Hiring a virtual assistant can be a game-changer for busy entrepreneurs.
But can you really hire a quality VA on a tight budget?
And where can you find the cheapest virtual assistants that actually do good work?
Believe it or not, services like data entry, email management, social media and SEO can cost you as low as $4 per hour…if you know where to look.
A recent survey showed that outsourcing to the right virtual assistant can save businesses 66% in operating costs.
Here are the best cheap VA services I found while searching for the perfect assistant for my business.
Table of Contents
Where to Find the Cheapest Virtual Assistants
Onlinejobs.ph
Onlinejobs.ph is a job board that connects you with virtual assistants in the Philippines.
This is where I found my own virtual assistant, and this is where I’ll go to find my next VA — highly recommended.
This site lets you post your job listings, search for VA candidates, and hire them directly. It’s basically like Upwork or Fiverr, but for Filipino VAs.
This is a great option if you don’t like dealing with staffing agencies.
You can negotiate terms with the VAs directly and skip the middleman. There’s also no markup on salaries or placement fees, so you have more control of where your money goes.
The website says you can find a VA within 1-2 weeks, but it can be shorter depending on what you’re looking for.
I got loaded with 100+ applicants in just four days, so I shut off my listing early.
If you’re just hiring one or a few people, you’ll probably won’t need more than one month of membership.
Pricing
- Free: Post job, but can’t contact applicants
- Pro ($69/month): Full access and contact information
- Premium ($99/month): Full access with priority support and worker mentoring service
Pros
- Cost-effective VA rates starting from $4 an hour.
- Skilled Filipino workers with proficient English and technical skills.
- User-friendly interface that lets you browse VA profiles to find the best match for you.
Cons
- Filipinos only (not helpful if you want other nationalities).
Taskbullet
TaskBullet is a virtual assistant company that’s also based in the Philippines.
It’s not a typical job board. Instead, you buy a “bucket” of hours you can use at any time.
When you give tasks to your VA, Taskbullet deducts the time spent from your bucket of hours.
It’s handy because the hours don’t expire, and you don’t have to pay a regular monthly fee.
This is a great option if you have larger projects, but not steady work that you need to get done.
Think of it like having your VA on standby.
When there’s work to do, they’re ready to jump in. So there’s no need for a long-term commitment.
Pricing
- Mini Bucket: Free trial
- Starter Bucket: $11/hr, 20 hours, billed at $220
- Light Bucket: $9/hr, 60 hours, billed at $540 (best for smaller day to day tasks)
- Expert Bucket: $6.50/hr, 240 hours, billed at $1560 (best for big projects)
Pros
- VAs come with 100 hours worth of training.
- Your account comes with a free subscription to the Basecamp project management tool.
- Great for projects, or one time work.
Cons
- You have to commit to an hourly plan.
- You’ll be dealing with an agency for the payment and terms, not the VA directly.
- The VAs on the platform might not have some specific skills you need.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a website where you can find freelancers to do just about any task for you.
You can browse through different VA services like writing, graphic design, or web development.
Each service is called a “gig.” When you find the gig you need, you pay upfront and the VA starts working on your project.
You can also chat with them before buying to make sure they’re the right fit for your project.
Plus, each VA profile already includes their portfolio, experience, and a list of past clients.
This saves you time from asking each VA for proof of their skills.
Pricing
- Prices start at just $5 per task. Rates can go up to $45 or more depending on how big your project is and the VA’s experience.
Pros
- Fiverr offers a large and international pool of virtual assistants with different skills and expertise.
- Hire a VA for a one-time task or a long-term partnership — it’s your call.
- Offers a secure payment system keeps your hard-earned money safe.
Cons
- With countless freelancers to choose from, finding the right VA might take some time.
- Some people have reported language barriers with their VAs, so make sure to pick someone fluent in your language.
MyTasker
If you want to outsource tasks through a staffing agency, MyTasker is a good option.
They’re a virtual assistant company based in India, and they work mostly with US, UK, and Australian clients.
You can find a VA to help you with content writing, web design, and bookkeeping.
They also work around the clock, so they can work with your schedule, it doesn’t matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl.
That said, you need to consider the quality of their work. Especially if your VA works the night shift and they’re battling sleep.
The upside is MyTasker assigns a dedicated VA to work with you regularly. This can make the process smoother since they’ll learn exactly what you need.
Pricing
- 10 Hours: $140/30 days
- 20 Hours: $250/30 days
- 40 Hours: $450/30 days
- 60 Hours: $600/30 days
- 100 Hours: $900/30 days
They also offer a Pay-As-You-Go plan for on-demand services without a monthly commitment.
Pros
- Affordable pricing with flexible options.
- Additional discounts if you opt for their quarterly or yearly plan.
- 24/7 availability.
Cons
- The quality of the VA’s service might vary depending on your payment plan.
- If you’re looking for highly specialized virtual assistant tasks, your options could be limited.
OkayRelax
What makes OkayRelax a bit different from the other VA services I’ve mentioned so far is its focus on personal tasks. It’s less about your business, and more like your personal assistant.
They help with things like answering emails, buying gifts, or booking flights.
To hire a VA from OkayRelax, you only pay for a set number of hours per month. If a job takes longer than expected, there’s no extra charge.
Choose a plan based on what tasks you need done, and they’ll match you with a pre-trained VA.
OkayRelax is based in Tampa, Florida but they outsource their VAs from the Philippines.
Pricing:
- Relief Plan: $29.95/month, 3 hours
- Comfort Plan: $99.95/month, 10 hours
- Relaxed Plan: $199.95/month, 20 hours
Pros:
- No contract so you can cancel your subscription any time.
- Get a dedicated account manager if you sign up for the Comfort or Relaxed plans.
- Service is available on weekends.
Cons:
- Not all types of virtual assistant tasks are covered by their service, so don’t expect to find an expert digital marketing VA or SEO VA.
- Tasks have no time limit so you might have to wait longer for results depending on the VA you get.
Wervas
Wervas is another good option if you’re looking to hire a VA through an agency.
They connect you with VAs based in India to help with admin tasks, customer support, and social media.
The great thing about their service is you don’t have to wait around for applications after posting your job ad.
Wervas has a dedicated team ready whenever you need help.
They’re all about flexibility, so there’s no pressure to hire someone full-time (although they have that option too).
Pricing
- Standard VA Plan: $65-$750/month
- Premium VA Plan: $600-$960/month
Wervas’ prices depend on how many hours you need from your VA a month.
They also have a pay-as-you-go option that only costs $14 per hour.
If you want to hire someone full-time for 40 hours a week, the price is anywhere from $999 to $1599 per month.
The main difference between their standard and premium plans is the VA’s skill level. Premium VA’s have professional experience in industries like finance and marketing.
Pros
- Available 24/7.
- Offers a dedicated SEO and search engine marketing agency if that’s something you’re interested in.
- Caters to start-ups, and solo-preneurs, and small or medium sized businesses.
Cons
- Possible language barrier and time zone difference with your VA.
- You and your VA might go through a brief adjustment period to fully understand each other’s work styles.
AskSunday
AskSunday is one of the first virtual assistant services in the market.
They’ve been around since 2007, and have been featured in major media outlets like CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
But that’s not the only thing that makes the company special.
They’re also known for being an affordable source for reliable, offshore VAs from India.
They use fixed hour pricing plans so you don’t need to commit long-term.
Pricing
- 10 hours: $129/month
- 20 hours: $219/month
- 40 hours: $389/month
- 80 hours: $699/month
- 160 hours: $1199/month
- AskSunday On Demand (5 hours): $79/month
Pros
- Free 3-hour trial for the first 7 days of your monthly plan.
- You can cancel your subscription any time.
- Dedicated Assistant program guarantees personalized service for your needs and work style.
Cons
- Unused hours will expire.
- The VA may need time to learn your workflow.
- With a global team, time zones can be a challenge.
Time, etc
Time, etc is a great platform for affordable, US-based virtual assistants.
One of the company’s unique features is its 10-stage selection process. They pre-screen all their VAs to make sure they have the right skills and experience.
After your consultation, they’ll review your requests and match you with the right VA from their talent pool.
Then you can delegate tasks like data entry, research, and content writing.
While not the cheapest, their pricing plans are a reasonable rate if you prefer hiring a VA from the US.
Pricing
- 10 hours: $360/month
- 20 hours: $700/month
- 40 hours: $1360/month
- 60 hours: $1980/month
Pros
- US based so there won’t be any language or time zone difficulties.
- Free trial is available.
- Option to add extra assistants for free with your monthly subscription.
Cons
- More expensive compared to hiring abroad.
Use Per Wish
Use Per Wish is an on-demand virtual assistant service for Indian VAs. You pay by the hour for as many tasks as you need.
This means you can set a budget, with no pressure to hire full-time.
They have VAs who can work with you on short-term and long-term projects, like content development, web design, and marketing.
When you sign up for Use Per Wish, you get a dedicated relationship manager to answer all your questions and help you through the hiring process.
Plus, all their VAs go through serious background checks and screening tests.
Pricing
- Hour-based: $8/hr, 10-60 hours of balance
- Part-time: $559/month
- Full-time: $879/month
- Unlimited validity subscription: $12/hr, no monthly billing
Pros
- Use Per Wish matches you with a VA that fits your needs and budget.
- Free consultation before deciding on a payment plan.
- Start, stop, or change your subscription any time.
Cons
- If you’re not in India, you and your assistant might be working at different hours.
- Communication portal gets buggy sometimes.
Workana
Just like OnlineJobs.ph and Fiverr, Workana is an online marketplace for virtual assistants.
They’re the largest remote work platform in Latin America, with VAs working from other parts of Southeast Asia.
If you have a task you want to outsource, post it on Workana and potential VAs will go straight to you.
You’ll look at the offers, check out the freelancers’ profiles and reviews, and pick the person you think will do the best job.
You can post each task individually, or as an hourly project.
Pricing
- Workana doesn’t have fixed pricing like other VA service providers. You post your project and receive proposals from VAs. You can then compare their skills, experience, and rates to choose your perfect match.
Pros
- Access to a lot of different and talented freelancers.
- Easy process for posting projects and receiving proposals.
- Secure payments system.
- Funds are released only when you’re satisfied with the job.
Cons
- No standardized pricing or vetting process.
- Risk of receiving low-quality work from cheaper VAs.
- Time consuming to sort through all the proposals.
FreeUp
FreeUp is a US-based freelance marketplace, but they have VAs based in other countries.
It works like a concierge service. You share the type of work you need help with and FreeUp takes care of the rest.
They’ll find and suggest VAs for you in just 24 hours. This is great because you don’t have to spend hours looking through profiles and applications to find the right match.
Once you have your options, you can interview the candidates and see if they fit. If all goes well, you hire them straight from the platform.
You can also find FreeUp VAs with special skills in Amazon PPC, Shopify, SEO, and web development.
Pricing
- Entry level: $5 to $15 per hour
- Mid level: $15 to $30 per hour
- Expert level: $30 to $75+ per hour
Pros
- Finds VA’s for you and saves you time looking through applications.
- Fast hiring process.
- If your VA quits, FreeUp will find a replacement and cover the costs.
Cons
- The most budget-friendly VAs may have limited experience.
- No trial period before making a commitment.
QuickMonday
Finding a VA through QuickMonday is a quick and easy process.
You tell them what kind of help you’re looking for and they’ll match you with pre-trained VAs in just a few days.
All their VAs go through background checks and a thorough screening process. So you can have a peace of mind that you’re hiring someone qualified.
QuickMonday works on an hourly payment basis so you don’t need to hire full-time. They also manage your VA’s workload for you.
Pricing
- Entry (1-2 years’ experience): $5/hr
- Intermediate (2-4 years’ experience): $6/hr
- Professional (4-8 years’ experience): $7.50/hr
- Expert (10+ years’ experience): $9/hr
Pros
- VAs are trained for individuals, start-ups, or small to medium businesses.
- If you’re not happy with the service, QuickMonday will give you full credit on your monthly fee.
- No contract so you can switch or cancel plans anytime.
Cons
- QuickMonday is based in Sri Lanka which may cause time and language conflicts.
- For specific expertise, you might need to pay a higher price.
- Demand is high which means longer wait times to find the right fit.
Outsourcely
Outsourcely works the same way as UpWork.
You post a job and VAs will send you a proposal with their experience, skills, and rates.
But unlike Upwork, Outsourcely focuses on long-term commitments instead of per-project gigs.
This is a great option if you want to hire a dedicated, full-time VA without spending an arm and a leg.
Outsourcely doesn’t markup their prices or take commission fees when you hire from the platform. You pay the VA directly based on the rates you agreed on.
Pricing
- Free account: $0
- Small business: $79/month
- Professional: $229/month
Pros:
- Access to thousands of VA profiles from 180+ countries.
- 30-day money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the service.
- Pay for a plan only after posting your first job request.
Cons:
- Possible time zone differences and language barriers if your VA is from another country.
- Browsing through applications and VA profiles is time consuming and can be stressful.
- VA’s are not vetted so you need to do thorough research.
Remote OK
Remote OK was made by the same people behind websites like Nomad List for remote workers and digital nomads.
It’s a platform that brings together online freelancers and employers. Their site claims that it’s the number 1 remote job board in the world.
To find a VA on Remote OK, you post a job and wait for candidates to send their applications.
Pricing
- You buy a “bundle” of job posts starting at $299 per post.
Pros
- The platform offers a variety of VA skills to choose from.
- Customize your job posts and send them to over 790,000 remote candidates.
- Offers health insurance for remote startups.
Cons
- Searching for qualified VAs can be time-consuming and costly.
- Some VAs might lack the skills and experience you’re looking for.
- You are committed to the job bundle you paid for.
Guru
Guru started in 1998 in Pittsburgh, PA, which makes it one of the oldest VA service platforms out there.
When you sign up for Guru, you can post a job and wait for candidates to send in their proposals.
Or you can search for freelancers yourself and invite them to send a quote for your job.
Then you can choose which of them you’ll hire based on their skills and preferred rates. The best part is you only pay them if you’re 100% satisfied with the service.
Pricing
- Fixed Price
- Hourly
- Recurring Payments
- Task Based
Pros
- 24/7 customer support.
- Post a job for free.
- Secure payment system to keep your money safe.
Cons
- Guru charges a 2.9% fee for each invoice you pay.
- Finding the perfect VA can take time.
- No free trial.
Tips for Hiring a Virtual Assistant on a Budget
1. Know what you’re looking for
It’s tempting to jump in and hire the cheapest VA you can find.
But it’s important to remember that you usually get what you pay for.
So be clear about the tasks you need help with and keep in mind the virtual assistant qualities you want in your team.
For example, if you need someone to manage your emails, look for someone with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
If you need help with social media, look for someone with experience in digital marketing.
When you’re specific about your needs, you will find a VA who offers good value for price, instead of whatever is cheapest.
2. Do your research
Before you even start talking to potential VAs, look them up online. See what other people are saying about their services.
Have a list of questions to ask them directly during your interviews.
Ask if they’ve taken any virtual assistant courses or what kind of clients they’ve worked with before.
This isn’t just about making sure they can do the job, but also checking if they’re reliable and easy to work with.
So even if a company already did a background check or pre-screened their VAs, you need to make sure the info checks out.
Read other reviews about the VA company or hiring platform. Don’t just rely on what their website says.
3. Set up training
Many VA agencies and services in this list already train their VAs.
But it helps to give the VA some training about your work process or expectations before letting them take over.
This is important since every business works differently and you want them to really understand yours.
Plus, it gives you a chance to see how quickly they learn and adapt.
The goal is to have them handle tasks the way you would, without you having to micromanage.
A little time spent on training at the start can save you loads of time (and money) later on.
Remember, cheap doesn’t always mean bad quality. So don’t let the low price tag fool you.
If you work smart, you can find the best virtual assistant that fits your budget.
Mitch is your typical nomadic backpacker. Or at least, he was. But after stopping in Colombia to take “one week” of salsa lessons, his life took a sharp left turn. He met a cute Colombian girl in dance class, fell in love, and got married. Over half a decade has passed since he left his career to travel the world as a digital nomad, and he’s never looked back.
Nowadays, he’s the blogger behind Project Untethered — where he runs an awesome email newsletter and Youtube channel teaching adventure-craved wanderlusters how to escape the rat race, earn money from anywhere, and build an “untethered life”.
His advice has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, Yahoo, MSN, Reader’s Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.
Mitch's Travel Recommendations:
Travel Planning Resources - Everything you need to plan your trip on one convenient page.
Going Cheap Flights Newsletter - Get flight deals from your airport up to 90% off sent straight to your inbox.
Safetywing Insurance - This cheap travel insurance has saved me over $15,000 in medical bills.
Booking.com - Book accommodation without adding your credit card (in case you need to cancel).
Trusted House Sitters - Take care of pets in exchange for free (sometimes luxury) accommodation.
Flexjobs - Find remote jobs without having to sift through crappy ones.
Skillshare - Free trial to take unlimited classes that teach digital nomad skills.
Wise - Send and receive money abroad cheaply (great for freelancers).