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If you run a business doing $1M to $10M a year, the bottleneck is rarely strategy. It is the volume of work that only you seem to do. This guide covers the Philippines-based virtual assistant providers worth knowing in 2026, what each one actually charges, and which type of founder each one fits. Founders choose Philippine talent for a specific reason: strong written and spoken English, a work culture aligned with US business norms, and senior-level skill at roughly a third of US cost.
How we evaluated
We compared providers on six criteria: how candidates are vetted, whether they are trained before placement, the pricing model, whether the service is managed or a self-serve marketplace, whether the provider can also build automation (not just place a person), and who the provider is actually best for. We web-searched current pricing where possible and marked anything we could not confirm.
Comparison table
| Company | Model | Pricing | Training | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarvis | Managed | ~$1,600/mo (full-time) | AI-trained Specialists | $1M-$10M owners who also want automation built |
| Wing Assistant | Managed | $699/mo part-time, $999/mo full-time | Trained, managed | Startups wanting the largest managed network |
| Bruntwork | Managed | $4-$8/hr (some roles to ~$17/hr) | Recruited and placed | Hourly flexibility, no lock-in |
| OnlineJobs.ph | Marketplace (DIY) | $69-$99/mo platform fee, pay worker direct | None (you vet) | Hands-on founders who want lowest cost |
| Somewhere | Recruiter (you employ) | One-time fee, ~35% of first-year salary | None (placement only) | Owners who want to directly employ a hire |
| MyOutDesk | Managed | ~$1,988/mo full-time (lower with commitment) | Vetted and supported | Real estate and regulated/compliance-heavy teams |
| Virtual Coworker | Managed | From ~$7/hr | Recruited and managed | Owners wanting a managed hourly model |
The companies
1. Jarvis
Jarvis places Philippines-based, AI-trained virtual assistants (called Jarvis Specialists) and also builds the automations around them, which is the part most VA firms do not touch. A typical full-time engagement runs about $1,600/month ($10/hr, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks). The Specialists work alongside tools like Claude, so one person can run a follow-up sequence, manage an inbox, and book calls in parallel rather than doing each task by hand. Best for service businesses and D2C brands doing $1M to $10M a year who want a managed hire plus the systems behind them, not just a body to delegate to. Jarvis is not the cheapest option and not the largest network. If you want either of those, see OnlineJobs.ph and Wing below.
2. Wing Assistant
Wing is one of the larger managed VA services and a reasonable default if scale and brand recognition matter to you. Pricing is plan-based: about $699/month for part-time (80 hours) and $999/month for full-time (160 hours), with a dedicated assistant, a success manager, and free replacement included. Best for startups and smaller teams that want a managed hire on a clean monthly subscription. Wing places and manages staff; it is not an automation builder.
3. Bruntwork
Bruntwork is a high-volume outsourcing provider with broad role coverage and hourly pricing, advertised at $4 to $8 per hour with some specialized roles (for example an experienced accountant) reaching roughly $17/hour. Agents work a 20-hour-per-week minimum with no lock-in contract, and the rate includes the worker's computer and internet. Best for owners who want hourly flexibility and a wide menu of roles. Vetting and management are handled for you; expect a recruiting process of around two weeks.
4. OnlineJobs.ph
OnlineJobs.ph is a marketplace, not a managed service. You pay a flat platform subscription ($69/month Pro or $99/month Premium), search a database of close to two million Filipino workers, then hire and pay your VA directly with no commission taken from their salary. Worker pay commonly lands in the $300 to $800/month range. Best for hands-on founders who are comfortable writing job posts, interviewing, vetting, and managing a hire themselves in exchange for the lowest all-in cost. The trade-off is real: no training, no quality control, and no replacement safety net are done for you.
5. Somewhere (formerly Support Shepherd)
Somewhere is a recruiter, not a managed service. They source and place overseas talent that you then employ directly, charging a one-time fee of roughly 35% of the hire's first-year salary, with a refundable $500 deposit credited toward that fee and a six-month replacement guarantee. [verify the current percentage at the time of hiring, as tiered discounts apply for multiple hires]. Best for owners who specifically want to directly employ a long-term team member and are fine paying once up front rather than a monthly managed rate.
6. MyOutDesk
MyOutDesk is an established managed provider with deep roots in real estate and other compliance-sensitive industries. A full-time managed VA runs about $1,988/month month-to-month, dropping to roughly $1,788/month on an annual commitment, with recruiting, payroll, HR, and compliance support included. Best for real estate teams and regulated businesses that value process and compliance over the lowest rate. Like the other managed firms here, MyOutDesk places and supports staff rather than building automation.
7. Virtual Coworker
Virtual Coworker is a managed Philippines-based provider offering recruited and managed VAs from around $7/hour, with flexible weekly hours from roughly 20 up to 40. Best for owners who want a managed relationship on an hourly model rather than a fixed monthly subscription. They handle recruiting and ongoing management; automation work is outside their scope.
Which one is right for you
- Choose OnlineJobs.ph if you want the lowest possible cost and you are willing to vet, hire, train, and manage the person yourself. It is the cheapest path and the most hands-on.
- Choose Wing if you want the largest managed network and a simple monthly subscription, and you do not need automation built.
- Choose Bruntwork or Virtual Coworker if you want hourly flexibility under a managed model with no long lock-in.
- Choose Somewhere if you want to directly employ a long-term hire and prefer a one-time recruiting fee over an ongoing managed rate.
- Choose MyOutDesk if you are in real estate or a compliance-heavy field and want a provider built around that.
- Choose Jarvis if you are doing $1M to $10M a year and want a managed, AI-trained Specialist who also comes with the automation built around the role, so the work runs as a system instead of a single set of hands.
Frequently asked questions
Why hire a Filipino virtual assistant? Because you get senior-level English-fluent support at roughly a third of US cost. Filipino professionals are known for strong written and spoken English and a work culture aligned with US business norms, and many can cover US time zones. The result is real capacity added to your business without a US payroll line.
How much does a Filipino VA cost in 2026? Most Filipino VAs cost $4 to $10 per hour depending on skill and role. A full-time managed hire commonly lands around $1,600/month (for example $10/hour at 40 hours a week). Marketplace hires through a platform like OnlineJobs.ph can run lower, often $300 to $800/month, but you handle vetting and management yourself.
What is the difference between a managed VA service and a marketplace? A managed service (Jarvis, Wing, MyOutDesk) vets, trains, and supports the VA for you, so you get a replacement if it does not work out. A marketplace (OnlineJobs.ph) gives you direct database access for a flat fee, then you hire, pay, and manage the person yourself. Managed costs more; the marketplace shifts the work to you.
How do I make sure I do not get burned by a cheap VA? The most common way founders get burned is hiring the cheapest option, skipping vetting, and giving no clear process. Use a provider that vets and trains before placement, start with one well-defined role, document the workflow, and check for a replacement guarantee. The hourly rate matters far less than whether the work is set up to run reliably.
Can a Filipino VA work in my US time zone, and how do I keep control? Yes. Most managed providers offer US time-zone coverage, so the VA works your hours. You keep control the same way you would with any hire: a clear scope, a shared task system, a daily or weekly check-in, and access to your tools with permissions you set. Managed services add a success manager as a second layer of accountability.
Ready to add capacity without adding payroll?
If you are doing $1M to $10M a year and want a managed, AI-trained Specialist plus the automation built around the role, book a consultation with Jarvis: https://link.gojarvis.ai/widget/bookings/jarvis-consultation