Virtual Assistant
The short answer: Virtual assistants mostly charge $20 to $25 an hour, says VA coach Erin Booth, while Abbey Ashley of The Virtual Savvy suggests packages around $30 an hour. The catch for a virtual assistant is landing clients, and Abbey says the first comes mainly through your personal network. (Erin Booth | Your VA Coach; The Virtual Savvy) Virtual assistant work suits people without specialist training, since Abbey lists services beginners can sell with none. (The Virtual Savvy)
| Reported earnings | $12–$100/hr 2 reports by 2 creators, Jan 2026–Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| One creator's reported part-time earnings | $600–$2,000/month 2 reports by The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), Sep 2026–Oct 2026 |
| One creator's reported startup cost | $0 Reported by Side Hustle Hero, Jul 2026 |
| One creator's reported time to first dollar | 14 days Reported by Freelance to Freedom, Oct 2026 |
From 18 quotes by 5 creators. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: all the virtual assistant evidence
How much do virtual assistants make?
Virtual assistants in Abbey's examples make $1,200 a month on 10 hours a week, and she says some stay-at-home moms make an extra $600 a month. Erin, who pitches her own course, argues specialty services such as AI automation setups and CRM management could earn $50-100/hour. (The Virtual Savvy; Erin Booth | Your VA Coach)
What do people doing virtual assistant say?
“What I tell people is pay 12 or 15, which feels like a lot, and then pay that to somebody in Central America, South America.”
“Most VAs in 2026 are still charging 20 to $25 an hour.”
“let's say a 40-hour package for $1,200 a month, you're working 10 hours a week making $1,200 a month for your family”
“We have people who are stay-at-home moms and make an extra $600 a month also”
What does it cost to start as a virtual assistant?
Side Hustle Hero's advice for a starting virtual assistant is that a computer and any programs you have are what you can offer. Abbey adds an onboarding setup of discovery calls, payments, contracts and password sharing. (Side Hustle Hero; The Virtual Savvy)
- Use ChatGPT to turn your existing experience into a list of services. (The Virtual Savvy)
- Build labelled sample projects into a one-page portfolio. (Erin Booth | Your VA Coach)
- Ask your personal network for a first client. (The Virtual Savvy)
- Typical education: high school (The Virtual Savvy)
How long until a virtual assistant gets a first client?
A virtual assistant featured on Freelance to Freedom launched a month after being laid off and got a first client within two weeks. She built flexibility to work on her own terms but still works around clients, taking their calls during the day. (Freelance to Freedom)
Who should become a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant works remotely for a small business owner, and Abbey calls it one of the best side hustles for students. Skip it if daytime calls are impossible, since the Freelance to Freedom guest takes client calls during the day. (The Virtual Savvy; Freelance to Freedom)
Is being a virtual assistant worth it?
Pros
- Clients pay to save time rather than for expertise, Abbey says, which is why her 15 services need no extra training. (The Virtual Savvy)
- Abbey says growth comes from 4-7 recurring clients or subcontracting into an agency. (The Virtual Savvy)
Cons
- Chris Koerner tells people to pay $12 or $15 an hour to somebody in Central America or South America. (Chris Koerner)
- Abbey's students describe persistent follow-up to win clients. (The Virtual Savvy)
What are the risks of being a virtual assistant?
Virtual assistants on LinkedIn can meet fake clients, and Erin's warning signs include an important title with few connections, a stock photo headshot, being hired without a conversation and offers to send money for a laptop. Her portfolio warnings also cover unedited AI output. (Erin Booth | Your VA Coach)
What are the alternatives to virtual assistant?
- Online Marketplaces as a side hustle: Also can go full-time, from home; often covered together (2 shared videos).
- Tutoring side hustle: Also can go full-time, from home.
- Tech Support as a side hustle: Also from home.
- Freelance Writing: Also from home.
- Transcriptions side hustle: Also in online and remote work.
Part of: side hustles: from home
What else should you know about virtual assistant work?
What services can a beginner virtual assistant sell?
Abbey's list includes email, calendar, data entry, customer support, Canva graphics and travel planning. (The Virtual Savvy)
How do a client and a virtual assistant split the work?
Side Hustle Hero says the client brings the what and the VA brings the how. (Side Hustle Hero)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the all the virtual assistant evidence.
- Erin Booth | Your VA Coach, YouTube, 27 Oct 2026.
- The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), YouTube, 24 Sep 2026.
- The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), YouTube, 15 Oct 2026.
- Side Hustle Hero, podcast, 28 Jul 2026.
- Erin Booth | Your VA Coach, YouTube, 2 Nov 2026.
- Freelance to Freedom, podcast, 6 Oct 2026.
- The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), YouTube, 29 Oct 2026.
- Chris Koerner, podcast, 13 Jan 2026.
- The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), YouTube, 28 Oct 2026.
- Erin Booth | Your VA Coach, YouTube, 5 Nov 2026.
- Freelance to Freedom, podcast, 13 Oct 2026.
- The Virtual Savvy (Abbey Ashley), YouTube, 17 Sep 2026.
Other data behind this page (4)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time or part-time | full time capable | Accepted | Freelance to Freedom |
| Fit by life phase (student) | 0.80 score 0–1 | Accepted | The Virtual Savvy |
| Schedule control | own schedule | Accepted | Freelance to Freedom |
| Work mode | remote | Accepted | Freelance to Freedom; The Virtual Savvy |