How Much Does a
Virtual Assistant Cost?

Updated: September 2026 · 6-minute read

If you run a business in the USA, Canada or the UK, a virtual assistant (VA) can take admin, inbox, CRM, customer support and marketing tasks off your plate for much less than a local hire. This guide explains how VA pricing works, what drives the cost, and how to work out what you should budget.

The 3 ways to pay for a virtual assistant

• Hourly (pay as you go). You pay only for hours worked. Best for occasional tasks or when you're testing delegation. Downside: you may not get the same person each time, and hours can be hard to predict.
• Monthly plan (dedicated VA). You reserve a set number of hours each month, usually part-time (about 80 hours) or full-time (about 160 hours), with the same VA every day. Best for ongoing work. It's the most popular option because the VA learns your business and the effective hourly rate is lower.
• Freelancer marketplace. You find, vet, train and manage a freelancer yourself. Rates vary widely, and if the freelancer leaves you start again.

What does a virtual assistant cost in 2026?

Here is what MyVirtualExpert charges, so you have real numbers to compare against:

Every plan includes a dedicated VA in your time zone, an account manager, weekly reporting and a free replacement guarantee, with no setup fee and no long-term contract. See full pricing →

What affects the price?

• Hours per month. The biggest factor. Full-time plans have the lowest effective hourly rate.
• Skill level. General admin costs less than specialist work such as GoHighLevel automation, paid ads or executive support.
• Where the VA is based. VAs based in the US, Canada or UK usually charge much more per hour than managed teams in India or the Philippines, often for similar day-to-day tasks.
• Managed vs self-managed. A managed service includes recruiting, training, quality checks and replacement. With a freelancer, that work (and its cost in your time) is yours.
• Working hours. A VA who works your business day, even when it's night-time where they are, should be part of the plan, not an extra.

The hidden cost of hiring in-house

When you compare a VA to an employee, compare the total cost, not just the salary:

• USA: employer payroll taxes (Social Security, Medicare, unemployment), health insurance and other benefits, paid time off, equipment and software.
• Canada: employer CPP and EI contributions, vacation pay, statutory holidays, benefits and equipment.
• UK: employer National Insurance, workplace pension contributions, holiday pay, equipment and office costs.

Add recruiting and training time, plus the cost of starting over if the hire doesn't work out. For many small businesses, a dedicated VA covers the same admin workload for a fraction of the total cost.

How to work out what you need

• List the tasks you repeat every week: inbox, scheduling, CRM updates, follow-ups, social posts, data entry, reports.
• Estimate the hours. Under 20 a month suits flexible hours; 60 to 100 suits part-time; 120 or more suits full-time.
• Pick the hours your VA must be online, for example 9am to 5pm Eastern, or UK office hours.
• Book a free 30-minute call and we'll recommend a plan and give you an exact price.