Guide
Virtual office software for remote teams
A virtual office gives a remote team one place to work together online: you can see who’s in, drop into a room, and talk without booking a meeting. Here’s what the software does, what to look for, and how HubThread approaches it.
What is virtual office software?
Virtual office software is an always-open online space for a remote or hybrid team. Instead of a chat app plus a calendar full of video calls, the team shares persistent rooms. Everyone can see who’s working and where, and a quick question is a click away instead of a scheduled meeting.
The goal is to bring back what remote teams lose: the quick hallway question, knowing who’s around, and the feeling of working alongside people rather than between meetings.
Looking for a virtual office address instead?
“Virtual office” also names a real-world service: a business mailing address, mail handling, and meeting rooms you can rent by the hour. That’s a different product. If you need a registered address for your company, look for a virtual office address provider. If you need a place for your remote team to work together, you’re in the right place.
How it differs from chat plus video calls
| Chat app + video calls | Virtual office | |
|---|---|---|
| Asking a quick question | Message, wait, maybe schedule a call | See they’re free, drop into their room |
| Knowing who’s around | A green dot, at best | Who’s online and which room they’re in |
| Team meetings | New link and invite every time | The team’s room is always there |
| Working together quietly | Not really possible | Sit in a room together, talk when needed |
Most teams keep their chat app for written, async work. A virtual office replaces the scheduled calls and the “got a minute?” messages.
The main kinds of virtual office
- Map and avatar offices. You steer an avatar around a 2D map, and audio fades with distance. Gather is the best-known example. Fun for events and social time; some teams find the map gets in the way of daily work.
- Floor-plan offices. A drawn office layout where you click into rooms and desks. Sococo and Roam take this approach.
- Room-based offices. A set of rooms (team rooms, meeting rooms, one-on-ones) with clear presence and drop-in video, without a map to navigate. This is HubThread’s approach.
Comparing with Gather specifically? Read our Gather Town alternative comparison.
What to look for
- Daily use, not novelty. The best virtual office is the one your team still opens in month three. Favor fast, simple, and low on distractions.
- Clear presence. You should see at a glance who’s online and where they are.
- Call quality. Audio and video have to be dependable; test with your whole team during the trial.
- Nothing to install. Browser-based tools are easier to roll out and easier for guests.
- Guests. Clients and candidates should be able to join without an account.
- Security and control. Check for single sign-on, and self-hosting if your data has to stay in your network.
- Recording. If you record meetings, check who owns the files and how you get them out.
- Simple pricing. Per-seat pricing you can predict, and a real free trial.
How HubThread works
HubThread is a room-based virtual office that runs in the browser. You set up the rooms your team needs, and the hub shows everyone who’s online and which room they’re in.
- Drop-in rooms with video, audio, screen sharing, and room chat.
- Live presence: watch teammates move between rooms on the hub.
- Recording that saves each person’s audio and video as separate files with timings, downloadable by admins. A recording bot joins the call so everyone knows.
- Icebreaker games like This or That and Two Truths and a Lie, started right inside a call.
- Guests without accounts on the Business plan and up; SAML SSO and self-hosting on Enterprise.
- From $7.50 per user per month (billed annually), with a 30-day free trial and no credit card. See pricing.
Who it fits, and who it doesn’t
HubThread fits remote and hybrid teams that want a calm, focused online office for everyday work. If your main need is large social events with hundreds of attendees, or you want a game-like map to decorate, a map-based tool will suit you better.
Frequently asked questions
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Is virtual office software the same as a virtual office address?
No. A virtual office address is a real-world service: a business mailing address, mail handling, and meeting rooms you can rent. Virtual office software is an online space where a remote team works together. HubThread is software; it doesn’t provide a mailing address.
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How much does virtual office software cost?
Most tools charge per person per month. HubThread starts at $7.50 per user per month billed annually, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card required.
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Does my team need to install anything?
Not with HubThread. It runs in the browser, so your team opens a link and they’re in the office.
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Can people outside my company join?
Yes. On the Business plan and up, guests can join a room without creating an account, which is useful for client calls and interviews.
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Can we host it ourselves?
Yes. The Enterprise plan includes self-hosted deployment and SAML single sign-on, for teams with strict security or data-residency requirements.
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