Pricing virtual assistant services
A practical place to begin.
Your rate has to cover more than the minutes spent completing a task. It also pays for communication, software, administration, professional development, unpaid sales time and the risk of running an independent business. There is no single correct global VA rate, because location, specialty, experience and responsibility all change the value and cost of the work.
01
Know your minimum viable rate
Calculate the income the business needs, add operating costs and account for non-billable time. Then divide by a realistic number of billable hours. This gives you a floor for decision-making, not necessarily the final client rate.
- Include software and payment fees
- Allow for holidays and quiet periods
- Do not assume every working hour will be billable
02
Price the level of responsibility
Following a documented task is different from owning an outcome. Work that requires judgement, specialist knowledge, confidentiality, urgency or coordination across a team normally supports a higher rate than routine execution.
- Separate general and specialist work
- Charge for agreed response-time expectations
- Review the rate when ownership expands
03
Choose a model that fits the work
Hourly pricing suits uncertain or reactive scopes. A retainer works for recurring responsibility and reserved capacity. Project pricing works when the deliverables, assumptions and finish line are clear enough to estimate responsibly.
- Define what the price includes
- Set a process for additional requests
- State payment dates and currencies in writing
04
Review instead of apologising
Track how long the work actually takes, which requests create extra coordination and whether the client receives more responsibility than the original scope covered. Use that evidence at a scheduled review rather than waiting until the arrangement is unsustainable.
- Review new scopes after the first month
- Document recurring additions
- Give notice before changing an agreed rate
Publish a clear starting rate with your profile.
Clients can compare your specialty, location, availability and preferred pricing model before they contact you.