Office Pods vs Phone Booths vs Meeting Pods: Which Do You Need?
Posted by Panelscreens on 2nd Oct 2026
Office pods and phone booths both give people a quiet, enclosed space inside an open-plan office. The difference is mainly size: a phone booth is for one person, while an office pod (or meeting pod) holds a small group. This guide explains how they compare on size, sound reduction and cost, so you can work out which fits your space.
The short answer
- Choose a phone booth if the problem is calls, video meetings and focused one-person work.
- Choose an office pod if people need somewhere to meet in twos, threes or more without booking a meeting room.
- Many offices use both: a few booths for calls, plus one pod for quick meetings.
What is an office phone booth?
An office phone booth is a small, fully enclosed booth for one person. It usually has a glass door, a small desk or shelf, lighting, ventilation and a power socket. It gives people a private place for calls and video meetings, which keeps that noise away from colleagues at their desks.
A single-person booth needs only a small footprint. Our Zen phone booth, for example, has a small size that is 1200mm wide.
What is an office pod?
An office pod, or meeting pod, is a larger enclosed room that sits inside the office. Pods seat small groups, so they work as quick meeting spaces, interview rooms or quiet team areas. The Zen XL acoustic pod is made for up to five people, and some pods can take a screen and a conferencing device for hybrid meetings.
Size and space
Before choosing, measure the floor area and the ceiling height, and check access routes into the building. Also think about:
- Clearance: leave room for the door to open and for people to walk past.
- Sprinklers and air flow: an enclosed booth sits under its own roof, so check your fire strategy and ventilation with your facilities team.
- Power: most booths and pods need a nearby socket for lighting, fans and charging.
Pods come in a wider range of sizes. The Zen acoustic pod comes in small, medium and large sizes, with the large size over 2.3m wide.
How much noise do they block?
Look for a tested sound reduction figure in decibels (dB). A higher number means more sound is blocked. As examples from our range:
- The Nautilus privacy booth is tested to BS EN ISO 717 with a 30dB noise reduction rating.
- The Ozone privacy booth is rated at 36dB noise reduction.
- Zen booths and pods dampen sound by 31dB.
No booth is completely soundproof, but a good one makes speech outside hard to follow and stops calls from disturbing the office.
What do they cost?
Cost depends on size, finish and extras such as power, lighting and furniture. As a rough guide from our current range, single-person booths start from around £2,700, while multi-person pods typically run from around £10,000 to over £20,000. Check each product page for current prices, or ask us for a quote.
Other options
If a full booth is more than you need, consider:
- Wall booths, which fix to a wall and give one person a semi-private space for calls.
- Acoustic office screens, which absorb noise around desks without enclosing anyone.
What is a meeting pod?
A meeting pod is an office pod designed for small meetings. It usually has seating for two to five or more people, a table, lighting, ventilation and power, and some can take a screen for hybrid calls. People often use "office pod" and "meeting pod" to mean the same thing. The difference is mainly who it is for: a work pod is for one or two people doing focused work, while a meeting pod is for a small group talking together.
There are also open meeting pods and booths. These have high acoustic sides but no door or roof, so they give a semi-private space for quick chats without being fully enclosed.
Office pods vs phone booths vs meeting pods at a glance
| Type | People | Best for | Example from our range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone booth | 1 | Calls, video meetings, short bursts of focus | Zen phone booth, Nautilus (30dB), Ozone (36dB) |
| Office pod | 1 to 2 | Longer focused work in a quiet, enclosed space | Zen acoustic pod in small, medium and large |
| Meeting pod | 2 to 5+ | Quick meetings, interviews, hybrid calls | Zen XL acoustic pod, for up to five people |
| Wall booth | 1 to 2 | Semi-private calls without a full enclosure | Abstracta Domo wall booth |
| Office cubicle | 1 | A screened-off workstation with an open top | Cubicle partitions and work cubicles |
How many pods and booths does your office need?
Start with how people actually work. A simple way to size it:
- Count the calls. At your busiest time, how many people are on calls or video meetings at once? Each of them needs somewhere to go, so plan one phone booth for each person likely to be on a call at the same time.
- Count the quick meetings. If small groups regularly hunt for a free meeting room, a meeting pod takes that pressure off your bookable rooms.
- Check the space. Measure the floor area, ceiling height and access routes, and leave room for doors to open and people to walk past.
Many offices start with a few phone booths and one meeting pod, then add more once they see how they are used. If you send us your floor plan and headcount, we can suggest a mix.
Do office pods need building work?
No. Freestanding pods and booths sit inside your existing office, so there are no walls to build. Because each one has its own roof, check your fire detection, sprinklers and ventilation with your facilities team or landlord first. Most also need a nearby power socket for lighting, fans and charging.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an office pod and a phone booth?
A phone booth is a small enclosed booth for one person, mainly for calls and video meetings. An office pod is a larger enclosed space for focused work or for small groups, and a meeting pod is a pod designed for two to five or more people to meet.
How much does an office pod cost?
As a rough guide from our current range, single-person booths start from around £2,700, while multi-person pods typically cost from around £10,000 to over £20,000, depending on size, finish and extras.
Are office pods soundproof?
No booth or pod is completely soundproof, but good ones reduce noise a lot. In our range, the Nautilus booth is tested to BS EN ISO 717 with a 30dB rating, Zen booths and pods dampen sound by 31dB, and the Ozone booth is rated at 36dB.
Do office pods need building work?
Freestanding pods and booths sit inside your existing office and do not need building work. Because they have their own roof, check fire detection, sprinklers and ventilation with your facilities team or landlord before you order.
How many people fit in a meeting pod?
It depends on the pod. Phone booths are for one person, while larger meeting pods such as the Zen XL are made for up to five people.
Next steps
Browse our full range of office pods and booths, or contact our team to talk through your layout.
