Fridays aren’t empty.
4. Everything stays in sync. Two-way calendar integration means bookings show up in your normal calendar. Single sign-on (SSO) keeps logins easy and secure. If you connect door access, the right people get the right zones at the right times without manual work.
5. Admins get real-time visibility and trustworthy reports. Because people check in, the data reflects reality: occupancy, utilization, peak hours, and no-shows. That helps leaders decide whether to add phone booths, repurpose quiet areas, or right-size the office.

That’s it. The office feels calmer, teams find each other, and fewer issues land on IT or the front desk. Now, for the fun part: choosing the best desk booking software for your needs.

The best desk booking software at a glance

1. Archie: Best desk booking software for mid-sized and larger hybrid offices.
2. OfficeSpace: For large hybrid offices with bigger budgets and complex needs.
3. Robin: For hybrid teams that want simple desk booking with strong integrations.
4. Envoy: For companies that want desk booking combined with visitor management and workplace safety.
5. Skedda: For small to mid-sized offices looking for a simple, affordable desk booking tool.
6. Officely: For hybrid teams that use Slack or Microsoft Teams every day and want booking inside their chat app.

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Archie

Best suited for: Mid-sized and larger hybrid teams looking for full-featured, reasonably-priced desk booking software.

Archie keeps bookings simple. You pay per resource, not per user, so your costs match the number of desks and meeting rooms you actually manage. This is perfect for mid-sized companies where people rotate between home and office.

The web and mobile apps are clean and fast, so anyone can grab a desk or room in a few clicks. Interactive floor maps show what is free and where coworkers are sitting, which makes it easy for teams to plan office days and sit near each other. Archie also syncs with Outlook and Google Calendar, so reservations show up next to your regular meetings without extra steps.

Teams like Archie because it just works where they do. The interface is straightforward, so most people need little to no training. If questions come up, support is quick and helpful. The platform also plays nicely with common office systems and calendars, so you can slot it into your current setup without a big change management project. If you want to try it first, there is a free trial you can share with a few test users to get quick feedback.

There are a few trade-offs to consider. The Starter plan might be more than a very small office needs. Reporting covers a lot of metrics, but if you want highly customized dashboards, you may find it limited at the moment.

Pricing: Archie starts at $2.80 per desk, with a minimum of $159 per month. A free trial is available, so you can test it out before committing.

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OfficeSpace

Best suited for: Large hybrid offices on a bigger budget.

OfficeSpace makes it easy to reserve desks through an interactive floor plan, see where their teammates are sitting, and set up “neighborhoods” so teams can work closer together. For admins, there are tools to track usage, monitor occupancy trends, and even plan office moves. Because it integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, and other systems, it fits smoothly into existing workflows.

Companies like OfficeSpace because it’s user-friendly despite its long list of features. Most employees pick it up quickly, and the mobile app makes on-the-go booking simple. The platform also earns high marks for customer support, especially during onboarding, where the team helps with setup and training.

The main drawback is cost. OfficeSpace doesn’t list pricing publicly, and reviews suggest it can get expensive as you add users or locations. There’s also often a one-time setup fee, which can be a hurdle for budget-conscious teams. For smaller offices, the platform might feel like too much since it’s packed with advanced features that not every company needs.

Pricing: OfficeSpace works on a custom quote basis, and review sites suggest prices often start around $60 per user per month plus a setup fee. You’ll need to speak with their sales team for exact numbers, but demos are available.

Robin

Best suited for: Hybrid teams that want an easy way to book desks with strong integrations.

With an intuitive interface, people can use Robin to book desks in just a few clicks and see who else will be in the office. Interactive maps give a clear view of availability and help coworkers coordinate where to sit. Robin connects with tools like Outlook, Google Calendar, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, so bookings and updates fit naturally into the apps teams already use. The mobile app also makes it easy to reserve a spot on the go.

Companies often choose Robin because it’s quick to roll out and easy for employees to learn. It doesn’t require much training, and its real-time visibility into who’s in the office helps hybrid teams feel more connected. Admins also get analytics to track occupancy trends and make better space planning decisions.

On the downside, Robin can be on the pricey side since it charges per user. While the platform is feature-rich, that per-user model adds up quickly for mid-sized companies with larger headcounts. Some users also mention minor glitches in the app, though they’re usually not deal-breakers.

Pricing: Robin doesn’t publish exact rates, but estimates suggest it starts around $70 per user per month. A free trial is available so you can test it before committing.

Envoy

Best suited for: Companies that want desk booking combined with strong visitor management and workplace safety features.

Employees can use Envoy to reserve a desk ahead of time, see who else will be in the office, and get reminders to check in when they arrive. For admins, Envoy provides detailed analytics on how desks and rooms are being used, making it easier to spot trends and optimize space. It also integrates with popular tools like Slack, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace, so scheduling and notifications fit right into existing workflows.

Teams appreciate Envoy because it creates a smooth and professional experience from the moment someone walks into the office. It’s easy for staff to book a desk, and visitors get a polished sign-in process with options like badges and health checks.

The main trade-off with Envoy is cost. Pricing is based on active users, so it can add up quickly for mid-sized or larger offices. Some advanced features, like hot desking and in-depth reporting, are only available on higher-tier plans, which means smaller companies may need to stretch their budget to access them. A few users also wish reporting was more customizable, though the out-of-the-box analytics cover most needs.

Pricing: Envoy’s plans start at $3 per active user per month, but desk booking requires the Premium plan at around $5 per user per month. Higher enterprise tiers are available for advanced features. A free trial lets you test the platform before committing.

Skedda

Best suited for: Small to mid-sized offices that want a simple way to manage desk bookings.

Skedda focuses on keeping things straightforward. Employees can use an interactive floor map to choose their desk or meeting room and reserve it in seconds. Admins can set up custom booking rules, like limiting how far in advance people can book or how long they can hold a space. This makes it easy to match the system to your company’s policies. Skedda also connects with tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Slack, so bookings and reminders fit into the tools teams already use.

People like Skedda because it’s quick to adopt and doesn’t overwhelm users with too many features. The clean interface means staff can figure it out right away without training. Admins appreciate that they can create team “neighborhoods,” so groups can sit near each other when in the office. It’s also budget-friendly, since pricing is based on the number of spaces you manage rather than the number of users.

The trade-offs come with scale. Reporting is fairly basic, so while you can track bookings and usage, you won’t get the deep analytics of larger platforms. It’s also limited in scope, focusing mostly on space scheduling.

Pricing: Skedda starts at $99 per month for up to 15 bookable spaces. Higher tiers are available for larger offices with more desks. A free trial is available so you can see if it fits your workplace.

Officely

Best suited for: Hybrid teams that live in Slack or Microsoft Teams and want desk booking built right into their chat app.

Officely keeps things light and familiar by working directly inside Slack or Teams. Instead of logging into a separate app, employees can book desks, see who else is coming in, and even check in for the day without leaving their chat window. It’s a handy way to coordinate office days since people can easily spot when teammates are planning to come in and grab seats nearby.

Most employees already use Slack or Teams every day, so booking a desk there doesn’t require learning something new. It’s fast to roll out and easy to adopt. The platform also makes small but meaningful things easier, like booking on behalf of a colleague or auto-seating teams together, which helps hybrid offices feel more connected.

The main drawback is that Officely only works if your company uses Slack or Teams. There’s no standalone app with the same features. It’s also more limited than larger platforms — you get the essentials for hot desking and attendance, but not extras like visitor management, advanced analytics, or detailed floor maps. For companies that need a full workplace management system, it might feel too basic.

Pricing: Officely is free for up to 10 users. Paid plans start at about $2.50 per user per month (billed annually), making it one of the more affordable desk booking tools for mid-sized teams. A free trial is available for the paid plan.

Have you found the best desk booking software yet?

Here’s a simple checklist to help you choose the best desk booking system:

• Match it to your tech stack. If you use Microsoft 365, check Outlook and Teams. If you use Google Workspace, check Calendar integrations.
• Pick a pricing model that fits how you work (per user or per resource).
• Make sure it has the basics you need: live floor maps, QR check-in with auto-release, SSO or SCIM, clear analytics, and a solid mobile app.
• If you have more than one office, confirm it supports multiple locations, team neighborhoods, and role permissions.
• If you need visitor management or door access, see what is built in or what integrates well.
• Shortlist two or three vendors, run a two-week pilot with clear goals (lower no-shows, faster check-ins, fewer conflicts), and include IT, Facilities, and HR before rolling it out.

Once you pick a tool, start with one team, gather feedback, tweak your settings, and then roll it out to everyone. Your office will finally work the way your team works!