If you are here, there is a chance you’re a startup founder juggling multiple responsibilities or a seasoned professional striving for work-life balance.
Hiring VAs to offload some of your work will help you streamline operations and reclaim valuable hours you can spend on the key parts of your business.
Virtual assistant websites offer you great options to find VAs for your needs, but we believe in teh agency method — and we will tell you why.
Here are the top 8 VA websites we would recommend and then discuss why you’re better off working with a VA agency instead.
Let’s start with the difference between virtual assistant websites and virtual assistant agencies.
Note: Ready to hire VA services for your business? At Cascade Virtual, we are the business growth partners you need. We offer you U.S.-based VAs with over 10 years of experience at a $35-$50 hourly rate. Our team takes care of the activities that weigh you down while you focus on the core parts of your business. Book a meeting with us!
Virtual assistant websites vs virtual assistant agencies: what’s the difference?
A common misconception we see in the industry and in most of the blog posts people create about virtual assistant services is that they believe VA websites and VA agencies offer you the same services and classify them in the same category.
Well, there is a big difference between the two, and here is why.
Virtual assistant websites or VA platforms provide a platform for independent VAs to offer their service. VAs can create an account there, and you can scroll through several profiles and hire the best fit for your needs.
We can argue that they offer clients flexibility and control, but they require more active management from you, the client.
Virtual assistant agencies, on the other hand, offer businesses and independent professionals managed virtual assistant services with specialized expertise and systems to ensure consistent quality work and more support. As a result, it may come with a higher cost.
There is more to the difference between VA websites and VA agencies. We’ll discuss it more and better later on in this article.
8 Best Virtual Assistant Websites and Platforms to Hire VAs
Here are 8 top websites and platforms where you can find virtual assistants and how to hire them.
Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the go-to places for individuals and businesses to hire virtual assistants. It’s a well-known freelance marketplace where you can find VAs with all sorts of skills and expertise for both basic and advanced business tasks. Some of the best virtual assistant services are offered there.
The beauty of Fiverr lies in its diversity. You can find VAs with various expertise levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals. Pricing on Fiverr is often flexible, with many VAs offering both hourly rates and project-based pricing.
There are VAs charging as low as $5 per hour for their services, while others charge up to $100 or even $200 per hour for their service. It’ll all depends on the tasks you want to delegate to them and how complex it is to complete.
If you’re looking to hire on Fiverr, start by searching for the specific talent you’re looking for by including the right keyword in the available search box. Then, read reviews and examine the VA’s portfolio to assess their experience and skills. This will help you narrow down your search.
Also, consider hiring a VA with a “Pro” or “Top-rated” badge for added assurance of quality. You can also rely on Fiverr’s messaging system to initiate discussions and provide project details and expectations to assess whether or not the candidate can deliver it.
UpWork Inc.
Upwork is the main competitor of Fiverr. For most people, both platforms offer the same thing. So, UpWork is also a massive freelancing platform that offers a variety of virtual assistant services. It offers a diverse pool of talent, with VAs experienced in numerous areas. You can find talent for different services from digital marketing to data entry.
The pricing model on UpWork varies. Clients typically have to choose between hourly and fixed-rate contracts. While you can certainly find budget-friendly options, the more experienced VAs are, the more they are likely to charge high rates.
What’s interesting here is that UpWork provides features such as skills tests and certifications to help you assess a VA’s expertise. This allows you to vet VAs before you hire them so you know whether or not they can deliver what you need them to.
To help you hire the best, UpWork lets you create a detailed job description with specific skills and requirements. This will attract relevant VAs and save time during the hiring process.
Now, all you have to do is carefully review proposals, check the VA’s work history, and read client feedback to gauge their competence.
You can also use UpWork’s interview feature to have one-on-one discussions with potential VAs, giving you a chance to assess their communication skills and suitability.
TopTal
The TopTal platform is known for its highly skilled freelancers, including some of the best, elite virtual assistants. It focuses on matching businesses with the right virtual assistant, making it an excellent option if you need a VA with specific, mostly technical expertise.
So, VAs on TopTal are mostly highly skilled professionals, often with a strong track record in their respective fields. And with quality comes a higher price point; On average, the hourly Toptal fees for freelancers are:
Developers: $90–$170/hr.
Designers: $80–$150/hr.
Finance experts: $90–$230/hr.
TopTal is among the more premium options. If your project requires top-notch expertise, the investment can be well worth it. TopTal claims a rigorous screening process that ensures you’re working with seasoned VAs who can handle complex and specialized tasks. This platform is ideal for businesses seeking premium assistance for high-level projects.
Hiring on TopTal is a more intensive process due to its focus on top talent. Be prepared to define your project’s complexity and the specific expertise required. Collaborate closely with TopTal’s talent managers, who are experts at matching clients with the right VA.
Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is another platform where you can post your project or job and receive bids from freelancers, including virtual assistants. You can then choose the VA that suits your requirements and budget.
The platform has a diverse pool of freelancers, and you can find VAs specializing in various fields including digital marketing, app development, web development, web design, phone calls, client success consultant, bilingual virtual assistants, and even a personal assistant.
Pricing on Freelancer.com is competitive because you typically receive bids from VAs with different rates. And as you can tell, VAs with more experience charge more.
If you want to hire there, be sure to carefully review proposals and vet a VA’s experience through their profiles and portfolio. This platform is an excellent choice for those with a broad range of tasks, from general admin work to specialized projects.
OVA Virtual
OVA Virtual is a specialized virtual assistant site that connects businesses with trained virtual assistants from the Philippines. They primarily focus on offering virtual personal assistants for real estate and related industries.
The fact that they focus on a specific niche ensures that the VAs you find there are well-versed in the specific needs and challenges of this field. Their virtual assistant hiring process is to carefully select and train VAs to offer expertise tailored to real estate professionals.
Pricing will vary depending on the level of specialization, but clients benefit from highly targeted assistance in tasks like CRM management, lead generation, and property research. You can find VA talent on the platform for an hourly rate as low as $8.
To hire the best talent there, start with OVA Virtual’s pre-screened VAs. Discuss pricing and terms to ensure they align with your budget and project scope. Provide clear instructions and expectations for your VA.
Wishup
Wishup is a virtual assistant service that provides dedicated virtual assistants to help with administrative tasks, social media management, research, and more. They match you with a VA based on your specific needs.
According to their website, they assign you a VA based on your unique requirements, ensuring a personalized experience. Their pricing is typically based on the number of hours you need assistance and where the virtual assistant is based.
You can find virtual assistants from India, the United States, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Of this mix, VAs from the US are the most expensive ones, with their hourly rates as high as $50.
So, work closely with Wishup’s team to match you with a dedicated VA who can meet your specific needs. Discuss pricing, contract duration, and payment terms with your assigned VA to establish a transparent working relationship.
PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is a platform where you can find freelancers and virtual assistants to help with a wide range of tasks.
The platform operates in the same way as UpWork and Fiverr and lets you search for VAs based on specific skills or browse through profiles to find the right fit. They also offer pricing models involving hourly rates or fixed-price projects.
It’s a great platform to find both budget-friendly and experienced VAs who can assist with tasks spanning from administrative support to creative projects.
TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit specializes in on-demand assistance for various tasks, including home and office tasks. While it’s not exclusively for virtual assistants, you can find individuals willing to help with virtual tasks like data entry or research.
Basically, you get on the plan, you let them know what you need help with, and talent will reach out to you. What’s even great is tasks that need immediate attention are prioritized, which makes it a great option for ad-hoc needs. How much you pay varies based on the nature and urgency of the task.
They typically charge you based on a per-project model where you pay a flat rate, and they do the work for you.
Note: Ready to hire VA services for your business? At Cascade Virtual, we are the business growth partners you need. We offer you U.S.-based VAs with over 10 years of experience at a $35-$50 hourly rate. Our team takes care of the activities that weigh you down while you focus on the core parts of your business. Book a meeting with us!
Why you should hire VA agencies instead of VAs from a VA website
Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) from reputable websites and platforms is a great way to delegate tasks and get assistance with your projects. And as you can see, there are a lot of great options you can consider. But we don’t believe that’s the best approach for your business, and here is why.
Typically, when businesses are looking to hire a VA service, the need for the VA stretches beyond the mere fact of completing routine tasks. They’re mostly looking for a success partner to whom they can hand off some part of their business while they focus on the core activities.
Because of this, there are some attributes and values that you want to make sure your VA service has before you start working with them. For example:
You want to make sure they have an excellent vetting process so that you can rely on the VAs and have peace of mind.
You want to make sure they understand your business needs and goals so they can be proactive in their service to your business and generate tasks without your constant input.
You are busy and don’t have the time to always assign tasks or micromanage the VA, so you want to make sure they have an internal system to supervise the VA and ensure consistent quality work.
You want to make sure you are not just hiring the next guy available. You want to make sure to work with someone who fits into your business culture.
You want to make sure there is an entity that’s responsible for the VA’s service you’re paying and that when the VA fails to deliver, you can easily replace them.
And honestly, the list goes on........
Let’s elaborate on why you shouldn’t hire VAs from VA websites and why a virtual assistant company such as Cascade Virtual is more equipped to handle your long-term needs and help your business grow.
Virtual assistant companies typically put candidates through a rigorous screening process, which includes assessing their skills, experience, and professionalism. VA websites don’t.
The first and main issue with most VA websites is that anybody can create an account, take nice pictures, claim they’re a pro, and get their grandma to write them nice reviews and give them five-star ratings.
The quality indicators in those platforms are in no way a guarantee of the work you should expect from the VAs. And as a business, if you can’t ensure your VA partner is holding its VAs to excellent standards, it’s a risky bet for you to work with them because there is a lot you can’t ensure.
Here are a few examples:
You want to ensure their reliability. You need to have the confidence that they will complete tasks punctually and remain accessible and responsive when you require their assistance.
Specialized expertise is another essential factor. While many self-proclaimed virtual assistants can handle general administrative tasks, you will most likely want specific skills such as social media management, content creation, graphic design, and more.
If you have long-term objectives, the continuity and stability of your collaboration are paramount. Constantly onboarding new virtual assistants every three months is a drain on both your time and financial resources, and that is something you cannot afford.
You uphold certain standards and anticipate that the output will meet or even surpass these standards. Therefore, you require a guarantee that the virtual assistant’s work will consistently reflect professionalism and meticulous attention to detail.
Finally, since they will often handle sensitive information, you want assurance that your data will be handled securely and that the virtual assistant will respect your confidentiality agreements.
VA websites are not the best place to find this. We are not claiming that there are no good VAs on sites like Fiverr or UpWork. The thing is that such sites often lack in-depth vetting, making it a bit more of a gamble in terms of the quality of the VA you hire.
On the flip side, VA agencies typically have a comprehensive and rigorous screening process for their candidates. We assess their skills, experience, and professionalism before placing them with clients.
At Cascade Virtual, we even take it a step further. On top of the standard interview process, skill assessments, background and personality checks, as well as the examination of resumes, we also conduct the following checks:
Operational compatibility assessment: We test virtual assistants for their ability to adapt to various work environments. We ensure they can seamlessly integrate into diverse business structures.
U.S. and Global vetted assistants available and 5+ years of experience: We recruit and train the best assistants in the United States and globally, and we require a minimum of five years of specialized service experience for them to be eligible for an initial interview.
Reference verification: We go beyond merely requesting references; we contact their former employers to validate their references and verify that they genuinely possess the qualities and skills they claim.
This vetting process significantly increases the likelihood of working with virtual assistants who have a well-documented track record and are ideally suited to meet your specific requirements. It guarantees that your business receives top-tier virtual assistants.
VA agencies care about more than simply completing tasks. We take the time to understand your business’s needs, map goals, and design tasks while you work on the core activities of your organization — We take charge.
The typical process of collaborating with virtual assistants on many virtual assistant platforms can be described as follows:
You make a list of tasks you want to assign them.
You select a virtual assistant with positive reviews and high ratings on the platform.
You assign the specific tasks to the virtual assistant.
The VA executes the assigned tasks.
Your credit card is charged for the services rendered.
The direct consequence for your business is that the VA often doesn’t invest the time to truly understand your business and its overarching goals. This forces you into a piecemeal approach to task management where the VA only completes what you assign them and calls it quits.
These platforms lack critical features:
No match-making process: They lack mechanisms to match you with highly suitable virtual assistants.
No relationship with your company: There’s no ongoing relationship to align with your company’s long-term growth objectives.
Lack of goal mapping: They don’t assist in setting and achieving business goals.
No systems for structured task lists: The platforms typically lack systems to maintain organized tasks.
No standard operating procedures (SOPs): There are no established procedures to ensure that work is consistently executed smoothly.
The idea behind these platforms is not to ensure that your business gets the best services but rather that they build a platform for VAs and freelancers to have job opportunities.
On the other hand, VA agencies often take the time to understand your business’s unique requirements. This is one of the key benefits we guarantee for your business when you work with us at Cascade.
We work with you to map out your goals and design tasks that align with your objectives. It’s a personalized approach that ensures that the VAs are not just task-doers but also strategic contributors to your business.
Our core assistance model revolves around building relationships. We believe in stepping into your shoes to understand your concerns and aspirations. Our experience taught us that a task-based collaboration isn’t enough. So, instead we:
Collaborate on goal mapping and task planning
You won’t have to be available all the to rattle of tasks for your VA. Based on your needs and the goals you have, we build clear, actionable goals and derive tasks that cover months ahead. Here is an example we did for a client:
Thoughtfully select VAs that match your business profile
You don’t want the next available guy. You want someone who delivers quality work and fits within your organization. And that’s exactly what you get.
We build SOPs for all the tasks to ensure fast and efficient work
We create standard operating procedures for each task we identify. This eliminates guesswork, streamlines processes, and ensures that our VAs integrate swiftly into your operations. Here is the framework we use for this:
Implement structured systems for task management
You don’t want to micro-manage the VA, and you don’t have time for it. So, we do it all for you.
The thing is that without this, VA collaborations easily become chaotic, leading to miscommunication, confusion on priorities, and a lack of progress tracking. At Cascade, we ensure to avoid these pitfalls and give you the peace of mind you deserve.
VA agencies supervise the work and have internal HR systems to manage the VAs and ensure they deliver quality work. VA websites operate like job boards where you’re simply assigned VAs and then left to handle them.
Managing the HR aspects of working with a VA is one of the main features that working with VA websites and platforms doesn’t provide you. Typically, the one approach they offer to this is to hold on to the money until the VA completes the work; then, you validate, and the VA gets paid.
Here is why this is not ideal for you:
You have no visibility as to how many hours the VA is actually spending on the tasks.
If they drag some tasks or waste time, you can’t tell, and in the end, you’ll pay a lot.
You can’t supervise them and ensure work is progressing smoothly.
Even if you don’t like their output, you’ll still have to pay them.
VA platforms offer no management for the VAs; you’ll have to allocate more of your time to do it.
And more.
There is more to it. But you get the idea. It’s chaos. At Cascade, we believe that hiring a VA should simplify operations, not complicate them. And the best way to ensure this is to ensure we take care of all the VA management to-dos off your shoulder.
We have internal HR systems and teams for supervising the work of VAs and ensuring that they deliver quality results. We handle everything from monitoring work hours and ensuring timely payments to managing tax paperwork. Here is the dashboard we use for this:
We oversee VA work, provide regular check-ins, and actively seek feedback to refine our services continually. The idea is to ensure that everything is on the right track and that we working towards making you happy.
This proactive approach means that you don’t have to micromanage. Instead, you can focus on scaling your business, all while knowing your VA needs are in trusted hands. VA websites, in contrast, operate as job boards where you’re assigned a VA and then left to manage and monitor their work independently.
VA agencies offer you contracts that protect you and ensure you get the best value for your money. VA websites don’t have that.
VA agencies often offer contracts that protect both the client and the VA. These contracts outline expectations, terms of service, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. They also provide a level of security and recourse in case the VA doesn’t meet the agreed-upon standards.
VA websites do not offer such formal contracts, and it leaves you with fewer legal protections and potentially more vulnerability. Here is how we approach this at Cascade Virtual.
We understand that business requirements can change over time. That’s why we take pride in providing you with unparalleled flexibility to ensure you receive the best possible assistance, regardless of the situation.
If you need to carry over unused hours, that’s no issue at all. If you want to temporarily pause your account, we’ve got you covered. And if you find that your current virtual assistant isn’t meeting your standards and you require a change, you can have it without any additional costs or lengthy re-staffing processes.
Our contracts are designed to cater to your specific needs, ensuring that every cent you spend with us delivers value and flexibility to adapt to your evolving business requirements.
Hire Cascade Virtual and let us take care of your needs
Whether you’re a startup, an established business, or an independent professional like a lawyer, hiring VAs offers the benefits of flexibility and expertise.
They will help streamline your operations. Their work opens up avenues for growth and market expansion and improves client relationships.
Either of the 08 virtual assistant websites on this list is a great option if you are simply looking to hand off some work to VAs with no long-term commitment.
But if you’re looking for more than just a task-doer, if you want a real partner for success, then Cascade Virtual is the right pick. Here’s why:
We take the time to understand your business and what you want to achieve. We create a plan and tasks that fit your unique needs.
We make sure that everything is organized with our internal HR system with clear instructions and SOPs and that tasks are done the right way.
We have a plan for when your main assistant can’t work so there’s no disruption to your business.
Our assistants are based in the U.S., and they're not just random people – they're experienced professionals with at least 10 years of work history.
You only pay for the help you actually use. You can increase or decrease the support as your needs change.
With Cascade Virtual, you're not just hiring an assistant as you do with other virtual assistant websites. You're getting a team that's dedicated to your success. And contrary to other virtual assistant companies we come in for the long run, bringing skilled people, smart planning, and a personal touch to help your business thrive.
Note: Ready to hire a virtual assistant company based in the U.S for your business? At Cascade Virtual, we are the business growth partners you need. We offer you the most experienced virtual assistants with over 10 years of experience at a $35-$50 hourly rate.
With us, you won't even have to outsource tasks, our virtual assistants work to understand what you need and take care of the activities that weigh you down while you focus on the core parts of your business.