Zaseki vs oVice
Two browser virtual offices, different defaults
How oVice’s spatial floor and proximity audio differ from Zaseki’s seating chart and on-demand voice, with a criterion-by-criterion table.
oVice is the familiar name: a 2D floor you move around, with proximity audio as a big part of the vibe. Zaseki is also browser-first, but it pushes who is at which desk, rooms, and voice when you mean to connect, not wandering a map. Below is a straight comparison; pricing and limits change, so double-check each vendor’s site before you buy.
What oVice is
Top-down virtual space, templates, custom layouts: the usual “walk over to someone’s desk” metaphor. Proximity audio (hearing people near you on the map) drives a lot of the social feel. That can be great for serendipity; it can also mean headphones, background noise, and hybrid-office etiquette need thought.
Pricing is multi-track on oVice’s site (business vs SMB-style listings, different axes like space size and concurrent caps). You map your scenario onto their tables; see pricing and SMB plans (Japanese pages are authoritative for Japan SKUs).
Integrations are commonly pitched around Slack, Google Calendar, Zoom, and similar.
What Zaseki is
Flat seating chart + meeting rooms: where people sit, their status, where meetings happen, not avatar walking.
Voice is not “logged in == open mic on the whole floor”. It’s rooms, meet links, pings when people choose to connect.
Presence is seat, status, photo, not “camera on to prove you’re there”.
Per-user monthly (excl. tax) on the public page, no space-based tiers. Pricing.
Where they diverge
Space: oVice goes big on canvas, templates, custom worlds (events, branding); more UI to learn and heavier tabs on old PCs. Try your hardware.
Audio: oVice makes the map the social channel. Zaseki keeps ambient floor audio off by default and trades some walk-by serendipity for quieter login.
Invoice: oVice often needs concurrent caps and plan bands mapped to you. Zaseki is headcount × listed rate. Very large concurrent use can still favour an enterprise oVice package; no universal winner by headcount.
Feature comparison
| Criteria | Zaseki | oVice |
|---|---|---|
| Production-ready UI in Japanese | Yes | Yes |
| Seat / floor plan shows who’s around at a glance | Yes | Yes |
| Ping / knock notifications (no always-on proximity audio while logged in) | Yes | Yes |
| Lightweight, browser-first experience | Yes | Partial |
| Business-appropriate look (not RPG / game-style) | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing is easy to read and split across the team | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier or low-friction trial | Yes | Yes |
| Persistent team chat (channels / DMs, not only during a call) | Yes | Yes |
| Guests can join without creating an account | Yes | Partial |
| Drag-and-drop floor plan editor | Yes | Partial |
| Voice-first experience; camera off by default | Yes | Partial |
| Customer data stored in Japan; no overseas transfer | Yes | Yes |
| No large minimum seat block or setup fee to get started | Yes | Yes |
| Est. monthly (10-person team) | ¥5,880 | ¥7,315–8,778/mo (Entry-S, tax incl.; annual vs monthly) |
| Setup fee | None | None |
When oVice fits well
- You want proximity audio and moving through a space by design.
- Designed spaces (events, branded offices) matter.
- Your stack matches oVice’s published integrations.
When Zaseki fits well
- You want intentional voice (rooms / knock / meet), not ambient floor audio.
- You want a flat, business-neutral floor for SMEs or client-facing views.
- Finance wants headcount × one public rate.
Wrap-up
It comes down to audio behaviour and how much spatial “show” you need. For more tools on the same rows, see the full comparison table.
