Where Virtual Coworker and Stellar Staff Differ on Price, Hours, and Exit Terms in 2026
Stellar Staff Pro is $1,999 a month for a full-time assistant you pick from 2 to 3 finalists. Virtual Coworker bills hourly and lists virtual assistants from $7 an hour. Virtual Coworker fits better if you need fewer than 40 hours a week.
Stellar Staff vs Virtual Coworker at a glance
Virtual Coworker has placed virtual assistants from the Philippines with businesses since 2011. Its About page names founder and CEO Braden Yuill and lists offices in West Hollywood, California, and Sydney. It recruits for roles from executive assistants and bookkeepers to web developers, bills by the hour from $7, and places staff for 20 to 40 hours a week. Virtual Coworker is a different company from Remote CoWorker, which has its own comparison with Stellar Staff.
Stellar Staff, founded in 2022 and formerly VA Support Now, places one dedicated full-time assistant per plan, recruited primarily from the Philippines. 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 choice comes down to hours, pricing format, and terms.
Compare the model, not just the monthly price.
Both agencies recruit in the Philippines, so what actually separates Virtual Coworker from Stellar Staff?
Five practical factors reveal where the two services stop looking alike.
- Team location. Both companies recruit in the Philippines. Virtual Coworker recruits for your time zone, including U.S. business hours, and runs offices in West Hollywood and Sydney. Stellar Staff recruits primarily from the Philippines for full-time roles.
- Engagement model. Virtual Coworker sells hours: 20 to 40 a week, invoiced on the 1st of each month in advance and adjusted for the hours worked the month before. Its FAQ says you pay only for hours worked. Stellar Staff sells a flat plan for 160 hours a month, about $12.50 an hour on Pro.
- Service scope. Virtual Coworker's price guide covers admin, sales and marketing, web and programming, and finance roles, including WordPress, full stack, and mobile app developers. Stellar Staff's services cover administrative, executive assistant, customer service, bookkeeping, sales, marketing, lead generation, and finance roles.
- Onboarding speed. Virtual Coworker doesn't publish a timeline for presenting candidates or starting work. For Stellar Staff, the search takes 5 to 10 business days, and you interview 2 to 3 finalists.
- Specialization. Virtual Coworker's industry pages cover eCommerce, financial services, marketing and media agencies, professional services, service businesses, and technology companies, and its homepage answers a real estate question. Stellar Staff has industry pages for medical practices, law firms, real estate agents, and insurance agencies.
Which option fits your business?
Stellar Staff
- You have a full-time role and want one monthly price: $1,999 on Pro for 160 hours.
- You run a medical practice, law firm, or insurance agency and want a provider with pages for your industry.
- You want the timeline up front: the search takes 5 to 10 business days.
- You want free replacements, forever, on a managed plan.
Virtual Coworker
- You need 20 to 30 hours a week of help, not a full-time hire.
- You want to pay only for hours worked, with no obligation to pay for sick days or holidays.
- You need a developer; its price guide lists web, WordPress, full stack, and mobile app developers.
- You want a lower starting rate and 7 days' notice during the first six months.
How do Virtual Coworker and Stellar Staff compare on 14 points that affect a hire?
| Decision point | Stellar Staff | Virtual Coworker |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 (formerly VA Support Now) | 2011, per its homepage and About page |
| Headquarters | U.S. company | Offices in West Hollywood, California, and Sydney, Australia |
| Where talent works | Primarily the Philippines | The Philippines |
| Dedicated or shared | One dedicated full-time assistant per plan | Dedicated staff working 20 to 40 hours a week |
| Starting price | $1,999/month Pro; $2,999/month Executive | From $7 an hour for a virtual assistant; from $10 for an executive assistant |
| Billing cadence | Flat monthly price | Invoiced on the 1st of each month in advance, adjusted for hours worked; cards charged on the 5th |
| Contract and notice | Month to month; 14 days' notice to cancel | Minimum of 1 month; 7 days' notice in the first six months, 14 days after |
| Speed to match | The search takes 5 to 10 business days | Not publicly disclosed |
| Replacement policy | Free replacements, forever, on managed plans | Not publicly disclosed |
| Support contact | Stellar Staff handles recruiting, payroll, HR, tracking, and replacements | A dedicated recruitment specialist during hiring, then onboarding and staff support, per its How It Works page |
| Time zone coverage | Full-time, 160 hours a month; you direct the daily work | Recruits for your time zone, including U.S. business hours |
| Vetting steps | 6-step application, 6 individual tests, written and spoken English verification, reference and equipment checks, professional interviews and skill assessments, internal QA, and background checks; top 0.1% of applicants | Sourcing, screening, interviews, reference checks, and "FBI-grade background checks"; says it hand-picks the top 1% |
| Trial period | No trial listed; month to month with 14 days' notice | No trial listed; its FAQ treats the first six months as probation, with 7 days' notice |
| Third-party rating | #2 VA agency on Clutch | 4.9 on Clutch from 7 reviews; TrustScore 4.6 on Trustpilot from 22 reviews |
Which roles can you hire through Virtual Coworker and Stellar Staff?
Virtual Coworker prices each role separately by the hour, including developer and design roles. Stellar Staff places one full-time assistant per plan, by role and industry.
| Role | Stellar Staff | Virtual Coworker |
|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant | Yes; Executive plan at $2,999 a month | Yes; from $10 an hour |
| General virtual assistant | Yes; Pro plan at $1,999 a month | Yes; from $7 an hour |
| Bookkeeping | Yes | Bookkeeper from $8 an hour; accountant from $10 |
| Medical | Yes; medical industry page | Not listed |
| Insurance | Yes; insurance agencies industry page | Not listed |
| Real estate | Yes; real estate agents industry page | Yes; its homepage says it recruits admin support for real estate businesses |
| Legal | Yes; law firms industry page | Legal assistant from $9 an hour |
| Sales | Yes | Sales support listed among virtual assistant tasks |
| Customer service | Yes | Customer support from $7 an hour |
| Social media | Yes, through marketing services | Social media manager from $8 an hour |
| Copywriting | Not a separate Stellar Staff service page | Content writer from $8 an hour |
| Lead generation | Yes | Lead generation specialist from $8 an hour |
Is Virtual Coworker's $7 hourly rate cheaper than a $1,999 month with Stellar Staff?
Virtual Coworker publishes starting hourly rates by role and bills one month in advance, then adjusts the next invoice for the hours your assistant actually logged. Stellar Staff publishes flat monthly plans. The table below uses only figures each source publishes; we have not turned hourly rates into monthly totals.
| Cost item | Stellar Staff | Virtual Coworker | U.S. full-time hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | $1,999 a month Pro; $2,999 Executive | From $7 an hour for a virtual assistant; from $10 for an executive assistant | Median pay of $48,310 per year for secretaries and administrative assistants (BLS, May 2025) |
| Hours | 160 a month | 20 to 40 a week; extra hours at the normal rate | Full-time schedule |
| Hourly figure | About $12.50 on Pro | Set by role, hours, and the candidate's work history | Median of $23.23 per hour (BLS, May 2025) |
| Executive-level support | $2,999 a month Executive | Executive assistant from $10 an hour | Median of $76,590 per year for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (BLS, May 2025) |
| Recruiting fees | Included | None; fees are built into the hourly rate | Varies |
| Payroll and HR | Included | Recruitment, HR, and payroll handled, per its homepage | Varies |
| Bilingual assistant | +$200 a month | Not publicly disclosed | Varies |
| Replacement | Free, forever, on managed plans | Not publicly disclosed | Varies |
| Relative cost claim | A third of the cost of a local hire | Savings of up to 80% of staffing costs, per its homepage | Varies |
Per hour, Virtual Coworker's listed starting rates are lower than Stellar Staff's. Two details affect the real bill. First, those rates are starting points: Virtual Coworker says the final rate depends on the job description, hiring requirements, part-time or full-time hours, and the candidate's work history and skills. Second, its FAQ says card payments carry a surcharge and the first invoice, which covers the rest of the start month, must be paid before the assistant begins.
Ask Virtual Coworker for a written quote for your role and weekly hours, then set it beside Stellar Staff's flat $1,999 or $2,999. Price is one factor; selection, notice terms, and the person you hire matter as much.
What Virtual Coworker gets right
Virtual Coworker has placed staff from the Philippines since 2011, and its homepage cites more than 15 years of experience. Its pricing is easy to scan: a public guide lists starting hourly rates for roles from a virtual assistant at $7 to a mobile app developer at $18, with no recruitment fees on top.
It is also flexible on hours. Placements start at 20 hours a week, you pay only for hours worked, and its FAQ says there is no obligation to pay for sick days or holidays. During the first six months, you can end a placement with 7 days' notice.
Clients work with a dedicated recruitment specialist and run their own video interviews and tests before choosing. Its time tracker takes a desktop screenshot every 10 minutes and sends a daily activity report. Virtual Coworker holds a 4.9 rating on Clutch from 7 reviews and a TrustScore of 4.6 on Trustpilot from 22 reviews.
What changes when you buy a full month from Stellar Staff instead of weekly hours
Virtual Coworker invoices on the 1st of each month for the month ahead and adjusts later bills for the hours actually logged. Stellar Staff charges one flat price: $1,999 a month on Pro or $2,999 on Executive, each for 160 hours of work by a dedicated full-time assistant. That's about $12.50 an hour on Pro, more per hour than Virtual Coworker's $7 starting rate, and the figure stays the same from month to month.
The screening processes differ. Virtual Coworker says it hand-picks the top 1% of Filipino candidates and checks references and backgrounds. Stellar Staff receives thousands of applicants a month and accepts the top 0.1%, after a 6-step application, 6 individual tests, written and spoken English verification, reference and equipment checks, professional interviews and skill assessments, internal QA, and background checks. Virtual Coworker's FAQ lists the workspace, internet, and computer its contractors must have; Stellar Staff checks equipment as part of vetting.
Stellar Staff also publishes the details Virtual Coworker leaves to the consultation. The search takes 5 to 10 business days, you interview 2 to 3 finalists, and replacements are free, forever, on managed plans. Stellar Staff is month to month with 14 days' notice, and Custom Recruitment, a one-time search for a direct hire, starts at $4,999.
Which agency fits the role you're hiring for?
Choose Stellar Staff if
- You have a full-time role and want a flat $1,999 or $2,999 monthly price for 160 hours.
- You want to interview 2 to 3 finalists after a search that takes 5 to 10 business days.
- You hire for a medical practice, law firm, real estate team, or insurance agency.
- You want free replacements, forever, on a managed plan.
Choose Virtual Coworker if
- You need 20 to 40 hours a week and want to pay only for hours worked, with no obligation to pay for sick days or holidays.
- You want the lowest published starting rate, from $7 an hour for a virtual assistant.
- You're hiring a web, WordPress, or mobile app developer alongside admin support.
- You want 7 days' notice during the first six months while you test the fit.
Virtual Coworker questions to settle before you book a consultation
Clear answers on pricing, hiring speed, replacements, specialization, and compliance.
How much does Virtual Coworker cost per hour?
Virtual Coworker lists virtual assistants from $7 an hour and executive assistants from $10. Its price guide runs up to $18 an hour for a mobile app developer, with bookkeepers from $8 and accountants from $10. The final rate depends on the role, hours, and candidate. Stellar Staff Pro is $1,999 a month for 160 hours.
What do Virtual Coworker reviews say?
Virtual Coworker has high ratings on the two review platforms we checked. Clutch shows a 4.9 rating from 7 reviews, and Trustpilot shows a TrustScore of 4.6 from 22 reviews, both read on October 22, 2026. Read the written reviews for comments on your role type. Stellar Staff is the #2 VA agency on Clutch.
Is Virtual Coworker the same company as Remote CoWorker?
No, Virtual Coworker and Remote CoWorker are separate companies with similar names. Virtual Coworker has placed staff from the Philippines since 2011 and lists offices in West Hollywood, California, and Sydney, Australia. Remote CoWorker is a different firm, covered on our Stellar Staff vs Remote CoWorker page. Check the domain before you book a call.
Can I hire a Virtual Coworker assistant part-time?
Yes, Virtual Coworker places staff for 20 to 40 hours a week, with a 20-hour weekly minimum. Its FAQ says assistants work 4 to 8 hours a day in your time zone, and extra hours are billed at the normal rate. Stellar Staff sells full-time plans only, at 160 hours a month.
How do I cancel Virtual Coworker?
Virtual Coworker's FAQ sets notice by tenure: 7 days during the first six months, which it calls probation, and 14 days after that. Placements are meant to last at least a month, and invoices go out on the 1st of each month in advance. Stellar Staff is month to month with 14 days' notice to cancel.
Are Virtual Coworker assistants employees or contractors?
Virtual Coworker's FAQ calls its staff contractors, and its homepage says it handles recruitment, HR, and payroll. Its FAQ also says you pay only for hours worked, with no obligation to pay for sick days or holidays. Stellar Staff handles payroll and HR, and you direct the daily work. Ask both providers to confirm worker status in writing.
How long does Virtual Coworker take to find an assistant?
Virtual Coworker does not publish a hiring timeline. Its How It Works page lists four steps: a free consultation, your job description, a shortlist with hourly rates followed by your video interviews and tests, and the start of work. For Stellar Staff, the search takes 5 to 10 business days, and you interview 2 to 3 finalists.
What happens if my Virtual Coworker assistant quits or isn't a good fit?
Virtual Coworker does not publish a replacement policy, so ask how a new search works and whether it costs anything before you sign. Its homepage says staff pass "FBI-grade background checks," and its time tracker screenshots the desktop every 10 minutes. Stellar Staff includes free replacements, forever, on managed plans.
Stellar Staff
Stellar StaffVirtual Coworker
How we reviewed the providers
Virtual Coworker details were reviewed on October 22, 2026 on Virtual Coworker's own website. Sources include the Virtual Coworker homepage, Virtual Coworker pricing and savings guide, Virtual Coworker FAQ page, Virtual Coworker How It Works page, Virtual Coworker About page, and Stellar Staff pricing. Ratings were read on Clutch and Trustpilot, and U.S. pay figures come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, all on October 22, 2026. Virtual Coworker does not publish its client agreement, replacement policy, or hiring timeline online, so those items are marked not publicly disclosed. Prices and terms can change; confirm them in writing with each provider before you sign. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.