Question 1

What currency are these numbers in?

Accepted Answer

US dollars per hour, because that is what most cross border work is quoted in. Rates in Canada, the UK, Australia and the EU track closely once converted. Rates in lower cost regions often sit below the entry column, and that is a pricing decision, not a quality signal. If you bill in your local currency, set the number yourself rather than converting daily, and review it when the rate moves more than five percent.

Question 2

Should I publish my rate publicly?

Accepted Answer

A range helps. It filters out the people who were never going to pay you, and it saves you the first call. Every profile in the directory shows a range rather than a fixed number, so you keep room to quote on scope. A good range is roughly twenty five percent wide. Anything wider reads as guesswork.

Question 3

How do I move from hourly to a monthly retainer?

Accepted Answer

Track your real hours on a client for four weeks, then take the average and round up, not down. Price the retainer on a block of hours per month with a stated overflow rate, and bill it in advance. Retainers pay you for being available, so protect that with a cap and a clear list of what is included.

Question 4

What should I charge for a one off project?

Accepted Answer

Estimate the hours, add thirty percent for revisions and handover, then multiply by your hourly rate. Take fifty percent up front and the balance on delivery. Write down what finished means before you start, because scope, not price, is what turns a good project into a bad one.

Question 5

How often should I raise my rate?

Accepted Answer

Review twice a year, on the same two dates each year so it never becomes a decision you have to summon courage for. Tell existing clients the new rate with sixty days notice, in writing, with no apology and no long explanation. Most people stay. The ones who leave were usually the ones taking the most of your time.

Question 6

A client says my rate is too high. Now what?

Accepted Answer

Do not discount the rate. Reduce the scope instead, so the price drops but the value of your hour holds. Offer a smaller block of hours, a shorter engagement or a slower turnaround. If the budget is genuinely not there, say so plainly and refer them to someone earlier in their career. Referrals come back.

Question 7

Do I charge for calls, admin and email?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Discovery calls, weekly check ins, inbox triage and reporting are work. Either bill them at your normal rate or fold them into the retainer as named inclusions. Unbilled admin is the most common reason an operator earns less than her rate suggests.

Question 8

Are these numbers verified?

Accepted Answer

They are informed ranges based on what members list and what clients report back to us. Treat them as a starting point for your own thinking, not a rule. Your experience, your niche and the size of the businesses you serve will move you up or down the columns.

Specialty	Entry	Mid	Senior
Virtual Assistant	$20 to 30	$30 to 45	$45 to 60
Executive Assistant	$28 to 40	$40 to 60	$60 to 85
Online Business Manager	$45 to 60	$60 to 85	$85 to 125
Bookkeeping	$30 to 40	$40 to 60	$60 to 90
Project Management	$35 to 50	$50 to 75	$75 to 110
Customer Support	$18 to 26	$26 to 38	$38 to 55
Social Media	$25 to 35	$35 to 55	$55 to 80
Copywriting	$30 to 45	$45 to 70	$70 to 120

What operators charge.

Start with the floor, not the average.

Hourly ranges by specialty

Three ways to charge

Hourly

Monthly retainer

Project

What moves the number

Scope, not hours

Specialist knowledge

Response speed

Client size

Rates, questions and awkward conversations

Publish your range.