Compare
Compare your hiring options
Short, honest comparisons to help you choose between a virtual assistant and the alternatives.
Guides
- UK vs offshore
- Virtual assistant vs employee
- Virtual assistant vs freelancer
- Virtual assistant vs AI
At a glance
Five ways to get the work done, side by side
Every option has a place. This table shows where each one tends to fit.
| UK-based VA | Offshore VA (Pro Virtual Assist) | Employee | Freelancer | AI tools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Medium to high, by location | Lower for comparable skills | Salary plus NI, pension, equipment, recruitment | Often lower per hour, no cover | Lowest per task |
| Hours | Agreed, same day as you | Agreed, some overlap | Contracted, fixed | Varies, project based | Any time |
| Recruitment | Handled by agency | Handled by us | Your time or a fee | You find and check | None |
| Cover if they leave | Agency-dependent | Rehire and disruption cover | You recruit again | You start again | Not applicable |
| Management | Self or agency | Hours tracked, ongoing support | Your line management | Self-managed | Needs set-up and review |
| Best for | Phone and local-knowledge work | Ongoing digital and admin work | Core on-site roles | One-off projects | Repeat, rule-based tasks |
A general guide. Your own figures will differ, so run them through the cost calculator.
Deep dives
Read the full comparison
UK vs offshore virtual assistant
Where the money goes, how hours overlap and which suits phone-heavy work.
Virtual assistant vs employee
The full cost of an employee, including National Insurance, pension and recruitment.
Virtual assistant vs freelancer
Vetting, continuity and management, for ongoing work compared with one-off projects.
Virtual assistant vs AI
What AI tools do well, where a person still wins and how to combine them.
How to choose
A quick guide to picking
Choose a virtual assistant if
You have regular work to hand over.
- The work is digital, such as admin, support, marketing or design
- You want flexible hours without a long contract
- You would like someone else to handle recruitment and cover
Choose an employee if
You need a person on site or in the core team.
- The role needs your premises, equipment or in-person contact
- You are prepared to carry the full on-costs
- The job is long term and central to your business
Choose a freelancer if
The work is one-off.
- It has a clear start and finish
- You are happy to check and manage the person yourself
- You do not need continuity afterwards
Choose AI tools if
The task is repeatable and rule-based.
- Lead routing, summaries, data clean-up and reports
- You can review the output
- Pair it with a person for judgement and exceptions
Our view
Most businesses end up using a mix
A common pattern is a core in-house team, a managed virtual assistant for the ongoing admin and support, a freelancer for the occasional project and automation for the repeat tasks. Start with the work, then pick the simplest option that fits.
Want to see how the numbers compare? Use the virtual assistant cost calculator or read how it works.
- Written quote before you commit
- Two-month minimum, then cancel any time
- Rehire and disruption cover
Free tool
Run your own numbers
Compare an in-house hire with a virtual assistant using your own figures.
Questions
Common questions
Cannot see yours? Ask us on a discovery call and we will answer it properly.
Which option is cheapest?
AI tools cost least per task, then freelancers and offshore assistants, then UK-based assistants and employees. Cost is only part of it, so compare cover, management and fit as well.
Can I combine options?
Yes, and most businesses do. For example a managed assistant for ongoing work and a freelancer for a one-off project.
How do I compare an assistant with an employee fairly?
Add employer National Insurance, pension, holiday, equipment and recruitment to the salary. Our calculator does this for you.
Where does Pro Virtual Assist fit?
We place managed offshore assistants and teams, with screening, tracked hours, ongoing support and cover if someone leaves.
Can I try before committing?
There is a two-month minimum, then you can cancel at any time. Talk to us on a discovery call first.
Get started
Tell us what you need. We will take it from here.
Book a discovery call or send a few details. We will talk through the work, then shortlist the people who suit it.