Key Takeaways
Executive-assistant cost depends heavily on the hiring model. Direct freelance support can start much lower than a managed service, while an in-house hire adds employer-side costs beyond salary.
- Freelance benchmark: Upwork says independent virtual assistants on its marketplace generally charge about $10–$20 per hour; executive-level or specialized support can price higher.
- Managed-service examples: public plans checked in August 2026 ranged from roughly $27/hour equivalent at Prialto to $65/hour at Boldly, with Time Etc publishing plans around $36–$39/hour.
- In-house benchmark: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a mean annual wage of $79,140 for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in May 2025, before employer-side benefits, payroll taxes, equipment, and recruiting costs.
These are benchmarks, not interchangeable quotes. Scope, geography, seniority, hours, management support, and continuity provisions can materially change the price.
Executive-assistant pricing looks confusing because the same search can surface a freelance contractor, a managed support service, and a full-time employee. Those are different operating models, so comparing the headline number without comparing what is included can be misleading.
This guide compares current public benchmarks across direct freelance support, managed services, and in-house employment. More importantly, it explains what is included in each model so you can compare total scope rather than a headline rate alone.
The honest price ranges
Current public benchmarks show a wide spread: direct freelance VA work can sit near $10–$20 per hour, managed services can range much higher depending on what is included, and an employee adds employer-side costs beyond salary.
The examples below were checked against publicly available sources in August 2026. They are useful benchmarks, but they are not apples-to-apples because each model includes different levels of service.
Independent virtual assistants
Upwork states that independent VAs on its marketplace generally charge $10–$20 per hour. That is a broad VA benchmark, not a guarantee for experienced executive-level support.
Time Etc
Its public plans list 10 hours for $390/month and 60 hours for $2,160/month, equivalent to about $36–$39 per hour depending on the plan.
Prialto
Public pricing starts at $1,500/month for 55 hours, or about $27 per hour equivalent, plus its stated setup/minimum-term conditions.
Boldly
Public pricing lists $2,600/month for 40 hours, or $65 per hour equivalent, with larger plans available.
In-house executive administrative support
BLS reported a mean annual wage of $79,140 for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in May 2025. Salary is not the same as total employer cost.
How to read the numbers: A $15/hour direct contractor and a $65/hour managed plan are not necessarily the same service at different prices. Compare seniority, hours, vetting, onboarding, account support, continuity terms, minimum commitments, and what management work remains with you.
What actually drives the price
The largest pricing drivers are role seniority, judgment level, geography, hours, service model, and how much recruiting or management support is included.
Four things move the number more than anything else:
1. Judgment level
Pricing usually rises with the amount of context, autonomy, discretion, and specialized experience the role requires. Routine administrative work may price differently from executive-level support involving complex coordination or sensitive stakeholder communication.
2. Vetting and training — who pays for it
Recruiting and onboarding effort exists in every model, but who carries it changes. A direct hire or freelancer may require more buyer-led sourcing and onboarding, while some managed services bundle parts of that work into their fee.
3. Coverage and continuity
A direct one-person arrangement creates more dependence on that individual. Some managed providers offer replacement or continuity processes, but the terms vary and should be verified before purchase.
4. Time zone and availability
Real-time overlap can command a premium compared with lower-cost asynchronous or offshore arrangements. Whether that premium is worthwhile depends on how reactive the work is and how much live coordination the role requires.
The cost that doesn’t show up on the invoice
The invoice is only part of the cost; sourcing, onboarding, management, software, continuity, and the buyer’s own time can materially change total cost.
The less visible cost is management overhead. If a lower-cost hire requires significant sourcing, rework, supervision, or replacement effort, those hours belong in the comparison too. For a founder, one practical method is to estimate the value of the hours spent managing the arrangement and include that in total cost.
Price the role around your workload.
Ryvo focuses on matching founders and CEOs with vetted executive-assistant support. An intro call can help define the responsibilities and support model before you compare cost.
Book an Intro CallIs an executive assistant worth the cost?
An executive assistant is economically worthwhile when the value of the capacity returned exceeds the total cost of the support model you choose.
The decision is economic when you compare total support cost with the value of the capacity returned. For example, if an assistant reliably removes ten hours of work per week and those hours can be redirected to work worth more than the support costs, the arrangement can produce positive leverage. The inputs should come from your own workload and economics rather than a generic ROI promise.
Pricing methodology: A Freelance marketplace guidance, provider pricing pages, and BLS wage data were checked in August 2026. Public prices can change, and provider plans differ in hours, location, assistant seniority, management support, commitments, and replacement terms. Re-check source pricing before making a purchasing decision.
Common questions
There is no single market price for an executive assistant because freelance, managed, and employee models include different services and obligations.
How much does an executive assistant cost per month?
There is no single market price. Public managed-service examples checked in August 2026 ranged from $390 per month for 10 hours at Time Etc to $2,600 per month for 40 hours at Boldly, while Prialto listed $1,500 per month for 55 hours. These plans include different service levels and are not directly interchangeable.
Why are some virtual assistants much less expensive?
Lower direct rates can reflect geography, experience, specialization, employment model, or a narrower service scope. A direct freelancer may also exclude recruiting, onboarding, management, continuity, or replacement support that some managed providers bundle into their fees.
Is a freelancer or a managed service cheaper?
A freelancer can be cheaper on the direct rate. A managed service may cost more because it can include sourcing, matching, account support, or continuity processes. For a fuller model comparison, see our agency vs. freelancer vs. in-house guide.
