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Quick answer: A virtual assistant costs about $5 to $65 an hour in 2026, and the VA's location and your hiring model account for most of that price range. Filipino freelancers ask a median of $6 an hour, offshore agencies publish full-time rates of $9.55 to $18.75, and U.S.-based VA services charge $39.65 to $65. A full-time offshore VA through an agency runs about $1,500 to $3,000 a month, and Stellar Staff's Pro plan is $1,999 a month for 160 hours, about $12.50 an hour.
Virtual assistant costs vary this much because the label describes very different arrangements, from a freelancer you find on a marketplace to a full-time assistant placed by an agency. This guide prices them by location, by role, and by hiring model, then lists nine providers' published prices and works through one full-time month under each option. Every number has a named source.
Virtual Assistant Hourly Rates by Location
Location explains most of the spread in virtual assistant rates. A VA in the Philippines and a VA in Ohio can handle the same inbox, but their wages reflect different labor markets, and the price you pay follows the wage. The table groups the market into offshore, nearshore, and onshore tiers, with the hourly rate and what that rate adds up to over a full-time month.
| Tier | Typical hourly rate | Monthly at 160 hours | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore freelancer, hired directly | $5 to $7 (median $6) | $571 to $900 (median $714) | Asking pay of Filipino VAs, Outsource Accelerator, 2026 |
| Offshore dedicated agency | $9.55 to $18.75 | $1,528 to $3,000 | Published agency prices, October 2026 |
| Nearshore (Latin America) | About $6 to $20 | $900 to $3,200; specialists $3,500+ | Monthly rates published by South |
| North American freelancer, experienced | $12 to $50+ | $1,920 to $8,000+ | Upwork rate table, North American freelancers |
| U.S. VA service | $39.65 to $65 | $6,344 to $10,400 | Virtual Assist USA and Boldly published prices |
| U.S. in-house employee | $23.23 to $36.82 in wages, plus benefits | $48,310 to $76,590 a year in salary, plus benefits | BLS medians, May 2025; BLS benefit share, June 2026 |
Monthly figures multiply the hourly rate by 160, except the first row, which uses the monthly pay that applicants asked for.
Offshore: the Philippines
The offshore figures come mainly from the Philippines. An Outsource Accelerator analysis of 1,385 applications submitted between October 2025 and July 2026 found a median asking salary of $714 a month for full-time remote work, about PHP 40,000. The middle half of applicants asked for $571 to $900. Those who quoted by the hour asked a median of $6. Agencies charge more than that because their price also covers recruiting, payroll, and replacements, which is why published full-time agency rates start around $9.55 an hour.
Nearshore: Latin America
Latin American VAs work in or close to U.S. time zones, and that overlap is a large part of what you pay for. South, a staffing firm that places Latin American talent, publishes monthly rates of $900 to $1,600 for a general VA, $2,000 to $3,200 for an executive assistant or senior VA, and $2,200 to $3,500 or more for specialists. At 160 hours, that works out to roughly $6 to $20 an hour.
Onshore: the United States
U.S.-based VA services cost the most because the assistant earns a U.S. wage. Virtual Assist USA lists $47.25 an hour pay as you go, or $885 for a 20-hour block, which is about $44.25 an hour. Boldly lists $2,600 a month for 40 hours, or $65 an hour. For a baseline, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median wage for U.S. secretaries and administrative assistants at $23.23 an hour, or $48,310 a year, as of May 2025. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earned a median of $76,590, about $36.82 an hour over a 2,080-hour year.
What Virtual Assistants Charge by Role and Skill Level
Skill moves the price almost as much as geography. Upwork's rate table for virtual assistants, based on North American freelancers with more than 1,000 hours and a 90% job success score, splits the market into three bands. The U.S. wage medians from the BLS sit beside them for comparison.
| Role | U.S. employee median wage (BLS, May 2025) | Experienced North American freelancer (Upwork) | Offshore full-time agency (published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin and data entry | $23.23/hr ($48,310/yr), secretaries and administrative assistants | $12 to $20+/hr | Virtudesk $9.55/hr; Stealth Agents $1,600/mo |
| Customer service, marketing, bookkeeping support | $21.53/hr customer service reps; $24.36/hr bookkeeping clerks | $20 to $35+/hr | Quoted by role; ask which tier applies |
| Executive assistant, senior VA | About $36.82/hr ($76,590/yr), executive administrative assistants | $38 to $50+/hr | Virtudesk $12.35/hr; Stealth Agents $2,400 to $3,000/mo |
Upwork's headline numbers are lower than its table. The same page gives a median of $13 an hour for virtual assistants and a typical range of $10 to $20, drawn from historical contracts worldwide rather than only North American freelancers.
Offshore agencies price by tier as well, and the senior premium depends heavily on the provider. At the U.S. median, an executive assistant earns about 59% more than an administrative assistant. Virtudesk's executive rate is about 29% above its admin rate, while the two upper tiers at Stealth Agents run 50% and 88% above its base plan.
Virtual Assistant Salary vs. the Rate You Pay
A VA's salary and a VA's price are two different numbers, and a budget built on the wrong one will be off by a wide margin. The salary is what the assistant earns. The price is what you pay, and when an agency sits in the middle, that price also covers recruiting, vetting, payroll, HR, and finding a replacement when someone leaves.
In the Philippines, Indeed reports an average virtual assistant salary of PHP 27,457 a month, based on about 1,100 salaries reported as of October 2026. The Outsource Accelerator data shows a median asking salary of $714 a month for full-time work. Experience adds less than you might expect: applicants with up to a year of experience asked a median of $714, those with 2 to 3 years asked $800, and those with 7 or more years asked $804.
In the U.S., the BLS doesn't track "virtual assistant" as its own occupation. The closest match is secretaries and administrative assistants, at a median of $48,310 a year.
So when an offshore agency charges $1,500 to $3,000 a month for an assistant who might ask $714 to $900, the gap pays for finding, employing, and replacing that person. Hiring directly saves the gap and hands you those jobs, including international payroll and starting over if the person leaves.
Cost by Hiring Model: Marketplace, Hour Blocks, Dedicated Agency, or In-House
The same hours cost very different amounts depending on who employs the VA and how you're billed. The table shows the price and the items you need to add to reach a true total. For what each model includes beyond the price, see our breakdown of VA pricing models and packages.
| Hiring model | Published price examples | Effective hourly | Add to the total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer marketplace | Upwork VA median $13/hr; typical $10 to $20 | $10 to $20, plus fees | 5% marketplace fee on Upwork Basic, a $0.99 to $14.99 contract initiation fee, and your time to recruit and replace |
| Hourly agency or hour blocks | Virtual Assist USA $885 for 20 hours; Boldly $2,600 for 40 hours | $39.65 to $65 | Hours beyond the block, and a higher rate on smaller blocks |
| Dedicated full-time agency | Virtudesk $9.55/hr; Stealth Agents $1,600 to $3,000/mo; Magic $540/week; Hire Overseas from $2,000/mo | $9.55 to $18.75 | Setup or onboarding fees, minimum terms of up to 3 months, and add-ons such as bilingual support |
| In-house U.S. hire | BLS median $48,310 (admin) to $76,590 (executive) a year | $23.23 to $36.82 in wages | Benefits and payroll taxes, 30% of private-industry compensation costs; recruiting, $1,200 per nonexecutive hire; equipment, software, and desk space |
Marketplaces have the lowest entry price and the most variation. The fees in the table come from Upwork's client pricing page, and the hours you spend sorting and testing applicants come on top.
Hour blocks cost the most per hour but the least per month when your workload is light. Virtual Assist USA's blocks fall from $44.25 an hour at 20 hours to $39.65 at 60 hours. A 20-hour block at $885 costs less than any full-time agency plan in this guide.
Dedicated full-time agencies give the lowest effective hourly rate once you need 30 or more hours a week, because the price assumes 160 hours. The tradeoff is that you pay for the full month even in a slow week.
In-house hires cost more than the salary suggests. The BLS reports that benefits made up 30% of private-industry employer compensation costs in June 2026, so the salary is only part of what an employee costs. SHRM's 2025 Recruiting Benchmarking Report puts recruiting at $1,200 per nonexecutive hire.
Published Prices From Nine VA Providers
These prices are as listed on each company's site in October 2026, checked on October 13. Prices change, so confirm the current figure before you sign.
| Provider | Published price | Hours | Approximate hourly cost | Terms listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtudesk | $9.55/hr full-time admin; $12.35/hr executive | Full-time | $9.55 to $12.35 | $450 setup fee; 3-month lock-in |
| Stealth Agents | $1,600, $2,400, or $3,000 a month | 160 a month | $10 to $18.75 | One-time onboarding fee; 3-month commitment |
| Magic | $540 a week, full-time | 40 a week | $13.50 | Billed every four weeks |
| Upwork | $13/hr median VA rate | Any | $13, plus 5% fee | 5% marketplace fee on Basic; contract initiation fee |
| Hire Overseas | From $2,000 a month; most roles $2,000 to $4,000 | Full-time | Not stated | Month to month |
| Persona Talent | From $3,000 a month | Full-time | Not stated | Custom pricing; month to month |
| Virtual Assist USA | $885 for 20 hours; $47.25/hr pay as you go | 20+ | $39.65 to $47.25 | U.S.-based staff |
| Boldly | $2,600 a month | 40 a month | $65 | Staff in North America or Europe |
| Stellar Staff | Pro $1,999 a month; Executive $2,999; bilingual +$200 | 160 a month | About $12.50 (Pro) | Month to month; 14 days' notice |
Two things stand out. Full-time agency plans cluster between $1,500 and $3,000 a month, while U.S.-staffed hour blocks run $39.65 to $65 an hour. And the lowest hourly rate isn't always the lowest total: Virtudesk's $9.55 rate comes with a $450 setup fee and a 3-month lock-in, and Stealth Agents adds an onboarding fee it doesn't publish. You can see the rest of our side-by-side reviews on the comparison hub.
How Much Does a Full-Time VA Cost? One 160-Hour Month, Priced Eight Ways
A full-time month puts hourly sellers, monthly sellers, and a salaried employee on the same footing. Here is what 160 hours of general admin work costs under each option.
| Option | Cost for 160 hours | How the number is built |
|---|---|---|
| Filipino freelancer, hired directly | $714 | Median asking salary; you recruit, pay, and replace |
| Virtudesk, full-time admin | $1,528, plus a $450 setup fee | $9.55 x 160 |
| Stealth Agents, base tier | $1,600, plus an onboarding fee | Published monthly price; fee not published |
| Stellar Staff Pro | $1,999 | Published monthly price, month to month |
| Upwork freelancer at the median | $2,184, plus a contract fee | $13 x 160, plus the 5% marketplace fee |
| Magic, full-time | $2,160 every four weeks | $540 a week, billed every four weeks |
| U.S. in-house admin assistant | $48,310 median salary a year, plus benefits and payroll taxes | BLS, May 2025; benefits were 30% of private-industry compensation costs in June 2026 |
| Virtual Assist USA, pay as you go | $7,560 | $47.25 x 160 |
The same 160 hours cost very different amounts. The cheapest line is also the one where you do every part of the hiring yourself. Among the full-time agency plans, where someone else recruits and pays the assistant, monthly prices land between $1,528 and $2,160 before fees. Stellar Staff's Pro plan comes to a third of the cost of a local hire.
Fees to Add Before You Compare Quotes
Two quotes with the same monthly price can produce different annual totals. Ask each provider these questions first.
- Is there a setup or onboarding fee? Virtudesk lists $450. Stealth Agents charges a one-time onboarding fee without publishing the amount.
- What is the minimum term? A 3-month commitment means your smallest possible spend is three times the monthly price.
- How often are you billed? Billing every four weeks produces 13 invoices a year, not 12.
- What do add-ons cost? Bilingual support, extra hours, and a senior tier all change the number.
When a Higher or Lower Rate Is the Better Buy
The cheapest hourly rate isn't the right choice for every business, and neither is a full-time VA.
If you have 10 to 20 hours of work a month, an hour block or a marketplace freelancer will cost less than any full-time plan. A 20-hour block at $885 beats paying for 160 hours you won't use. Stellar Staff's plans are full-time at 160 hours a month, so it isn't a fit for that workload.
If the work needs someone in your office, or your clients require U.S.-based staff, an onshore hire or a U.S. VA service is worth the higher rate. The same goes for licensed work: a VA can prepare books or files, but a CPA or attorney has to sign off.
If you have steady daily work, 30 hours a week or more, a dedicated offshore assistant is usually the lowest cost per hour of any model where someone else recruits and pays the VA.
Short Answers on VA Rates, Salaries, and Monthly Prices
How much does a virtual assistant cost per hour?
The typical virtual assistant hourly rate runs about $5 to $65 in 2026. Filipino freelancers ask a median of $6, offshore agencies publish full-time rates of $9.55 to $18.75, Upwork's VA median is $13, and U.S.-based VA services charge $39.65 to $65.
How much does a full-time virtual assistant cost per month?
A full-time VA at 160 hours a month costs about $1,500 to $3,000 through an offshore agency, based on published prices in October 2026. A U.S.-based VA service would run $6,344 to $10,400 for the same hours, and a U.S. administrative assistant earns a median of $48,310 a year before benefits, according to the BLS.
What is the average virtual assistant salary?
In the Philippines, Indeed reports an average of PHP 27,457 a month, and a 2026 Outsource Accelerator analysis found a median asking salary of $714 a month for full-time work. The BLS doesn't track virtual assistants separately; U.S. secretaries and administrative assistants earned a median of $48,310 in May 2025.
How much do virtual assistants charge on Upwork?
Upwork reports a median of $13 an hour for virtual assistants, with most rates between $10 and $20. Experienced North American freelancers charge more, from about $12 to $20 for admin work up to $38 to $50 or more for executive assistant work. Clients on the Basic plan also pay a 5% marketplace fee.
Why does an agency charge more than the VA earns?
The agency's price covers the assistant's pay plus recruiting, vetting, payroll, HR, and replacement when someone leaves. If you hire directly, you keep that difference but take on those jobs yourself.
Does Stellar Staff charge by the hour?
No. It charges a flat monthly price for a full-time assistant at 160 hours: $1,999 for Pro, which is about $12.50 an hour, and $2,999 for Executive, with $200 a month added for a bilingual assistant. Plans are month to month with 14 days' notice.
Start With the Hours, Then Pick the Price Tier
Count the hours you want to hand off before you compare a single quote. Under 20 hours a month points to an hour block or a freelancer. A full week of steady work points to a dedicated assistant, where full-time agency plans run about $1,500 to $3,000 a month. Then compare totals for the same period, fees included, rather than hourly rates.
If a full-time assistant fits, see our current plans and what each one costs.
U.S. wage figures are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, and the employer benefit share is from the BLS for June 2026. Provider prices are as listed on each company's site in October 2026.