Virtual assistants are the new heroes of businesses. If you have one for your business, they’ll deliver the tasks delegated to them with utmost precision. This increases your business’s productivity without needing a new in-house team.
However, if you’re a business with no experience working with VAs, it’s understandable that you’ll have questions before getting sold on the idea of getting one. That said, let’s dive into the most frequently asked question at the mention of VAs – how much is a virtual assistant?
How Much Is a Virtual Assistant?
According to the job platform Indeed, the average cost of a virtual assistant is $26.92/hour. However, the exact cost depends on the type of service the VA offers, the number of work hours, and the level of expertise, among other things. A VA’s location may also affect its cost.
A virtual assistant can be cheaper if you hire one from abroad instead of the US. You must also consider whether the VA will handle general tasks or a job requiring specialized skills. If it’s the latter, they will ask for a higher rate, as you will need their expertise to work on the task.
Virtual assistants constantly improve their skills by enrolling in online courses and seminars. They pay to learn every skill they bring, so it’s only natural that they base their rates on what they offer.
Factors That Determine a Virtual Assistant’s Cost
Understanding the factors affecting the cost of hiring a VA allows you to make informed decisions before getting their services.
It also lets you plan how to hire a VA, including the scope of work you’ll assign to them and whether you need them full or part-time. Proper planning will allow you to lower the cost of the VA’s service.
These are the factors that determine a virtual assistant’s cost:
1. Scope of Work
The type of task you assign to your virtual assistant is one of the most significant determinants of their costs. General tasks, such as social media management, data entry, and email management, cost less than those requiring specialized writing and video editing skills.
When preparing to hire a virtual assistant, list the tasks you plan to let them handle. From these tasks, you can determine the potential cost of a VA.
2. Level of Expertise
Virtual assistants who have been working in their respective industries command higher rates than those who are just starting. Their skills are the culmination of years of hard work, and they have a deeper understanding of the industry, which allows them to handle more complex tasks.
In comparison, new VAs do not have significant experience yet, so they usually charge lower. If you only need your VA to handle general tasks, getting a beginner can help you lower the hiring cost.
Indeed explains in more detail the skills to look for in a virtual assistant.
3. Hours of Availability
Do you need your VA’s services full-time or just for a few hours? The longer the VAs work, the more expensive they are.
Some virtual assistants also offer 24/7 support. This is ideal for businesses that provide customer service to people from different time zones. However, such availability will incur higher costs.
4. Location
A VA’s location affects its cost for a few reasons. For instance, virtual assistants residing in areas with a lower cost of living can offer affordable rates. This is because the lower rate can still support their cost of living.
On the other hand, VAs living in high-cost-of-living areas charge higher rates to help them maintain their expenses, such as food and housing.
LinkedIn has an article about the average cost of a virtual assistant from different countries.
5. Urgency of Task
The time a VA needs to spend on the task determines their cost. If a project has to be submitted as soon as possible, a VA will charge more.
Urgent tasks require a virtual assistant to put it first before their other projects, which disrupts their deadlines. They may also need to give up other commitments to meet your deadlines. With urgent tasks, you are paying not only for a VA’s skills but also their flexibility.
Meanwhile, tasks with a more flexible deadline cost less because the VA will have enough time to work on them without rushing.
Tips for Getting a Virtual Assistant at a Low Cost
There’s one thing to note: if you want to hire a VA at a very low cost, virtual assistance may not be for you. VAs work hard to develop their skills, portfolio, and reputation. For this reason, it’s only fitting that they demand good pay.
However, with proper planning and budgeting, you can hire a virtual assistant at a rate that both will benefit from.
These are the tips for hiring a virtual assistant at an affordable cost:
1. Determine the Tasks They’ll Handle
Knowing what tasks your virtual assistant will handle will allow you to determine their job’s difficulty. This will give you an idea of the expertise you need and how much time the VA has to work for each day.
With these things in mind, you can determine whether you need a VA with special expertise or a general one, which will then help you set a budget.
Don’t you have any idea about a VA’s expertise? Check the most in-demand virtual assistant services here.
2. Set a Budget
When setting a budget for a virtual assistant’s rate, you must be sure of two things.
The first is to make sure that the budget is enough. Since you already know what tasks the VA will handle, setting how much virtual assistant rates you’re willing to go for should also be accessible.
The next thing you need to ensure is that you will only spend within your budget. While unexpected expenses may arise, it’s possible to stay within the budget by breaking the tasks based on their level of importance. If you’ve already used most of your budget, you can ask your VA to prioritize the more critical tasks.
3. Get Help from Outsourcing Hubs
Hiring a VA from an outsourcing hub ensures that you are getting one with excellent skills, making your hiring investment worthwhile. Reputable outsourcing companies only offer professional assistants with proven skills. This will help you hire someone who can work on tasks expertly and deliver them on time.
Here are some of the most trusted outsourcing hubs where you can find expert VAs:
- UpWork.
This platform lets you find a virtual assistant from different locations. If you’re wondering how much aVAvirtual assistant is on Upwork, that depends on their skills, expertise, and experience. Find out how to hire a freelancer on UpWork. - Hubstaff Talent.
If you want a platform that connects you with VAs and helps you track their work hours, Hubstaff is a suitable platform. - Fiverr.
This hub has countless talents across different industries, ensuring you’ll get the one that best fits your needs.
4. Determine the Location of the VA You’ll Hire
Find a VA from a low-cost country such as the Philippines or Eastern Europe. VAs from such countries offer competitive rates and high-quality work.
Many virtual assistants are also willing to adjust to their client’s preferred time zone, making it easy to communicate with them.
Interested in hiring a Filipino VA? Find out how much a virtual assistant is in the Philippines here.
5. Hire a Beginner
Beginner VAs can handle tasks like scheduling, social media management, and research. Since they are still building their portfolios, beginner VAs usually offer lower rates to convince clients to hire them.
So, if it’s applicable or the tasks you need to outsource don’t require special skills, hiring a beginner VA with a lower rate is cost-effective.
If you’re ready to hire a VA, Forbes has a guide to help you with the hiring process.
Is a Virtual Assistant Worth It?
Yes, a virtual assistant is worth it because hiring them saves money compared to hiring an in-house employee. A VA has its own equipment and workstation, so you don’t have to spend money on office space and electricity. Most are experts in their fields, so they can deliver high-quality work without too much training.
Many VAs are also experts in multiple skills. This means you don’t have to hire multiple people to work on different tasks.
It’s Time to Hire a Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant’s rate may be expensive. But considering their expertise and skills, they make every business’s penny worth it. Planning how to hire a virtual assistant can help you reduce the cost of onboarding one.
After all that’s been discussed, it’s safe to say that a virtual assistant’s rate is not too high considering what they can bring to your business.
