How much does a virtual assistant cost? The direct answer is that the range is wide on purpose, and the number you pay should match the work, not the title.
This is the breakdown I wish someone had given me the first time I tried to hire help.
Virtual Assistant Hourly Rates by Tier
The market usually splits into three tiers. Skip the "cheap virtual assistant" marketing and look at what the work actually needs.
Tier 1 · Admin Virtual Assistant
CAD $15 to $35 / hour
Data entry, basic inbox triage, simple research, transcription. Usually offshore or early-career.
Tier 2 · Operations Virtual Assistant
CAD $35 to $70 / hour
Inbox and calendar ownership, CRM upkeep, client onboarding, light project management, vendor coordination.
Tier 3 · Technical / Specialist Virtual Assistant
CAD $35 to $80 / hour
CRM builds, Zapier and Make automations, integrations, LMS courses, websites, dashboards, data work. This is where Rellatech sits. Instead of billing hourly, I work on flat monthly retainers so you get a consistent block of hours each month without surprise invoices.
Virtual Assistant Cost Per Month
Most ongoing engagements move to a monthly retainer within the first 60 days. That usually looks like this.
| Hours / week | Admin tier | Operations tier | Technical tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 hrs | CAD $300 to $700 | CAD $700 to $1,400 | CAD $700 to $1,600 |
| 10 hrs | CAD $600 to $1,400 | CAD $1,400 to $2,800 | CAD $1,400 to $3,200 |
| 20 hrs | CAD $1,200 to $2,800 | CAD $2,800 to $5,600 | CAD $2,800 to $6,400 |
| 40 hrs | CAD $2,400 to $5,600 | CAD $5,600 to $11,200 | CAD $5,600 to $12,800 |
Ranges are in CAD for Canadian and North American clients. Retainers usually price 10 to 20 percent below the equivalent hourly rate because they guarantee the virtual assistant steady income.
What Actually Drives the Cost
- ●Skill depth, not job title. A virtual assistant who can build a CRM is worth far more than a virtual assistant who can only update one.
- ●Time zone overlap with your business. Real-time availability costs more than overnight turnaround.
- ●English fluency, written and verbal, especially for client-facing work.
- ●Tool coverage. Comfort with HubSpot, Notion, Zapier, Kajabi, Shopify, and similar platforms raises the rate.
- ●Industry context. A virtual assistant who understands your business model gets to value faster, which justifies a higher rate.
- ●Engagement model. Agencies mark up 30 to 60 percent over independent virtual assistants to cover their overhead.
Virtual Assistant Cost vs Hiring an Employee
Comparing a virtual assistant hourly rate to an employee salary is the wrong math. The real comparison is fully-loaded cost.
Full-time employee at CAD $65k
Real cost: CAD $85,000 to $100,000 / year
Salary, payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, software seats, training, paid leave, management time.
Virtual Assistant at 20 hrs / week
Real cost: CAD $40,000 to $65,000 / year
No taxes, no benefits, no equipment, no idle hours. You pay only for work delivered.
The break-even point sits around 30 to 35 hours of consistent weekly work. Below that, a Virtual Assistant wins on cost and flexibility every time.
For the full comparison, see Virtual Assistant vs Hiring an Employee.
Pricing Models You Will See
Hourly
Best for unpredictable, one-off, or trial work. Highest per-hour rate but maximum flexibility.
Monthly retainer
Block of hours per month for ongoing operations. Lower hourly rate, priority access, predictable invoice. This is how I work with most clients.
Project / fixed fee
Best for scoped builds: a CRM setup, an automation, a website, an LMS course. You buy the outcome, not the hours.
Performance / value-based
Rare for Virtual Assistants, common for marketing-led roles. Tied to a result like leads, sales, or time saved.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
- ●Agency markups that do not reach the virtual assistant doing the work.
- ●Minimum hour commitments that lock you in before you know the fit.
- ●Onboarding fees added on top of the first invoice.
- ●Software pass-through charges marked up 20 to 30 percent.
- ●Overage rates on retainer hours, often 1.5x the base rate.
- ●Rush fees for same-day or weekend turnaround.
Cost FAQ
Common questions
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