Buying guide
How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost in 2026?
Virtual assistant costs depend on the monthly hours, experience, location and support included. This guide compares a dated sample of publicly advertised offers and shows how to budget for the work you want to delegate.
By The Peak Hire editorial team · Last reviewed September 9, 2026
What this comparison is, and what it is not
The table below is a dated sample of prices that a small number of providers advertise publicly. Prices were checked on September 9, 2026 and are in US dollars. It is not a market average, not an independent ranking, and the services in it are not identical to one another.
The Peak Hire publishes this guide, and our own plans are included as our own service rather than as a neutral verdict about the market. Advertised prices and terms change, so treat every row as a starting point and confirm the current figures on each provider's own page before you decide anything.
If your budget is below $1,000 a month, the shorter read is our plans under $1,000 a month. If you want a wider look at how agency models differ, see our comparison of virtual assistant agencies.
| Provider and model | Monthly cost | Included monthly hours | Hourly equivalent | Important terms and source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Peak Hire, Essential (our own dedicated VA plan) | $600 | 40 hours | $15.00 | Monthly allowance, not weekly hours. Month-to-month. 14-day free-rematch guarantee, which is a rematch and not a refund or a guaranteed outcome. Our pricing page |
| The Peak Hire, Growth (our own dedicated VA plan) | $1,100 | 80 hours | $13.75 | Monthly allowance, month-to-month, same price on any payment method. Our pricing page |
| The Peak Hire, Dedicated (our own dedicated VA plan) | $1,600 | 160 hours | $10.00 | Monthly allowance, month-to-month. Our AI receptionist at $247 a month for 500 minutes is a separate service and those minutes are not assistant hours. Our pricing page |
| Time Etc, dedicated US-based assistant service | $390 | 10 hours | $39.00 | Monthly plan, no setup fee. Confirm scope and unused-hour rules directly. timeetc.com |
| Time Etc, dedicated US-based assistant service | $1,480 | 40 hours | $37.00 | Monthly plan, no setup fee. Confirm scope and unused-hour rules directly. timeetc.com |
| Boldly, subscription staffing (North America and Europe options) | $2,600 base by ACH | 40 hours | $65.00 | Card processing adds 2.9%. Specialist tasks listed at $79 an hour and New York pricing differs. No startup fee. boldly.com |
These examples cover managed assistant services and subscription staffing. Hiring through a freelance marketplace is a different arrangement: compare the individual quote, platform charges and the time you will spend selecting and managing the assistant.
How to read an hourly equivalent without misleading yourself
An advertised hourly equivalent is monthly price divided by included hours. That is all. It is not a quote for buying a single hour on demand, and it says nothing about what happens in those hours.
Two providers can both sell 40 hours a month and still be selling different things: different seniority, different task scope, different management, different backup cover when someone is away, and different overlap with your working day. Comparing at the same number of hours is the right instinct, but the scope has to match before the comparison means anything.
Watch the calendar arithmetic too. A calendar month averages about 4.33 weeks, so a weekly figure multiplied by four understates a month. Our plans avoid that problem by being fixed monthly hour allowances: 40, 80 or 160 hours in the month, arranged inside a working schedule agreed during onboarding.
The variables that actually set the price
When two quotes are far apart, one of these is almost always the reason. Work through them before you decide anything is expensive or cheap.
- Step 01
Hours committed
A larger monthly plan may reduce the hourly equivalent, though not always. Compare each provider's actual per-plan figures rather than assuming more hours means a lower rate.
- Step 02
Where the assistant is based
Cost of living drives pay expectations, so quotes can differ by location. Compare actual quotes for comparable work rather than assuming a fixed gap between regions.
- Step 03
Experience and specialism
Seniority and specialism may affect the quote. Inbox and calendar work is often priced differently from CRM administration, recruiting coordination, or bookkeeping support that touches your financial records.
- Step 04
Complexity of the work
Task complexity may affect the quote. Tasks with clear rules are often simpler to hand over, while work that needs judgement, research, or context about your customers can take longer to delegate.
- Step 05
Management and backup cover
Screening, onboarding help, a named point of contact, and cover during absence may be included or billed separately. Ask each provider which of these their quote includes.
- Step 06
Coverage and time zones
Schedule requirements may affect the quote. A wide overlap with your working day, or evening and weekend availability, can be priced differently from a fixed daytime window.
- Step 07
Employment model and commitment
Providers who employ their assistants carry payroll and cover costs, which can be reflected in the price. Minimum commitments and cancellation terms vary between providers, so confirm them in writing before you sign.
Cost questions worth asking in writing
These are the questions that move the real number after you sign. Ask them before you compare prices, not after.
- Is onboarding and training time billed against my hours?
- Which software and phone licences do I have to buy, and in whose name?
- What happens to unused hours, and do any of them roll over?
- How are overages billed, and at what rate?
- Is there a minimum term, a setup fee, or a notice period to cancel?
- Who covers holiday, sickness or a sudden departure, and how quickly?
- Which tasks are excluded or charged as specialist work?
- Are there surcharges for paying by card rather than bank transfer?
A hypothetical budget illustration
The following is an arithmetic illustration only. It is not a customer saving, not a case study, and not a promise of a return.
Suppose you would hand over 10 hours a week of recurring admin. Ten hours a week is about 43 hours in an average month, because a calendar month averages roughly 4.33 weeks. At a $600 monthly plan covering 40 hours, the arithmetic figure is $15.00 an hour, and you would need to decide whether the remaining few hours matter enough to move up a plan.
Estimate the hours you could reclaim after subtracting briefing, review and correction time. Include the plan price and any extra tools. Reclaimed time is not automatically cash savings or revenue; its value depends on how you use it. If you want to run the arithmetic interactively, use our virtual assistant cost calculator, and for the process itself see how to hire a virtual assistant.
Costs people forget to budget for
The plan price is rarely the only line item. The amount depends on your tools and setup, and these are easier to plan for than to discover.
- Software licences and seats for your tools
- Password manager or shared access setup
- Your own time writing a short process document
- A regular check-in slot in your calendar
- Phone or call-handling costs if you need front-desk coverage
- Any hardware or stipend you choose to provide
Cheap, affordable and good value are three different things
Cheap means the lowest number. Affordable means the price fits your budget and the value is clear. Good value means the work gets done at a price you would pay again next month.
The cheapest option becomes expensive when you spend your own evenings correcting work, or when you rehire twice in a quarter. Compare total cost, including your own management time, rather than chasing the lowest hourly figure.
Frequently asked questions
What does a virtual assistant cost at The Peak Hire?
Our published plans are in US dollars and are billed as a fixed monthly allowance of hours: $600 a month for 40 hours ($15.00 an hour), $1,100 a month for 80 hours ($13.75 an hour) and $1,600 a month for 160 hours ($10.00 an hour). Those are monthly allowances, not weekly hours, and the price is the same on any payment method. The working schedule inside each allowance is agreed during onboarding rather than guaranteed for every calendar week. The AI receptionist add-on is a separate service at $247 a month with 500 included minutes and $0.15 for each additional minute; those minutes are not assistant hours.
Is this page a market average or a ranking?
No. It is a dated sample of prices that a small number of providers advertise publicly, checked on September 9, 2026 in US dollars. It is not a market average, not an independent ranking, and the services listed are not identical to each other. The Peak Hire publishes this guide and is included as our own service, so read our rows as our own advertised prices rather than as a neutral verdict. Always confirm current pricing and terms on each provider's own page before you decide.
How is the hourly equivalent worked out?
It is simple arithmetic: the advertised monthly price divided by the included monthly hours. It is not an on-demand hourly quote, and it does not mean two providers at the same hourly figure sell the same thing. Buying 40 hours from two providers with different scopes, seniority, management and coverage does not make those 40 hours equivalent.
Why do quoted rates vary so much between providers?
Rates depend on where the assistant is based, how experienced they are, how complex the work is, whether the provider employs them or subcontracts, whether management and backup cover are included, and how much time-zone coverage you need. Quotes for apparently similar work can differ and still both be honest. Compare what is included, not just the hourly figure.
Is it cheaper to pay hourly or take a monthly plan?
Hourly is more flexible for genuinely irregular work. A monthly plan usually gives you a lower effective hourly figure and a person who keeps context week to week. If your workload is steady, the monthly plan is usually the simpler decision.
Are there setup fees or hidden costs?
Our plans are month-to-month with no setup fee, and the price on the pricing page is the price you pay. Budget separately for any software or phone licences you want your assistant to have, because those are billed by your own vendors. Other providers may charge setup fees, minimum terms, card processing surcharges or higher rates for specialist tasks, so ask about each of those in writing.
What happens if the assistant is not the right fit?
Our 14-day match guarantee covers a free rematch with a different assistant, and plans stay month-to-month so you are never locked in. It is a rematch, not a refund, and it is not a guarantee of any business outcome.
Keep reading
Want a number for your own situation?
Tell us the tasks and the hours on a free discovery call, and we will tell you which plan fits and what it would cost. No obligation, and we will say so if a plan is more than you need.