Your numbers
What a virtual assistant should include in expenses
Typical costs include productivity and communication tools, a reliable computer and internet backup. Add your own and keep receipts for tax time.
Where unbilled time goes
Virtual Assistants commonly lose billable hours to task switching, onboarding new clients and admin. Count these when choosing your billable hours per week.
Pricing models
Common choices are hourly, prepaid hour blocks or monthly retainers.
Tip: Prepaid hour packages give steadier cash flow than pure hourly billing.
The math
Gross revenue = ($50,000 + $3,000) ÷ 0.72 = $73,611. Billable hours = (52 − 5) × 26 = 1,222. Minimum rate = $73,611 ÷ 1,222 = $60 per hour. See the methodology. Example inputs are illustrations, not market data.
General hourly rate calculator · Tax set-aside · Retainer pricing · All professions
Frequently asked questions
What should a virtual assistant charge per hour?
It depends on your target income, costs and billable time. With $50,000 take-home, $3,000 expenses, a 28% tax set-aside, 5 weeks off and 26 billable hours a week, the minimum comes to about $60 per hour. These are example inputs, so enter your own.
How many billable hours does a virtual assistant really have?
Many freelancers bill fewer hours than they work because of task switching, onboarding new clients and admin. The example uses 26 billable hours a week; track your own time to find your number.
How should a virtual assistant price work?
Common models are hourly, prepaid hour blocks or monthly retainers.
Is this the rate I should quote?
No. It is the minimum that meets your targets. Add margin for demand, specialty and risk.