Best Smartway2 alternatives in 2026

Smartway2 — now part of HubStar Systems — is an office space management software used by large organisations including Coca-Cola, Abbott, NHS, and Imperial College London. It covers meeting room booking, desk booking software capabilities, analytics, and Outlook integration, and its enterprise-grade policy engine gives facility managers fine-grained control over how space is allocated.

That said, many teams start looking for alternatives at predictable moments. Outlook add-in reliability is a recurring complaint: a consistent pattern in Capterra reviews describes the Smartway2 Outlook add-in losing its connection and requiring manual reconnection, which breaks the booking workflow for employees who rely on it daily. Others find the platform over-engineered for their scale — one non-profit described it as having “enterprise-level complexity and prohibitive per-seat pricing” that created more administrative friction than it removed. And since Smartway2 is a software-only platform, teams that want physical door displays for room visibility still need to source and manage third-party tablets independently.

We’ve compared 6 Smartway2 alternatives — covering desk booking software, meeting room booking, visitor management, and hybrid workplace tools — so you can decide what actually fits your workplace. Joan is included and profiled first, with an honest view of who each tool is actually best for.

Also evaluating other tools in this space? See Best Humly Alternatives, Best OfficeSpace Alternatives, Best Robin Alternatives.

Quickly jump to:

• Why teams start looking for Smartway2 alternatives
• Quick comparison table
• The 6 best Smartway2 alternatives in 2026
• How to choose the right Smartway2 alternative
• Joan vs. Smartway2: quick comparison
• Frequently asked questions about Smartway2 alternatives

Why teams start looking for Smartway2 alternatives

The Outlook add-in drops its connection

Smartway2’s deepest integration — the Outlook add-in — is also its most cited reliability complaint. The add-in stops syncing and has to be manually reconnected, often without warning. Multiple Capterra reviewers describe advising employees to press a “clear” button regularly to force a refresh, and at least one ICT manager flagged that the add-in dropping connection “has caused some issues” across their organisation. For teams that chose Smartway2 specifically because of its Outlook-first promise, this undermines the core value proposition.

No physical displays — third-party tablets required

Smartway2 is a software-only platform. Teams that want live room availability shown at the door have to source, mount, power, and manage tablets separately — and that hardware overhead falls entirely on IT. There is no Smartway2 room panel hardware. For smaller IT teams, this creates a gap between what the software can do and what employees actually see when they arrive at a room.

Enterprise complexity at a custom-quote price point

Smartway2 is priced and architected for large enterprises — there is no public pricing, and all plans go through a custom quote. Reviewers from non-profits and smaller organisations describe a steep learning curve and administrative overhead that diverts staff away from core work. The platform feels over-engineered for agile or lean teams that need booking functionality without an enterprise rollout project.

The 6 best Smartway2 alternatives in 2026

1. Joan — Best for teams that want physical room visibility alongside the software

Joan is a workplace management platform that combines battery-powered ePaper displays with a cloud software platform covering room booking, desk booking, visitor management, digital signage, parking reservations, and analytics — all under one subscription. The hardware is optional, but it’s what makes Joan structurally different from Smartway2: instead of sourcing third-party tablets for the doors, you get purpose-built panels that run for months on a single charge and mount without cables or drilling.

The Joan AI Agent for Microsoft Teams lets employees book rooms and desks directly inside a Teams conversation — addressing the Outlook-first workflow without relying on a browser add-in that can drop its connection.

What makes Joan stand out

• Battery-powered ePaper displays install in minutes without any cabling — Joan 6 RE, Joan 6 Pro, and Joan 13 Pro run on batteries for months per charge; no PoE switches, no power runs, no IT project required
• One subscription covers the full platform — rooms, desks, visitor management, digital signage, parking, and assets are all included; nothing is a separate paid module
• Analytics built into every plan — utilisation data, peak usage, and no-show tracking are available on all tiers without a separate reporting upgrade

Joan pricing

Joan pricing starts from €49/month for the base plan, with additional users at €0.99/user/month and additional device licences at €9.99/device/month. All features are included in every plan — nothing is gated by tier. Hardware (Joan 6 RE, Joan 6 Pro, Joan 13 Pro, Joan ePaper badge) is a separate one-time purchase. A free 30-day trial is available with no commitment. See current pricing at getjoan.com/pricing.

Joan limitations

• Upfront hardware cost: the full ePaper experience means purchasing displays, which creates a higher day-one investment than software-only tools; Joan on any display covers some of this gap if existing screens are available
• Joan is a booking and presence platform, not a full IWMS: it does not cover lease management, maintenance ticketing, or CAD floor plan editing

Best for: Any organisation managing physical workspaces — from a small office with a handful of rooms to a global enterprise across hundreds of locations.

Start your free Joan trial here.

For a direct comparison: Joan vs. Smartway2.

2. Robin — Best for Microsoft 365-heavy teams with hybrid work coordination

Robin is a workplace platform built around hybrid scheduling — helping teams see when colleagues are coming in, coordinate in-office days, and book rooms and desks from Outlook, Teams, or Slack. It’s strong in environments where Microsoft 365 is the primary stack and where desk booking is as important as room booking.

What makes Robin stand out

• Hybrid scheduling layer shows team presence and in-office days, not just space availability — employees plan around who else is coming in
• Deep Microsoft 365 and Teams integration; books rooms directly from calendar without a separate add-in
• Strong analytics dashboard for space utilisation and occupancy trends

Robin pricing

Robin does not publish pricing publicly. Contact robinpowered.com for a quote. A free trial is available.

Robin limitations

• Auto-release cancels bookings if employees don’t check in on time — arriving a few minutes late means losing a desk or room to whoever claims it next, which frustrates employees in busy offices
• No proprietary room display hardware — like Smartway2, Robin is software-only and relies on third-party tablets for door panels
• Analytics and some integrations are gated to higher tiers — organisations on entry plans report hitting feature walls when they need occupancy data

Best for: Mid-to-large Microsoft 365 shops that prioritise hybrid scheduling and team coordination alongside space booking.

Looking for Robin alternatives? Check our list of the best Robin Alternatives.

3. Tactic — Best for teams that want modular workplace tools without a forced bundle

Tactic is a modular workplace platform structured around three product groups: Engage (desk booking, room booking, visitor management, office presence), Operate (workplace requests, space management, move management), and Connect (SSO, integrations, Tessa AI assistant). You buy only the products you actually need rather than a single enterprise SKU.

Tactic has 555 reviews on G2 with a 4.6/5 rating — significantly more verified than Smartway2’s seven — which gives a clearer picture of real-world performance.

What makes Tactic stand out

• Modular pricing: start with desk booking alone, then add room booking, visitor management, or analytics when ready — no forced bundles
• Tessa AI, a built-in AI workplace assistant, handles booking, space queries, and common requests
• Strong customer support reputation across G2 and Capterra reviews

Tactic pricing

Custom quote based on products selected, office footprint, and rollout support needed. The pricing estimator on gettactic.com/pricing gives a rough annual range before you talk to sales.

Tactic limitations

• No fixed public pricing tiers — the modular model means final pricing is always a sales conversation, not a self-serve decision; harder to model independently
• Mobile app reported to hang or load slowly — multiple G2 reviewers flag occasional performance issues on the mobile app, particularly in larger offices
• Initial floor plan setup takes time — large offices with multiple floors require configuration before the booking interface is usable

Best for: Growing companies that want to start with one workplace module and expand over time, without committing to an enterprise-wide deployment upfront.

4. Skedda — Best for self-service space booking at a transparent price

Skedda is a space scheduling platform designed around self-service booking with configurable rules and policies. It’s popular in universities, co-working spaces, and mid-size offices that need room or desk booking without enterprise IWMS complexity. Unlike Smartway2, Skedda publishes its pricing publicly — and it’s one of the clearest pricing models in this category.

What makes Skedda stand out

• Transparent, published pricing with no sales call required to see numbers
• Powerful rule and policy engine: set booking windows, user permissions, and approval workflows without IT involvement
• Recently added visitor management — expanding from pure space booking into a broader workplace platform

Skedda pricing

Skedda Starter plan starts at $99/month (billed annually), covering 15 spaces with unlimited users and bookings. Plus starts at $149/month (20 spaces), Premier at $199/month (25 spaces). Visitor management is a $99/month add-on on top of any plan. See full pricing at skedda.com/pricing.

Skedda limitations

• Built primarily around space booking — room and desk booking is solid, but hybrid scheduling and employee-presence coordination are thinner than Robin or Tactic
• Visitor management is a paid add-on — $99/month on top of any base plan; not bundled in any tier
• No proprietary hardware for door displays — Skedda is software-only; displays depend on existing tablets or screens

Best for: Universities, co-working operators, or mid-size offices that need reliable room and space booking with clear pricing and minimal IT overhead.

If you are looking for the best Skedda alternatives, check our article for the top Skedda alternatives.

5. Eptura Engage — Best for large enterprises needing full IWMS capabilities

Eptura Engage (formerly Condeco, previously Teem after Eptura’s acquisitions) is an enterprise workplace platform that goes beyond booking into space planning, real estate portfolio management, and asset management. G2 directly compares it to Smartway2 — they compete for the same large enterprise buyers — and Eptura’s broader platform makes it relevant for organisations that need more than a booking tool.

What makes Eptura Engage stand out

• Full IWMS capabilities: space planning, block-and-stack floor plan management, move management, and real estate analytics alongside room and desk booking
• Enterprise compliance and security certifications across the platform
• Optional hardware integrations for room panels and digital signage

Eptura Engage pricing

Pricing on request. Eptura does not publish plan prices — “Talk to us” across all tiers. Contact eptura.com/pricing for a quote.

Eptura Engage limitations

• Support quality has drawn consistent complaints post-acquisition — multiple G2 reviewers and Capterra users describe slow response times, and one reviewer noted “communication with sales persons and support is lacking”
• Desk booking has a weekly reservation cap in some configurations — a recurring G2 complaint flags a maximum of six desk bookings per seat per week, which frustrates enterprise teams managing flexible seating
• Email notifications are limited in scope — users report that request notifications via email are unavailable in certain workflows, creating gaps in communication

Best for: Enterprises that genuinely need full IWMS functionality — lease management, real estate portfolio planning, preventive maintenance — alongside room and desk booking.

Looking to compare Eptura competitors? Check our list of the best Eptura alternatives.

6. OfficeRnD Workplace — Best for mid-market teams that want hybrid tools at a published price

OfficeRnD Workplace is a hybrid work platform for internal corporate offices. It covers desk booking, room booking, parking, visitor management (as a paid add-on), and a collaborative scheduling layer that shows team presence. Unlike Smartway2, OfficeRnD publishes its pricing — which makes it straightforward to budget without a sales call.

What makes OfficeRnD Workplace stand out

• Published pricing at every tier — no quote required to understand what you’ll pay
• Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack integrations with a strong Teams experience
• Collaborative scheduling shows who is in the office on a given day, helping teams coordinate in-office days

OfficeRnD Workplace pricing

Starts at $99/month (up to 150 users, covers desk and room booking). Professional plan at $399/month adds SSO, multi-location management, and advanced booking policies. Visitor management is a paid add-on on every plan. Full pricing at officernd.com/pricing/hybrid.

OfficeRnD Workplace limitations

• Visitor management is never bundled — regardless of plan, you pay extra for visitor check-in workflows; this matters if visitor management is part of why you’re leaving Smartway2
• The base plan’s 150-user cap means growing teams hit an upgrade sooner than the starting price suggests
• Advanced features like auto Wi-Fi check-in and SCIM directory sync are locked to Professional — entry-level teams lose access to several enterprise-grade controls

Best for: Companies with 50–500 employees that want a complete hybrid work platform with Microsoft or Google integrations and transparent, self-serve pricing.

Looking for other OfficeRnD alternatives? Check our list of the best OfficeRnD alternatives.

How to choose the right Smartway2 alternative

If your rooms need physical signage and you’re tired of managing tablets

Joan is the clearest choice. The Joan 6 RE, Joan 6 Pro, and Joan 13 Pro mount cable-free outside meeting rooms and show live availability without a power outlet. Teams currently running Smartway2 with third-party tablets on the doors replace that IT overhead with a single-vendor system.

If Outlook reliability was the trigger for switching

Robin and Joan both offer Teams-native booking that bypasses the browser add-in entirely. Joan AI Agent for Microsoft Teams books rooms and desks directly inside a Teams conversation; Robin’s calendar integration covers Outlook without relying on an add-in that can desync.

If you need full IWMS capabilities

Joan is a booking and presence platform — it doesn’t cover lease management, real estate portfolio modelling, or maintenance ticketing. For those requirements, Eptura Engage is the relevant alternative, with the caveat that support quality post-acquisition has drawn complaints.

If budget transparency is the issue

Skedda at $99/month and OfficeRnD Workplace at $99/month both publish fixed starting prices. Both are simpler than Smartway2’s enterprise platform — for teams that found Smartway2 over-engineered for their size, that simplicity is the point.

Why Joan is usually the best Smartway2 alternative

The core gap Smartway2 leaves is physical: it’s a strong piece of software inside a system where someone still has to manage the door displays. Joan closes that gap entirely with purpose-built hardware and a single subscription. The Outlook reliability issue also shifts when you move to Joan AI Agent for Teams — booking happens inside the conversation tool your team already uses, not through an add-in that can lose its connection. And because Joan covers rooms, desks, visitors, signage, and parking under one subscription, there’s no conversation about which module costs extra.

→ Also comparing other tools? See all Joan workspace comparisons:

• Best Humly Alternatives
• Best Robin Alternatives
• Best Skedda Alternatives
• Best Yarooms Alternatives
• Best Appspace Alternatives

Ready to make the switch?

Joan is free to try for 30 days — no credit card, no sales call required. Set up your rooms, desks, and visitor flow, and see whether it fits before you commit.

Start your free Joan trial here.

About the author

Monika Keleshovska

Monika writes about the future of work, workplace tech, and all the little things that make an office work better. When she’s not behind a screen, she’s probably wondering why that meeting couldn’t have been an email.

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