Flexible, productive, and professional workplace options are key to managing your workload and maintaining a strong business reputation. And, for many solopreneurs and small businesses, a virtual office is the perfect solution. 

But what is a virtual office?

Essentially, a virtual office address gives you the administrative support and professional appearance that comes with having an office—except you don’t actually need to take on the physical space or the costs that come with it. 

In this guide, we’ll explore what virtual office addresses are, how they differ from a coworking space or a traditional office lease, and the seven key virtual office benefits you need to know about. 

The Non-Office Workspace: What is a Virtual Office? 

A virtual office, also known as a “virtual mailing address” or “virtual mailbox,” offers businesses and professionals a real, physical business address at a reputable office building without the need to use or pay for physical office space. 

For example, with a virtual office address at Launch Workplaces, you can have an office address in a premium building, including:

• Navy Yard, Washington, DC 
• The Ring Building, Washington, DC
• Glover Park, Washington, DC
• 210 West Pennsylvania Avenue in Towson, Maryland
• 1201 Seven Locks Road in Rockville, Maryland
• 9481 Washingtonian Blvd in Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Crocker Park in Westlake, Ohio
• 2600 Virginia Ave NW in Washington, DC
• 7315 Wisconsin Ave in Bethesda, Maryland 

You can choose one, a few, or all of these addresses, depending on your needs. 

Typically part of a suite of virtual office services, you can access as basic or complex of options as you need. At Launch, we provide: 

• • Address and mail services: Maintain a mailing address in a credible, professional location. Staff also help receive and store packages and mail for your convenience. 

• Advanced mail handling: Add-on services include mail notification, scanning, or forwarding so you can stay on top of all incoming mail. 

• On-demand meeting room access: Book a conference or meeting room to connect with employees or clients. Credits are included with some virtual office memberships or can be purchased additionally. 

• Coworking day pass options: Come to your Launch location to work with day pass options—ideal for out-of-town and traveling professionals who need occasional physical workspace on top of virtual services. 

Your virtual office lets you maintain a physical presence without maintaining a real physical presence—you’ve got the address and perks that come with it while working anywhere you want.

The 7 Big Benefits of Virtual Office Addresses

Let’s take a step back and answer the most important question: why would you want a virtual office address for your business?

Virtual office benefits are both tangible and intangible, offering practical solutions for professionals while also boosting company credibility and perception. 

Here are the seven key virtual office benefits to know about: 

1. Administrative Support

On a very practical level, virtual offices provide important administrative support to professionals. Mail handling and forwarding services help you effectively manage important correspondence.

Additionally, on-site staff are available to help meet your business needs, and options to book meeting rooms or coworking spaces offer a flexible solution. 

2. Low Overhead

Even if you need the administrative benefits of an office address, paying for a workspace when you don’t need it is an unnecessary expense. A virtual office is the best of both worlds in that you can access the benefits of an office without the price tag for square footage. 

Our virtual office memberships at Launch start as low as $39.00/month, offering huge value to businesses at an affordable monthly fee. Coworking spaces, both their virtual office offerings and, more generally, offer a cheaper alternative to traditional office space. 

3. Options to Scale 

You may only require virtual office services now, but signing up for them at a coworking space like Launch means you’re part of our community. Should you need additional services or amenities in the future, we’re here to provide them. For example, we offer a variety of workplace options such as: 

• Private offices and team suites
• Shared coworking spaces with open or dedicated desks 
• Bookable meeting rooms and event spaces

Each option is part of an all-inclusive membership with perks such as tea and coffee, printing and scanning, top-tier A/V equipment, on-site staff, and amenities like gym access or parking (location dependent). 

And because we offer flexible monthly memberships, it’s easy to change things up when your business needs evolve. It may be a virtual office now, but if your business grows and you want to scale up into more space, we’re here to help. 

4. Professional Image

Your business address can boost your professional image, especially if it’s located in a reputable, well-known area. 

At Launch Workplaces, we have virtual office addresses across Maryland, DC, and Ohio so you can put yourself on the map in a strategic location that’s best for your work. This helps you develop a local presence in the area you want to operate in, furthering reach and helping you break into new markets.

Offering clients and partners a professional mailing address further boosts your image and credibility. 

5. Business Legitimacy

Another key benefit of a virtual office is business compliance and legitimacy. A real-life street address—one that’s not your home—is ideal for receiving official documents like:

• Business registration
• Legal documents
• Tax and financial documents
• Business-related mail 

This is more secure than using a personal address and streamlines operations while publicly legitimizing your business. 

6. Privacy and Security

A virtual office allows you to separate your business and personal life. Instead of listing your home address for your operations, a virtual office allows you to separate these things and maintain important privacy and security. 

This separation is also generally important for work-life balance and keeping your personal and professional life from overlapping too much, causing additional stress or worry. 

7. Local Presence

Many professionals and businesses benefit from virtual office addresses because it provides them with a local presence, even if it isn’t in their primary market.

Here’s a hypothetical example.

Let’s say a real estate professional or a lawyer is based in Maryland but also serves clients in Washington, DC.

With a virtual office address, they can run their operations in Maryland, but establish a local presence in DC.

This allows their business to appear on Washington, DC-based Google searches to attract local clientele. And it also provides them with on-demand access to local meeting spaces where they can connect with clients in a private, professional environment—without the client needing to make the drive all the way to Maryland. 

Virtual Office vs. Coworking Space: What’s the Difference? 

Feeling unsure about the distinction between virtual office versus coworking space? 

Simply put, the difference between a virtual office vs. a coworking space is the physical environment. 

In a virtual office, people are working at home or remotely, using the virtual office services for mail, voicemail, and occasional in-person meetings. 

In contrast, a coworking space is a physical work environment where professionals and companies share a workplace. Fostering community and connection is central to the coworking mission, and offers a place where you can network and develop social and professional connections. 

Further, coworking spaces typically offer virtual office services—they fall under the broader umbrella and suite of services offered by a coworking operator. Virtual office benefits are available to members of a coworking space or those who work elsewhere and need additional support. 

Many professionals and businesses can benefit from a business address. If you’re looking for administrative support, options to scale, business legitimacy, and smoother operations—it may be time to look into a virtual address. 

If you’re looking for a virtual office in DC, Maryland, or Ohio—or you simply want to learn more—contact us to explore your local Launch Workplaces today.