Freelance virtual assistant rate calculator
Get the rate right when margins are tight — VAs bill more hours but at lower headline rates.
Your numbers
Annual figures. Be honest about billable hours.
"Billable hours" should exclude admin, sales, and downtime — most full-timers bill far fewer hours than they work.
Track billable hours and turn them into invoices automatically with FreshBooks.
What virtual assistants should factor in
VAs often have higher billable utilization than other freelancers — more of the day is directly client-facing — but lower headline rates, so accuracy matters more, not less. Account for the tools and subscriptions you provide, time spent onboarding new clients, and admin you can't bill.
Packaging hours into monthly retainers stabilizes income and reduces the unbillable gaps between one-off tasks. Price any package by dividing it across the hours it includes and checking it clears your hourly floor.
Frequently asked
Monthly retainer packages give you predictable income and clients predictable cost; hourly suits ad-hoc tasks. Price any package by dividing it across the hours it includes and confirming it clears your hourly floor.
Most full-time freelancers bill 20–30 hours a week once admin, sales, and downtime are removed — not 40. Be conservative here or you'll underprice.
Commonly cited figures put the U.S. average around $48 an hour, but it varies hugely by field, experience, and location. Treat it as a sanity check, not a target.