Executive Assistants
Which virtual assistant staffing agency is right for your team?
Mar 17, 2026
5 min read
TL;DR
A virtual assistant staffing agency can look affordable on paper and still create more work for your team if the model does not match how your executives operate. That is why People leaders should compare these providers by support model, cost, coverage, and tradeoffs instead of looking at headline pricing alone.
“The most challenging role we had to hire for at Shippo was an EA; we just couldn’t get it right. We were finding good people but struggled to find candidates who could keep up with the speed and level we expected – until we decided to onboard a Viva EA.” – Teryle Aguilar, SVP of People at Shippo
Below, we compare six virtual assistant staffing agencies that support companies in the US and show where virtual assistant recruitment agencies differ most: full-time versus fractional support, shared versus dedicated coverage, and light admin help versus true executive support.
Table of contents
- What is a virtual assistant staffing agency?
- 6 virtual assistant staffing agencies in the US
- Side-by-side comparison: Cost, model, and tradeoffs
- Which virtual assistant staffing agency fits your team?
- CTA
- FAQs
What is a virtual assistant staffing agency?
A virtual assistant staffing agency helps companies hire remote assistants who support executives with work like calendar management, inbox triage, meeting prep, hiring coordination, travel planning, stakeholder follow-up, and team communication. Some virtual assistant recruitment agencies focus on sourcing candidates and leaving the rest to you. Others package training, performance support, and coverage into their service.
“Viva is great at matching you with the right EA. The hiring process and speed are really strong and make Viva stand out from other options. We have onboarded with Viva multiple times and trusted their judgment to select the best EAs for us based on our needs.” – Bruno Schirch, CEO at Playgig
That distinction matters more for enterprise teams than most buyers expect. People leaders usually are not solving for one overloaded executive. They are solving for repeatable support across multiple leaders, functions, and workflows. That is where many virtual assistant recruitment agencies start to diverge.
According to Harvard Business Review, fractional arrangements work best when the scope is tightly defined, but tend to fail when there’s unclear ownership, poor integration into culture, or when the executive just applies past experience without contextual fit.
A provider that works well for a solo founder may not work well for a VP bench, a People team, or a distributed leadership group that needs consistency, security, and dependable follow-through.
6 virtual assistant staffing agencies in the US
Deloitte’s 2024 Global Outsourcing Survey reported that 80% of executives plan to maintain or increase investment in third-party outsourcing, and that skilled talent and agility have now joined cost reduction as primary drivers (a shift away from pure cost focus). So the question is not whether you should hire a virtual EA agency, but rather: Which virtual EA agency should you choose? Here are 6 options:
1. Athena
- Model: Full-time dedicated EA
- Advertised cost: Around $3,600/month
- Effective hourly rate: Around $22.50/hour
Athena stands out because it offers a full-time dedicated assistant model at a relatively low monthly price compared with many other virtual assistant staffing agencies.
For teams that want a named assistant instead of rotating support, that structure can feel straightforward. Buyers who compare virtual assistant recruitment agencies often gravitate toward Athena t because the full-time price looks simpler than fractional plans with blocks and tiered packaging.
The main consideration is operating style. Athena tends to offer asynchronous support and overnight work, which can suit some executives but create friction for others. If your leaders need fast back-and-forth collaboration during the US workday, Athena’s model may not be the ideal fit.
For People leaders, Athena can make sense when the company values full-time coverage and price discipline, but it may be less ideal when the role needs real-time partnership across several cross-functional stakeholders.
2. Boldly
- Model: Fractional monthly blocks
- Advertised cost: $2,600 to $5,200, depending on hours
- Effective hourly rate: Around $65/hour
Boldly sits in the premium fractional category and appeals to companies that want experienced, US-based support without hiring a full-time assistant. Among virtual assistant recruitment agencies, Boldly positions itself as a flexible option for executives who need reliable help but do not want to commit to a full-time role. That can work well for leaders with stable but limited support needs.
The tradeoff becomes clear when usage expands. Fractional support looks manageable at first, but the effective cost rises quickly if executives need more hours, more responsiveness, or broader project ownership.
For a People leader evaluating virtual assistant staffing across multiple executives, that math matters. A premium hourly model may fit a single senior leader with contained needs, but it becomes harder to justify when the support has to scale across recruiting coordination, team engagement, planning, and internal communications.
3. Worxbee
- Model: Fractional monthly blocks
- Advertised cost: $2,760 to $4,140+
- Effective hourly rate: Around $69/hour
Worxbee also operates in the fractional category, and its pricing structure places it among the more expensive options among the agencies mentioned here. Like other virtual assistant recruitment agencies that sell support in blocks, Worxbee can appeal to buyers who want flexibility and do not need a fully dedicated assistant. That may be enough for an executive who needs help with scheduling, inbox cleanup, or occasional admin support.
Still, companies should look closely at the gap between flexibility and long-term value. When People leaders compare virtual assistant staffing agencies, they usually need to know whether the assistant will do more than keep a calendar organized.
Can the person help with interview coordination, documentation, meeting prep, follow-up, and special projects without creating handoff issues every week? With higher hourly pricing, Worxbee may be best for narrow support needs rather than broad executive partnership across a growing leadership team.
4. Zirtual
- Model: Fractional packages
- Advertised cost: $599 to $1,699, depending on hours
- Effective hourly rate: Roughly $38 to $50/hour
Zirtual usually enters the conversation when buyers want a lower-commitment option. Its packages feel accessible and easy to test. That makes Zirtual attractive for light support use cases, especially when an executive mainly needs help with repeatable administrative work instead of deeper strategic coordination.
Among virtual assistant recruitment agencies, Zirtual often fits the “good enough to get started” category.
The limitation is coverage depth. Shared support models can help with basic tasks, but they falter when work is time-sensitive, nuanced, or executive-facing. A lighter shared package may not hold up if your assistant needs to understand how your company runs, manage sensitive information, or proactively support People Operations.
For enterprise teams, Zirtual may be best viewed as a task-support option rather than a true embedded executive support solution.
5. BaseHQ
- Model: Fractional subscription
- Advertised cost: Around $2,600/month for 40 hours
- Effective hourly rate: Around $65/hour
BaseHQ is another premium fractional model. On the surface, that gives buyers a predictable subscription rather than open-ended freelancer billing, which many teams prefer. When comparing virtual assistant recruitment agencies, this kind of structure can feel more orderly and easier to budget than ad hoc help. It may suit an executive who knows exactly how many hours they need and can keep the work tightly scoped.
The challenge emerges when support needs move beyond a narrow lane. A fractional subscription often works best when the work remains contained, but People leaders rarely operate in contained conditions. Priorities shift, hiring cycles spike, meetings multiply, and internal communications need quick follow-up. In those situations, virtual assistant staffing agencies that price support like premium hourly consulting can start to get expensive fast.
BaseHQ may work for smaller workloads, but it is harder to position as the obvious answer for leaders who need broad, always-on support.
6. Viva Talent
- Model: Full-time dedicated EA
- Advertised cost: $3,999 for one executive, $4,999 for two executives
- Effective hourly rate: About $25 to $31/hour
Viva differs from many virtual assistant recruitment agencies because it combines a dedicated assistant with a more structured service model. The assistant works full-time, but Viva’s value-add also includes training, coaching, equipment, and PTO coverage in the pricing. That matters for People leaders because it reduces the amount of support infrastructure the company has to build on its own.
Instead of sourcing talent and then figuring everything else out internally, the company buys a more complete operating setup.
This is also where Viva looks more enterprise-ready than many other virtual assistant staffing agencies. The pricing stays close to full-time alternatives while the support model aims to reduce ramp friction and execution risk.
That model can be easier to scale for teams supporting one to two executives per EA and trying to build a durable system.
Side-by-side comparison: Cost, model, and tradeoffs
Which virtual assistant staffing agency fits your team?
The answer depends less on cost and more on how your executives actually work. Some virtual assistant recruitment agencies serve companies that want light support, flexible hours, and low commitment. Others serve orgs that want a true partner embedded in the day-to-day work of leadership. Those are different purchases, even though both fall under virtual assistant staffing.
Deloitte’s 2024 HR Technology Trends establishes that contingent and non-full-time labor now make up over a third of the US labor market and that HR teams are increasingly focused on managing the gap between full-time and contingent workers. This is useful context for why People leaders, not just founders, need to think carefully about support models.
If your team only needs occasional scheduling, inbox help, or task support, a fractional provider like Boldly, Worxbee, Zirtual, or BaseHQ may be a good fit. If your executives need someone who can manage process cadences, protect your focus, coordinate across functions, and be embedded confidently in high-trust workflows, the full-time options become more compelling.
“The business impact that Viva has had on the team is all the time they’ve given back to their executives. They would not have been able to do half the things they’ve done if they didn’t have these EAs help them.” – Latoya Freeman, Exec Ops Partner at Notion
That is why People leaders often land on a different shortlist than individual founders do when they review virtual assistant recruitment agencies.
For enterprise teams, the biggest question is not: “Which provider is cheapest?” Instead, it is: “Which model creates the least friction as support scales?” A cheaper hourly option can become expensive if it creates handoffs, limited ownership, or inconsistent execution.
A more structured virtual assistant staffing agency can cost more upfront and still save time, energy, and management lift across the leadership team.
The best virtual assistant staffing agency for your company depends on how much support your executives need, how much ownership you expect from the assistant, and how much operational lift your internal team can absorb.
If you want a model built for consistency, coverage, and enterprise-level support, book a call today and find the best assistant for you and your team.
FAQs
What does a virtual assistant staffing agency do?
A virtual assistant staffing agency helps companies hire remote assistants who support executives with scheduling, inbox management, meeting prep, hiring coordination, travel planning, and follow-up work.
How are virtual assistant recruitment agencies different from marketplaces?
Virtual assistant recruitment agencies usually source and vet assistants through a more structured process, while marketplaces tend to give you access to freelancers that you manage more directly yourself.
Which virtual assistant staffing agency is best for enterprise teams?
Enterprise teams usually benefit most from a provider that offers dedicated support, faster ramp time, and a model that reduces management overhead across multiple executives.
Are fractional plans cheaper than full-time support?
They can look cheaper at first, but the effective hourly rate is often much higher. That is why companies comparing virtual assistant recruitment agencies should look at total value, not just entry pricing.
When should a People leader choose a full-time assistant model?
A People leader should usually consider a full-time model when executives need steady support, sensitive coordination, and dependable follow-through across meetings, hiring, and internal communications.
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Fadua is a bilingual advertiser and holds a master’s degree in creative writing. With over ten years of experience, she has written countless advertising and social media campaigns, blogs, interviews, and everything in between. She writes about startups, the impact of executive assistants, and the stories behind their work. When she’s not writing, she is spending quality time with her husband and son, hiking, reading, or discovering new cafés.
