Magic Virtual Assistant Review for 2026: How It Compares With Stellar Staff
Magic charges $540 a week for a full-time assistant, or $270 a week for 20 hours. Stellar Staff charges $1,999 a month on Pro for a full-time assistant chosen from 2 to 3 finalists. Magic is the better pick for part-time or on-demand help.
Stellar Staff vs Magic at a glance
Magic, sold at getmagic.com, launched in 2015 out of the NASA Ames Research Center. Magic matches clients with dedicated remote assistants, most of them based in the Philippines and some in Latin America, and also sells an on-demand service called Magic 24/7. Its pricing page lists $270 a week for 20 hours and $540 a week for 40 hours, with no contract.
Stellar Staff, founded in 2022 in Newport Beach, California, also recruits primarily from the Philippines but sells full-time plans only. Pro is $1,999 a month and Executive is $2,999, each for 160 hours. Stellar Staff handles recruiting, payroll, HR, tracking, and replacements, and the client directs the daily work. The hourly cost is close, so the real differences are billing, flexibility, and how you choose the assistant.
Compare the model, not just the monthly price.
How do Magic's terms differ from Stellar Staff's?
Five practical factors reveal where the two services stop looking alike.
- Billing schedule. Magic prices by the week and bills every four weeks, so a full-time assistant costs $2,160 per cycle, and a year has 13 cycles. Stellar Staff bills a flat $1,999 a month on Pro.
- Hourly cost. Magic's weekly prices work out to $13.50 an hour on both of its individual plans. Stellar Staff Pro works out to about $12.50 an hour for 160 hours a month.
- Part-time and on-demand help. Magic offers a 20-hour weekly plan and Magic 24/7, a pool of assistants for urgent tasks when your dedicated assistant is offline. Stellar Staff offers full-time plans only.
- Selection. Magic says its assistants come from the top 0.5% of applicants and pass a four-phase screen covering English, reasoning, and client fit. Stellar Staff accepts the top 0.1% of applicants, adds reference, equipment, and background checks, and has you interview 2 to 3 finalists.
- Leaving and switching. Magic's terms make a cancellation effective in the billing period after you give notice, and hiring an assistant directly costs at least $10,000. Stellar Staff asks for 14 days' notice and offers free replacements, forever, on managed plans.
Which option fits your business?
Stellar Staff
- You want one monthly bill of $1,999 on Pro instead of weekly pricing collected every four weeks.
- You want to interview 2 to 3 finalists drawn from the top 0.1% of applicants.
- You want a bilingual assistant for an added $200 a month, or a direct hire through Custom Recruitment for a one-time fee starting at $4,999.
- You want free replacements, forever, and 14 days' notice to cancel.
Magic
- You need part-time help; Magic's 20-hour plan is $270 a week.
- You want on-demand coverage from Magic 24/7 for urgent tasks when your assistant is offline.
- You want to move quickly; Magic advertises hiring in under a week and charges nothing until you select an assistant.
- You need a team of three or more assistants, which Magic Teams prices on a custom basis with a dedicated success coach.
Magic and Stellar Staff across 14 buying criteria
| Decision point | Stellar Staff | Magic |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 (formerly VA Support Now) | 2015, at the NASA Ames Research Center |
| Headquarters | Newport Beach, California | Not stated; contracting entity Magic, Inc. lists a Wilmington, Delaware address |
| Where assistants are based | Primarily the Philippines | Mostly the Philippines, with some in Latin America |
| Plans | Full-time only, 160 hours a month | 20 or 40 hours a week; custom pricing for Magic Teams |
| Published price | $1,999/month Pro; $2,999/month Executive | $270/week for 20 hours; $540/week for 40 hours |
| Hourly equivalent | About $12.50 on Pro | $13.50, by division of its weekly prices |
| Billing | Monthly | Every 4 weeks, per its pricing page; other pages say weekly |
| Part-time option | No; full-time plans only | Yes, 20 hours a week |
| Urgent and after-hours help | One dedicated full-time assistant | Magic 24/7 on-demand pool, included with the full-time plan |
| Selection | Top 0.1% of applicants | Top 0.5% of applicants, per its homepage and pricing page |
| Choosing your assistant | Interview 2 to 3 finalists | Review profiles and interview candidates; number not stated |
| Timeline | The search takes 5 to 10 business days | "Under 1 week" on its homepage; 72 hours on its virtual assistant page |
| Cancellation | Month to month; 14 days' notice to cancel | No contract; cancellation takes effect the billing period after notice |
| Replacement | Free replacements, forever, on managed plans | Offered; candidates take 5 to 7 days on average; cost not stated |
Roles and tasks each company staffs
Magic sells dedicated assistants by role plus an on-demand service, while Stellar Staff places one full-time assistant per plan whose daily work you direct.
| Work | Stellar Staff | Magic |
|---|---|---|
| Executive assistance | Yes; Executive plan at $2,999 | Executive Assistant |
| General administration | Yes | Admin Assistant and Virtual Assistant |
| Customer support | Yes | Customer Support Assistant |
| Ecommerce | Yes | Ecommerce Assistant |
| Bookkeeping | Yes, as a full-time assistant role | Bookkeeping assistants |
| Marketing and social media | Yes | Marketing and social media assistants |
| Sales support | Yes | Sales assistants |
| Project management | Yes | Project management assistants |
| Urgent tasks outside working hours | One dedicated full-time assistant | Magic 24/7 on-demand pool |
| Teams of three or more | One dedicated full-time assistant per plan | Magic Teams, custom pricing, dedicated success coach |
| Bilingual assistant | +$200 a month | Not stated on its site |
Does Magic's $540 a week cost more than Stellar Staff's $1,999 a month?
Magic prices by the week and Stellar Staff by the month, so this table puts both on a billing-cycle basis. We calculated Magic's hourly rates from its published weekly prices.
| Cost item | Stellar Staff | Magic | Local full-time hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published full-time price | $1,999 a month on Pro | $540 a week | Salary, taxes, and benefits |
| Per billing cycle | $1,999 a month | $2,160 every 4 weeks | Per your payroll schedule |
| Hours per cycle | 160 | 160 | Full-time schedule |
| Hourly equivalent | About $12.50 on Pro | $13.50 | Varies by market |
| Part-time plan | Not offered; full-time plans only | $270 a week for 20 hours | Part-time wage |
| Recruiting and setup | Recruiting included | No setup fees, per Magic | Your recruiting and onboarding costs |
| Hiring the assistant directly | Custom Recruitment: one-time fee starting at $4,999 | A fee of no less than $10,000 per assistant, per its terms | Your own recruiting cost |
| Replacement | Free, forever, on managed plans | Offered; cost not stated | A new search |
| Relative cost claim | A third of the cost of a local hire | "Half the cost," per its homepage | Baseline |
Because Magic bills every four weeks, a year includes 13 billing cycles, not 12. Magic says it does not bill for time an assistant is absent or inactive, or for leave you approve as unpaid. Compare the yearly totals, not the weekly figure, and confirm in your Magic agreement which billing schedule applies.
Strengths of Magic worth weighing
Magic has more than a decade in the assistant business. It launched in 2015 at the NASA Ames Research Center, lists Sequoia Capital and Y Combinator among its backers, and says it has interviewed more than 750,000 assistants. Its screening checks English fluency, comprehension and reasoning, and client compatibility, and Magic says a person, not an algorithm, makes the final hiring decision after live interviews.
The product is flexible. You can buy 20 or 40 hours a week, use Magic 24/7 for urgent work when your assistant is offline, or build a team of three or more. Magic charges nothing until you select an assistant, does not bill for absent or inactive time, and can arrange a temporary assistant to cover leave. Assistants can also sign your NDA before they start, and the help center answers practical questions about billing, leave, and replacements in detail.
Stellar Staff's monthly plan, finalist interviews, and replacements
Stellar Staff and Magic both recruit heavily from the Philippines, so the choice comes down to price structure, selection, and exit terms. Stellar Staff Pro is $1,999 a month for 160 hours, about $12.50 an hour. Magic's full-time plan is $540 a week, or $2,160 per four-week cycle, which is $13.50 an hour. Stellar Staff describes its rate as a third of the cost of a local hire.
On selection, Magic cites the top 0.5% of applicants. Stellar Staff accepts the top 0.1% from thousands of applicants a month. Its vetting includes a 6-step application, 6 individual tests, written and spoken English verification, reference checks, an equipment check, professional interviews and skill assessments, internal QA, and background checks. You interview 2 to 3 finalists and pick one.
On exit terms, Stellar Staff is month to month with 14 days' notice, and replacements are free, forever, on managed plans. If you want the assistant on your own payroll, Custom Recruitment places a direct hire for a one-time fee starting at $4,999. Magic's terms set a fee of at least $10,000 to hire one of its assistants directly.
Which one fits: a recommendation by buyer type
Choose Magic if you need 20 hours a week rather than 40, you want Magic 24/7 for urgent tasks outside your assistant's hours, or you plan to build a team of three or more. Ask Magic to confirm in writing whether you will be billed weekly or every four weeks.
Choose Stellar Staff if you have full-time work, want a flat monthly price of $1,999 on Pro, and want to pick from 2 to 3 finalists with free replacements, forever. The search takes 5 to 10 business days.
Magic virtual assistant reviews, pricing, and other buyer questions
Clear answers on pricing, hiring speed, replacements, specialization, and compliance.
How much does Magic cost per month?
Magic does not quote a monthly price. Its pricing page lists $540 a week for a full-time assistant and $270 a week for 20 hours, with plans billed every four weeks. A full-time cycle comes to $2,160, or $13.50 an hour. Stellar Staff Pro is $1,999 a month for 160 hours.
Magic virtual assistant reviews: is Magic legit?
Magic is a long-running company. Its site says it launched in 2015 at the NASA Ames Research Center and lists Sequoia Capital and Y Combinator as backers. Its own client counts differ, with 1,000+ companies on its homepage and 10,000+ businesses on its about page. Read recent independent reviews before you sign.
Are Magic assistants employees or contractors?
Magic's site does not say whether its assistants are employees or contractors. Its terms mention engaging an assistant "as an independent contractor" only in the clause on hiring assistants away, and its assistant help pages describe payouts through Deel. With Stellar Staff, the company handles payroll and HR, and you direct the daily work.
What companies are like Magic (getmagic)?
Companies like Magic include Wing Assistant, Wishup, 20four7VA, MyOutDesk, and Stellar Staff. They differ on where assistants live, whether you pay by the hour, week, or month, and whether part-time plans exist. Stellar Staff also recruits primarily from the Philippines but sells full-time plans only, from $1,999 a month.
How do I cancel Magic?
Magic advertises no contracts and says you can cancel anytime. Its terms add that a cancellation takes effect in the billing period after the one in which you give notice, and that fees are not returned because you cancel. Stellar Staff is month to month, with 14 days' notice to cancel.
How does Magic replace an assistant?
Magic's help center says you email support with the reason and any new requirements, and finding replacement candidates takes 5 to 7 days on average. Your current assistant stops work at the end of the billing week. Magic does not state whether replacements cost extra. Stellar Staff's managed plans include free replacements, forever.
How fast can Magic match an assistant compared with Stellar Staff?
Magic's site gives several timelines: "under 1 week" on its homepage, 72 hours on its virtual assistant page, and 5 days for Magic Teams. Magic charges nothing until you select an assistant. For Stellar Staff, the search takes 5 to 10 business days, and you interview 2 to 3 finalists.
Is my business data safe with a Magic assistant?
Magic says its Magic Vault shares information safely, and its help center confirms assistants can sign your NDA before they start. Its terms also say Magic cannot guarantee its security measures will never be defeated, and the pages we reviewed list no security certifications. Stellar Staff runs background checks and internal QA during vetting.
Stellar Staff
Stellar StaffMagic
How we reviewed the providers
Reviewed October 13, 2026 on Magic's own website. Sources include Magic pricing, Magic about page, Magic terms of service, Magic how it works, Magic virtual assistant page, Magic hiring guide, Magic help center, and Stellar Staff pricing. We calculated Magic's hourly and per-cycle costs from its published weekly prices. Prices and terms can change, so confirm them in writing with each provider before you sign.