Virtual Assistant Charges – How much virtual assistants charge

There are over 25,000,000+ virtual assistants worldwide and for that reason, there is no specific set amount that all virtual assistants charge. Virtual assistants charge different amounts for services, this is usually calculated based on the VA’s skills, location, services and experience. Virtual assistants who add even more value to their clients by providing advanced technical services are in high demand and therefore tend to charge more. 

Entrepreneurs and small business owners hire virtual assistants to help them achieve their business goals faster. 

If you’re trying to find out how much a virtual assistant costs because you want a V.A. to help you achieve your goals, the first thing to do is to make sure that you find the right virtual assistant for your tasks. 

To ensure you hire the best virtual assistant make sure you ask your V.A these 5 questions before you hire them. Hiring the right virtual assistant the first time will save you money in the long run. 

In this article we : 

• Discuss average rates virtual assistants charge 
• Show examples of individual virtual assistant rates
• Explore the different types of virtual assistants in relation to how much they charge

How much do virtual assistants charge?

Beginners – A beginner virtual assistant makes on average £25 / $20 per hour

Experienced – An experienced virtual assistant makes on average £35/ $35 per hour

Advanced and experienced virtual assistants make upwards of £35/ $35 an hour

Factors that determine how much a virtual assistant charges 

• Location 

Virtual assistants will charge different rates based on their location. If the cost of living is high in their location then they typically will charge more than someone who doesn’t live in an area that costs as much. 

• Experience 

The more experience a virtual assistant has the more they may charge. This is because a virtual assistant who has more experience contributes and adds more value than a virtual assistant who doesn’t have any experience. When hiring a virtual assistant many entrepreneurs are mainly hiring the V.A. because of their experience and the fact that they won’t have to train them.

• Service 

The rates a virtual assistant charges also depend on the services they provide. If a virtual assistant is providing advanced services then they may charge more per hour for those services than they charge for basic admin support. An example of an advanced virtual assistant service is Search Engine Optimization. This is a service that can only be completed by a virtual assistant who has sufficient knowledge and experience of the subject. 

As mentioned before virtual assistants are hired because of their experience so if they have advanced experience and skills their charges will usually reflect this.

How much does an overseas virtual assistant cost?

Entrepreneurs, especially startups sometimes hire overseas virtual assistants to complete admin and marketing tasks. 

The overseas virtual assistant helps them to launch their business even when funds are low. This is because overseas virtual assistants usually charge a cheaper rate than local virtual assistants. 

You can make great savings by using an overseas virtual assistant. The reason an overseas virtual assistant is able to provide services at a cheaper rate is that the cost of living overseas is often much lower. 

An overseas virtual assistant can cost you 70% less than a local V.A. 

How much an overseas virtual assistant charges depends also on the individual’s services, experience and skills. 

To find out more about the pros and cons of hiring an overseas virtual assistant click here. 

The most popular overseas locations to find virtual assistants are Asia and Africa. 

A virtual assistant from overseas charges anywhere from $3 – $10 an hour. 

How much virtual assistants charge in the UK

Virtual assistants in the UK provide their services to over 11,400 small businesses. On average virtual assistants in the UK charge between £25 to £35 an hour for administrative assistance. 

For the past few years, there has been a continuous rise in the number of virtual assistant services available to the UK small business market. Remote working is now more popular in the UK and has already become the norm for many, as a result, the UK virtual assistant industry is rapidly growing. 

How much virtual assistants charge in the United States. 

Over 67% of business owners in the U.S. hired a virtual assistant or freelancer last year. On average virtual assistants in the U.S. charge between $20 and $35 an hour for administrative assistance. 

Type of virtual assistants and how much they charge

How much a virtual assistant costs can also depend on how the virtual assistant provides their services. 

There are three main types of virtual assistants

• Freelance virtual assistants
• Professional virtual assistants
• Permananent virtual assistant 

How much do freelance virtual assistants charge?

Freelance virtual assistants can be found in online marketplaces. 

Freelance VA’s can be students looking to gain experience or just students trying to make some extra money. Freelance VA’s can also be professionals using the freelance marketplace platform to offer their services.  

Because of the different types of freelancers using online marketplaces, the amount freelancers charge can vary greatly. 

According to Upwork one of the most popular freelancing platforms, the median hourly rate for copywriters is $30. Hourly rates for copywriters on Upwork range between $19 and $45. 

How much professional virtual assistants charge 

Professional virtual assistants typically charge between £25 / $20 and £35 / $35 an hour for basic virtual assistant services. 

A professional virtual assistant is someone who actively runs their own virtual assistant business and attracts their own clients outside of an online marketplace. In addition, a professional virtual assistant may also source clients through an online marketplace.  

Professional virtual assistants who run their own business and do their own marketing typically charge more money than those who only freelance on online marketplaces. This is because professional virtual assistants usually have greater experience and continuously train and develop their skills to ensure they get their clients the best results.  

Some professional virtual assistants like Prime PA are able to offer services for a slightly lower rate. 

At Prime PA we are able to provide professional virtual assistants to our customers at a slightly lower rate as we generate income through other avenues such as training and other business support services.  

There are benefits to using a professional virtual assistant that you don’t get from using a virtual assistant freelancer. You can learn more about them here. 

How virtual assistants charge 

Virtual assistants usually charge by the hour or they will charge a flat fee per project. Some virtual assistants offer both payment models, whilst others will only offer one option. 

Retainer rates are another payment option that lets you buy a bulk amount of virtual assistant hours at a discounted price. 

This is an example of virtual assistant retainer package pricing 

Hourly rate 

Most virtual assistants charge by the hour. Whether you opt for a virtual assistant freelancer or a professional virtual assistant they typically will not charge lower than £25/ $20 an hour. 

There are a few factors that determine whether the virtual assistant will charge more or less than £25/ $20 per hour.

Below are some of these factors:

• Personal – A virtual assistant may offer charity, friend and family services at a discounted rate. 

• Retainer clients – As mentioned earlier retainer clients are charged a lower hourly rate the more hours they book.

• Client relationships – Some virtual assistants charge new clients less in the hopes of retaining them as long-term clients.

• Free trials – If your virtual assistant offers a free trial this can bring the overall hourly fee down below £25/ $20

• Referrals – If your virtual assistant offers a discount for referrals you may be able to receive virtual business support at a reduced cost. 

• Generate income through other avenues – If the virtual assistant business is generating income through other avenues they may be able to offer you virtual assistant services at a slightly lower rate. 

Flat rate 

A lot of clients prefer paying a flat rate because they know the exact total amount the project will cost upfront. This is especially true when it’s a large project. 

A few virtual assistants have set prices for their flat rates for different services

Here’s a snippet of our virtual assistant flat fee price list

• Blog writing / 3 blog posts a week: $160
• Social media / £1 per tweet / 365 days: $365
• Email marketing / 3 emails weekly campaign management: $500

Most virtual assistants do not have set flat fees for projects and will need to give you an estimation based on your specific requirements. 

If you get an estimation for virtual assistant services the price is calculated based on an estimation of how long the project / task is likely to take. The more complex the project is, the longer the task will take to complete. 

A lot of virtual assistants particularly beginners do not like to charge a flat rate purely because there is no real way of knowing how long a task is going to take them. Another way virtual assistants offer flat rates is by grouping services into packages. 

Here’s an example of our virtual assistant packages which are charged at a flat fee.

It’s important to know that virtual assistant rates can vary depending on whether the factors we discussed change. For example, if a virtual assistant changes location they may begin to charge more depending on where they moved from or to. Rates also change according to the demand for virtual assistants. 

Retainer rates

Retainer rates save you money when hiring a virtual assistant. The more hours you buy the lower the price per hour. Virtual assistants offer retainer rates to secure longer-term contracts. 

Below are the retainer packages we provide at Prime P.A.

Not happy with how much your virtual assistant charges?

If you have read this article then you know what factors determine how much a virtual assistant should charge. 

If you have found a virtual assistant that you want to work with but you are not happy with the amount they charge you may be able to negotiate. 

As long as the negotiation is fair and you’re offering realistic prices your virtual assistant may come to an agreement with you that you are happy with. 

Your virtual assistant should be able to justify the price they charge. Some prices will be non-negotiable as virtual assistants calculate the price of the task according to how long it will take them. If you’re asking someone to potentially work for free or below minimum wage they are more than likely going to say no. 

If you are searching for the cheapest V.A., remember you get what you pay for. It is very possible to find a cheap virtual assistant but will they have the skills and ability level you need? 

Virtual assistant’s rates are based on each VA’s individual situation. When considering pricing VA’s factor in experience, skills, location and services. They charge more if they are providing advanced services and have more experience. Less if they are a beginner providing basic admin skills. 

Are you wondering how much a virtual assistant will charge for your project, if so, get a free estimate.