If your commute involves walking—whether through an office, up stairs, or to a coffee shop—commuter cycling shoes are worth it. They look like regular sneakers, with a recessed cleat that doesn't click-clack on hard floors, and a flexible sole that makes walking feel natural instead of awkward.
Road shoes have exposed cleats and stiff soles that make walking difficult and can damage floors. Mountain bike shoes are walkable but often look too technical for an office setting. Commuter shoes split the difference: they clip in for efficient pedaling but blend in when you hop off the bike.
The trade-off is that commuter shoes aren't as stiff as road or even MTB shoes, so you lose some power transfer on longer, faster rides. If your commute is short and casual, that barely matters. But if you're riding 20+ miles at race pace, you might prefer a stiffer shoe and just change at the office.