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The WeWork vs Spaces battle is everywhere in 2025 Google SERPs. Type “best coworking spaces in Germany” and you’ll meet endless side‑by‑side reviews, Reddit debates, and TikTok walk‑throughs. WeWork vs anything still trends, but WeWork vs Spaces now pulls the highest click‑through rate because both brands operate multiple locations in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Cologne.
WeWork and Spaces are considered two of the most prominent coworking operators in Germany, known for their extensive networks and strong presence in the coworking market.
For founders choosing office space, the stakes are high: one brand offers a tech‑startup buzz, the other sells a design‑agency calm. Each claims to give small businesses the infrastructure to scale from a two‑desk pod to a private floor with 120 seats. This deep dive compares every layer—pricing, private offices, meeting rooms, coffee quality, even phone booth spontaneously etiquette—so you select the perfect habitat for your team.
Since 2010, WeWork has evolved from a single SoHo loft into a massive global entity spanning 700+ buildings, forming a global network that connects professionals and coworking spaces across multiple countries. The German portfolio alone contains six Berlin coworking spaces—Alexanderplatz, Ku’damm, Potsdamer Platz, Neue Schönhauser Straße, Rosenthaler Straße, Axel‑Springer‑Platz—and further hubs in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich. Each site blends neon murals with floor‑to‑ceiling glass, creating collaborative breakout spaces that encourage members to network without leaving their desks.
Spaces launched in 2008 and quickly became the serviced offices provider of choice for agencies craving daylight, plants, and artisanal cappuccinos. Owned by IWG, it taps a business lounges network of 3,500 centres worldwide. German furnished locations include Potsdamer Platz and Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin plus stylish addresses in Cologne’s Mediapark and Munich’s Maxvorstadt.
Design is paramount: exposed brick, oak tables, pendant lighting. You feel as if you’ve stepped into a luxurious working environment curated by an art director—not just a workspace. Spaces stands out as a European-inspired business center, offering a sophisticated and collaborative environment that encourages networking and creativity.
WeWork’s saturation grid places a coworking space within a 15‑minute tram of most Berlin postcodes—ideal for small businesses operating across districts. Each WeWork location in Berlin offers a unique, culturally influenced environment that fosters productivity, flexibility, and a sense of community, while maintaining global standards. Spaces trades quantity for prestige: two flagship sites where open‑minded business thinkers can rub shoulders with design firms. Outside Berlin, Spaces appears in media quarters and harbour redevelopments, while WeWork prefers CBD towers with skyline views.
WeWork locations are broadly available across various cities and industries, making them suitable for startups, freelancers, and larger companies seeking flexible shared workspaces.
Both brands choose real‑estate with incredible transport. A typical WeWork is less than 200 m from the S‑Bahn; a typical Spaces guarantees lift access setup compliant with German accessibility law.
Cyclists will value Spaces’ indoor bike racks at Prenzlauer Berg. Commuters who rely on ICE trains might prefer WeWork Frankfurt Taunusanlage—12 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof during peak business hours. Alternatively, if you're looking for laptop-friendly cafes in Frankfurt for remote work, there are plenty of excellent options across the city.
Walk into any WeWork and you’ll spot graffiti walls, plush banquettes, and giant LED donor boards tracking member milestones. Colourful rugs divide zones, creating environments where you can hold a stand‑up or nap in a hammock. Many coworking operators attempt similar décor, but WeWork still feels like the OG of trendy common spaces.
Spaces champions minimalism: birch plywood desks, woven acoustic panels, and trailing pothos. Rooms coffee machine kiosks anchor the lobby, turning queue time into networking opportunities. The casual coffee shop vibe creates a relaxed and inviting atmosphere, making it easy to connect and collaborate. These collaborative atmosphere spaces attract UX researchers, illustrators, and indie filmmakers seeking quiet inspiration.
Both WeWork and Spaces create flexible shared workspaces tailored for entrepreneurs, startups, freelancers, and businesses of all sizes, offering adaptable environments to suit diverse needs.
WeWork’s private offices scale into enterprise suites complete with branded vestibules and conference rooms. A fintech that outgrows 60 desks may graduate to a private floor while keeping shared‑area privileges. There are also empty spaces available that tenants can personalize or adapt to their specific requirements, providing maximum customization and versatility.
Spaces excels at micro‑project offices: two‑desk nooks labelled Focus Studios. Ideal for freelance duos who want serviced office space without the cost of a six‑desk minimum. Spaces also offers private, secure spaces for individual work or meetings, ensuring confidentiality and 24/7 accessibility.
Both brands provide fully wired meeting rooms with HDMI, Zoom bars, and standing‑height meeting room tables. These meeting room tables are thoughtfully designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and professional connections during meetings and breakout sessions. WeWork members receive 8 credits per month with the hot‑desk plan; Spaces issues 10 credits but meters after hours usage.
Expect unlimited WiFi printers on every floor. WeWork uses HP Enterprise machines; Spaces opts for Canon eco‑tank models.
WeWork includes standard mail drop. Spaces shines with white‑glove mail handling meeting rooms service—reception can forward parcels internationally or scan urgent documents straight to your Slack.
WeWork = cold‑brew on tap, kombucha, weekly bagel socials. Spaces = barista cappuccinos, açai bowls, and corporate‑rate catering menus—useful for business lounges style board meetings. Both WeWork and Spaces feature impressive onsite cafes that foster networking, casual meetings, and a productive atmosphere for professionals.
Both sites now display LED timers to deter phone booth spontaneously marathons. These phone booths are designed as amenities to provide users with private, soundproof spaces for calls and focused work. Overrun? The system pings your app so colleagues can plan around calls.
Private phone booths are especially important for confidential calls and maintaining productivity in a shared coworking environment.
WeWork hosts weekly Creator Night where startups pitch investors. Attendees include VC scouts from Atomico and accelerators scouting coworking spaces talent.
Spaces’ Design Breakfast features art‑director keynotes, boosting its status among creative professionals. Networking events encourage members to collaborate on ad campaigns or film sets.
Either path offers networking events galore. Just pick your tribe—hackers or art directors?
A WeWork All‑Access pass grants credits enjoy complimentary access to 500 buildings plus affiliate business lounges in North America.
Spaces unlocks the entire IWG grid: Regus, HQ, Signature, and base‑level airport lounges at Schiphol, Heathrow, and Frankfurt—valuable for consultants hopping between many coworking spaces near clients.
Compared to other serviced office operators, both WeWork and Spaces offer broader global and regional reach, making them strong choices for businesses seeking extensive network access.
Contracts start at one month. Flexible access spaces can scale mid‑term; no penalty. Spaces’ Access Modern is Europe‑only but includes Paris and Madrid hubs inside historical palaces—a perk for design teams craving inspiration trips.
WeWork’s All‑Access is truly global, handy for founders closing rounds in NYC then flying back to Berlin within 72 hours.
WeWork advertises €249 hot desks, but look for VAT, 24/7 keycard (€10) and printing overages (€0.05/page).
Spaces’ €239 rate excludes luxurious working environments coffee but bundles mail scanning. Spaces pricing is often compared to WeWork's, with each offering different pricing models and contract terms to suit various user needs based on location, amenities, and flexibility requirements. Decide which extras you actually consume.
Anna – Creative‑Agency Lead
“Spaces’ Scandinavian décor turns client briefings into portfolio moments. The design‑agency vibe helped us win three pitches.”
Yusuf – SaaS Founder
“Our devs crave the Friday‑night energy. WeWork vs Spaces felt close, but the WeWork vibrant community sealed it.”
WeWork’s app lets you drill into desk daily internet connection diagnostics. Spaces’ MyIWG funnels biometric entry codes—reducing lost‑card headaches.
Both brands employ 24/7 guards and CCTV. Both WeWork and Spaces offer private and secure spaces within their coworking environments, providing members with 24/7 access and ensuring privacy for confident work. WeWork’s glazing fosters openness; Spaces’ secure spaces feature acoustic PET panels insulating confidential sales calls.
Spaces recycles carpet squares and donates surplus furniture to Berlin nonprofits. WeWork purchases green electricity under Naturstrom contracts and diverts 80 % of food waste via Too Good To Go.
Spend one morning touring WeWork Potsdamer Platz, then cross Leipziger Platz to Spaces Potsdamer Platz. Compare coffee foam quality, creating collaborative breakout spaces energy, and acoustics in conference rooms.
If you dream of Friday beer, neon murals, and global networking events that stretch into karaoke, WeWork is your playground. If you value artisan coffee, muted colours, and a clientele of creative professionals designing magazine covers, then Spaces delivers.
No matter which serviced office space you choose, Germany’s flexible‑office scene brims with opportunity. Take a tour, feel the coworking spaces pulse, and pick the ecosystem that makes your small business thrive.
The German market hosts many coworking spaces, yet few achieve the brand recognition of WeWork or Spaces. Both companies continually refine their serviced office space models, ensuring every member—from freelancers to enterprise clients—can transition smoothly between private offices, shared lounges, and quiet conference rooms during core business hours.
WeWork’s reputation stretches far beyond Berlin. A simple search for wework vs any competitor shows the brand atop discussion threads where founders compare office space perks, meeting rooms availability, and networking events ROI. Its blend of flexible shared workspaces and on‑demand private offices continues to attract small businesses hungry for growth.
Spaces positions itself as the serviced offices provider built for creative professionals. Its interiors prove that a business lounge can double as a gallery, and its private offices strike a balance between openness and secure spaces for IP‑sensitive teams. For agencies juggling multiple projects, such luxurious working environments uplift morale without sacrificing functionality.
WeWork edges forward on volume of office space and meeting rooms, while Spaces counters with sleek cafés and the widest business lounges network in Europe—excellent for members flying through airport lounges worldwide.
A bootstrapped team can begin on a dedicated desk, upgrade to private offices as headcount climbs, and eventually lease a private floor without leaving either ecosystem. This elasticity saves relocation costs and preserves the vibrant community bonds forged at earlier stages.
Pro tip: When negotiating, emphasise projected growth; both brands often discount future office space expansions if they know you intend to stay long‑term.
