Best virtual assistant services in 2026: five providers compared on published prices
Quick answer: on the prices each company publishes, our dedicated plans have the lowest hourly rate in this comparison, from $5.62 an hour. The others work out at roughly $10 to $65 an hour, and Belay publishes no price. The trade-off is location: our team is in Kerala, India, while Time etc, Boldly and Belay say their assistants are US-based.
Prices read from each provider's own website on 28 October 2026 · Written by the MyRemoteVA team · We are one of the providers compared, so we show our own plans the same way. See our editorial policy.
Virtual assistant services compared on published prices
We read the pricing page of each provider below on 28 October 2026. Where a company shows a monthly price and a number of hours, the hourly figure is our own division and is marked that way. We have not used these services, so this compares what they publish, not how well they work.
We left out Wing Assistant and Fancy Hands because their pricing pages could not be read on this date. Prices change, so open the source links at the bottom of this page before you decide.
What the numbers do not show
- Location. Our team works from Kozhikode, Kerala, India, in English only, and we schedule the team around your time zone. If you need an assistant who is based in the US, the providers that say so may suit you better.
- Calls. We do not make outbound or cold calls. Answering inbound calls is part of our virtual receptionist service only.
- Guarantees. Some providers list a satisfaction guarantee. Our Terms say payments are final, so we suggest you start on the $1 plan or a 3-hour block and judge the work first.
- Quality. A lower price says nothing about quality. Run the same small task with two providers and compare the results.
Which provider fits which buyer
- Lowest published hourly rate with a team lead reviewing every task: MyRemoteVA, if working with a team in India suits you.
- A U.S.-based assistant on a monthly plan of 10 to 60 hours: Time etc publishes plans in that range and offers a free first task.
- A U.S.-based employee at 40 hours a month or more, with a trained backup: Boldly publishes its plans and says it uses its own employees.
- A managed unit with an account manager and a 90-day minimum: Prialto publishes the unit price and the setup fee.
- A full-time style monthly price for Philippines-based support: Stealth Agents publishes three monthly plans.
- A quote-led match by a person: Belay, which does not publish a price.
The seven checks we used
- Who does the work? A named person with real skills, not a rotating pool you never meet.
- Who checks it? A team lead or editor who reviews tasks before they reach you.
- What if they are away? A standby person should step in, so your work does not stop.
- How do you pay? A clear hourly rate, no hidden fees, and a clear rule for unused hours.
- How is AI used? It should speed up drafts, then a person rewrites and checks them.
- Can you see the work? A portal or report that shows tasks, hours and files.
- Can you start small? A low-cost trial beats a long contract.
Our own plans in full
Hourly blocks are billed monthly, quarterly plans every three months and dedicated assistants monthly. Unused hours roll over while your account is active.
Pay-as-you-go is $12 an hour for any number of hours. New registrations can start for $1 a month, which adds one hour every month.
Cost per task, with our own rates
Cost per task is the hourly rate multiplied by the time the task takes. A low rate with no review can cost more in fixes than a fair rate with review. These times are round examples; ask any provider to estimate hours for your real list.
$5.62 an hour applies to the dedicated full-time plan (160 hours for $899 a month). $12 an hour is pay-as-you-go.
What we mean by virtual assistant services
Virtual assistance services and virtual assistant services mean the same thing here: remote help with admin, customer messages, bookkeeping, research, social media and web updates. A virtual personal assistant usually supports one person with email, calendar, travel and errands. A virtual assistant for business may also handle customer support, invoices and store listings.
Ten questions to ask before you sign
- Who will do my work, and what have they done before?
- Who reviews it before I see it?
- What happens if my assistant is sick or leaves?
- What is the hourly rate, and what is extra?
- Do unused hours roll over?
- Is there a contract, and how do I cancel?
- How do you use AI, and who checks it?
- How do you keep my logins and files safe?
- Which time zones can you cover?
- Can I run a small paid test first?
Where MyRemoteVA fits, and where it does not
MyRemoteVA is a managed service for admin, bookkeeping, customer support, ecommerce and website work. Every assistant is a trained person who uses AI to work faster, and a team lead reviews each task. Plans start from $5.62 an hour, and new clients can start for $1 a month, which adds one hour every month. We serve businesses in the US, UK, Canada, the UAE, Australia and New Zealand. We are a poor fit if you need a US-based assistant, outbound calling or a satisfaction guarantee with refunds. See the full list of virtual assistant services, compare us on the alternatives pages, read how a managed virtual assistant service and team lead review work, or read our guide to virtual assistant companies. Use the free cost calculator to find the cheapest plan for your hours, or the VA vs employee tool to compare costs against hiring locally.
Sources, read on 28 October 2026
- Time etc pricing: timeetc.com/pricing
- Boldly pricing: boldly.com/pricing
- Prialto pricing: prialto.com/pricing
- Stealth Agents pricing: stealthagents.com/pricing
- Belay: belaysolutions.com
- Our plans: myremoteva.com/pricing. Hourly figures marked as our arithmetic are the published monthly price divided by the published hours.
Free tools to compare and choose
Questions about choosing a virtual assistant service
Which virtual assistant service is cheapest?
On the prices each provider published when we read them on 28 October 2026, MyRemoteVA dedicated plans have the lowest hourly rate in this comparison, from $5.62 an hour. The other providers work out at roughly $10 to $65 an hour (our own arithmetic from their published plans). Price is only one factor: our team is in Kerala, India, and some of the others state US-based assistants.
Do other virtual assistant companies publish their prices?
Some do. Time etc, Boldly, Prialto and Stealth Agents show monthly prices on their websites. Belay did not show a price on its homepage and describes a flat monthly fee. Always read the provider's own pricing page, because prices change.
What are the best virtual assistant services?
The best service is the one that fits your tasks, hours and budget, and checks its own work. Compare providers on who does the work, who reviews it, how you pay and what happens when someone is away.
How do I choose a virtual assistant service?
List the tasks you want to hand off, shortlist three providers, ask the same ten questions, and run a small paid test before you commit.
Are virtual assistant services worth it?
They are worth it when repeat tasks take hours you would rather spend on sales or strategy. Start with two or three tasks and review the work after a month.
How much do virtual assistant services cost?
At MyRemoteVA, pay-as-you-go is $12 an hour and a dedicated assistant starts from $5.62 an hour. Monthly plans cost less per hour, and unused hours roll over.
What are the best virtual assistant platforms for the lowest cost per task?
Cost per task is the hourly rate times the time the task takes. At MyRemoteVA a 30-minute task costs $6 at $12 an hour and about $2.81 at $5.62 an hour on the dedicated full-time plan. Compare any provider on the same footing, and ask who reviews the work.
What is the difference between a virtual assistant and a virtual personal assistant?
A virtual personal assistant usually supports one person with email, calendar, travel and errands. A virtual assistant for business can also handle customer support, invoices, bookkeeping support and store listings.
Which virtual assistant companies include team lead quality review?
Managed providers usually add a supervisor, account manager or team lead who reviews the work, but practices differ. Ask whether every task or only a sample is reviewed, and whether the review is included in the price. At MyRemoteVA a team lead reviews every task and the review is included on every plan.
What are the best virtual assistant companies with affordable monthly plans?
Compare monthly plans by price per hour, what review is included and whether unused hours roll over. At MyRemoteVA monthly plans run from $5.62 an hour (160 hours for $899) to $11 an hour (3 hours for $33), and pay-as-you-go is $12 an hour.
Is a virtual assistant a person or AI?
It depends on the provider. At MyRemoteVA every assistant is a trained person who uses AI to work faster. A team lead reviews each task.
How many hours would you hand off?
Tick your tasks to see a weekly timeline, the hours you win back and a plan that fits. Takes about a minute.