The Best BELAY Alternatives for 2026, Sorted by What You Need
Time Etc and Virtual Assist USA are the closest BELAY alternatives for U.S.-based assistants with published prices. Prialto is a BELAY alternative with two backup assistants included in every 55-hour unit. Stellar Staff is the BELAY alternative for a full-time assistant: Pro costs $1,999 a month for 160 hours. BELAY still fits if you need a U.S.-based assistant for about 45 hours a month.
Stellar Staff vs BELAY at a glance
BELAY, founded in 2010, matches businesses with U.S.-based assistants who work as independent contractors, according to its talent FAQ. Support typically begins at 45 hours a month on month-to-month terms, and BELAY does not publish its price.
Stellar Staff places one dedicated full-time assistant for 160 hours a month: Pro at $1,999 and Executive at $2,999, month to month with 14 days' notice to cancel. You interview 2 to 3 finalists and choose your hire. Talent comes primarily from the Philippines.
Compare the model, not just the monthly price.
Why do buyers look for a BELAY alternative?
Five practical factors reveal where the two services stop looking alike.
- Published price. BELAY quotes a flat monthly fee after a consultation. Every other company on this page publishes at least a starting price.
- Full-time hours. BELAY support typically begins at 45 hours a month. Athena, MyOutDesk, Wing Assistant, Prialto, and Stellar Staff publish full-time plans.
- Location. Time Etc's U.S. plans and Virtual Assist USA keep assistants in the United States, as BELAY does. Boldly offers North America or Europe. Prialto, Athena, and Stellar Staff recruit outside the United States.
- Worker setup. BELAY's talent FAQ describes its assistants as independent contractors. Boldly and Virtual Assist USA say their U.S. staff are W-2 employees, and Stellar Staff handles payroll and HR for each hire.
- Who picks the assistant. BELAY screens candidates and makes the match itself. Boldly recommends one staff member for you to meet, and Stellar Staff lets you interview 2 to 3 finalists and choose one.
Which option fits your business?
Stellar Staff
- You have enough work for a full-time assistant and want 160 hours a month for $1,999 on Pro.
- You want to see the price before the first sales call.
- You want to interview 2 to 3 finalists and make the final choice yourself.
- You want month-to-month terms with 14 days' notice and free replacements, forever.
BELAY
- Your assistant must live and work in the United States.
- You need about 45 hours a month, not a full-time schedule.
- You would rather have BELAY screen and match than interview candidates yourself.
- You want bookkeeping, payroll, tax, or fractional CFO services from the same company.
Which BELAY alternative fits your situation?
Disclosure: Stellar Staff publishes this page and is one of the companies listed. Facts about the other companies come from their own websites and are cited on each linked comparison.
The alternatives below are Time Etc, Virtual Assist USA, Boldly, Prialto, Athena, MyOutDesk, Wing Assistant, and Stellar Staff. Each serves U.S. clients with executive and administrative support, and each is matched to a reason you might look beyond BELAY. Select a company name for its full comparison with Stellar Staff.
| If you want | Consider | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| A U.S.-based assistant for a few hours a month | Time Etc | Assistants typically serve 3 to 6 clients |
| A U.S.-based W-2 assistant with hours that do not expire | Virtual Assist USA | Its agreement restricts hiring its staff directly; read the terms before signing |
| A senior assistant in North America or Europe | Boldly | $65 an hour; 30 days' written notice to cancel |
| Backup coverage and SOC 2 Type 2 | Prialto | 90-day minimum per unit |
| A full-time executive assistant with SOC 2 Type II | Athena | 90-day or 12-month commitment |
| A full-time assistant from a provider operating since 2008 | MyOutDesk | Contract term, set in your quote |
| The lowest published full-time price | Wing Assistant | Assistants are based worldwide unless you buy the U.S.-based tier |
| A dedicated full-time assistant you choose yourself | Stellar Staff | Talent is primarily in the Philippines; plans are full-time only |
| U.S.-based part-time help plus finance services | BELAY | Monthly fee and notice period, neither published |
Where do assistants work, and who picks them, at each BELAY alternative?
| Company | Where assistants work | Hours | Who picks the assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELAY | United States | Typically from 45 a month | BELAY matches |
| Time Etc | United States (U.S. plans) | 10 to 60 a month | Time Etc suggests a match |
| Virtual Assist USA | United States | 20, 40, or 60-hour packages | Matched using DiSC assessments |
| Boldly | North America or Europe | 40 to 100 a month | You meet one recommended person |
| Prialto | Prialto offices in the Philippines, Kenya, and Guatemala | 55-hour units; 165+ full-time | Matched by Prialto |
| Athena | Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya, and the Philippines | 40 a week | Matched by Athena |
| MyOutDesk | International offices | 8 hours a day, 5 days a week | Selection support from MyOutDesk |
| Wing Assistant | Worldwide, or a U.S.-based tier | 80 or 160 a month | Matched by Wing |
| Stellar Staff | Primarily the Philippines | 160 a month | You interview 2 to 3 finalists |
What does each BELAY alternative charge per month?
BELAY does not publish a price list, and its pricing page was not available when checked on October 5, 2026. A BELAY resource page cites $1,200 to $3,000 a month as a general range for U.S.-based assistants, not as BELAY's own rate.
| Company | Published monthly price | Hours | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELAY | Not publicly disclosed | Typically from 45 | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time Etc | $390 to $2,160 | 10 to 60 | $36 to $39 |
| Virtual Assist USA | $885, $1,678, or $2,379 | 20, 40, or 60 | $39.65 to $47.25 |
| Boldly | $2,600 to $6,500 | 40 to 100 | $65 |
| Prialto | $1,600 per unit (pricing card) or $1,500 (FAQ); full-time from $3,600 | 55 per unit; 165+ | Not published |
| Athena | $3,000 to $3,600 | 40 a week | Not published |
| MyOutDesk | From $1,988; specialized from $2,500 | Full-time | Not published |
| Wing Assistant | $999; U.S.-based $4,999 | 160 | About $6.24; U.S.-based about $31.24 |
| Stellar Staff | $1,999 Pro; $2,999 Executive | 160 | About $12.50 on Pro |
Prialto adds a $250 setup fee unless you sign for a year, and Boldly and Wing add fees for card payments. Stellar Staff describes its plans as a third of the cost of a local hire.
When is staying with BELAY the right call?
BELAY has a long record. It was founded in 2010, says it has served over 25,000 leaders, and keeps a bench of more than 2,000 vetted U.S.-based professionals. It says it accepts the top 3% of U.S.-based applicants and matches most clients in about a week, and it reports a 93% first-match success rate.
Its terms suit part-time needs. Support is month to month, starts around 45 hours a month, and scales up or down, and its Right-Fit Guarantee covers a free rematch. BELAY also sells bookkeeping, payroll, tax, and fractional CFO services.
When is Stellar Staff the better BELAY alternative?
Stellar Staff fits the buyer who has outgrown part-time hours. Instead of a quote for a 45-hour start, it publishes two full-time plans: Pro at $1,999 a month and Executive at $2,999, each for 160 hours.
You make the final choice. Stellar Staff accepts the top 0.1% of applicants, then you interview 2 to 3 finalists and pick one. BELAY's 3% figure measures a different pool, U.S.-based applicants, so the percentages are not directly comparable. The search takes 5 to 10 business days.
Stellar Staff handles recruiting, payroll, HR, tracking, and replacements, and you direct the daily work. Replacements are free, forever, on managed plans, and terms are month to month with 14 days' notice. Stellar Staff is the #2 VA agency on Clutch and has placed 1,000+ remote hires since 2022. Talent comes primarily from the Philippines, so pick BELAY, Time Etc, or Virtual Assist USA if the assistant must be U.S.-based.
Choose Stellar Staff if your work fills a full week, you want to see the price before the first call, and you want to interview the finalists yourself. See the current plans.
Which BELAY alternative should you pick?
- Choose Time Etc if you need 10 to 60 U.S.-based hours a month.
- Choose Virtual Assist USA if you want a U.S.-based W-2 assistant and prepaid hours.
- Choose Boldly if you want a senior assistant in North America or Europe.
- Choose Prialto if backup coverage matters more than a short commitment.
- Choose Athena if you want a full-time EA and can accept a 90-day or 12-month commitment.
- Choose MyOutDesk if you want a full-time assistant from a provider operating since 2008.
- Choose Wing Assistant if the lowest published full-time price decides it.
- Choose Stellar Staff if you want one dedicated full-time assistant at $1,999 a month, chosen by you.
- Stay with BELAY if you need U.S.-based part-time help and finance services from one company.
For the one-to-one view, read Stellar Staff vs BELAY or our BELAY reviews. If a full-time assistant fits, review the Stellar Staff plans or start your search.
Questions buyers ask when replacing BELAY
Clear answers on pricing, hiring speed, replacements, specialization, and compliance.
What is the best BELAY alternative?
The best BELAY alternative depends on the need: Time Etc for U.S. part-time help, Prialto for backup coverage, and Stellar Staff for full-time work. Virtual Assist USA also uses U.S.-based assistants. Stellar Staff Pro costs $1,999 a month for one dedicated assistant working 160 hours.
Which BELAY alternatives use U.S.-based assistants?
Time Etc, Virtual Assist USA, and Wing Assistant's U.S.-based tier offer assistants based in the United States, as BELAY does. Time Etc starts at $390 for 10 hours, Virtual Assist USA at $885 for 20 hours, and Wing's U.S. tier at $2,499 for 80 hours. Stellar Staff recruits primarily from the Philippines.
Is there a BELAY alternative that publishes its prices?
Time Etc, Virtual Assist USA, Boldly, Prialto, Athena, MyOutDesk, Wing Assistant, and Stellar Staff all publish prices, and BELAY does not. BELAY quotes a flat monthly fee after a consultation. Stellar Staff lists Pro at $1,999 and Executive at $2,999 a month, each for 160 hours.
What is the cheapest alternative to BELAY?
Of the BELAY alternatives on this page, Wing Assistant publishes the lowest full-time price: $999 a month for 160 hours. For a few hours a month, Time Etc starts at $390 for 10 hours. Stellar Staff Pro costs $1,999 a month for 160 hours, about $12.50 an hour.
Which BELAY alternative is best for a full-time executive assistant?
For a full-time executive assistant instead of BELAY, compare Athena at $3,000 to $3,600 a month with Stellar Staff Executive at $2,999. Athena requires a 90-day or 12-month commitment. Stellar Staff Executive covers 160 hours a month, month to month. Prialto's full-time assistant starts at $3,600.
Which BELAY alternatives let me choose my assistant?
Stellar Staff lets you interview 2 to 3 finalists and choose one, while BELAY screens candidates and makes the match itself. Boldly recommends one staff member, and you meet that person before subscribing. Prialto, Athena, and Wing Assistant match you with an assistant.
Do any BELAY alternatives include backup coverage?
Prialto, Boldly, and Virtual Assist USA include backup assistants, and Athena provides a temporary EA during leave. Prialto includes two backup assistants with every 55-hour unit. BELAY offers a free rematch under its Right-Fit Guarantee. Stellar Staff's managed plans include free replacements, forever.
Are assistants at BELAY alternatives employees or contractors?
BELAY describes its assistants as independent contractors, while Boldly and Virtual Assist USA say their U.S. staff are W-2 employees. Prialto's assistants are full-time Prialto employees. Stellar Staff handles payroll and HR for each assistant, and you direct the daily work. Confirm worker status in writing.
Stellar Staff
Stellar StaffBELAY
How we reviewed the providers
This page is based on publicly available information from each provider's official website, plus Stellar Staff's own published pricing. Competitor details were checked between October 5 and October 14, 2026, and every source is cited on the linked one-to-one comparisons. Main sources: BELAY FAQ, BELAY talent FAQ, BELAY cost guide, Time Etc pricing, Time Etc how it works, Virtual Assist USA pricing, Boldly pricing, Prialto pricing, Athena pricing, MyOutDesk pricing, Wing Assistant pricing, and Stellar Staff pricing. Competitor hourly figures are calculated from their published prices, and conflicting figures are both shown. Competitor details may change; we review this page quarterly. Last reviewed October 18, 2026.