10 Value for Money Virtual Executive Assistant Services

Stephen Turban
Co-founder of Leverage

Hiring a virtual executive assistant is one of the best opportunities available to you to transform your productivity and streamline operations, whether you’re a business owner or a team lead. These professionals can handle various administrative tasks, allowing you to focus on core business activities - from managing schedules, to handling correspondence, conducting research, and more. However, like any service, they can be an investment and therefore need some research to ensure that you are getting the best bang for your buck.

In this list, we've highlighted the top 10 value-for-money virtual executive assistant services. Our selection criteria include the number of clients and candidates placed, client reviews, and the diversity of services offered. These platforms offer a range of assistants to meet various business needs, ensuring you get the best value for your investment.

1. Upwork

  • Starting Price: Quote based, can start as low as $10 per hour
  • Types of Remote Staff: Development & IT, AI Services, Design & Creative, Sales & Marketing, Admin & Customer Support, and more
  • U.S. Based Assistants: Option available
  • Languages Supported: English, Spanish, French, and more

Upwork is a global freelancing platform that connects businesses with skilled professionals, including virtual executive assistants. It offers a vast selection of freelancers who can handle tasks such as executive support, administrative tasks, customer service, and specialized roles. Upwork's platform allows clients to hire on an hourly or project basis, providing flexibility and control over expenses. The platform's search and vetting tools help clients quickly find the right talent, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes that need specific skills or expertise for particular projects. Its large and diverse talent pool, combined with flexible hiring options, sets Upwork apart from other service providers.

Why we picked them

Upwork's flexibility in pricing and its large talent pool make it a top choice for businesses of all sizes. The platform allows you to find professionals from around the world, ensuring that you can find someone who meets your specific needs and budget.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Flexible pricing structures.
    • Large and diverse talent pool.
    • Ability to find specialists for specific tasks.
  • Cons:
    • Quality of work can vary significantly.
    • Platform fees can add up as additional costs.
    • Time-consuming to sift through profiles and reviews.

2. Fiverr

  • Starting Price: Individual project based pricing
  • Types of Remote Staff: Graphic designers, digital marketers, web developers, and more.
  • U.S. Based Assistants: Yes
  • Languages Supported: Multiple languages

Fiverr is a marketplace where freelancers offer their services at competitive rates, providing a wide range of virtual assistants for various tasks. From basic administrative support to complex project management, Fiverr's gig-based system allows clients to hire freelancers for specific tasks without long-term commitments. This flexibility makes Fiverr extremely cost-effective, especially for small and one-off tasks. The platform is easy to navigate, and clients can find a variety of specialists to meet their needs. Fiverr stands out for its affordability and the sheer variety of services offered, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to test virtual assistant services without significant upfront investment.

Why we picked them

Fiverr's affordability and variety of services are excellent for small tasks and businesses looking to test out virtual assistant services without a significant upfront investment. The platform's gig-based system allows for flexible and affordable hiring.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Extremely affordable, especially for small tasks.
    • Wide range of services and specialties.
    • Easy to use and navigate.
  • Cons:
    • Quality varies widely among freelancers.
    • Communication can sometimes be challenging.
    • Limited scope for ongoing, long-term support.

3. Leverage

  • Starting Price: $2,600 per assistant, per month working full-time
  • Types of Remote Staff: Virtual assistants, marketers, designers, developers, customer support.
  • U.S. Based Assistants: No, globally based.
  • Languages Supported: English.

Leverage Assistants is a white-glove virtual assistant staffing company. The company was founded by Stephen Turban, a serial entrepreneur and McKinsey alum (his last company was bootstrapped to 8-digits revenue) and it focuses on picking 1% talent globally and then training you to delegate to them effectively. Leverage is highly selective for applicants - selecting less than .2% of its applicants who apply.

Leverage Assistants match businesses with flexible, college-educated competent offshore talent.  Most of Leverage’s talent are in the Philippines or South Africa. Leverage is known for its high quality of talent and its delegation training for founders.

The service however is not as on-demand as other virtual assistant companies like Upwork (placement times are 2-4 weeks), and the service often includes a waitlist for interested founders,  Leverage only provides full-time virtual assistants.

Why we picked them

Leverage's unlimited hours model provides excellent value for money, especially for businesses with fluctuating workloads. Their assistants are versatile and can handle a wide range of tasks, making them a reliable choice for comprehensive support.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Unlimited hours provide excellent value.
    • Versatile assistants capable of handling diverse tasks.
    • The assistants are globally based and can work at off hours for higher overall productivity.
  • Cons:
    • Higher starting price compared to hourly services.
    • Limited language support outside of English.
    • May not be ideal for businesses needing specialized, high-skill support.

4. Belay

  • Starting Price: Quote-based
  • Types of Remote Staff: Virtual assistant services, accounting professionals, and social media managers.
  • U.S. Based Assistants: Yes
  • Languages Supported: English

Belay specializes in U.S.-based virtual assistants who are rigorously vetted for their skills and experience, ensuring high-quality service. They focus on providing executive assistance, bookkeeping, and social media management. Their customized, consultative pairing process ensures a clear contract and mutual success, and they boast of a 93% first match success rate. While they are one of the smaller firms on their list, their consultative approach and need-based partnering makes them stand out for firms that require niche work from VAs.

Why we picked them

Belay is known for its rigorous hiring process and quality of assistants. They are a great choice for businesses that prioritize high-quality, reliable support and are willing to invest more for top-tier services.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • High-quality, U.S.-based assistants.
    • Rigorous hiring process ensures top talent.
    • Comprehensive support services.
  • Cons:
    • Significantly higher cost compared to other services.
    • Limited language support.
    • Minimum commitment of 20 hours per month.

5. Time Etc

  • Starting Price: $2100 per month for 60 hours
  • Types of Remote Staff: Administrative, writing, social media, sales support, scheduling, data management, research.
  • U.S. Based Assistants: Yes
  • Languages Supported: English

Time Etc provides a customizable virtual assistant solution designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their team comprises skilled assistants based in the US, each boasting at least 5 years of experience. With a tailored approach and scalable options, Time Etc is well-suited for burgeoning enterprises. While their plans offer flexibility in engagement levels, opting for US-based assistance may entail higher costs.

Why we picked them

Time Etc's focus on experienced assistants provides great value for businesses looking for reliable, professional support. Their assistants can handle a wide range of tasks, making them a versatile choice for many different needs.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Experienced and vetted assistants.
    • U.S.-based support available.
    • Flexible plans to suit different needs.
  • Cons:
    • Higher hourly rates.
    • Limited to English-speaking assistants.
    • Minimum commitment required.

6. WoodBows

  • Starting price: Monthly plans start at $899/month.
  • Types of remote staff: Everything from real estate to administrative VA services, IT support, customer service, data entry, app development, graphic design, social media management and content writing.
  • U.S. based assistants: Yes (options available).
  • Languages supported: English, other languages available.

WoodBows stands out for its adaptable virtual assistant solutions, catering to clients with both US-based and international professionals. Their VAs excel in diverse tasks such as customer service, IT support, and administrative responsibilities. Offering the choice between US-based and overseas assistants grants clients flexibility, enabling tasks to be completed during their timezone's downtime. With a portfolio boasting experience with numerous major clients, WoodBows offers a broad range of services across various locations. However, it's worth noting that opting for US-based assistance may come with a significantly higher price tag, nearly three times the cost of overseas assistance.

Why we picked them

WoodBows offers top quality service, making them a good choice for businesses that need reliable support no matter what. Their assistants are versatile and can handle a wide range of tasks.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Exposure to high stakes businesses.
    • U.S.-based options available.
    • Versatile assistants.
  • Cons:
    • Limited language support.
    • Quality can vary depending on the assistant.
    • Very high rates for U.S.-based assistants.

7. Zirtual

  • Starting Price: $1999 for 50 hours of tasks per month
  • Types of remote staff: Full support across administrative, scheduling, data entry, research, website maintenance, marketing and planning tasks.
  • U.S. based assistants: Yes.
  • Languages supported: English.

Zirtual offers dedicated virtual assistants to businesses on an hourly basis. Specializing in providing thoroughly vetted, college-educated, US-based assistants proficient in administrative tasks like scheduling, planning, and data entry. Zirtual operates on a monthly payment model, offering a fixed number of hours of work with a promised two-hour turnaround time for responses. 

Why we picked them

With their US-based availability and highly educated, trained assistants, Zirtual is a straightforward recommendation. Their strengths lie in rapid response times and a versatile, well-trained staff.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Two hour TAT assurance.
    • Competitive rates.
    • U.S.-based, vetted, college educated assistants guaranteed.
  • Cons:
    • Quality varies depending on the assistant.
    • Not a strong pick for creative or specialized tasks.
    • Minimum commitment required.

8. Prialto

  • Starting price: $1,500/month per “Unit” of support, which includes the services of a dedicated engagement manager and a virtual assistant for 55 hours as well as a backup assistant.
  • Types of remote staff: Sales support, scheduling, workflow management, data entry, CRM.
  • U.S. based assistants: No.
  • Languages supported: English, Spanish.

Prialto specializes in managed virtual assistant services, with a focus on executive and administrative support. They employ a team-based approach to maintain consistency and deliver high-quality service. Their assistants are proficient in key software such as G Suite, Asana, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Slack, HubSpot, and LinkedIn. In case of emergencies, the availability of backup assistants ensures uninterrupted service, while their flat pricing strategy aids financial planning. The primary advantage lies in their managed, team-based approach ensuring consistent excellence, although their services may have a higher initial cost.

Why we picked them

Prialto's managed service model, backed by a team, guarantees reliability and consistent quality. This, along with their software expertise, makes them a solid, reliable pick for most businesses.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Extensive, dedicated support.
    • Proficiency in specialized softwares.
    • Ideal for startups and small businesses.
  • Cons:
    • Non-U.S. based assistants.
    • Limited language support.
    • Requires upfront, minimum commitment.

9. OkayRelax

  • Starting Price: $999.95 per month for 100 hours
  • Types of remote staff: Research, scheduling, social media management, documentation.
  • U.S. based assistants: No.
  • Languages supported: English.

OkayRelax is a task-oriented virtual assistant service crafted to support busy individuals and small business proprietors by shouldering routine tasks. Prioritizing cost-effectiveness and promptness, OkayRelax pairs clients with assistants adept at managing a broad spectrum of responsibilities, spanning from scheduling and research to personal errands. Its distinctive feature lies in the task-centric pricing structure, ideal for clients grappling with variable workloads. 

Why we picked them

This service presents a simple, economical solution for overseeing day-to-day tasks, rendering it an excellent choice for novices in virtual assistant utilization or enterprises with fluctuating demands. Its strength lies in its budget-friendly and adaptable task-based pricing.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Covers most day-to-day tasks.
    • Very reasonable pricing.
    • Easy to set up and get going if you’re new to the VA ecosystem.
  • Cons:
    • Non-U.S. based assistants.
    • Limited language support outside of English.
    • Limited to general administrative tasks, not good with specialization.

10. TaskBullet

  • Starting price: $220 for 20 hours for a Philippines assistant, $300 for 10 hours for a US assistant.
  • Types of remote staff: General administrative, data entry, real estate, marketing, web design, CRM, research, sales.
  • U.S. based assistants: Yes, option available.
  • Languages supported: English.

TaskBullet introduces a distinctive "bucket" system, where clients procure a pool of hours that their virtual assistant utilizes while completing tasks. This system affords flexibility and autonomy regarding the extent of assistance required, covering a diverse array of services such as administrative support, digital marketing, and web design. TaskBullet prides itself on furnishing seasoned VAs to aid businesses in efficiently managing their workload sans the commitment of a full-time hire.

Why we picked them

Their innovative bucket system offers a highly adaptable and cost-efficient solution for businesses aiming to scale their operations up or down effortlessly. 

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Extremely affordable rates.
    • Wide range of services available.
    • Flexible structure allows customization of pricing and services.
  • Cons:
    • Non-U.S. based assistants.
    • Limited language support.
    • The bucket system’s scaling is limited beyond a point, making it not as reliable for large businesses.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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