You opened a few tabs to find out what a virtual assistant costs and closed them more confused than before. One site quotes by the hour, another a monthly retainer, a third wants a call before it'll show you anything.
When someone asks me about cost on a discovery call, I give the number straight away. So here it is, along with what sits behind it.
The Short Answer (And Why It’s Almost Useless On Its Own)
A dedicated, managed VA through VAConnect starts at $1,088 a month for 40 hours, about ten hours a week. Half-day and full-day packages and executive assistant rates are on our pricing page.
That's the headline. It's only part of the answer, because the price you see is rarely the price you pay. Recruiting, training, managing and replacing a VA all cost time or money, and those costs land somewhere: either with the agency or with you.
The Four Things That Actually Move the Price
In our pricing, four things decide where you land:
- Seniority. General admin, sales and marketing VAs sit in one bracket. Executive assistants and project managers sit in a higher one.
- Hours. Our floor is 40 hours a month, then 80 for half-day and a full day after that. We also build custom packages.
- How you hire. A managed agency includes recruitment, management and replacement. Hiring someone directly doesn't.
- Extras. Calling costs, travel and sundries sit outside every package. You supply the calling system and number, so you keep them if we part ways.
What You Pay, and What Comes With It
Our VAs all live and work in South Africa. Our Starter package works out at about $27 an hour, with recruitment, training, management and replacement included.
Hiring in the US, the UK or Europe costs far more once payroll taxes, benefits, equipment and office space are added. With us, the monthly price covers more than the hours. You get the same dedicated VA every month, an onboarding session to agree tasks and KPIs, a client success manager as your point of contact, and a replacement at no extra cost if the fit isn't right. Two prospects told me this year they'd switched to us after earlier offshore VAs had comprehension problems and went quiet for days. What you're paying for is work that gets done, with someone on our side making sure it does.
The Monthly Numbers Most Businesses Actually Pay
Most clients start with 40 or 80 hours a month and grow from there. Several run two or three VAs across different parts of the business. For larger needs, our team packages start at $4,380 a month and give you a dedicated executive assistant who coordinates specialists behind the scenes.
We bill monthly in advance, from the day your VA starts. Screening and interviews aren't billed.
Where the Lowest Quote Stops Looking Like a Saving
A lower quote looks like a saving until you count the hours. If you find someone yourself, you write the ad, read the CVs, run the interviews and train them. If they leave or stop replying, you do it all again.
The sticker on the windscreen isn't what the car costs you. Keeping it on the road is.
The Hiring Models, Priced Honestly
| Hiring model | What you pay | What you also carry |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring someone directly yourself | Whatever pay you agree with them | Recruiting, vetting, managing, replacing |
| Local employee | Salary plus payroll taxes, benefits, equipment | Recruiting, managing, leave cover, notice periods |
| Managed VA (VAConnect) | From $1,088 a month for 40 hours | Training the VA on your own processes, and regular contact |
I'm honest with clients about that last cell. Your VA arrives with the skills the role needs, but you still have to show them how your business works.
The Human in the Loop: Why You’re Not Just Buying Hours
You're buying a person, not a block of hours. A good VA notices that a client sounds unhappy, catches the double booking and asks the question you hadn't thought of.
Our VAs use AI for the robotic parts of the job. As I tell clients, AI is a tool, not a teammate. What you pay for is the judgement a person brings once the busywork is handled.
Automation handles the task. A person handles the relationship.
The South African Advantage: Clear English, Overlapping Hours
South Africa gives you a professional, English-speaking VA whose working hours line up with yours. US East Coast clients get comfortable cover from the morning into the early afternoon, and West Coast cover is possible later in the day. UK clients overlap for the full working day.
Every candidate's laptop and internet connection is checked before their CV reaches you.
What “Managed” Actually Buys You — And Why It Changes the Cost Equation
With us, managed means Nikki recruits and puts every candidate through a 45-minute Boiler Room simulation of your role; only those scoring 80% or more reach your shortlist. It means a client success manager for you and a team success manager for your VA, two-way reviews every two to three months, and replacement at no extra cost if the fit isn't right.
It also means month-to-month terms with one month's notice. We keep 98% of our clients over 14 months without locking anyone in.
So, What Should You Actually Budget?
For ten hours a week of general support, budget from $1,088 a month. For more hours or a senior executive assistant, check the pricing page or ask us. Add your calling costs if the role is on the phone.
Then put a figure on your own time. If the VA gives you back ten hours a week, what's that worth to you?
The Bottom Line: Three Ways to Buy, Three Very Different Prices
You can buy a VA three ways: hire someone directly and manage them yourself, take on an employee, or work with a managed agency. The first looks lowest and carries the most risk. The second costs the most. The third sits in between and removes most of the risk.
If you want exact figures for your role, book a discovery call. Nikki and I will send our welcome pack with the rate sheet afterwards. It's not to sign, it's for transparency. You can also explore VAConnect’s pricing.