Best Virtual Assistant Services

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For a competitive pricing model, unused hours that roll over, a broad offering of skills, and thought-leadership from the executive team, Time etc wins our best overall slot.

Time etc’s wide scope of services and languages, price plan flexibility, and U.S.-based VAs with an average of 12 years' experience make them tough to beat in the U.S. market.

Started by Barnaby Lashbrooke in 2007, Time etc hires its VAs based on high standards inspired by Penni Pike, Sir Richard Branson’s former personal assistant of 30 years. The company has earned exceptional reviews on all fronts (Glassdoor, Trustpilot, etc.).

Their services include administration, data input, research, social media, and marketing to name a few. The VAs are college-educated, U.S.-based, native English speakers, though you can find many who have fluency in other languages if that’s what you need. 

Time etc provides a step-by-step guide that will help you decide which tasks to hand off to VAs. Their pricing model is a monthly package of hours ranging from 10 to 60, and unused hours roll over to the next month. The larger the package you buy, the lower the hourly rate you pay. You can assign unlimited tasks within your hourly plan, and you can even share your hours with someone else on your team.

• 10 hours per month for $360 ($36 per hour)
• 20 hours per month for $700 ($35 per hour)
• 40 hours per month for $1,360 ($34 per hour)
• 60 hours per month for $1,980 ($33 per hour)

Time etc’s customer manager will propose a list of VAs you can interview, so you’re in control of the selection. The norm is to work with that one primary VA for the long term, but you are able to switch at any time and even bring on additional VAs to fill specific talent needs.

They will perform your first task for free, no credit card required, to get a feel for how it works. When you hire them, you’ll have the protection of a 100% guarantee.

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Prialto covers the foundations of a small business, offering sales, operations, and administrative services, making them ideal for solopreneurs.

Prialto has honed its best practices over the years to offer a complete administration package for the solopreneur who wants to focus on their core business, rather than get bogged down in administrative tasks. 

Founded by Eric Taussig and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Prialto understands the fusion of talent and technology with a global staff from Asia and Central America. The company specializes in providing solopreneurs with VAs trained in many of the most popular software programs you’re probably using, such as Hubspot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Asana.

Prialto’s pricing plans are member-driven:

• Yourself: 55 hours of monthly support, month-to-month agreement, $1,350 per month
• Your Team: Three+ members, 165+ hours per month, $4,050 per month
• Your Organization: Eight+ members, 440+ hours per month, pricing to be quoted

If the VA is not familiar with the software you're using, Prialto’s team will train them on it at no cost to the customer. Known for its expertise in assisting growing businesses as needs change, your VA will develop with your business and learn your preferences. Backup assistants are available to ensure your success.

While there is no formal money-back guarantee, Prialto will work with you on any setbacks. Prialto’s security features include a backup assistant, a quality assurance manager, and comprehensive information security.

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Small businesses often have a minimal structure in place to handle the wide variety of skills demanded of them. That’s where Upwork shines. As our top choice for small businesses, Upwork has a huge marketplace where you can hire peer-reviewed assistants to perform as-needed tasks with no monthly contracts.

Showcasing the broadest offering of skills, price flexibility in the buyer’s control, and a public rating system for each VA, small business owners look to Upwork first for their short-term tasks.

Elance and oDesk merged in 2013 and then rebranded as Upwork in 2015. Upwork now boasts of over 18 million users. The Upwork marketplace provides services from design and animation to video and audio services, software and website development, marketing, and many other categories.  

Upwork’s pricing is by project or hourly depending on which freelancer you hire and what is negotiated for payment. The best feature on the site is the 360-degree rating system, which allows both the VAs and their clients to rate each other and leave comments. 

VAs are based globally so virtually all languages are available. CEO Hayden Brown’s focus is on having Upwork VAs build relationships with clients to earn repeat business. The downside compared to other companies on our list is that there is no manager overseeing the quality or timeliness of the job. If a VA can’t complete the work in time, or tried but didn’t meet your standards, it’s on you to find their replacement.

For financial security, payments are held in escrow until the work is completed. With funds in escrow, the VA can see the funds committed to the job are real, and the client has the relief of knowing that the payment won’t be released until the work is approved.

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Fancy Hands provides businesses with the best in on-demand, single tasks that last a maximum of 20 minutes. You can work with a different VA every time or choose a long-term relationship; both options give you administrative control, usage tracking, with pay-as-you-go pricing.

Fancy Hands, our pick for the best provider of on-demand tasks in the VA industry, has built their business around responsive communication and fast service for short tasks with flexible pricing.

Founded in 2010 by Ted Roden, Fancy Hands offers virtual assistants for both personal and professional needs. Pricing for Fancy Hands is based on the number of requests required rather than an hourly paid assistant. 

• Small: Three requests per month, $17.99 per month
• Medium: Five requests per month, $29.99 per month
• Large: 15 requests per month, $74.99 per month
• XL: 30 requests per month, $149.99 per month

Tasks are assigned based on availability so it’s unlikely you’ll work with the same VA twice in a row unless you negotiate for a dedicated assistant.  As a standout feature that competitors don’t offer, Fancy Hands can integrate into your Asana and Trello accounts. This enables you to assign tasks in those programs and follow their progress. 

There is no formal guarantee for work performed, but the company will work with you to a fair resolution.

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With an acceptance rate lower than Harvard’s, Belay hires world-class assistants specializing in bookkeeping, social media strategy, website design, and general virtual assistance.

Belay prides itself on providing its clients with a seasoned, U.S.-based, college-educated VA, not only offering generalists, but also people who are experts at bookkeeping, social media, and web design. 

Founded by Bryan and Shannon Miles in 2010, Belay now has over 1,200 remote workforce team members. The company provides its clients with a specialized personal assistant that is overseen by a relationship manager to ensure success. 

Pricing is done on a quote basis and you need to complete the company’s brief online form to get a call back to discuss needs and pricing.  

The company is a U.S.-based firm but offers services in a variety of languages. If Belay doesn’t have a VA that knows your specific software, the company will train the VA at no cost to you. Your client success consultant will schedule interviews for you to meet your candidates and ask questions. The company commits itself to finding you an ideal match that you’ll be pleased with.

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Magic puts college-educated virtual assistants at your fingertips, with 24/7 availability and productivity and quality assurance software that prevents missed deadlines, making them our clear winner for rush projects.

Magic started as a text-based concierge service that began in 2015 and has since grown into the best provider for rush-job services in the VA industry. The company focuses on providing weekly support, billing at $35 per hour. 

VAs provide services solely in English. The company provides 24/7 support and signup is free so that you can start right away.

Magic offers three plans but you must request a quote online for specific pricing.

Like other virtual assistant companies we’ve reviewed, Magic will match you with a dedicated assistant that has the skills you need and uses the tools of your choice. If you use Trello, Magic can integrate with you for even more efficiency.  

The business plan is a great fit for small businesses ready to scale. It comes with an account manager that will make sure Magic adapts to your growing needs.

There is no money-back guarantee, but Magic will work with you to make sure your challenges are resolved fairly.

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Wood Bows' commitment to quality includes a promise that if you are not satisfied, they will double the hours you paid for and have an expert take over your tasks. This is the best service guarantee we found from any virtual personal assistant company.

Wood Bows is a market leader in the VA industry, with 98 out of every 100 clients returning, no hidden fees, more than 300 positive online reviews, and almost 20 service excellence awards. These strong attributes, along with their 200% satisfaction guarantee, make Wood Bows the strongest service guarantee in the industry.

The company started in 2015 and now has offices in the Philippines, India, and the U.S. In addition to generalized virtual assistance, the company specializes in real estate, graphics and web design, digital marketing, customer support, app development, software development, content writing, and data entry.

Beginning with a free personal interview, they then make an offer for the best plan for your needs. Within 24 hours of your enrollment, they promise to have a VA on the phone speaking with you. 

Wood Bows has four pricing plans and four payment plans, including monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually.

The semi-annual pricing plans are:

• $399 per month for 40 hours
• $699 per month for 80 hours
• $1,099 per month for 160 hours

Wood Bows VAs are based overseas, speak fluent English, and have at least 10 years of experience in their field. Offering a 200% performance guarantee is not the practice of a company in the habit of making mistakes.