How Much Does a Virtual Assistant (or Online Business Manager) Cost?
If you’ve been thinking about hiring support, one of the first questions that comes up is cost. What does it really take to bring a virtual assistant (VA) or online business manager (OBM) into your business? And why do some VAs charge $25 an hour while others are closer to $75 (or more)? As an experienced creative virtual assistant and online business manager, I’d love to help shed some light on what rates are typical and why they vary so much.
Here’s the thing: people don’t really talk about this openly. Rates aren’t usually listed on websites or social media, which can make it tricky to know what’s considered “normal” in today’s market. That lack of transparency sometimes leads to unrealistic expectations, such as hoping to find highly skilled, specialized support for $30 or less/hour. The truth is, rates for U.S.-based VAs and OBMs fall within fairly consistent ranges, and once you know what those are, it’s easier to make a smart, realistic decision that’s best for you and your business.
Average Rates for Virtual Assistants in the U.S.
On average, U.S.-based virtual assistants charge $25 to $75 per hour.
Entry-level/general VAs: These VAs are closer to $25–$35 per hour. They are often newer or focused on task-based administrative support such as inbox management, scheduling, or data entry. If you hire an entry-level VA, you should be prepared to do quite a bit more hand-holding, training, and management. These VAs do not yet have the experience to take tasks fully off your plate, but the trade-off is that this support comes at a lower cost.
Experienced/specialized VAs: These VAs are closer to $35–$75 per hour. They bring deeper skillsets, often with proficiency in specific platforms such as CRMs, project management tools, or social scheduling systems. They can take ownership of areas such as marketing, operations, client communication, or executive support. Hiring an experienced VA allows you to truly hand things off and trust that tasks will be managed independently. While the hourly rate is higher, the time, stress, and oversight you save make this a smart investment.
For online business managers (OBMs), rates are higher because they focus on strategy, marketing, leadership, managing systems, teams, and big-picture operations. U.S.-based OBMs often charge $65–$120+ per hour, or work on monthly retainers that start around $1,500–$3,000.
VA vs. Creative VA vs. OBM
Not all virtual assistants are the same. Here is where the nuances come in:
Virtual Assistant (VA)
A VA is often task-oriented. They are there to take specific responsibilities off your plate so you can focus on higher-level work.
Creative Virtual Assistant
A creative VA is more niche. They often specialize in industries such as the wedding world, photography, design, fashion, or other creative industries where understanding your market, ideal clients, workflows, and niche creative assistance is critical. Creative VAs often bring skills in marketing, social media, design, blogging with SEO best practices, specific content creation, or behind-the-scenes client experience. Because of this industry expertise, they should be hired at the higher end of the VA range, reflecting the niche value, speed, and high-quality results they bring to your business.
Online Business Manager (OBM)
An OBM is less about individual tasks and more about big-picture management. They oversee operations, lead teams, build systems, and ensure the business runs smoothly or better than ever before. Hiring an OBM often means you are ready to fully step into your role as CEO while someone else helps effectively runs the day-to-day.
Why Hire a VA or OBM Instead of an Employee?
Hiring a VA or OBM comes with unique advantages compared to bringing on a full-time employee:
Part-time flexibility: Many experienced VAs and OBMs work with multiple clients. This allows you to secure someone with real expertise who can consistently work part-time without the cost of a full-time hire.
Specialized experience: Because VAs often support multiple businesses in your industry, they bring perspective, proven workflows, and creative problem-solving you might not get from an employee who has not seen as many scenarios.
No employee benefits: As contractors, you do not have to manage benefits, payroll taxes, or insurance. This keeps costs predictable and administrative overhead low.
Diverse insights: Working with varied clients gives a VA or OBM unique ideas and strategies they can adapt for your business. This can save you time and help you avoid common pitfalls.
If You’re Hiring a VA: How to Budget and Choose the Right Fit
When you are thinking about hiring, your budget should reflect more than just the hourly rate. It should reflect your goals and the level of independence you want from your VA too.
Ask yourself:
How much do I want to stay in the driver’s seat?
If you hire an entry-level VA, you will need to be more involved by directing tasks, providing guidance, and training them.Do I want someone who can take things and run with them?
Hiring an experienced or specialized VA allows you to hand off tasks confidently. They can manage projects, clients, or marketing without constant oversight, freeing you to focus on other areas of your business.Am I ready to fully hand things off?
If you want big-picture leadership to manage projects, people, and operations, an OBM is the right investment.Do I need pre-existing experience, technical skills, or industry-niche expertise?
Consider whether the work requires someone who already knows your platforms, systems, or industry-specific processes, or if you are comfortable training them. Examples might include:Communicating with ultra-luxury wedding clientele in your brand voice
Updating your CRM or website and improving workflows to elevate client experience
Managing advanced social media, marketing campaigns, or design projects
Optimizing SEO or other technical content strategies
By thinking through these questions, you can better determine the level of expertise and independence you need, which will help you choose the VA or OBM who is the right fit for your business.
If You’re a Virtual Assistant: How to Consider Setting Your Rates
If you are starting out as a VA or thinking about adjusting your rates, here are some key criteria to consider:
Experience and expertise: How many years have you been supporting businesses? Do you have specialized knowledge or certifications in certain platforms, industries, or workflows? The more experience and expertise you have, the more confidently you can justify charging higher rates.
Specialized services: If you can handle marketing, operations, client communication, or project management, especially in industries such as weddings, photography, design, or fashion, you are offering value that goes beyond basic administrative support. You should charge more because your skills save your clients time, improve their results, and reduce their stress.
Efficiency and quality: Consider how quickly and effectively you complete tasks. Experienced VAs often work faster and deliver higher-quality results than someone less experienced, which directly benefits the client’s business.
Scope of work: Are you doing simple admin tasks, or are you managing projects, campaigns, or client experiences? The complexity and responsibility of the work should be reflected in your rates.
Client goals and expectations: Think about the kind of clients you want to serve and the level of independence they expect from you. Clients who want someone to take things off their plate entirely will expect to pay for higher-level expertise.
This is not about charging as high as possible. It is about setting rates that reflect the value you bring, your experience, and the real results your clients will see.
Real-World Examples
Here is what these rates might look like in practice for creative entrepreneurs:
Photographer or wedding business:
Inbox management and scheduling only: $25–$35/hour
Blog writing, gallery prep, or social media management: $35–$55/hour
Full client experience support plus systems management: $55–$75/hour
Designer or fashion entrepreneur:
Order tracking and email follow-ups: $25–$35/hour
Marketing campaigns, Shopify updates, or content creation: $40–$65/hour
Managing team, launches, and operations: OBM level, $65–$120+/hour
Creative agencies:
Admin-heavy support, such as scheduling or basic CRM updates: $25–$35/hour
Social media strategy, client onboarding, or operations workflows: $35–$75/hour
Project management and leadership: OBM level, $65–$120+/hour
These examples show how the same “virtual assistant” role can vary widely depending on skill level, industry expertise, and scope of work.
Why the Range Exists
Like most things in business, you get what you pay for.
Lower-cost support is great for simple tasks or when you are just starting to delegate. It requires more hand-holding, training, and oversight, but saves you money while still easing the burden of doing it all on your own.
Higher-cost support provides expertise, efficiency, and a proactive partner. These VAs or OBMs can identify gaps, streamline processes, and spot opportunities you might not see yourself.
The Bottom Line
Support pricing is not always talked about openly, which can make the industry feel opaque. However, when you understand the ranges, you can set realistic expectations and make a decision that feels right for your business.
If you are hiring a VA, consider their experience, expertise, and ability to manage independently. Hiring the right person at the right rate will save you time, reduce stress, and provide dramatic benefits to your business.
This is not just about cost. It is about finding the right support to help your business grow, give you more freedom, and allow you to focus on the work you love.
Ready to Work With a Creative VA or OBM?
Virtual Bliss Assisting is a creative, boutique virtual assistant company that offers busy creatives the tailored support they need to achieve better work-life balance. If you are a creative entrepreneur in need of a creative virtual assistant or online business manager, we would love for you to hop on our waitlist so we can schedule a discovery call with you when we next have availability. We have assistants with years of experience in the wedding, creative, design, client relations, and marketing industries on our team, ready to help take a load off and help you take your business to the next level.
If you’re a creative entreprenuer, and you would like to learn more about our hourly rate, packages, and services, you can find that information here on our website. We hope this was helpful and wish you success in finding the right support for your business needs.
