Published May 11, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Wishup is an India-based VA service starting around $999/month -- strong on tech tasks but limited hours for the price
- Stealth Agents offers full-time dedicated Filipino VAs at $0-5/hr -- significantly more hours per dollar
- The main Wishup limitation: part-time fractional model at a full-time price point for most plan tiers
- Philippines VAs and India VAs both offer strong English and professional skills -- the right choice depends on task type
- All Stealth Agents VAs are full-time dedicated -- 160 hours/month vs. Wishup's 20-hour starter plans
Wishup is an India-based virtual assistant service that has grown significantly in the US market. They offer VAs with college education, time tracking, and a range of business support tasks. Their pricing is structured around hour bundles starting around $999/month.
Here are five Wishup alternatives worth evaluating, with a direct comparison on cost, hours, model, and fit.
What Wishup Offers
Wishup places Indian VAs (and some Filipino VAs in some plans) with US businesses. Key features:
- VA sourcing: Claims to accept top 1% of applicants through a multi-stage selection process
- Plans: Starting around $999/month for approximately 20 hours (varies by plan tier)
- Model: Dedicated VA assigned to each client
- Tools: Time tracking, daily reports
- Focus: Tech-savvy VAs capable of using 70+ business tools
The most common Wishup objections: price per hour is high at lower plan tiers, and the starter plan limits hours in a way that does not support full-time operations at the listed price.
1. Stealth Agents
Best for: Full-time dedicated support at the lowest managed rate
Stealth Agents places Filipino VAs in full-time dedicated roles starting at $0-5/hr. For context:
- Wishup starter: ~$999/month for ~20 hours = ~$50/hr effective rate
- Stealth Agents: $640-$800/month for 160 hours = $4-5/hr effective rate
At 8x the hours for a lower monthly cost, Stealth Agents offers dramatically better value for businesses that need ongoing full-time support rather than a small monthly hour allotment.
Coverage: admin, customer service, social media, bookkeeping, research, and industry-specific roles. Vetting includes English assessment, skills testing, background checks, and internet reliability verification.
All placements are full-time and dedicated to one client.
2. Time Etc
Best for: US or UK-based VAs with flexible hours at lower commitment
Time Etc offers US and UK VAs on flexible plans. Rates start around $360/month for 10 hours. Like Wishup, the effective hourly rate is high at lower tiers, but they offer genuine flexibility for businesses that need fewer hours.
3. MyOutDesk
Best for: Real estate professionals needing specialized VA support
MyOutDesk specializes in real estate VAs (transaction coordination, ISA, admin). Full-time rates run $1,750-$2,000/month. Not competitive on price for general business needs but strong for real estate-specific roles.
4. Virtual Coworker
Best for: Businesses wanting a mid-market Filipino VA agency
Virtual Coworker places dedicated full-time Filipino VAs at $8-16/hr. Higher than Stealth Agents but with a different talent pool and account management structure. Worth comparing if Stealth Agents does not have a match for your specific role.
5. OkayRelax
Best for: Light task support without a long-term commitment
OkayRelax offers a task-based model with plans starting around $29/month for 3 tasks. Focused on low-complexity personal and business admin requests. Not suitable for ongoing dedicated support but practical for very occasional task overflow.
Wishup vs. Stealth Agents: The Direct Cost Comparison
| Plan | Wishup | Stealth Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per month | ~20 hrs | 160 hrs (full-time) |
| Monthly cost | ~$999 | $640-$800 |
| Effective hourly rate | ~$50/hr | $4-5/hr |
| Dedicated model | Yes | Yes |
| VA location | India (primarily) | Philippines |
| Full-time option | Yes (higher plan tiers) | Yes (standard) |
For businesses that need ongoing full-time support, Stealth Agents is more cost-effective on every dimension except native English speaker claims. For businesses that need a light monthly allotment, Wishup's pricing structure may be more appropriate.
India vs. Philippines VAs: Is There a Difference?
Both countries produce large volumes of English-fluent, college-educated professionals for remote work. The practical differences:
- English fluency: Both are strong. Philippines is generally considered stronger for American accent comprehension and written English aligned with US style. India is strong for technical and analytical writing.
- Time zone: Philippines (UTC+8) and India (UTC+5:30) are both compatible with US business hours on shifted schedules. Philippines VAs are more accustomed to US daytime hours specifically.
- Cultural familiarity: Philippines has stronger historical alignment with US business culture; India has a deep IT and technical culture that influences service quality in technical roles.
- Task type fit: Philippines VAs are preferred by most US businesses for customer-facing and administrative roles; Indian VAs are often preferred for technical, analytical, and software-related tasks.
FAQ
Q: Is Wishup's "top 1%" claim verifiable?
A: Wishup reports accepting a small percentage of applicants through a multi-step screening process. Like most agency claims of this type, it is not independently audited. What matters more than the claim is the actual quality of the candidate you receive. Run a paid test task with any new VA before the full engagement begins, regardless of provider.
Q: Does Stealth Agents offer a trial period?
A: Stealth Agents recommends approaching the engagement as a long-term hire rather than a trial. The onboarding investment during weeks one and two pays back over months. Contact Stealth Agents to discuss what a right-fit start looks like for your specific situation.
Q: Which service is better for technical or software-related VA tasks?
A: For technical tasks (software configuration, basic development support, data analysis, technical customer support), Indian VAs often have stronger technical education pipelines. For general business admin, customer service, content, and social media, Filipino VAs are typically the preferred choice for US businesses.
Q: Are there Wishup alternatives that charge per task instead of per hour?
A: Fancy Hands and OkayRelax use per-task models. These work for very light, sporadic needs. For ongoing business support requiring institutional knowledge of your business, a dedicated hourly or monthly model is always more effective than task-based services.
Wishup is a respectable VA service, but the effective cost per hour is high compared to dedicated full-time alternatives. Stealth Agents delivers 8x the hours at a lower monthly cost, with dedicated full-time Filipino VAs starting at $0-5/hr and replacement guarantees included.