Executive virtual assistants · Full-time, dedicated, your time zone
Meet your top 3 executive virtual assistants in a few business days.
One person who owns your calendar, your inbox and the follow-ups you keep meaning to make. We screen over 1,000 applicants for your exact role and test them on judgement as much as on speed before you meet anyone. If you hire, we run payroll, check-ins, performance reviews and replacements. Nothing to pay to get started.
Our data and client results have been covered by
Why founders book this call
Four reasons your calendar owns you.
Almost nobody we speak to is disorganised. They are the most organised person in their company, which is exactly the problem, because everything routes through them by default. These four come up on nearly every call.
Calendar Tetris
Four reschedules, two time zones and a flight to move. Half an hour gone, and the only thing that changed is that Thursday is now worse than it was.
The $85k EA
You have priced a good executive assistant locally. The number is real and so is the role. It just does not survive contact with a board that wants headcount held flat, so you carry it yourself for another quarter.
The Inbox You Triage Twice
Once on your phone at seven, once properly at eleven. Nothing was delegated in between, and the second pass exists only because you did not trust the first one.
The Assistant Who Waited
You tried this before. They did exactly what you asked, and only what you asked, and you ended up managing them. What you needed was someone who noticed the thing you had not asked about yet.
The part almost everyone gets wrong
You don't have a hiring problem.
You have a filtering problem.
There is no shortage of people who want the job. A single role routinely draws over a thousand applications.
The hard part is finding the two or three who can actually do your work, hidden among the nine hundred and ninety-seven who can't. That is a full-time job on its own, and it needs a particular kind of patience. Most business owners don't have it. There is no reason they should.
That filtering is the entire thing we do. Everything below is just the detail of how.
The actual math
Up to 80% less than a US executive assistant. Here is what that looks like on paper.
One person, yours, 40 hours a week. Not a shared pool, not a fractional EA split across five founders, and no credit system to top up. The US column is the median salary for that role, plus about 30% once you add employer taxes, benefits and insurance.
About that starting rate. $6.50 an hour is where the range begins. Most placements land above it, which is why the figures below use the mid-point of each range rather than the floor. Where a candidate falls comes down to their experience and the scope of the role, and you see the exact number before you commit to anything.
| Role | With VA MASTERS | US in-house | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant | $17,160 | $62,000 | $44,840 · 72% |
| Bookkeeper | $22,360 | $78,000 | $55,640 · 71% |
| Real estate / transaction coordinator | $19,760 | $65,000 | $45,240 · 70% |
| E-commerce operations | $17,160 | $59,000 | $41,840 · 71% |
| Marketing & social media | $24,440 | $85,000 | $60,560 · 71% |
| Data analyst | $27,560 | $118,000 | $90,440 · 77% |
Executive assistant
Bookkeeper
Real estate / transaction coordinator
E-commerce operations
Marketing & social media
Data analyst
VA MASTERS figures use the mid-point of each role's hourly range at full-time hours, and executive assistant sits in the band that starts at $6.50 an hour. US figures are estimates based on median US salaries plus ~30% employer burden and will vary by state and seniority. Part-time is available; minimum monthly hours are agreed per role.
See the full rate card, all categories
| Administrative & operations support | $6.50 – $10.00 / hr |
| E-commerce management | $6.50 – $10.00 / hr |
| Writing & content creation | $7.00 – $12.00 / hr |
| Real estate support | $7.00 – $12.00 / hr |
| Social media management | $7.50 – $9.00 / hr |
| Finance & accounting | $7.50 – $14.00 / hr |
| Design & creative arts | $8.00 – $14.00 / hr |
| Legal & compliance support | $8.50 – $14.00 / hr |
| Human resources & recruiting | $8.50 – $14.00 / hr |
| Sales & business development | $8.50 – $14.50 / hr |
| Marketing & advertising | $8.50 – $15.00 / hr |
| IT & network security | $8.50 – $16.00 / hr |
| GoHighLevel specialist | $10.00 – $15.00 / hr |
| Data science, analytics & software engineering | $9.50 – $17.00 / hr |
| Development & technical | $12.00 – $25.00 / hr |
Where a candidate lands in the range depends on experience and specialisation, and most placements sit around the middle rather than at either end. You see the exact rate before you commit to anything.
Run your own numbers
What would an EA actually save you?
It opens on executive assistant, and the second number is the one that matters: what an hour of your own time is worth. Nothing to fill in, no email required.
Used only to show what the hours you get back are worth. Nothing is sent anywhere.
These are averages and not a quote. Where a candidate lands in the range comes down to their experience, and you will see the exact rate before you commit to anything.
Now that you have the number, the next step costs nothing. We recruit first and you only pay once you have met candidates and chosen one.
Estimates only. VA MASTERS figures use the mid-point of each role's hourly range. US figures use median salaries plus roughly 30% for employer taxes, benefits and insurance, and vary by state and seniority.
The part most people don't believe until we explain it
There is nothing to pay to get started.
No setup fee. No recruitment fee. No deposit before you have met anyone. We carry the entire cost of recruiting, and if you don't like the candidates, you have lost nothing but the hour you spent interviewing them.
- You pay nothing until you have chosen someone
- The advance is credited against your first invoice, it is not a fee
- Not satisfied? Refunded minus hours worked, or we replace them
Here is exactly how the money works, in order.
You sign the agreement
That's it. No card, no invoice, no payment of any kind at this stage.
We recruit, at our cost
Job posting, sourcing, screening, the custom skills test, interviews. All on us, before you have paid anything.
You interview the shortlist
You meet the top candidates yourself. If none of them are right, we go back and keep looking.
Only then, a refundable advance
When you pick someone, you pay an advance that is credited straight back against your first invoice. It is not a fee.
If it doesn't work, you're not stuck
Not satisfied? The advance is refunded minus the hours actually worked. Or we recruit a replacement.
We stay involved after that
Payroll, regular check-ins, performance reviews and support. You manage the work, not the employment.
Property Management Made Simple
Running 30+ rental properties across three states was consuming my entire day. VA Masters found me someone within two weeks. I went from 60-hour weeks to actually having time to scout new properties.
Skeptical Turned Believer
I was the last person who thought remote VAs would work for my business. I'm old school, I like seeing people in the office and prefer face-to-face. My business partner convinced me to at least try. I was completely wrong.
An Executive Assistant Who Actually Assists
Finding a competent executive assistant locally was going to cost over $5,200 a month. VA Masters found me someone better for a fraction of that. She manages my calendar, travel, meeting briefs and action items.
Real clients, on camera
We didn't write these. We filmed them.
Two clients, on camera, on what they hired for and what changed afterwards.
The 1,000-to-3 Process
We call it the 1,000-to-3 Process. The name is literal.
The reason a marketplace hire feels like a gamble is that nobody filtered it. This is what happens between your role brief and your interview.
A job post written for your role
The systems you actually use. The hours you actually need. The specific tasks you want off your desk, written down properly, so the right people apply and the wrong ones don't.
Starts with youApplications collected
We post it, we headhunt for it, and we go through our own network. A job board alone has never been enough.
1,000+ applicantsInitial screening
Experience, written and spoken English, internet and equipment, home working setup.
~500 remainA skills test built for your job
Nobody sits a generic typing test. We build a task from your actual world: a week of your calendar to untangle, the awkward email you'd rather not answer, and a brief written from a meeting invite with half the detail missing.
50–100 remainIn-depth interview
Communication, initiative, and whether they fit how your team actually works.
15–20 remainYou interview the finalists
You see the shortlist with their test results attached. By that point the guessing is done, and you are just picking which good one you like most.
2–3 presentedWhat the job actually looks like
An executive assistant on how she runs a founder's week.
Not a showreel. One of our executive VAs walking through the real thing: how the calendar gets defended, how the inbox gets to zero without anything important being buried, and how travel and follow-ups get handled without a briefing every morning.
What actually changes
Your month now, and your month sixty days from now.
Nobody comes back and says they feel more productive. They tell us specific things stopped happening. These are the ones founders mention most.
Your month now
- You open the laptop to forty unread emails and answer them yourself
- Half your week is meetings you would not have accepted if someone had asked first
- You walk into calls without a brief, because nobody wrote one
- The strategic thing you keep meaning to do slips another week
- Three people are waiting on you and none of them have been told when
- You work Sunday so that Monday starts level
Your month, sixty days from now
- Your inbox is triaged before you open it, with three things flagged for you
- Meetings get declined on your behalf, against rules you agreed once
- Every call has a one-paragraph brief waiting the night before
- The strategic thing has a deadline and someone chasing you for it
- Everyone waiting on you has an answer, even when the answer is Thursday
- Sunday is Sunday
Straight answers
The six things founders say before they say yes.
“This person would be writing to my board and my investors.”
Then the writing is the hire. English is an official language in the Philippines and it is what schools teach in, but we do not take that on faith. We test written English in screening and then again in the skills test using your own material. If someone cannot draft an email you would be happy to send under your own name, you never see them.
“The time difference will make this impossible.”
Our VAs work your business hours, including US shifts. That's agreed before recruiting starts, so candidates only reach you if the schedule genuinely works for them long term.
“I'll end up managing them, which defeats the point.”
You manage the work. We manage the employment, which means payroll, check-ins, reviews and stepping in when something needs sorting. Most clients talk to their VA daily and to us about once a month. That is the right way round.
“I need someone who anticipates, not someone who waits.”
That is the hardest thing to recruit for and it is the part we spend the most time on. The skills test includes a scenario with missing information on purpose, so we can see whether a candidate asks, assumes, or freezes. The ones who go and find the answer are the ones you interview.
“An EA sees everything. What about confidentiality?”
VAs sign confidentiality terms as part of their engagement, and you control access through your own password manager and permission settings, exactly as you would with a local employee. Board material, compensation and legal correspondence can stay out of their access entirely, and plenty of clients keep it that way for the first year.
“Is this actually fair to the person I'm hiring?”
It's a fair question and we'd rather you ask it. These are professional salaries in their market, paid on time, with an annual review and real career progression. The 5.0 ratings on Indeed and Glassdoor come from the VAs themselves, not from us.
“Hiring a QuickBooks expert and a real estate administrative VA has completely transformed how I run my business. It was incredibly convenient to have VA Masters find the right talent and manage all the HR aspects. The cost savings compared to local hires are substantial.”
“The biggest impact has been the proactive communication and initiative. They don't just follow instructions, they suggest improvements and catch issues before they escalate. I no longer worry about scheduling or follow-ups, which lets me focus on strategic decisions.”
“I've saved around 75% on design costs compared to hiring locally. Fast turnaround and attention to detail have helped me meet tight deadlines and keep clients happy. I can now take on more orders without worrying about design bottlenecks.”
Unedited
Actual client messages, from actual check-ins.
Screenshots from the ongoing check-ins we run with clients after placement. Names are blurred, nothing else is. Tap any message to read it full size.
Your other options
You could do this yourself. Here's what that costs you.
| VA MASTERS | Job boards | Freelance marketplaces | Big VA agencies | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who screens the candidates | We do | You do | You do | They do |
| Skills test built for your exact role | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Generic test |
| Time until you're interviewing | A few business days | 2–6 weeks | Immediate, unvetted | 1–3 weeks |
| Dedicated full-time person | ✓ | ✓ | Usually shared | Often shared |
| Payroll and HR handled for you | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ongoing check-ins and reviews | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Varies |
| Replacement if it isn't working | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Sometimes |
| Pay before you meet anyone | Never | Listing fees | Deposits | Setup fees common |
Compare us with
Before you spend twenty minutes on a call
We would rather tell you now than on the call.
We turn work away roughly once a week. A bad match costs us more than it costs you, so there is no upside in pretending. Here is where we are good and where we are the wrong call.
This is a fit if
- Enough of your week is scheduling, inbox and follow-up to justify a full-time person
- You are willing to let someone decline things on your behalf, against rules you set
- You want one person who learns how you think, not a rotating pool
- You can spend a few hours across the first fortnight explaining your priorities
This is not a fit if
- You need someone physically present, to greet visitors, handle post or run errands
- You want a chief of staff who owns strategy and headcount. That is a different hire
- You want the cheapest possible hourly rate. We are not the cheapest and we do not try to be
- You want to hand over work you cannot yet describe. Come back in a month, genuinely
Roles, rates and what each one saves you
We don't have people sitting on a bench. We recruit around how you work.
There is no catalogue of pre-hired assistants to pick from. You describe the work, we go and find someone who has already done it somewhere else. The savings below compare a full-time placement with us against the same role hired in-house in the US.
Executive Assistant
- Calendar ownership and gatekeeping
- Inbox triage to a flagged shortlist
- Meeting briefs, agendas and follow-ups
- Travel, expenses and personal admin
Bookkeeping & Finance
- QuickBooks and Xero
- AP / AR and invoice chasing
- Reconciliations and reporting
- Payroll admin support
Real Estate & Property
- Tenant and owner communication
- Maintenance coordination
- Leases, forms and compliance docs
- Listings and market research
E-commerce Operations
- Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Walmart
- Listings, inventory, order issues
- Supplier follow-up
- Returns and customer messages
Marketing & Social
- Content calendars and scheduling
- Meta, Google and Amazon ads support
- Email automation and CRM flows
- Reporting and campaign QA
Customer Support
- Email, chat and ticket queues
- Phone and appointment setting
- Order and delivery follow-up
- Help centre and macro upkeep
Data & Analytics
- Dashboards and KPI reporting
- Cleaning and structuring data
- Airtable, Sheets, Power BI
- Workflow automation
Design & Creative
- Video editing and short-form
- Product photo editing
- Canva and brand assets
- Ad creative production
Technical & QA
- Manual QA and bug documentation
- WordPress and site maintenance
- Zapier, Make, n8n, GoHighLevel
- Technical support queues
Don't see your role? If the work can be done remotely and explained clearly, we can recruit for it.
Outstanding Candidate Quality
Over the past 6 months we have onboarded 3 new hires and are looking at another in the coming weeks. They do such an outstanding job qualifying candidates, which makes my HR team's job so much easier.
Tech Startup Operations Transformed
As a CTO I was skeptical about outsourcing QA testing and technical documentation. I thought we'd lose quality or hit communication barriers. They proved me completely wrong.
I Was About To Hire Someone Locally
I was literally about to hire someone at about $25 an hour when a friend told me about VA Masters. Within 2 weeks I had someone handling tenant calls, leases and maintenance coordination. They handle the payroll side too.
Social Media Management Without The Drama
My marketing agency was constantly scrambling to find good social media managers. High turnover, inconsistent quality, and frankly attitude problems with some previous hires. Our VA now manages social accounts for 8 of our clients.
Finally, Someone Who Gets It
I'll keep this short because I'm actually using the time I used to spend on admin to write this review. Hired through VA Masters for our digital agency. He does client reporting, campaign setup and manages our content calendar.
Remote Monitoring
I needed a remote monitor to supervise a student in an academic setting for several months. After trying a few other companies who said they couldn't help me find one, VA Masters came through. I'm very pleased with their candidate.
“We hired four virtual assistants for administration, operations, customer support and social media. It let us streamline daily operations without losing control or quality. The cost savings have been significant, over 30% in administrative and operational expenses.”
“Before working with VA Masters our agency relied solely on local employees. Bringing in virtual assistants for campaign management, data analysis and a personal assistant let us grow faster without compromising on quality, and saved us tens of percent in operational costs.”
“Our VA manages inventory, processes orders and handles customer communication across all platforms. What impresses me most is her initiative. She identifies problems before they arise. Thanks to her we launched two new product lines.”
The part that decides whether this lasts
Your VA has to want to stay. Ours rate us 5.0.
The cheapest offshore hire is the one you replace twice a year. So we pay properly, check in monthly, and make sure people can see somewhere to go. Turnover becomes your problem long before it becomes ours. Everything below is in their words, on sites we don't control.
“It's rare to be given both a voice and a genuine role in shaping operations. Here I feel heard, valued and secure. I can see a real career path.”
RoxyVideo Content Creator
“I had no prior experience as an executive VA. The weekly check-ins helped me understand the stress and how to manage it. I wouldn't have transitioned this smoothly without that.”
GabbyAdministrative VA
“Despite my lack of domain knowledge they believed in me and took a chance. They provide guidance every step of the way, so you never feel unsupported.”
LeeData Analyst Team Lead
“What stands out is how much the company cares about our growth. I've always felt encouraged to learn, ask questions and grow without hesitation.”
JennelynOperations Manager VA
“I've worked with different clients and on internal projects, and the team has always been supportive. No pressure, just a healthy environment where you can grow.”
MilaWeb Developer
“Two years here have been transformative. The opportunities to develop my skills and take on new challenges have been invaluable.”
LeonyCustomer Support SpecialistAnd what they write on public review sites
A well-run agency with fair pay
Great agency to work for with strong clients. Management is supportive, the pay is fair and reflects your skills, and the remote flexibility is a big plus.
Great group of people
Everyone is warm and approachable. No micro-management. They provide support through regular catch-up calls and messages. Great working environment overall.
Good team, real work
Exposure to international clients and global teams. Clear processes, expectations and performance metrics. Competitive and on-time compensation.
Best agency there is
Supportive team. I've worked with plenty of agencies before and this one is the best. They always make sure I'm supported and help me communicate things with the client.
A company that invests in growth
Management ensures every VA has the opportunity to grow professionally. They provide guidance and a positive environment that helps us improve our skills and confidence.
Supportive team, structured environment
Supportive management, clear expectations, a defined work schedule, flexible breaks and clear responsibilities.
“Everything from payroll to performance reviews is managed smoothly by VA Masters, so I can focus on my business without getting bogged down by admin work. It's reassuring to know there's always someone making sure she stays engaged and productive.”
“Their team consistently delivers high-quality candidates who are not only skilled but also aligned with our company culture. It's rare to find a partner that understands your business as deeply and consistently delivers results.”
“I have hired two virtual assistants: one helping with video editing, one with bookkeeping. As a solopreneur it is extremely helpful to delegate to trusted assistants so I can do what matters most. They've been competent, attentive and professional.”
Why we run it the slow way
We could put candidates in front of you faster. Plenty of agencies do. They keep a bench of people who are between clients and match you with whoever is free that week.
We tried it. It does not work, because the person who happens to be free this week is almost never the person who has already done your job. So we recruit from scratch for every single role, and we carry the cost of that until you have met someone and said yes.
It is slower. It costs us more. It is also why clients stay for years instead of months, and why we can afford to tell you on a call that we are the wrong answer for you.
— The VA MASTERS team
“What impressed me most was how VA Masters handled everything from recruitment to ongoing support. No lengthy hiring processes, no HR headaches, just results. For any business owner looking to scale without the operational burden, they deliver exactly what they promise.”
Before you book
Questions founders ask every week.
What do I actually pay to get started?
Nothing. You sign the agreement and we begin recruiting at our cost. Only after you have interviewed candidates and chosen someone do you pay a refundable advance, and that amount is credited straight back against your first invoice. It is not a recruitment fee.
How much does a full-time executive assistant cost per month?
Executive assistant sits in the administrative and operations band, $6.50 to $10 an hour depending on experience. At 40 hours a week that is roughly $1,130 to $1,730 a month, all in, with payroll and HR administration included. You see the exact rate before you commit to anything.
How quickly can someone start?
We usually present candidates within a few business days of the kickoff call. From there the pace is yours. Most clients have someone working within two to three weeks of the first conversation.
Can they work my hours and time zone?
Yes. We agree the schedule before recruiting begins, including US time zones, and only present candidates who are committed to those hours long term.
What if the person isn't a good fit?
Tell us and we start recruiting a replacement immediately. If it happens right at the start, your advance is refunded minus the hours actually worked. You are not locked into someone who isn't working out.
Who employs them? Do I deal with payroll or taxes?
You don't. We handle the employment relationship, payroll and HR administration. You receive one invoice a month for the hours worked and manage the person's day-to-day work, nothing else.
Part-time or full-time?
Both are possible. Full-time gets you a dedicated person and the strongest candidates, since the best applicants are usually looking for a stable full-time role. Minimum monthly hours are agreed per engagement.
What is the difference between an executive VA and an administrative VA?
Scope and judgement. An administrative VA owns process work: data, documents, scheduling, follow-up. An executive assistant owns your time, which means declining things, prioritising things, and telling you what you missed. Both sit in the same rate band with us. The difference shows up in who we shortlist and in how the skills test is built, rather than in the invoice.
Can they handle personal admin as well as work?
Most do, and most founders end up wanting it. Travel, appointments, renewals, gifts and the household admin that eats a Saturday. Agree the boundary early and put it in the role brief, because the people who are good at this are usually happy to do it and would rather be asked than assumed.
How long until they can work without being briefed every morning?
Realistically four to eight weeks for the calendar and the inbox, longer for the judgement calls. It moves faster if you narrate your reasoning out loud for the first fortnight rather than just giving instructions. That is the single biggest difference between the clients where this works quickly and the ones where it takes a quarter.
What if I don't know exactly what I'd delegate?
That's most of the discovery call. We walk through your week, find the repetitive work that doesn't need you, and tell you honestly whether it adds up to a role yet. Sometimes the answer is not yet, and we'll say so.
Is my data safe?
VAs are bound by confidentiality terms, and access is controlled by you through your own password manager and system permissions. Many of our clients work in finance, healthcare administration and legal support.
Is there a long-term contract?
No lock-in period on hours. The agreement covers a notice period for ending or reducing the engagement, which we walk through with you before you sign anything.
What roles can you actually fill?
Anything remote-capable that can be described clearly: administration, bookkeeping, real estate support, e-commerce operations, marketing, customer service, data, design, QA and technical roles. We recruit per client rather than assigning from a bench.
What happens on the discovery call?
Around 20 to 30 minutes. We ask what the work is, what hours you need, what systems you use, and what a good hire would change for you. You get a realistic rate and timeline. No obligation and no payment at any point during it.
Buy back the half of your week that isn't the job.
Sign, and we go and find your EA. You only pay once you've met the candidates and said yes.
- Executive VAs at $6.50 to $10 an hour
- Nothing to pay to get started
- No recruitment fee, ever
- Top candidates in a few business days
- Tested on judgement, not just speed
- Free replacement if it isn't a fit
Send it in writing
Tell us what you need
Not ready for a call? Leave your details, including what a good week would look like if this worked, and we'll come back with a rate, a realistic timeline, and what the shortlist would look like.
Either one is free and neither commits you to anything.