Start a coworking space in a shared or spare room
Turn an underused room or floor into a small coworking space, with low rent and a few desks.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
34,559 US businesses with employees in this field, -0.0% in a year
NAICS 531120 “Lessors of nonresidential buildings (except miniwarehouses)”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small coworking setup in space you share or sublet, such as the upstairs of a shop, a community hall or a spare office, with a handful of desks, Wi-Fi and a bookable meeting table.
Your first three steps
- Find an underused room or floor and ask the owner about a sublease or revenue share
- Set up a few desks, reliable internet and clear house rules, then price day passes and monthly desks
- Post in local freelancer and remote worker groups and offer a free trial day to get first members
Who pays
Local freelancers, remote workers and small teams who want a low-cost place to work a few days a week.
How it makes money
Day passes and low-priced monthly desk memberships, plus hourly meeting table rentals. Some owners split revenue with the property owner instead of paying fixed rent.
Skills that help
- Friendly, reliable hosting
- Basic marketing through local groups and social media
- Simple bookkeeping and scheduling
Watch out for
- Get written landlord consent for subleasing or coworking use and check your lease
- Zoning, occupancy and accessibility rules for your building: check with your city or county
- General liability insurance, and confirm what the building owner's policy covers
- Home occupation permit, HOA or lease rules if the space is in or attached to a home
- Noise, shared access hours and security for members' belongings
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: coworking in a shared or spare room
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a small coworking space?
Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the space, how many desks you set up, and the furniture and Wi-Fi you need. These are estimates, so get real quotes for your own room before committing.
How much can a small coworking space earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many desks you offer, how often they are booked and what you charge. These are estimates only, and results will vary with your local demand.
What rules and permissions should I check before opening a coworking space?
Get written landlord consent for subleasing or coworking use and check your lease. Check zoning, occupancy and accessibility rules with your city or county, confirm insurance coverage, and check any home occupation permit, HOA or lease rules if the space is in or attached to a home.
Similar business services ideas
Office and home water delivery route
Deliver 5-gallon bottles and coolers to offices and homes on a regular schedule.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Niche product importer, run from home
Order one product category from an overseas maker and sell it to small retailers and online shops.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- From home
Mobile security patrol service
Drive set routes past small businesses, lots and neighborhoods, checking property and reporting what you see.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Small outsourced customer support team
Run a small team that handles customer calls and enquiries for online stores and software companies under contract.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Online
Virtual fee-only financial planner
Help individuals and families plan savings, investing and retirement by video call, for a flat or hourly fee.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Online
Independent business brokerage in one niche
Run your own small brokerage selling one type of local business, such as landscaping, HVAC or restaurants.
- $3k-15k
- Full-time
- From home
Photo: Pexels on Pixabay