How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost in 2026?
How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost in 2026?
You want a real number, not a "it depends." The problem is VA pricing is all over the place in 2026, from a few dollars an hour for offshore task work to $50 or more an hour for US-based specialists, and the quote you get rarely includes what it actually costs to run a VA.
Here is the straight answer. Offshore VAs generally run lower per hour, US-based VAs run higher, and you can pay hourly or for a full-time dedicated person. A full-time dedicated Jarvis VA is a flat ~$1,600 a month, with the AI tools included. Below is what drives the price, the costs most people forget, and what NOT delegating is already costing you.
The general 2026 market ranges
These are broad industry ranges, not a single quote.
Offshore VAs (Philippines and similar) generally fall in the lower per-hour range and are common for ongoing operational work. US-based VAs generally cost more per hour because of local wage levels. Hourly arrangements give flexibility for small or irregular work, while full-time dedicated arrangements give you a consistent person and usually a better effective rate.
Where you land depends on skill level, hours, and whether you want a generalist or someone who can build systems.
What actually drives VA cost
Four things move the number more than anything else.
Skill level: a VA who can build automation costs more than one who only does data entry. Hours: full-time dedicated usually beats stacking hourly. Location: offshore versus US-based is the biggest single lever. Scope: a person who both runs tasks and builds systems replaces two roles, so the comparison is not apples to apples.
Jarvis's flat ~$1,600 a month
A full-time dedicated Jarvis VA is about $1,600 a month. That is roughly $10 an hour, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month.
It is month-to-month and you can cancel anytime. The AI tools the VA uses are included in that rate, so the number you see is the number you pay. And because the VA both runs daily tasks and builds automation, you are not paying separately for an "automations person."
The hidden costs most people miss
The sticker rate is not the real cost. Three things get left out of most quotes.
Tools: a cheap VA still needs software, and those subscriptions add up. With Jarvis, the AI tools are included. Training time: every hour you spend teaching a raw hire is a cost, which is why Jarvis VAs are pre-trained through J-Academy. Turnover: a VA who quits in month two means you pay the hiring and training cost all over again, so reliability is part of the price.
The cost of NOT delegating
There is a number you are already paying and not tracking.
Every hour you spend in your inbox, booking calls, or fixing a workflow is an hour you are not selling, closing, or building the business. For an owner doing $1M to $10M a year, that time is worth far more than $10 an hour. The expensive option is usually doing it yourself.
FAQ
How much does a virtual assistant cost in 2026? It ranges from a few dollars an hour for offshore task work to $50 or more an hour for US-based specialists. A full-time dedicated Jarvis VA is a flat ~$1,600 a month (roughly $10/hr, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week), with AI tools included.
Is an offshore VA cheaper than a US-based VA? Generally yes. Offshore VAs typically cost less per hour than US-based VAs because of local wage levels. A full-time dedicated Jarvis VA (Filipino, vetted, J-Academy trained) runs about $1,600 a month.
Should I pay hourly or hire a full-time dedicated VA? Hourly suits small or irregular work; full-time dedicated suits steady volume and usually gives a better effective rate. Jarvis is a flat ~$1,600 a month for a dedicated full-time VA, month-to-month.
What hidden costs come with hiring a VA? The big ones are software tools, training time, and turnover. With Jarvis, the AI tools are included in the ~$1,600 rate and VAs are pre-trained through J-Academy, so you skip the from-scratch training cost.
Are software and AI tools included or extra? Included. The AI tools a Jarvis VA uses are part of the ~$1,600 a month rate, so you are not billed separately for the software they run.
What does $1,600 a month actually get me? A full-time dedicated VA who both runs daily tasks (lead response, inbox, call booking, client comms) and builds automation (GoHighLevel pipelines, follow-up sequences, Klaviyo flows, reporting). Most VA services only staff someone to execute tasks.
Is hiring a VA worth the cost? For an owner doing $1M to $10M a year, usually yes. Every hour you spend on admin is an hour not spent selling or building, which is worth far more than $10 an hour. The expensive option is doing it yourself.
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