Penang's coworking scene has grown well past a single well-known name in Pulau Tikus. It now spans a KL-headquartered chain with a genuine island branch, a global serviced-office network with centres on both sides of the channel, a homegrown flagship inside a restored 1930s bank building, and a handful of independent operators — some built for George Town's freelancer crowd, others specifically serving Seberang Perai so mainland-based teams don't have to cross to the island every day.
What's on this list
Eight operators with a genuine, checkable Penang presence: a KL-headquartered chain (Common Ground) and a global network (Regus, part of IWG), alongside homegrown George Town names (Infinity8 Reserve, MASCO, Settlements, @CAT) and two mainland-specific operators in Seberang Jaya and Bukit Mertajam (Bersama-Sama, CoHere).
Common Ground — the KL Chain's Penang Branch
Common Ground's Penang branch — part of the same network that spans Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang — occupies the second floor of Moulmein Rise Shoppes in Pulau Tikus, one of George Town's most established commercial pockets just outside the city centre. The roughly 18,000 sq ft floor mixes hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices and meeting rooms, with published day passes from RM50, hot desks from RM499 a month and fixed desks from RM699 a month. It's the most corporate-polished option on this list if you want a KL-standard floor without leaving the island.
Regus (IWG) — the Widest Spread, Island and Mainland
Regus, part of the global IWG group, has the broadest geographic coverage of any operator here, with centres at Hunza Tower in Gurney Paragon and Menara Boustead in George Town, a third inside iDEAL @ The One near Bayan Lepas and Penang International Airport, and a fourth across the channel at Wisma Pantai in Butterworth. Plans run from hot desks and virtual offices — quoted from around RM85 a month for a mailing address — up to fully serviced private offices, with Menara Boustead's coworking desks listed from roughly RM555 per person a month. It's the pick if your business needs a registered address on both the island and the mainland.
Infinity8 Reserve George Town — a Homegrown Flagship in a Heritage Bank
Infinity8, a Malaysian flexible-workspace operator, opened its Penang flagship in 2024 inside the former Standard Chartered Bank building at No. 2 Beach Street — a four-storey, roughly 25,000 sq ft heritage landmark completed in 1930 in the middle of George Town's UNESCO World Heritage core. It was the brand's 11th centre nationwide and its first in northern Malaysia, offering flexible seating, dedicated desks, private suites and meeting rooms alongside business-support services like mail handling and 24/7 access. Worth a look if a heritage-building address matters to your brand.
MASCO Coworking Space — Penang's Largest Floor, Built for Volume
Spread over three levels inside Prangin Mall in the heart of George Town, MASCO bills itself as Penang's biggest coworking operator, with close to 66,000 sq ft housing roughly 100 resident teams. The space mixes open desks, semi-private capsule cabins and meeting rooms, plus a pantry, games area and mall-side parking, with day access reported at around RM30 plus a refundable deposit. It's the practical, high-capacity option for freelancers who want to drop in without committing to a monthly plan.
Settlements — George Town's MSC-Status Coworking Veteran
Settlements has been running since March 2018 from the 8th floor of Livingston Tower on Argyll Road, one of only two Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)-status buildings in Penang — a status that can matter if your company needs MSC incentives. The roughly 18,000 sq ft space overlooks George Town and offers day passes from around RM25, hot desks and dedicated desks in the region of RM300–400 a month, and a RM50-a-month virtual office option. It leans toward independent creative professionals and small growing teams rather than large corporates.
@CAT Penang Co-Working Space — State-Backed, Built for Startups
Run inside Wisma Yeap Chor Ee at the corner of Pengkalan Weld and Gat Lebuh China in George Town's heritage core, @CAT (Creative, Analytics, Technology) is a Penang state government-linked initiative built to grow the local tech and startup ecosystem, layering mentorship, workshops and networking events on top of desk space. Pricing is entry-level: hot desks from RM25 a day, a 10-day pass at RM150, or a fixed-desk Platinum Pass at RM300 a month. It's the cheapest way onto this list, and the one most oriented toward founders over remote corporate staff.
Bersama-Sama Coworking Community — Seberang Jaya's First Coworking Space
For teams based on the mainland, Bersama-Sama Coworking Community was Seberang Jaya's first coworking space, operating from Jalan Todak 2 opposite Sunway Carnival Mall. It's a small, community-run setup offering hot desks, dedicated desks and private offices with free coffee and tea, priced from a RM20 day pass up to a RM300-a-month premium membership, plus a RM40 virtual-office add-on. A useful option if commuting to George Town island daily isn't practical.
CoHere Co-Working Space — 24/7 Access in Bukit Mertajam
CoHere operates out of Icon City in Bukit Mertajam, giving Seberang Perai-based freelancers and small businesses round-the-clock access without crossing to the island. The space is smaller and more design-forward than most mainland options, built with an industrial, steel-rack aesthetic, and is positioned as an affordable base for professionals and startup founders rather than a large corporate centre.
Final Word
One thing to flag before you tour any of these: Beach Street's heritage bank building has changed hands once already — IWG's own Spaces brand ran a flagship there from 2019 until its closure, and Infinity8 has since taken over the same address with its own fit-out. It's a reminder that even a landmark building doesn't guarantee a permanent tenant, so confirm current occupancy and pricing directly with the operator rather than relying on older articles or directory listings. Beyond that, the choice mostly comes down to geography and budget: George Town island covers the polished end (Common Ground, Infinity8, Regus) down to the budget end (MASCO, @CAT, Settlements), while Seberang Perai's mainland options (Bersama-Sama, CoHere, and Regus's Butterworth centre) exist specifically so you don't have to cross the channel for a desk every day.
