The short version: Virtual assistant positions are one of the most accessible remote roles you can start in under a month, with pay ranging from $5/hour on entry-level global platforms to $75/hour for specialist VAs with specific skills. The difference between the people earning $12/hour and the ones earning $45/hour is not experience, it is positioning.
Why I am writing about VA positions this week
I have hired a lot of virtual assistants over the years. I have also recommended VA work to dozens of people who needed income fast while they figured out a bigger plan. And I keep seeing the same two problems on both sides of the equation: clients posting vague briefs and getting swamped with unqualified applicants, and talented people underselling themselves into poverty-level rates when they could be charging three times as much.
So this is my honest breakdown of the VA market right now, written from someone who has sat on both sides of that hire.
What a virtual assistant position involves
The term "virtual assistant" covers an enormous range of work. That is both its strength and its problem, because it means nothing on its own.
Here is what most VA positions involve day to day:
- Email and calendar management (the most common entry-level task)
- Social media scheduling and basic content repurposing
- Research tasks, competitor analysis, building prospect lists
- Customer support via email or live chat
- Data entry, CRM updates, invoice chasing
- Travel booking and expense tracking
- Basic project coordination using tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com
Then there is what I call the "specialist VA" tier, which is where the real money is:
- Tech VAs who manage WordPress sites, email automations, or Zapier workflows
- Launch VAs who support online course or product launches end to end
- Pinterest or LinkedIn VAs who focus on one platform deeply
- Podcast VAs who handle editing briefs, show notes, and distribution
- Executive VAs who essentially function as a part-time chief of staff
If you walk into the market calling yourself a "general VA," you will fight hundreds of people for low rates. If you walk in as a "launch VA for online course creators" or an "executive VA for US-based coaches," you will have far fewer competitors and far more use in setting your rate.
What VA positions pay in 2024
I am going to be specific here because most posts on this topic are frustratingly vague.
Fiverr and Upwork (global, open market): General admin VAs typically earn between $5 and $20 per hour. This is a race to the bottom unless you have reviews. I would not start here unless you have zero alternatives, and even then I would aim to move off within 90 days.
Belay Solutions: US-focused, they vet their VAs carefully and match them with clients. Rates tend to sit between $19 and $25 per hour for general admin work. Not spectacular, but steady and reliable. They handle the client acquisition, which is worth something when you are starting out.
Time Etc: UK-founded, operates in the US and UK. Pays VAs around $11 to $16 per hour. Good for getting started and building your portfolio, not a long-term income strategy.
Fancy Hands: Task-based rather than hourly, pays per task completed. Average works out to roughly $3 to $7 per task, which sounds terrible but can work if you are fast and stacking tasks during off-hours.
Direct clients (found via LinkedIn, referrals, or communities): This is where rates get interesting. Entry-level direct clients pay $20 to $30 per hour. Experienced VAs with a niche typically charge $35 to $55 per hour. Specialist or executive VAs working with funded startups, high-volume coaches, or agencies regularly charge $60 to $85 per hour.
The gap between platform rates and direct client rates is not small. It is the entire difference between a side hustle and a proper business.
The thing no one tells you about VA applications
I have reviewed a lot of VA applications. The ones that fail all make the same mistake: they describe what they have done without connecting it to what the client is trying to accomplish.
A client posting for a VA is not thinking about tasks. They are thinking about the hour back in their day, the inbox that has not been touched in three weeks, the launches that keep slipping because no one is coordinating the moving parts. Your application needs to speak to that outcome, not just list your tools.
Compare these two opening lines:
"I am an experienced virtual assistant with five years in administrative support and proficiency in Google Workspace, Asana, and Slack."
vs.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
"I help online business owners get their time back. My clients typically reclaim eight to ten hours a week in the first month by handing inbox management, scheduling, and project tracking off to me."
The second one is not longer. It is just smarter about what the client cares about.
Where to find legitimate VA positions right now
Beyond the platforms above, here is where I see good VA opportunities being posted consistently:
- LinkedIn Jobs: Filter for "virtual assistant" with remote and part-time options. US and UK companies post here heavily, and the rates are almost always better than general freelance platforms.
- We Work Remotely: Good quality listings, skews tech-adjacent, great for VAs with any kind of systems or automation background.
- Virtual Vocations: Subscription-based but curated, which means less noise. The $15/month fee filters out people who are not serious.
- Online communities: Facebook groups like "Virtual Assistant Savvies" and "VA Networking" regularly have job posts from direct clients. These are often smaller businesses who will not post on job boards at all.
- Cold outreach via LinkedIn: This is how I would do it if I were starting today. Find founders, coaches, or consultants with a presence but not a team. Message them with a specific observation about something you could help with. Keep it short. Most will not reply. Some will.
What clients want that most VAs never mention
After years of hiring, I can tell you the thing that makes me say yes faster than anything else: evidence that the person can work without being micromanaged.
That sounds obvious but almost no VA talks about it explicitly. Mention it. Say that you operate with a weekly check-in structure, that you document your own processes, that you flag problems early rather than waiting to be asked. Those three things make a client's nervous system relax.
The second thing: timezone clarity. If you are UK-based applying for a US client, do not make them work out the overlap. Tell them. "I am based in the UK and work 9am to 1pm Eastern time four days a week." That is it. Uncertainty kills decisions.
Building toward a VA business, not just a VA job
The people I know who are earning seriously good money as VAs have stopped thinking of themselves as assistants and started thinking of themselves as operators. They have retainer clients. They have documented systems. They raise their rates every six to twelve months. They get referrals because their clients talk about them.
If you want to get there, the path looks like this:
- Pick a niche inside your first three months, even if it feels limiting
- Get one testimonial-worthy result and document it specifically
- Build a one-page website with your niche, your rate range, and a clear contact form
- Set a quarterly rate review in your calendar and do it
- Say no to clients who are clearly going to be nightmares, even when money is tight
That last one is the hardest and the most important. A bad client will cost you far more than their rate suggests.
Frequently asked questions
How much do virtual assistant positions pay per hour in the UK?
UK-based VAs typically earn between $14 and $30 per hour working for UK clients, but many UK VAs deliberately target US clients because rates are higher. A UK VA working US business hours with a clear niche can realistically charge $35 to $55 per hour within their first year of direct client work.
Do you need qualifications to get a virtual assistant position?
No formal qualifications are required. Clients care about reliability, communication, and proof that you can do the specific tasks they need. A short portfolio of relevant work, one or two references, and a clear niche matter far more than any certificate.
What is the fastest way to land your first VA client?
Tell everyone you know that you are available. Post on LinkedIn with a specific offer. Apply to three to five listings per day on platforms like We Work Remotely or LinkedIn Jobs. The fastest hires usually come from warm connections or communities, not cold applications to big job boards.
Is it better to work through a VA agency or find direct clients?
Agencies like Belay or Time Etc are good for getting started because they handle client acquisition, but their rates are capped and they take a cut. Direct clients pay more and offer more flexibility. Most successful VAs start on a platform or agency, build confidence and a small portfolio, then transition to direct clients within six to twelve months.
Related reading: How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business in 2026 (Without the Burnout) and Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant: What You'll Earn and How to Land Clients.
Related: how much an AI consultant costs
