For a small business, renting out an entire office space isn’t always an option at first. Even if it is financially possible, it’s not usually necessary when first starting out. Nowadays with everyone working from laptops, tablets and cell phones, it can be easy to work from home, or run your entire company from a table at your local Starbucks or cafe. While this might seem like the most convenient option since chances are it’s close to your home, and free, there are some downsides to working from a cafe. A coworking space is the perfect combination of affordability and efficiency. Here are a few reasons why coworking is better than working from your local coffee shop.

Noise Level

A cafe might seem like a good workplace on paper but when you arrive there with your laptop and papers in hand, you’ll notice one huge downside right away: the noise level. Not only are there patrons ordering drinks, but coffee shops have become one of the go to destinations for first dates, casual business meetings and meet ups in general. All these conversations going at once can make it extremely hard to concentrate. Some people can plug their headphones in and drown out the sound, but i’ve found that nothing beats the sound of silence when you’re trying to get something done. Coworking spaces are much different. Everyone is there for the same purpose: to get work done. Because of this common goal, the noise levels tend to stay fairly low, especially in areas that are designated for quiet, individualized work.

Coffee Prices

I’m sure i’m not the only one who’s noticed the rising cost of coffee and tea. While this might not seem like a big deal, if you’re sitting around at a cafe all day trying to get work done, you’re likely to develop a habit of drinking 2-3 drinks per day. At $7 per drink, that cost adds up, and especially for a small business, every expense counts. A good coworking space will provide coffee as part of the perks of renting your space, so you’ll be saving money without giving up any of the fuel that gets you through your day.

Secure/Fast Wifi

One of the most frustrating things about working from a cafe is sharing their slow and glitchy wifi with all the other patrons. Nothing is more annoying than trying to send an important email on a slow connection, and watching your Sending progress crawl at the speed of 90’s dial-up internet. There might be people watching videos, streaming music or even downloading movies on the same network as you, which slows down what was already a low quality connection to begin with. At a coworking space, a top speed wifi network is a high priority. Since most companies depend on the internet to get basically anything done, any good coworking space will make sure their connection is fast and stable, no matter how many people are using it at the same time.