How much does a virtual assistant cost? Real rates for a freelancer, a managed assistant and a local hire
The short answer first, then every number with its source: freelancer rates, seven companies' published prices and a local hire's real cost in four countries.
A managed virtual assistant from Catalyst starts from around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly. Companies that publish prices charge from $699 to $6,500 a month. A local admin hire costs more than the wage: in the US, benefits add 30% to what an employer pays per hour. Sources: [1] [2] [3]
Last checked 7 October 2026
Your three options, priced
Here's what 20 hours a week of help costs three ways, and what each price leaves with you.
| Option | What you pay | What you also carry |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer from a marketplace | The rate they set. Upwork's fee of 0% to 15% comes out of the freelancer's earnings, so it sits inside that rate. | Finding, testing and managing them, and a fresh search if they leave |
| Managed virtual assistant (Catalyst) | From around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly per assistant | A one-month deposit before the start, credited to your final month or two, and a minimum term set in your proposal |
| Local admin hire | In the US, $23.23 an hour median, about $33 once benefits are counted | Recruiting, payroll, leave, a desk and a laptop |
What a local admin hire actually costs, country by country
Pay figures from the US, UK and Australian governments, and from our Singapore cost guide, with what each employer adds on top.
| Country | Typical pay | What the employer adds | All in |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $23.23 an hour, the May 2025 median for secretaries and administrative assistants | Benefits are 30% of what private employers pay per hour worked | About $33 an hour |
| United Kingdom | GBP 21,000 a year starting, GBP 28,000 experienced, for 37 to 40 hours a week | Employer National Insurance at 15% of pay above GBP 5,000 a year, and at least 3% into a pension | About GBP 24,000 to GBP 32,300 a year |
| Australia | A$40 an hour, the median for general clerks (May 2025) | Super guarantee of 12% of earnings | A$44.80 an hour before leave and payroll tax |
| Singapore | A S$3,000 a month admin hire | CPF, leave, a desk and a laptop | About S$4,720 a month |
Seven companies' prices, from their own pricing pages, read 7 October 2026
Managed companies fold the recruiting and the management into an hourly or monthly price, and seven of them publish it.
| Company | Published price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Catalyst | From around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly | One dedicated assistant we employ, part-time (20 hours a week) or full-time |
| Wing Assistant | $699 a month for 80 hours, $999 for 160 | A dedicated assistant on a month-to-month plan |
| MyOutDesk | From $1,988 a month | A dedicated full-time assistant; $2,500 for industry roles |
| Prialto | $1,600 a month per 55-hour unit; full-time from $3,600 | A dedicated assistant, an engagement manager and two trained backups |
| Time etc | $390 for 10 hours to $2,160 for 60 a month (US); GBP 310 to GBP 1,680 (UK) | A US or UK-based assistant; unused hours roll over |
| Virtalent | GBP 310 for 10 hours to GBP 2,700 for 100 a month | A UK-based assistant, month to month |
| Boldly | $2,600 a month for 40 hours to $6,500 for 100 | A US-based executive assistant Boldly employs; 40-hour minimum |
Avoiding the cheapest-rate trap
The hourly rate is the number everyone quotes. These are the ones that show up later, ours included.
Your own hours
A low rate often means the recruiting, the testing and the daily check-ins stay with you. Price your own hour before you compare.
Starting again
If someone leaves in month two, you pay again in time: a new post, new interviews, a new handover.
Minimum terms and notice
Most managed plans have them. Ours: the minimum term is set in your signed proposal, with 30 days' notice after it. Sources: [5]
Deposits
We take one month's fees before the start, and it's credited to your final month or two. Sources: [5]
Hiring the assistant yourself later
Ask before you sign. Under our Terms of Business (clause 9.2) it's a conversion fee of 12 months of service fees. Sources: [5]
Leave
A local hire's annual leave is paid time with nobody doing the work. Ask any provider who covers when your assistant is away.
How to set your virtual assistant budget in four steps
Count the hours
Time the tasks you'd hand over for one week. Most owners start part-time: 20 hours a week is about 87 hours a month.
Pick the model
A freelancer for a project with an end date. A managed assistant for work that repeats every week. A local hire if the job needs someone on site.
Price the hours
Multiply by the rate for your role. Ours are on the pricing page by role and term, on 3, 6 or 12-month plans, and a longer term costs less an hour.
Add what the rate leaves out
Your management time, any deposit and notice period, and the cost of starting again if it doesn't work out.
Virtual assistant cost questions, answered
How much does a virtual assistant cost per hour?
It depends on the model. Ours start from around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly. Companies with US or UK-based assistants publish GBP 27 to GBP 31 an hour in the UK and $36 to $65 in the US, and Belay puts US-based assistants at $30 to $75. Sources: [15] [17] [2] [18]
How much does a virtual assistant cost per month?
With us, part-time is 20 hours a week, billed monthly at your role's rate. Published plans elsewhere run from $699 for 80 hours at Wing Assistant to $6,500 for 100 hours at Boldly. Sources: [1] [2]
Is a virtual assistant cheaper than an employee?
It depends on the role and the hours. A median-paid US admin hire costs about $33 an hour once benefits are counted, and managed assistants start from around $8.80. A local hire still wins if the job needs someone on site. Sources: [6] [3]
Why do some assistants cost $9 an hour and others $40?
The rate follows the role, the hours, the contract length and who employs the assistant. Companies that place US or UK-based assistants publish GBP 27 to GBP 31 an hour in the UK and $36 to $65 in the US. Sources: [15] [17] [2]
Are there costs on top of the hourly rate?
With us, recruitment, payroll, equipment, the Crewhall workspace and the time tracker are in the rate. You pay one month's fees as a deposit before the start, credited to your final month or two. Sources: [5]
What does a virtual assistant cost in Singapore?
A S$3,000 local admin hire costs about S$4,720 a month once CPF, leave, a desk and a laptop are counted. Our Singapore cost guide shows the working. Sources: [12]
Can I start part-time?
Yes. Part-time is 20 hours a week, or go full-time. Most clients are matched and onboarded within two weeks.
Sources
- Wing Assistant homepage and plans, read 7 October 2026
- Boldly: Plans and pricing, read 7 October 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, read 7 October 2026
- Upwork Help: Learn about the Freelancer Service Fee, read 7 October 2026
- Catalyst Outsourcing: Terms of Business, read 7 October 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Secretaries and administrative assistants (May 2025 pay), read 7 October 2026
- National Careers Service: Admin assistant job profile, read 7 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027, read 7 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Workplace pensions, what you, your employer and the government pay, read 7 October 2026
- Jobs and Skills Australia: General Clerks (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025), read 7 October 2026
- Australian Taxation Office: Super guarantee percentage, read 7 October 2026
- Catalyst Outsourcing: Virtual assistant cost in Singapore, read 7 October 2026
- MyOutDesk: Pricing, read 7 October 2026
- Prialto: Pricing and plans, read 7 October 2026
- Time etc: Plans and pricing (US), read 7 October 2026
- Time etc: Plans and pricing (UK), read 7 October 2026
- Virtalent: Prices and plans, read 7 October 2026
- Belay: How much does it cost to hire a virtual assistant in the U.S.?, read 7 October 2026