Philadelphia gives founders a university talent pipeline around Penn and Drexel, a strong life-science base and costs well below New York or Boston. Our Philadelphia catalogue lists 173 offices and coworking spaces in 18 business centres — in Center City, University City, Old City and the suburbs — from $128 a month, plus virtual office plans for companies that only need an address. This guide explains which format suits a startup at each stage and where to look.
Serviced offices and executive suites in Philadelphia: what you get
A serviced office in Philadelphia is a furnished private room inside a business centre, rented as a package: desks, internet, reception, shared kitchen and bookable meeting rooms are included, and the term is usually monthly rather than years. In the United States the same product is often called an executive suite. For a startup this means no fit-out cost, no long lease and the option to add a room when the team grows. All 18 buildings in the catalogue offer private offices of this kind; the full breakdown is in our guide to serviced offices in Philadelphia.
Startup coworking in Philadelphia: hot desk, dedicated desk or private office
Startup coworking in Philadelphia comes in three steps. A hot desk is the cheapest way to get a professional base for one or two founders. A dedicated desk keeps your screen and files in place. A private office in the same centre becomes cheaper per seat once the team reaches four to six people or needs confidential calls. Coworking is listed in 18 Philadelphia buildings in our catalogue, in the same buildings as private offices, so a team can move up without changing address. Prices and districts for every format are compared in coworking spaces in Philadelphia.
Best coworking spaces for startups in Philadelphia: buildings in our catalogue
- CIRA Center — 2929 Arch Street, next to 30th Street Station on the edge of University City.
- 325-41 Chestnut Street — Old City, popular with design and creative teams.
- Hale Building — 100 South Juniper Street, Center City near City Hall.
- One Liberty Place — 1650 Market Street, a Center City tower.
- Two Logan Square — 100 North 18th Street, Logan Square.
- 2001 Market Street — Center City West.
Where Philadelphia founders cluster
University City is the centre of Philadelphia's research and life-science scene around Penn and Drexel; CIRA Center is the closest catalogue building. Center City, along Market Street and around Logan Square, suits software, fintech and services teams hiring citywide. Old City attracts creative companies. Teams that need parking or live in the suburbs look at Freedom Business Center in King of Prussia, 201 King of Prussia Road in Radnor and Four Tower Bridge in West Conshohocken.
What startup office space costs in Philadelphia
In our Philadelphia catalogue offices start at $128 a month for the smallest one-person room, and 33 of the 173 listed offices are 300 sq ft or smaller — the usual size for a founding team of two to five. Virtual office plans with a business address are listed separately for companies that only need an address. The final price of a serviced office depends on the number of desks, the floor and the contract length, so ask the centre for a quote for your team size before comparing buildings.
How to choose a coworking space for your startup: a founder's checklist
- Size the space for the team you will have in six months, not in three years.
- Check the notice period: one to three months keeps your runway flexible.
- Count meeting-room hours included in the price.
- Ask whether the business address can be used for company registration and mail.
- Visit at the time of day your team will work: noise and light differ.
Compare office space for rent in Philadelphia — private offices, coworking and virtual offices in all 18 buildings — on RentOfficeToday.