The Commons
The Commons is a privately held Australian premium coworking operator running 19 locations across Melbourne and Sydney, offering subscription memberships, private offices, enterprise solutions, and on-demand workspace, and serving freelancers, growth-stage companies, and large enterprises such as Sportsbet, PayPal, and Spotify.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Commons does
The Commons is a privately held Australian premium coworking and flexible workspace operator headquartered in Melbourne, operating 19 locations across Melbourne and Sydney under The Commons brand, its sister brands Central House and Forum, and ancillary hospitality brands Commons Coffee, Commons Bar, and The Commons Health Club. Its core offerings span six membership tiers (Coworking, Private Office, Enterprise, On-Demand, Virtual Office) supported by 220+ meeting rooms, 14 event spaces, 8 podcast studios, 4 photography studios, and 2 movie theatres, with reciprocal member access across all sites under a single pass. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly and annual subscriptions, complemented by usage-based day passes and space hire, plus a structured member referral program that pays 10% of annual fees (capped at $5,000) for desk/office introductions.
The company's technology stack centres on Oreka, a proprietary all-in-one management platform developed in 2023 to optimise end-to-end flexible workspace operations and enable consistent multi-site deployment, supplemented by a member portal, iOS and Android mobile applications, and third-party Nirovision facial recognition for facility access. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, location-based walk-ins, website and inbound enquiry handling, phone/email inside sales, and the self-serve member app ecosystem. The customer base spans freelancers and solo professionals, growth-stage companies, and large enterprises including Sportsbet, PayPal, Spotify, Coles, Blackbird Ventures, LivePerson, Netball Australia, and ENGIE Impact, with enterprise customers typically scaling from open desks or private offices into multi-site, multi-pass allocations.
The business operates without external equity capital, having recorded only a nominal $25,000 LaunchVic grant in 2018, and is wholly owned under The Commons Cowork Holding Pty Ltd (ACN 612 577 134). Sister brands Central House and Forum are separate legal entities with no ownership ties to The Commons and are excluded from its B Corp certification. The company holds B Corp certification (2021), Great Place to Work certification, and was recognised in Australia's Best Workplaces for Women (2026), and has contributed over $1,070,180 through its Scholarship Program to charities and social enterprises.
The Commons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Commons
- Legal name
- The Commons Cowork Holding Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://thecommons.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Commons is a privately held Australian premium coworking operator running 19 locations across Melbourne and Sydney, offering subscription memberships, private offices, enterprise solutions, and on-demand workspace, and serving freelancers, growth-stage companies, and large enterprises such as Sportsbet, PayPal, and Spotify.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Commons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Coworking & Flexible Workspace
- NAICS
- Facilities Support Services (5612)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote Access, Virtual Workspaces & Digital HQ (BPAMAMAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Meeting & Event Space Services (Setup/Teardown) (BPABAFAL), Space & Occupancy Services (Move/Add/Change, Seating, Wayfinding) (IMAIALAF)
Keywords
Where The Commons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices15 records
Markets served
The Commons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Coworking Memberships: Subscription-based memberships providing access to shared workspaces, private offices, and enterprise solutions. Revenue is recurring and tiered based on membership type (Open Desk, Dedicated Desk, Private Office, Enterprise).
- Space Hire: Revenue from renting meeting rooms, event spaces, photography studios, and podcast studios on an on-demand basis. Provides flexible, pay-per-use revenue alongside recurring memberships.
- Virtual Office: Virtual office memberships providing business address and administrative services without physical desk allocation.
- Referral Program: The company incentivizes existing members to refer new business, earning referral fees based on membership type signed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Open Desk Membership - flexible day pass access |
| Subscription | Annual | Dedicated Desk and Private Office Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Commons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Commons operates a network of premium coworking and flexible workspaces across 19 locations in Melbourne and Sydney, offering tiered memberships (Coworking, Private Office, Enterprise, On-Demand, Virtual Office) and ancillary space hire (meeting rooms, event spaces, photography studios, podcast studios). It sells these memberships and space-rental services directly to individual professionals, startups, and large enterprises, providing 24/7 workspace access, reciprocal member benefits across locations, and supporting hospitality (Commons Coffee, Commons Bar).
Product overview
The Commons is a premium Australian coworking space operator offering flexible workspace solutions across 19 locations in Melbourne and Sydney. The core offering consists of six membership tiers (Coworking, Private Office, Enterprise, On-Demand, and Virtual Office) providing shared or dedicated workspace access with 24-7 availability. Space hire services include Meeting Rooms (220+ rooms), Event Spaces (14 venues), Photography Studios (4 studios), and Podcast Studios (8 studios). The company operates sister hospitality brands Commons Coffee and Commons Bar, and a separate brand The Commons Health Club. Members access facilities through a dedicated mobile app. The Commons Group has developed an internal technology platform called Oreka for workspace operations management. The company holds B Corp certification and Great Place to Work certification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Commons Health Club: A health and wellness club operated by The Commons Group, offering fitness and wellness facilities.
- Commons Coffee
- Commons Bar
Products and services
- Coworking Membership Recurring membership providing 24/7 access to shared workspaces and all common areas across The Commons locations. Designed for freelancers, solo professionals, and small teams seeking flexible desk access without a dedicated space.
- Private Office Membership Recurring membership providing 24/7 access to a dedicated, enclosed private office space for teams requiring their own dedicated workspace. Available in multiple sizes across The Commons locations.
- Enterprise Membership Customized workspace solutions for large organizations, including dedicated Enterprise Suites, multi-location access, and bespoke configurations. Customers include Sportsbet, PayPal, Spotify, Bulla Dairy, ENGIE Impact, and Netball Australia.
- On-Demand Membership Flexible, pay-per-use access to day passes, meeting rooms, and facilities across all The Commons locations. Designed for hybrid teams and individuals needing occasional workspace (e.g., Houzz remote team, LivePerson's 90 Melbourne employees).
- Virtual Office Membership Professional business address and administrative services (e.g., mail handling) for remote businesses and distributed teams, without a physical desk allocation.
- Meeting Rooms Bookable meeting, conference, training, and workshop rooms available across all 19 locations, totaling over 220 rooms. Available to members and on-demand to non-members.
- Event Spaces Versatile event venues across multiple The Commons locations suitable for corporate events, launches, and gatherings, with 14 event spaces available network-wide.
- Photography Studios Fully fitted photography studio facilities available for hire across The Commons locations, with 4 studios network-wide.
- Podcast Studios Professional podcast recording studios available for hire across The Commons locations, with 8 studios network-wide.
- The Commons Member App Mobile application (iOS and Android) for members to check availability, book meeting rooms and day passes, receive event notifications, network with the community, and manage their membership.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of members are happier to come to work
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Commons
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Commons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature3 records
The Commons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DesignOfficecoreArchitecture firm responsible for designing multiple The Commons locations including George Street, Surry Hills, Collins Street, and Martin Place. The partnership focuses on creating thoughtfully designed workspaces that embody the brand's human-centered design philosophy.
- Deague GroupcoreProperty developer known for APSO and Art Series Hotels with 150 years of property industry experience. Partnership for Central House brand, providing executive workspaces targeting professional industries.
- FortiscoreProperty developers with $500M+ in completed residential and commercial projects and $224M more in development. Partnership for Forum brand, providing high-end workspace with premium amenities and luxury experience at city fringe locations.
- Brookfield Asset ManagementminorMajor global alternative assets manager. Listed as a trusted partner/landlord relationship in the property network.
- DexusminorAustralian real estate investment group. Listed as a trusted partner/landlord relationship in the property network.
- InvestaminorAustralian property management and investment firm. Listed as a trusted partner/landlord relationship in the property network.
- LaSalle Investment ManagementminorGlobal investment management firm specializing in real estate. Listed as a trusted partner/landlord relationship in the property network.
- CenturiaminorAustralian property fund manager. Listed as a trusted partner/landlord relationship in the property network.
- Foolscap StudiominorDesign studio collaborated with for The Commons South Yarra location. Designed spaces with iconic aesthetic featuring Indigenous Australian artist Jimmy Pike's designs.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Commons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hub Australia: Australia's largest locally-headquartered coworking and flexible-workspace operator with multiple locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Direct competitor offering similar premium coworking, private office and enterprise solutions across overlapping customer segments.
- WOTSO: ASX-listed Australian flexible-workspace provider with a national network of coworking spaces, private offices and meeting rooms. Directly comparable business model of multi-location flexible workspace with enterprise and SME offerings.
- Workit Spaces: Australian flexible-workspace operator with locations in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities, offering coworking, serviced offices and virtual offices. Comparable to The Commons across membership tiers and target customer segments.
- Servcorp: ASX-listed Australian-origin provider of serviced offices, virtual offices, coworking and meeting rooms globally. Comparable product mix (especially Virtual Office membership) and enterprise customer base.
- Industrious: Premium US-headquartered flexible-workspace operator offering enterprise-grade coworking and private offices with hospitality-driven design. Highly comparable positioning to The Commons' design-led, community-focused premium model.
Broad incumbents
- Regus / Spaces (IWG): Global leader in flexible workspaces under brands including Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature. Operates a much larger network worldwide including Australian CBDs, providing similar coworking, private office and virtual office products at multiple price points.
- WeWork: Global premium coworking brand operating large-format shared and private office locations worldwide, including Australia. Directly comparable premium positioning, design-led spaces, and enterprise sales motion.
- JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global real estate services firm offering flexible-workspace, facilities management and workplace experience services to enterprise clients. Comparable in serving large enterprise tenants with hybrid-work solutions, though at much larger scale and broader scope.
- CBRE Group: Global commercial real estate services firm with workplace and flexible-occupancy solutions serving enterprise occupiers in Australia. Adjacent competitor in the enterprise flexible-workspace segment.
Emerging players
- Mindspace: Premium European flexible-workspace provider with hospitality-inspired design and locations across Europe and the US. Comparable premium positioning and enterprise focus, though no Australian presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Commons social profiles
Digital presenceThe Commons compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Commons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Commons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Commons subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Commons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Commons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Commons
What does The Commons do?
The Commons operates a network of premium coworking and flexible workspaces across 19 locations in Melbourne and Sydney, offering tiered memberships (Coworking, Private Office, Enterprise, On-Demand, Virtual Office) and ancillary space hire (meeting rooms, event spaces, photography studios, podcast studios). It sells these memberships and space-rental services directly to individual professionals, startups, and large enterprises, providing 24/7 workspace access, reciprocal member benefits across locations, and supporting hospitality (Commons Coffee, Commons Bar).
Is The Commons a public or private company?
The Commons is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Commons founded?
The Commons was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Commons based?
The Commons is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Commons make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Coworking Memberships are the primary driver. The others are space Hire, virtual Office and referral Program.
Who are The Commons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hub Australia, WOTSO, Workit Spaces, Servcorp and Industrious. Broad incumbents are Regus / Spaces (IWG), WeWork, JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) and CBRE Group. Mindspace is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Commons have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Commons.
What industry is The Commons in?
The Commons's product category is Coworking & Flexible Workspace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAMAL, Remote Access, Virtual Workspaces & Digital HQ, with a secondary code of BPABAFAL, Meeting & Event Space Services (Setup/Teardown). Its NAICS code is 5612 and its SIC code is 8744.