Why do Virtual Assistants charge so much?

But why we also the most budget-friendly option

If you have ever looked at our hourly rate and thought, ‘Blimey, that feels high,’ you are not alone. It is one of the most common reactions, especially from small business owners and clinicians who are watching every penny.

On the surface, it can look like you are paying mega bucks for admin support. But when you zoom out and compare the true cost of employing someone, the picture changes very quickly.

Let’s talk honestly about why our rates are what they are, and why they are usually far more cost-effective than hiring an employee.

First, us VAs are not employees.
That sounds obvious, but it is where most comparisons fall apart.

When you hire an employee, their salary is only the starting point. On top of wages, you are also paying employer National Insurance contributions, pension contributions, holiday pay, sick pay, and often maternity or paternity cover. Even a modest salary quickly becomes significantly more expensive once these are factored in.

With us, none of that sits with you. There is no NI, no pension, no holiday cover to fund, and no obligation to pay when work is quiet. You only pay for the hours or package you actually use.

Then there is training and development.
Employees need onboarding, ongoing training, supervision, and time to get up to speed. That time costs money, both directly and in lost productivity.

We come to you already trained, with years of experience across multiple systems, industries, and workflows. You are not paying for us to learn the basics. You are paying for us to apply what we already know, efficiently and with minimal hand-holding.

Equipment and infrastructure is another hidden cost.
An employee needs a laptop, desk, phone, software, secure systems, and IT support. They need payroll services, HR support, and compliance processes behind the scenes.

We cover all this ourselves!. Our equipment, licences, insurance, IT support, data protection registration, and business costs are built into our rate. You don’t need to worry about sourcing software licences, upgrading systems, or troubleshooting tech issues. That responsibility stays firmly with us

Software licences alone add up quickly.

Think about the tools many businesses rely on now, email platforms, practice management systems, accounting software, project management tools, scheduling systems. Each licence has a monthly or annual cost.

We factor this into our pricing so you do not have to. You gain access to someone who already works fluently across these platforms, without paying for multiple additional subscriptions yourself.

There is also the question of flexibility.
Employees are fixed costs. Whether you have work for them or not, they are on the payroll.

We are scalable. You can increase hours during busy periods, reduce them when things quieten down, or pause support entirely if needed. That level of flexibility is invaluable for growing businesses, especially in healthcare and private practice where demand can fluctuate.

And finally, you are paying for outcomes, not just time.
A good Virtual Assistant is not just doing tasks. We are solving problems, spotting inefficiencies, and quietly keeping things running in the background so you can focus on your actual work.

That experience, judgement, and autonomy has value. It saves you time, mental energy, and often money in the long run.

So yes, VA rates can look higher at first glance. But when you compare like for like, taking into account wages, tax, NI, pensions, training, equipment, payroll services, IT, software licences, and flexibility, it is us who are often the more budget-friendly choice.

Not because we are cheap, but because they are efficient, experienced, and designed to support your business without the long-term financial commitment of an employee.

And that, for many businesses, is exactly what makes us worth it.