How much does a virtual assistant cost? The direct answer is that the range is wide on purpose, and the number you pay should match the work, not the title.

    This is the breakdown I wish someone had given me the first time I tried to hire help.

    Virtual Assistant Hourly Rates by Tier

    The market usually splits into three tiers. Skip the "cheap virtual assistant" marketing and look at what the work needs.

    Tier 1 · Admin Virtual Assistant

    CAD $15 to $35 / hour

    Data entry, basic inbox triage, simple research, transcription. Usually offshore or early-career.

    Tier 2 · Operations Virtual Assistant

    CAD $35 to $70 / hour

    Inbox and calendar ownership, CRM upkeep, client onboarding, light project management, vendor coordination.

    Tier 3 · Technical / Specialist Virtual Assistant

    CAD $35 to $80 / hour

    CRM builds, Zapier and Make automations, integrations, LMS courses, websites, dashboards, data work. This is where Rellatech sits. Instead of billing hourly, I work on flat monthly retainers so you get a consistent block of hours each month without surprise invoices.

    Virtual Assistant Cost Per Month

    Most ongoing engagements move to a monthly retainer within the first 60 days. That usually looks like this.

    Hours / weekAdmin tierOperations tierTechnical tier
    5 hrsCAD $300 to $700CAD $700 to $1,400CAD $700 to $1,600
    10 hrsCAD $600 to $1,400CAD $1,400 to $2,800CAD $1,400 to $3,200
    20 hrsCAD $1,200 to $2,800CAD $2,800 to $5,600CAD $2,800 to $6,400
    40 hrsCAD $2,400 to $5,600CAD $5,600 to $11,200CAD $5,600 to $12,800

    Ranges are in CAD for Canadian and North American clients. Retainers usually price 10 to 20 percent below the equivalent hourly rate because they guarantee the virtual assistant steady income.

    What Drives the Cost

    • ●Skill depth, not job title. A virtual assistant who can build a CRM is worth far more than a virtual assistant who can only update one.
    • ●Time zone overlap with your business. Real-time availability costs more than overnight turnaround.
    • ●English fluency, written and verbal, especially for client-facing work.
    • ●Tool coverage. Comfort with HubSpot, Notion, Zapier, Kajabi, Shopify, and similar platforms raises the rate.
    • ●Industry context. A virtual assistant who understands your business model gets to value faster, which justifies a higher rate.
    • ●Engagement model. Agencies mark up 30 to 60 percent over independent virtual assistants to cover their overhead.

    Virtual Assistant Cost vs Hiring an Employee

    Comparing a virtual assistant hourly rate to an employee salary is the wrong math. The real comparison is fully-loaded cost.

    Full-time employee at CAD $65k

    Real cost: CAD $85,000 to $100,000 / year

    Salary, payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, software seats, training, paid leave, management time.

    Virtual Assistant at 20 hrs / week

    Real cost: CAD $40,000 to $65,000 / year

    No taxes, no benefits, no equipment, no idle hours. You pay only for work delivered.

    The break-even point sits around 30 to 35 hours of consistent weekly work. Below that, a Virtual Assistant wins on cost and flexibility every time.

    For the full comparison, see Virtual Assistant vs Hiring an Employee.

    Pricing Models You Will See

    Hourly

    Best for unpredictable, one-off, or trial work. Highest per-hour rate but maximum flexibility.

    Monthly retainer

    Block of hours per month for ongoing operations. Lower hourly rate, priority access, predictable invoice. This is how I work with most clients.

    Project / fixed fee

    Best for scoped builds: a CRM setup, an automation, a website, an LMS course. You buy the outcome, not the hours.

    Performance / value-based

    Rare for Virtual Assistants, common for marketing-led roles. Tied to a result like leads, sales, or time saved.

    Hidden Costs to Watch For

    • ●Agency markups that do not reach the virtual assistant doing the work.
    • ●Minimum hour commitments that lock you in before you know the fit.
    • ●Onboarding fees added on top of the first invoice.
    • ●Software pass-through charges marked up 20 to 30 percent.
    • ●Overage rates on retainer hours, often 1.5x the base rate.
    • ●Rush fees for same-day or weekend turnaround.

    Cost FAQ

    Common questions

    In the Canadian and North American market, general admin virtual assistants run about CAD $15 to $35 per hour. Operations virtual assistants who handle inbox, calendar, and CRM work run about CAD $35 to $70 per hour. Technical or specialist virtual assistants who build automations, CRMs, websites, and LMS courses typically run about CAD $35 to $80 per hour, with scoped project work going higher. Rellatech provides a flat fee in writing based on scope, how often the work runs, and how much ownership it needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all hourly package.

    A part-time virtual assistant on a 10 hour per week retainer typically runs CAD $600 to $2,800 per month depending on skill level. A 20 hour per week retainer runs CAD $1,200 to $5,600 per month. Rellatech quotes flexible, ongoing, or embedded support based on the actual scope; defined CRM and automation projects can be quoted separately.

    Almost always, yes. A full-time employee earning CAD $65,000 costs CAD $85,000 to $100,000 once you add payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, software seats, and management time. A virtual assistant on a 20 hour retainer costs CAD $40,000 to $65,000 per year all-in, with no overhead. The break-even point is usually around 30 to 35 hours of consistent weekly work.

    From an independent virtual assistant, almost never. Watch for agency markups, onboarding fees, minimum hour commitments, software pass-throughs, and overage charges. Always ask what is and is not included before you sign.

    Hourly works for one-off or unpredictable work. Retainers work for ongoing operations and are usually 10 to 20 percent cheaper per hour. Project pricing works for clearly scoped builds like a CRM setup or a landing page. Most growing businesses end up on a retainer within 60 days.

    Want a Real Number for Your Business?

    Tell me what you are trying to hand off and I will quote a specific retainer or project fee in a 30 minute call. No agency markup, no sales script.

    Book a free call

    Related

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