Deska

Deska is a map-based desk reservation platform for hybrid and flexible workplaces. It is most compelling for organizations that need employees to choose particular desks while administrators enforce office-specific booking policies and report attendance. The main trade-off is scale: the free tier is a tiny proof of concept, and meaningful capacity begins at a relatively high monthly price.

Its combination of SVG floor-plan mapping, recurring reservations, Telegram access, and attendance exports gives workplace teams a coherent operational toolkit. Companies with 20 to 500 employees are the stated audience, but smaller teams may find the paid entry point excessive, while larger deployments will need custom terms.

Overview

Administrators upload an SVG floor plan and place desk markers in a drag-and-drop editor, then employees reserve a specific location from the interactive map. Recurring weekly schedules are useful for predictable hybrid routines because users do not have to recreate the same booking every week.

Booking controls cover windows, maximum consecutive days, release times, and access rules for each office. These settings let facilities teams reflect local policy instead of leaving availability unrestricted. A Telegram bot handles availability checks, bookings, and cancellations without requiring a separate Deska app or login, which is a practical route for teams already working in Telegram.

Key features

Maps, check-in and reporting

Self-service map setup is included on every plan, keeping floor-plan maintenance in administrators' hands. Admin dashboards provide real-time and historical attendance, while CSV export supports facilities planning, HR reporting, and lease decisions. QR-code check-in starts on Growth and above. On iOS, the app requests camera access to scan a desk QR code and processes the camera image on the device without storing or uploading it.

Rules and administration

Growth adds waitlist management, advanced booking rules, and admin roles; Business adds guided onboarding and advanced reports with CSV exports. These upgrades matter when one administrator is no longer enough or when attendance data must feed formal workplace decisions.

Security and privacy

Deska says workspace data is partitioned by organization, database row-level security is enforced, and data in transit uses TLS. Supabase Auth supports Google OAuth and email invitations, with Supabase for storage and Vercel for web and API hosting. The company says it does not sell personal data, uses Stripe for billing, and limits cookies to essential sessions rather than advertising or tracking.

Pricing

Simple is suitable only for a two-desk, two-user trial or very small office. Starter is the practical minimum for a real single-office rollout, but it lacks QR check-in, waitlists, advanced rules, and admin roles. Growth fits multi-office teams that need stronger controls; Business is aimed at larger operations requiring reporting and onboarding. Enterprise is for deployments beyond the published desk limits and those needing integrations or an SLA.

Deska advertises a free trial, and users can begin on Simple without a credit card, but no trial duration is stated. Paid plans are billed monthly at the prices shown.

Platforms

Deska is available on the web and iOS. The Telegram bot provides a separate booking channel, while QR scanning is supported through the iOS app.

Who it's for

Hybrid companies, agencies, professional-services firms, technology teams, and coworking operators that need mapped seating and attendance oversight are the natural fit. It is less suitable for a tiny team needing only a few inexpensive reservations, or for organizations requiring Android mobile access.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Visual desk selection: SVG maps and positioned markers make the exact workplace location clear.
• Useful policy controls: Booking windows, release times, consecutive-day limits, and office rules support structured hybrid programs.
• Low-friction access: Telegram booking avoids another app or login for employees.
• Operational reporting: Attendance history and CSV export support planning, HR, and lease decisions.
• Clear privacy posture: Organization-level data partitioning, row-level security, TLS, and on-device QR image processing address common workplace concerns.

Cons

• Very small free tier: Two desks and two users make Simple unsuitable for most offices.
• High paid entry point: Starter begins at $99 per month before additional desks.
• Important controls are tiered upward: QR check-in, waitlists, advanced rules, and admin roles require Growth.
• No Android app: Mobile coverage is limited to iOS, with web as the other full platform.

Alternatives

Desk Booking Software is the broader category list for comparing more products.

Choose Officely instead if Android support or a free allowance of up to five users matters; its paid Basic plan is priced per user and includes simple desk booking.

Roomzilla is a better direction when resource booking is the priority and you want Android, iOS, and web coverage, including a free tier for three resources.

Choose desk.ly for a free plan covering up to 15 users, or for Android and API availability.

Flexopus suits buyers seeking a paid product with a 30-day, no-card demo and Android, iOS, web, and API platforms.

Hot Desk is a web-only alternative with a free five-seat Starter plan and per-seat Scale pricing.

Choose Workplacify when self-hosting and publicly available source code are priorities.

DeskGrid is a free, MIT-licensed self-hosted option.

deskbird is a paid alternative with native mobile apps and desk, room, and parking booking.

Verdict

Choose Deska if your hybrid office needs reservations tied to a visual floor plan, recurring schedules, and attendance reporting with enforceable booking rules. Its strongest case is the combination of mapped selection, Telegram access, and progressively richer analytics. Look elsewhere if you need Android, a low-cost paid entry point, or a free plan that supports more than a handful of people.