Virtual Assistant Cost Today: Factors to Keep in Mind

Virtual assistants, especially in today’s era, are extremely helpful to have on your side if you find yourself overwhelmed with tasks that take you away from other vital tasks. Many people assume that these virtual assistants cost too much to hire, but that is not true.

Depending on what types of tasks you need to be completed, you can expect to pay a fair rate. Whatever your budget is, there is sure to be an assistant who can work with you and help your business thrive.

If you want to learn more about the cost of hiring a virtual assistant and how the process works, continue reading below! This brief virtual assistant guide will cover how to pay your assistant, the average cost, and who you can reach out to for more information.

Don’t forget, you can always check out our pricing guide here as well.

What Is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant, also known as a VA, is an independent contractor that provides administrative services to your clients. Most virtual assistants work at home or in their own purchased office space.

Even though they do not work at your office, they can remotely access shared calendars and other planning documents. Because these people are independent contractors, you only have to pay their set rate. They are not considered your employees.

How Much Should You Pay a Virtual Assistant

When searching online for a virtual assistant, you will see different rates from $3 an hour up to around $80 an hour, depending on the type of virtual assistant you need. The cost of your virtual assistant will depend on several different factors, including their skill set and experience.

Higher-paid virtual assistants either have a broader range of services or some type of specialized service such as copy writing. Be wary, though; just because one assistant has a higher rate than another, that does not mean that they are a more experienced virtual assistant. There are some virtual assistants out there who charge more than they offer.

Types of Virtual Assistants

There are some virtual assistants who offer a wide array of services, while others specialize in a specific area of expertise. For example, you can find a virtual assistant specializing in computer programming or social media management.

Other types of virtual assistants:

• Data entry
• Administrative tasks
• Customer support
• Internet research
• Tech support
• E-commerce
• Graphic Design
• Video production
• Bookkeeping

Those assistants who offer administrative support tasks and other tasks requiring less skill usually charge at a lower rate than someone who performs computer programming.

If you require your virtual assistant to have industry knowledge, you can expect to pay more. Many virtual assistants offer a core set of services such as social media posting, calendar management, correspondence, along with a specialized service.

For example, you may hire a virtual assistant who can handle your administrative tasks at one price point in addition to another task at another price point. So your assistant may charge you $20 an hour for data entry and around $55 for any digital marketing or tech support.

How Experienced is the VA?

Virtual assistants usually charge a lower rate when they are just starting out. Those who have years of experience tend to cost more per hour. If you have a limited budget, it would be best for you to reach out to an entry-level virtual assistant to receive work at a lower rate than average.

Keep in mind, though, that the newer virtual assistant may not produce work at the same standard as a more experienced virtual assistant. They may take longer to complete tasks than someone with more experience, so if you can afford a more experienced virtual assistant, it will be more effective in the long run.

Although this is not a bad thing, a more seasoned assistant is better if you don’t have the time to explain tasks or train your assistant. There are virtual assistants who have previous experience working in an office setting but no experience working as a virtual assistant. There is a slight learning curve with those types of candidates, but it is much smaller than it would be with someone who takes up virtual assisting as a side business to supplement their income.

Knowledge of Software

If you need a virtual assistant to help you with tech or some type of software, you can expect to pay more for their help. The more complex the software, the higher the price. This extra expense may be worth it if you choose a virtual assistant with experience in software relevant to your needs.

For example, if you already create your own graphics, hiring someone who charges more for Photoshop or Illustrator would not make sense. Instead, it may make more sense to hire someone who can handle your accounting tasks and has experience with QuickBooks or other accounting software. Of course, if your goal is to hand over your graphics tasks to a virtual assistant, you should reach out to someone who has experience using the software you use for your graphics.

How Urgent is the Task?

Not all virtual assistants are full-time assistants. Many of them have other commitments, such as going to school or maintaining a full-time job working at another company. If your tasks don’t require a quick turnaround and you can give your assistant some time to handle them, you might be able to secure a lower rate. Your assistant may charge you more per hour for tasks that require more time or a quicker turnaround.

Communication and Work Style

If you have a reputation for being hard to work with, assistants may ask you to pay more per hour. This happens if you have projects that tend to require numerous revisions because of miscommunications or minimal instruction.

To avoid those high quotes for work, it would be best to work on your management skills. Know precisely what you need before you reach out to a virtual assistant.

Providing them with clear requirements or instructions can help them handle the project timely. Be sure to include guidelines about how your assistant can get in contact with you in case they need clarification on something.

Where Are They Located?

Depending on where your virtual assistant is located, the hourly rate will vary. For example, if you contract with a virtual assistant from Canada or the United States, expect to pay more than you would if you outsourced your assistant.

In North America, the lowest hourly rate is about $15, whereas overseas, it can drop to $5 an hour. However, if you need a virtual assistant specializing in computer programming, accounting, or some other type of expertise, expect to pay around $45 regardless of where they live.

How to Pay a Virtual Assistant

Throughout the article, you may have seen us mention hourly rates, which is one way you can pay your virtual assistant. You also have the option to pay them per project or task and more, depending on your needs and what the assistant requests.

Paying per Hour

Paying your virtual assistant is one of the most common ways to pay them. If you decide to go with this option, you may want to invest in some type of time tracking software. This will show you how much time your assistant works in specific browser tabs, types of software, and other documents.

Most time, tracking software has automated screenshot software that randomly takes screenshots of their computer screen. The software can also tell you the percentage of time spent actively by showing you their keystrokes and mouse movements. Most experienced assistants usually already have their own tracking software or expect you to have one.

Pay per Project

If the project you need is more complex than data entry or other simple administrative tasks, your assistant may prefer to be paid per project instead of per hour. You will see this request for services like social media management.

They may ask you to pay them per post or to set up your accounts. It is also possible to pay per project for editing web copy, formatting your documents, or other one-time projects.

Task-Based

A task-based payment system is similar to pay per project, with a slight difference. For example, instead of paying for each task on their own, you can create a list and pay your assistant a set amount.

Let’s say you have six things on a list that you need them to complete, and they each take 10 minutes, which would equate to about one hour of the assistant’s time. So if they charge $50 an hour, you can pay them $50 for that list of activities.

When using this method, you will need to know how long it should take to complete those tasks. If you are used to taking care of those tasks, you should generally have an idea, but you can ask your virtual assistant if you are unsure. They will then let you know if what you’re proposing is reasonable.

Task-based paying eliminates the need for time tracking. Instead, you just pay the assistant a set amount of money to do a list of certain tasks.

Subscription Plans

If you decide to work with an agency to find an assistant, they may offer you a subscription plan. Most agencies have between two to five different plans to choose from.

Each of these plans should outline how many hours per month or week the virtual assistant can dedicate to your needs and what type of tasks they cover. The higher-end plans typically come with added benefits.

Benefits of Contracting a VA

When you partner with a reputable agency, they give you a secure payment method. The VA’s typically sign contracts with the agency, guaranteeing they will receive payment once they complete their work. For you, this gives you the peace of mind knowing that if your VA did not complete their work, they wouldn’t release any funds to them.

The main benefit of working with an agency is that you have access to a wide range of different assistants. There is no need to set up a contract on your own or to manage the virtual assistant. Instead, the agency will handle that, and you can focus on other parts of your business.

If you decide that you don’t like your VA, you have the opportunity to switch to a new assistant without the need to vet one on your own. On the other hand, if your assistant leaves the company or picks up a different client, the agency can assign you someone new.

Can I Negotiate the Rate?

If a virtual assistant sends you a proposal that you disagree with, you have the right to negotiate within reason. For example, if someone asks you for $1600, but your budget only allows $700, there may have been a miscommunication.

If your budget was only $700 and you did not let the assistant know ahead of time, they most likely went off their previous rates, or they may have made an unreasonable request. If anything, they may knock off a few hundred dollars, but they may not go down to what you are asking in this scenario.

Hire a VA Today!

Managing your business on your own does not need to be complicated. Handling your administrative tasks on your own can take you away from other projects or business tasks that require more of your attention. Virtual assistants do more than just data entry or other smaller administrative duties; they can also create your web copy or create programming software for you.

Regardless of what you need your assistant to do, several VAs to choose from who can work within your budget. Contact us now if you are ready to hire a reliable virtual assistant from a reputable company. We only hire 1% of the many applicants we receive because quality matters over quantity to us.