Updated May 23, 2026
Key Takeaways
- VA costs break into four components: hourly rate, management overhead, tool/software costs, and payment processing fees - most people only budget the hourly rate.
- Philippines-based VAs run $5-15/hr; US-based run $20-50/hr; Latin American run $10-20/hr - geography is the primary cost driver.
- Full-time (40 hrs/week) costs: direct Philippines hire $800-$1,600/month; Philippines agency $1,600-$2,400/month; US-based $3,200-$8,000/month.
- Your management time (onboarding, feedback, oversight) is a real cost that should be calculated at your opportunity cost rate.
- Stealth Agents' dedicated VAs start at $10/hr - one of the most competitive rates for agency-backed dedicated Philippines support.
Most people budget for VA cost by multiplying hourly rate times hours. That covers the labor cost but misses several other real costs. Here is the full picture.
Component 1: Hourly Rate
The most visible cost. Ranges by geography and engagement type:
Philippines-based (offshore):
- Direct hire (OnlineJobs.ph, Upwork): $5-$10/hr general admin; $10-$20/hr specialized roles
- Agency-placed (Stealth Agents, MyOutDesk): $10-$20/hr general admin; $15-$30/hr specialized
- Full-time (160 hrs/month) all-in: $800-$3,200/month depending on tier
Latin American (nearshore):
- Direct hire: $8-$15/hr
- Agency-placed: $12-$22/hr
- Full-time all-in: $1,280-$3,520/month
US-based (domestic):
- Direct hire: $20-$45/hr
- Agency-placed: $25-$60/hr
- Full-time all-in: $3,200-$9,600/month
On-demand services:
- Per-request: $10-$25/request
- Monthly plans: $30-$500/month (limited request caps)
Component 2: Management Overhead
Your time has value. The hours you spend managing a VA are not free.
First hire (one-time):
- Job post, screening, and interviews (direct hire): 10-18 hours
- Agency placement intake and briefing: 1-3 hours
- Test task design and evaluation: 2-4 hours
- Onboarding, SOP writing, first-cycle review: 5-10 hours
- Total first-hire investment: 18-35 hours (direct) or 8-17 hours (agency)
Ongoing per month (established relationship):
- Weekly check-ins: 1-2 hours
- Task assignment and briefing: 1-3 hours
- Quality review and feedback: 1-2 hours
- Typical monthly management: 3-7 hours
At an opportunity cost of $100/hr, management overhead adds $300-$700/month ongoing. This cost is real - it is your time that could be spent on revenue-generating work.
Component 3: Software and Tool Costs
To work with a VA effectively, you typically need:
Password manager (required): $4-$8/user/month (1Password, Bitwarden)
Task management tool: $10-$25/month (Asana, ClickUp) if not already paying for these
Time tracking (optional but useful): $0-$10/month (Toggl free tier is adequate)
Communication (Slack, email): Usually already in your stack
Total tool overhead: $15-$50/month typically
Component 4: Payment and Platform Fees
Payment processing:
- Wise (international transfer): 0.5-1% of payment
- PayPal: 3-4% + exchange rate markup
- Deel: $19-$49/month platform fee plus payment processing
Platform fees (direct hire):
- Upwork client fee: 5% of amount paid to freelancer
- OnlineJobs.ph subscription: $70/month (required to contact applicants)
For agency arrangements, payment processing is usually handled by the agency - you pay one invoice.
Full Monthly Cost Examples
Scenario 1: Part-time Philippines VA via agency (20 hrs/week)
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| VA rate (80 hrs × $10/hr) | $800 |
| Management overhead (5 hrs × $100) | $500 |
| Password manager | $8 |
| Payment processing | ~$8 |
| Total | $1,316 |
Scenario 2: Full-time Philippines VA via direct hire
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| VA rate (160 hrs × $7/hr) | $1,120 |
| OnlineJobs.ph subscription | $70 |
| Management overhead (6 hrs × $100) | $600 |
| Wise transfer fee | ~$11 |
| Total | $1,801 |
Scenario 3: Full-time US-based VA via agency
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| VA rate (160 hrs × $35/hr) | $5,600 |
| Management overhead (4 hrs × $100) | $400 |
| Payment (included in agency invoice) | $0 |
| Total | $6,000 |
Comparing Total Cost of Ownership
The full monthly cost comparison looks very different from the hourly rate comparison alone:
| Option | Hourly Rate | Full Monthly Cost (Full-Time) |
|---|---|---|
| Philippines direct | $7/hr | $1,800 |
| Philippines agency (Stealth Agents) | $10/hr | $2,200 |
| Latin American agency | $15/hr | $3,100 |
| US-based agency | $35/hr | $6,000 |
The direct vs. agency Philippines gap is smaller in total cost than the hourly rate suggests - the agency absorbs payroll overhead, payment processing, and replacement support that add cost to direct arrangements.
The Payback Calculation
The simplest payback calculation: total monthly VA cost / value of your recaptured time.
If your full-time Philippines VA costs $2,200/month all-in and frees 100 hours of your time per month, and your opportunity cost is $150/hr, the value of recaptured time is $15,000/month. Net return: $12,800/month. The payback period is measured in days.
Even at 30 hours recaptured per month and $100/hr opportunity cost, the value ($3,000) exceeds the cost ($2,200) in month two. The ROI case for VA investment is strong for most business owners who delegate meaningfully.