Most “best virtual assistant” lists compare companies that don’t actually sell the same thing. One charges per request of up to 20 minutes, another sells hour bundles starting at 10 hours and a third places a full-time employee on your team.
Ranking them side by side without saying so is how buyers end up paying for the wrong model.
This guide sorts eight providers by how they deliver help and what they charge.
Every price below comes from the provider’s own site as of September 2026, so you can compare real numbers instead of marketing adjectives.
How We Chose These Virtual Assistant Services
We started with the providers buyers compare most often and kept the ones with enough public detail on model, vetting and terms to judge fairly.
Each service was evaluated on six factors: pricing transparency, delivery model, vetting and oversight, data security, contract flexibility and continuity when an assistant is away.
Pricing and features were checked against each company’s own pricing or product pages in September 2026.
Where a provider doesn’t publish a price, we say so rather than repeat third-party estimates.
Virtual Assistant Services at a Glance
| Provider | Starting price (listed) | Hours at entry price | Delivery model | Assistant base | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing Assistant | $699/month | 80 | Dedicated, managed | Global talent pool | Full-time coverage on a budget |
| Time Etc | $390/month | 10 | Dedicated, hour bundles | US | Light part-time US support |
| Boldly | $2,600/month | 40 | Dedicated, employed staff | North America or Europe | Premium executive support |
| Belay | Quote only | Custom | Dedicated, matched | US | US-only talent |
| Prialto | $1,500 to $1,600/unit | 55 | Dedicated plus backup team | Global team | Built-in continuity |
| MyOutDesk | $1,988/month | Full-time | Dedicated full-time | Offshore | Full-time staff with managed HR |
| Wishup | $1,999/month (8-hour plan) | 8 hours a day | Dedicated | Offshore or US | AI-trained assistants |
| Fancy Hands | $35/month | 3 requests | Pooled, on-demand | US | Occasional one-off tasks |
What Is a Virtual Assistant Service and How Do the Models Differ?
A virtual assistant service supplies remote help for admin, scheduling, research, customer support and back-office work.
The company recruits, vets and often supervises the assistant, so you skip hiring and payroll.
The model matters more than the brand. A managed dedicated assistant learns your tools and owns recurring work.
An hour bundle gives you the same person for a capped number of hours. Premium staffing adds senior experience at a higher rate, while an on-demand pool sends each task to whoever is free.
The 8 Best Virtual Assistant Services in 2026
1. Wing Assistant
Best for: Teams that want a dedicated, supervised assistant with full-time hours at the lowest listed price.
Businesses that need a dedicated virtual personal assistant for inbox, calendar and follow-up work get a managed model at Wing Assistant.
Each assistant is supervised by the company, with a customer success manager, quality control and free replacement included.
It publishes go-live in 48 hours and covers roles from executive and personal assistants to bookkeeping and sales development.
Security is a strong point, with SOC 2 certification, ISO 27001 compliance, HIPAA compliance and managed devices listed.
Work runs through its own workspace app on iOS, Android and Microsoft, and it holds a 4.7 rating from 51 reviews on Capterra.
Pricing: General Virtual Assistant plans list $699/month for 80 hours and $999/month for 160 hours.
Watch out for: The part-time plan caps file storage at 10 GB, and the company states it isn’t built for one-off tasks.
2. Time Etc
Best for: Professionals who want a dedicated US-based assistant for a few hours a week.
Time Etc matches you with one US-based assistant and sells monthly bundles of hours. You can add extra assistants or share yours with colleagues at no extra cost.
Every assistant signs an NDA, and billing is tracked to the second in a client dashboard.
A free first task lets you test the service before paying. Unused hours roll over on the 20-hour plan and above, and there’s no setup fee or notice period.
Pricing: $390/month for 10 hours up to $2,160/month for 60 hours ($39 to $36 an hour).
Watch out for: The company says it isn’t suited to one-off projects, and at $36 to $39 an hour it costs more per hour than offshore managed plans.
3. Boldly
Best for: Executives who want a senior assistant, with US-based staff employed by the provider rather than contracted.
Boldly runs premium subscription staffing, and its US-based staff are Boldly employees.
Every plan includes a dedicated assistant with 10 to 15 years of experience, a trained backup for sick days and a choice of North America or Europe-based staff.
You meet your assistant before paying.
Specialist work such as project management, web development and design is billed separately. Plans can be upgraded, downgraded or cancelled at any time.
Pricing: $2,600/month for 40 hours up to $6,500/month for 100 hours, with separate pricing for New York State.
Watch out for: Specialist tasks cost $79 an hour, and card payments carry a 2.9% processing fee.
4. Belay
Best for: Businesses that want only US-based assistants and a guided matching process.
Belay matches clients exclusively with US-based talent. It supplies virtual assistants alongside financial support such as bookkeeping.
A Client Success Consultant selects your match from its bench of U.S.-based talent, and most clients are matched in as little as one week.
Belay’s own guidance puts typical US-based virtual assistant costs at $1,200 to $3,000 a month for part-time support, depending on hours and specialization. That’s a market range, though, not Belay’s own rate card.
Pricing: Not published on its site.
Watch out for: You can’t compare cost upfront, which makes budgeting harder than with providers that list plans.
5. Prialto
Best for: Executives who want an assistant backed by a team, so work never stalls.
Prialto sells support in units of 55 hours, each with a dedicated assistant, an engagement manager and trained backup assistants.
The engagement manager designs processes with you and troubleshoots issues. Assistants complete a month-long training program before starting, and onboarding for individuals and small teams typically begins within 3 to 5 days.
There are no overage fees, so a busy month doesn’t raise your invoice. Assistants work 9am to 6pm on weekdays in US and UK time zones.
Pricing: $1,500 to $1,600 per 55-hour unit (its pricing page lists both), with full-time support starting at $3,600/month.
Watch out for: There’s a 90-day minimum per unit and a $250 setup fee, which is waived on a one-year agreement.
6. MyOutDesk
Best for: Companies ready to add a full-time offshore team member with managed HR.
MyOutDesk places dedicated full-time professionals on a flat monthly retainer. It says it selects the top 1% of applicants and runs background screening. A dedicated account manager comes with every placement.
A specialized tier adds industry experience plus HIPAA and PCI-DSS readiness for regulated roles.
Pricing: Managed Outsourcing starts at $1,988/month and Specialized Outsourcing at $2,500/month.
Watch out for: Every placement is full-time, so light workloads still pay the full-time rate.
7. Wishup
Best for: Founders who want an assistant trained in AI and automation tools.
Wishup assigns a dedicated assistant who works a fixed daily block and is trained in AI, automation and no-code tools.
It says it hires the top 0.1% of applicants and trains them for eight weeks before assignment. Free replacement and account management are included.
Offshore and US-based profiles are both available. Assistants align to US business hours regardless of where they’re based.
Pricing: The Prime VA plan lists $1,999/month for eight hours a day, and US-based assistants are $5,400/month.
Watch out for: The US-based tier costs almost three times the standard full-time plan.
8. Fancy Hands
Best for: Individuals who need occasional errands, calls and quick research.
Fancy Hands sells requests rather than hours, with each standard request covering up to 20 minutes of work. Tasks go to a pool of US-based assistants and can be submitted by web, email, text, phone or mobile app. Unused requests roll over to the next month.
It has the lowest entry price in this list. Dedicated assistants are available in certain cases, on request.
Pricing: From $35/month for three requests.
Watch out for: Requests go to whoever is free, so there’s no single assistant learning your business.
How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Service Cost in 2026?
The spread is wide because the models are different. Hour bundles from US-based services run about $36 to $39 an hour at Time Etc, and premium employed staff at Boldly cost $65 an hour on the entry plan. Managed models with a global talent pool bring full-time hours down sharply, and a $999 plan for 160 hours works out to about $6 an hour.
For context, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants at $47,460 as of May 2024. That figure is before benefits, equipment and office costs, which a service absorbs into its monthly price.
[Image: A calculator, invoice and monthly budget spreadsheet on a desk comparing staffing costs | Alt text: Comparing the monthly cost of an outsourced assistant against an in-house hire]
How to Choose the Right Virtual Assistant Service
Start with the work itself. List the tasks you’d hand off in a typical month and estimate the hours, because that number narrows the field fast. If this is your first remote hire, a short guide to managing a remote team helps set expectations early.
Then check four things before signing:
- Continuity: Ask who covers your work when your assistant is sick or on leave.
- Security: Look for named certifications such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001, plus NDAs for anyone handling client data.
- Commitment: Confirm minimum terms, setup fees and notice periods in writing.
- Time zone: Decide whether you need live overlap or whether overnight turnaround is an advantage.
Do You Need a Human Assistant or an AI Tool?
AI scheduling and email tools now handle simple sorting and reminders well. They struggle with judgment calls, vendor follow-ups, phone work and anything that depends on context about your business.
Many teams use both. Software covers the repetitive layer, and a human assistant owns the work that needs a person to think, call or chase.
The Bottom Line
The best virtual assistant service is the one whose model matches your workload. Occasional errands fit a request pool, a few weekly hours fit an hour bundle and recurring daily work justifies a dedicated managed assistant.
Compare providers on hours, continuity and contract terms rather than headline price alone. That’s where the real differences show up.
FAQs
How much does a virtual assistant cost per month?
Entry prices in September 2026 range from $35 a month for three short requests to $2,600 a month for 40 hours of premium support, with full-time plans in this list running from $999 to $3,600 a month.
What is the difference between a dedicated and an on-demand virtual assistant?
A dedicated assistant is one person who learns your tools and handles recurring work, while an on-demand service sends each task to whichever assistant is available.
Are virtual assistant services secure?
Security varies by provider, so look for named certifications like SOC 2 or ISO 27001 and confirm that assistants sign NDAs before sharing logins or client data.
Can a virtual assistant work in my time zone?
Yes, many services align assistants to your business hours, though some charge more for US-based talent.
Can I cancel a virtual assistant service anytime?
Some providers allow month-to-month cancellation, while others require a 90-day minimum or offer discounts for annual terms, so check the agreement first.
