Remote work was already increasing in popularity prior to 2020, but since then, remote work has truly gone mainstream. Some estimates say that as much as 20% of all job roles will remain remote, with a higher percentage remaining hybrid (part-time remote, part-time in office).
As a result, a lot of people are looking for places to work remotely. Which — I understand. When you can work wherever you want, it's nice to have a change of scenery - or to spend time around other people now and then.
A lot of people also left their jobs and are never going back. They've started their own small businesses and need affordable office space outside their home.
It's also good to have access to super fast and reliable internet connections, especially for those important one-off meetings. Co-working spaces tend to have access to commercial-level bandwidth with some of the fastest internet providers in Waco.
WHERE TO WORK REMOTELY IN WACO
Whatever your reason for needing a place to work remotely in Waco or just to hang out and study - I've got you covered.
Here's everything you need to know about the co-working spaces, office rentals, and other places to work remotely or study in Waco.
COWORKING SPACES, DAY PASSES & OFFICE RENTALS
There are three primary locations in downtown Waco where you can pay for co-working spaces. You can generally lease co-working spaces daily, monthly, quarterly, or annually.
Depending on which option you go with generally determines the cost. Typically, the longer you lease, the lower the cost when broken down to a daily rate.
Each of these co-working spaces in Waco offers the following:
Super fast internet connections throughout the entire building.
Small phone booths or meeting rooms for quick calls or meetings that need to be private.
Business offices with long-term leases (12+ months typically).
Co-working monthly, quarterly, and annual membership or day passes for short-term use.
Unlimited drinks and coffee (some offer free, unlimited beer and cold brew).
Access to basic business services such as business mail, printing, and faxing.
All three are located right next door to some of the best coffee shops in Waco.
There are also longer-term office rentals at co-working spaces as well.
Before we get started, here's a quick overview of the general cost of each one:
WacoWork: From $10/day or $125/mo
StartUp Waco: From $12/day or $150/mo
N25 Co-Working Space: From $25/day or $199/mo
Here is the breakdown of the three co-working spaces in downtown Waco.
WACO WORK
Waco Work is definitely the most affordable co-working space in town as of the time that this article was written. It comes with a lot of similar benefits and amenities as the other co-working spaces, but it's a little older (it was one of the first co-working spaces in Waco, if not the first).
And when I say that it's "older" - it's not in a bad sense.
If anything, the fact that it's "older" makes it unique. It's in an old building that has a lot of character, and it's got a few things that other co-working spaces don't have.
One of those things is a really nice photo studio room that you can rent for 4-8 hours at a time. And the rates are more than fair.
Photo Studio Rates:
Per Hour: $50
4 Hours: $200
8 Hours: $400
The photo studio is a bright white space with massive windows, curtains, colored backdrops, staging furniture, and more.
The co-working space also has individual phone booths you can pop in and out of at random that are supposed to be "silent." However, in my experience, you can still hear everything inside and outside the booth. So, if you're having conversations discussing sensitive information, it might be best to take those calls elsewhere.
To be honest, this isn't necessarily an issue unique to Waco Work. I've found that this is the case for most small "booths" in co-working spaces that are supposed to be silent. An actual room with a solid, heavy glass door that touches the floor and the ceiling is far more efficient at blocking sounds from both directions.
N25 COWORKING SPACE
This brings me to N25 CoWorking Space. This space has a limited number of "phone call rooms," where they're actual office suites (albeit very tiny ones) that have heavy, floor-to-ceiling glass that does a pretty good job of blocking sound both inside and outside the space.
So, sensitive information is generally okay to be discussed in these spaces.
N25 CoWorking Space is also the newest and possibly the nicest co-working space in Waco. But, that means it also comes with a higher price tag than what you can get elsewhere, such as at Waco Work.
It's located in a historic building that used to be an old bank, complete with a massive steel vault (currently under renovation):
N25 CoWorking Space does have some pretty sweet features that none of the other places do.
Features such as:
Massive, rentable meeting rooms of all types
A beautiful rooftop terrace that's accessible to members
A top-floor event space with a full-blown kitchen and island counter
At the time this article was written, they did not have a designated photography studio space as Waco Work does. However, they're still in the process of renovating a second part of the building that may end up featuring something of that nature in the near future.
It's worth noting that when I toured N25 CoWorking Space, they were almost completely sold out of all of their office suite rentals. And there are a LOT of them in the building.
There are quite a few significant players and influencers in the Waco economy who have offices at N25 CoWorking Spaces. So, if you're looking to get connected - N25 may be a good place to hang out. Sometimes proximity is one of those intangible things that's simply worth paying a little extra for.
STARTUP WACO
StartUp Waco is located a few doors down from N25 CoWorking Space. StartUp Waco is exactly what it sounds like - it's essentially an incubator for startups in the Waco area.
StartUp Waco's co-working space is just one of the many pieces of what make up StartUp Waco.
They have multiple programs that combine strategic partnerships between the private and public sectors with the single goal of promoting and growing the local Waco business community.
In many ways, StartUp Waco is even more of a "connected" place than N25 Co-Working Space simply because of the unique partnerships and programs that it operates in Waco.
One of the programs powered by StartUp Waco is called "Emerge," which is an actual startup incubator. It is an invitation-only, small-business incubation program designed to foster growth in companies that are focused on specific industries.
Some of the potential benefits of being part of the StartUp Waco community are:
"Office Hours" - a Mentorship & Connection program
Special Business Financing (based on specific criteria and program acceptance/invitation)
"The Meetup" - Hear from successful local business owners every Wednesday morning
WACO COFFEE SHOPS
If you have been on ExpertTexan.com before, then you probably know that I write a LOT about coffee shops. I may have a coffee problem... nah, who am I kidding? There is no such thing!
Anyway, I'm always on the lookout for the next best coffee shop to pop up. I also tend to spend a lot of time at local coffee shops. And since I spend a lot of time hanging out at local Waco coffee shops, I feel like I might be qualified to give you a quick snapshot of which ones are the best places to study or work remotely.
GLORY BELL COFFEE
This is one of the newest coffee shops in Waco. It's also the largest coffee shop in Waco. It's also one of the coolest coffee shops in Waco and it absolutely passes just about any vibe check you've got.
At 4,000 square feet, multiple sofas, lounge chairs, tables, and corner spaces - Glory Bell has everything you need, including high-speed internet.
It's also located right next door to Waco Work, so if you need to check into a legitimate co-working space, then it's a hop and a skip away.
DICHOTOMY COFFEE
Dichotomy Coffee is the only coffee shop to date that has a rooftop terrace. When the weather allows, it's a great space to go and get some remote work or studying done. There is a lot of seating down on the main floor, too.
At the front of the shop, it's primarily hard-seating and the bar chairs. For soft-seating (sofas & cushioned chairs), you'll want to head towards the back.
Dichotomy Coffee was one of the very first boutique coffee shops in Waco, and their experience shows through with the quality of every single cup of coffee that they make.
FABLED BOOKSHOP & CAFE
Fabled Bookshop & Cafe is exactly what it sounds like. It's a bookstore with a coffee shop inside. As you can imagine, with that combination, it's pretty cozy and comfortable. With a near 50/50 ratio of hard seating vs. cushioned chairs and sofas, it's like a home away from home.
But it's also generally pretty packed with Baylor students during the school year, so if you want a good spot - get there early.
THRST COFFEE
THRST Coffee is another great place to check in and spend a few hours studying or working remotely. In fact, this coffee shop is the spot where a ton of local entrepreneurs, creators, and other types of visionaries tend to hang out and spend a lot of time.
THRST Coffee has created that environment, and it's fostered and encouraged through special events such as spoken word and poetry nights, art meet-ups, and more.
If you like coffee and are entrepreneurially inclined, are into the arts, or simply want to connect with some really cool people, then THRST Coffee is your spot.
WACO LIBRARIES
The city of Waco has gone to great lengths to do something that few cities have made a point of doing. Waco has created a network of completely free WIFI access hotspots, starting with the four main libraries located in the city:
Central Library
East Waco Library
South Waco Library
West Waco Library
Libraries are often extremely quiet environments, which makes them great spaces to study or work remotely. While libraries may not have all of the same amenities and benefits as co-working spaces or coffee shops - they are free to go and hang out.
Just stop at the coffee shop before heading to the library, and you'll be all set.
By late 2023, other free Wi-Fi locations being built with modern, upgraded equipment throughout Waco include:
Doris Miller Community Center & Multi-Purpose Center
South Waco Community Center
Bledsoe-Miller Community Center
Dewey Community Center & Dewey Park
If you're looking for free internet in Waco where you can work or study remotely, all of the above-mentioned city-owned properties are great options to keep in mind.