A Clear Breakdown for Small UK Business Owners
If you’re thinking about hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) but wondering, “How much does a virtual assistant actually cost?”, I’m going to break it down for you.
Pricing is straightforward, especially here in the UK, where many VAs charge around £35 per hour or offer fixed-price services based on outcomes.
More and more UK VAs now sell fixed-price packages rather than just hourly rates. This means you pay for a specific result or project, not just the time spent, helping you get clear value and predictable costs.
What Factors Influence the Cost of a Virtual Assistant?
That would depend on the services being offered.
Those with skills in bookkeeping, project management, or customer service may charge £40–£60 per hour, or offer fixed-price packages.
Specialized VAs: Experts in niche areas might charge upwards of £60 per hour or sell premium outcome-focused services.
How to Budget for a Virtual Assistant
Define your needs and desired outcomes: What results do you want from your VA?
Decide your preferred pricing model: Hourly or fixed-price packages?
Set a budget: Fixed-price services make it easier to know your monthly spend upfront.
Ask for proposals: Many VAs will tailor packages to suit your goals and budget.
Why Hiring a VA Is Worth It
A virtual assistant saves you time and mental energy, letting you focus on growing your business.
Fixed-price services add transparency, so you know exactly what you’re getting and how much it costs — no surprises.
Why Hire a Virtual Assistant Instead of a Full-Time Employee?
If you’re weighing up whether to hire a VA or take on an employee, here are some key benefits of choosing a Virtual Assistant:
Cost-Effective
Hiring a VA usually costs less overall. You avoid expenses like:
Employee taxes and National Insurance
Pension contributions
Holiday and sick pay
Office space and equipment
With a VA, you pay only for the work done — whether hourly or fixed-price — making budgeting simpler and often cheaper.
Flexible
VAs offer flexible working hours and contracts. Need a few hours a week, or extra help during busy periods? You can scale up or down quickly without long-term commitments.
Access to Specialised Skills
Many VAs specialise in particular areas, like bookkeeping, social media, or customer service. You can hire exactly the skills you need — without the hassle of training or onboarding.
Reduced Management Burden
VAs typically manage their own work schedules and tools. This means less direct oversight and administrative burden for you, compared to managing an employee.
Faster Hiring Process
Hiring a VA is generally quicker and less time consuming than recruiting a full-time employee (no job ad, interviews, reference checking, getting computer / office set-up, training etc).
You can start getting support straight away.
How Much Is Your Time Worth?
Before you decide on the cost of hiring a virtual assistant, take a moment to think about how much your own time is worth.
As a business owner, your time is precious, every hour spent on repetitive admin or low-value tasks is an hour you could spend:
Finding new clients
Growing your business
Developing new products or services
Taking a well-deserved break to recharge
If your time is worth, say, £50 per hour or more, then paying a VA £35 per hour (or a fixed price for a valuable outcome) is an investment that can free you up to focus on what really moves your business forward.
By outsourcing the tasks that drain your time, you’re essentially multiplying your productivity and giving yourself more space to work on your business, not just in it.
Final Thoughts
How much does a virtual assistant cost? In the UK, many VAs start at around £35 per hour, but fixed-price, outcome-based packages are increasingly common.
This approach helps you pay for the results you need, making budgeting easier and more predictable.
Pricing isn’t complicated — just be clear on your goals, and you’ll find the right VA and pricing style for your business.
Ready to hire? Need help figuring out what kind of VA service suits you?
Curious what VA support would cost for your business? Check out my virtual assistant services — fixed prices, no guesswork.