Understanding Virtual Assistant Pricing in Australia
Factors Affecting Virtual Assistant Pricing
Cost Comparison: Virtual Assistant vs. Full-Time Employee
What Can Virtual Assistants Do? Comprehensive Services List
How to Choose the Right Virtual Assistant Service for Your Business
Virtual Assistant vs. Traditional Employee: Understanding the Differences
When to Choose a Virtual Assistant
When to Consider Traditional Employees
Success Stories: Real Results from Australian Businesses
Emerging Trends in Virtual Assistant Services for 2025
Taking the Next Step: Getting Started with Virtual Assistant Services
The virtual assistant industry in Australia has experienced remarkable growth, with businesses increasingly recognising the value of remote support services. As we move deeper into 2025, the demand for skilled virtual assistants continues to surge, driven by the need for cost-effective solutions, enhanced productivity, and flexible business operations. Whether you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or corporate executive, finding the right virtual assistant service can transform how you work and grow your business.
This comprehensive guide explores the Top Virtual Assistant Services in Australia, providing insights into pricing, services, selection criteria, and everything you need to make informed decisions for your business success.
A virtual assistant (VA) is a skilled professional who provides remote support services to businesses, entrepreneurs, and executives. Unlike traditional employees who work on-site, virtual assistants work remotely and communicate through email, phone calls, messaging applications, cloud-based programs, and video conferencing. They are real people—not automated chatbots—who can handle virtually any task that doesn’t require physical presence at your business premises.
Virtual assistants are business owners themselves or employees of virtual assistant agencies. This means your relationship with them is a business-to-business (B2B) transaction rather than an employer-employee relationship, which significantly reduces your obligations in terms of workplace provisions, employee law, and associated costs.
The rising popularity of virtual assistants in Australia is driven by several compelling factors that make them an invaluable asset for businesses of all sizes.
Hiring in-house employees comes with significant operating costs, including salaries, superannuation (11.5% of salary), holiday pay, sick leave, penalty rates, office space, equipment, and utilities. Virtual assistants provide a cost-effective alternative by offering professional support on a flexible basis.
Australian companies can reduce operational expenses by up to 78% when shifting tasks to virtual assistants, with no hidden costs for benefits or workspace.
The real cost of an employee is typically 2 to 2.5 times their salary when you factor in all associated expenses. By partnering with a VA, you pay only for the time and services you need, saving thousands annually in overhead costs while accessing skilled professionals who deliver exceptional results.
Research shows that Australian SMBs gain up to a 40% productivity jump by delegating routine tasks to virtual assistants. By ofloading non-core tasks to VAs, business owners and their teams can operate more efficiently and focus on strategic projects that drive revenue and innovation. Virtual assistants handle those time-consuming “front office tasks” that cause frequent context switching, allowing you to maintain focus on high-value activities.
One Melbourne-based business owner reported saving over $1,000 monthly and reclaiming 10 hours per week by shifting administrative work to a virtual assistant. This heightened productivity not only accelerates business growth but also improves employee satisfaction and reduces burnout.
Virtual assistants offer unmatched scalability that traditional employment simply cannot match. As your business grows or experiences seasonal fluctuations, you can easily adjust the level of support you need—whether it’s increasing hours, adding specialized roles, or scaling back during quieter periods. Studies show that 82% of SMBs scale faster with VAs than with in-house staff.
You can hire virtual assistants on a part-time basis (10-20 hours per week), full-time equivalent (40 hours per week), or even for specific projects. This flexibility allows you to manage costs while ensuring you have the right level of support exactly when you need it.
Virtual assistants come from diverse backgrounds, bringing specialized skills and experience across multiple disciplines. From marketing to bookkeeping, customer support to technical assistance, you can find the perfect assistant for your specific business needs without geographic limitations. Many virtual assistants are college-educated professionals with expertise in niche areas like digital marketing strategy, SEO, graphic design, e-commerce management, and industry-specific services for healthcare, real estate, legal, and property management sectors.
This flexibility allows small businesses to compete with larger organizations by leveraging skills they may not have in-house, accessing top-tier talent that would otherwise be unavailable or unaffordable.
By delegating administrative and routine tasks to skilled virtual assistants, business owners and executives gain the time and mental space to focus on high-value activities like strategic planning, innovation, relationship building, and scaling operations. Virtual assistants enable you to prioritize tasks that directly contribute to your company’s growth and long-term success, rather than getting bogged down in daily operational details.
Based on extensive research across multiple platforms including Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, and industry review sites, here are the leading virtual assistant services available to Australian businesses in 2025.
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Specialization: Small business support, bookkeeping, marketing
Key Features: Local expertise, qualified BAS Agents, tailored assistance
ProfitAbility Virtual Assistance positions itself as one of Australia’s leading providers of virtual assistant services. They specialize in supporting small business owners, tradies, and retailers with comprehensive business solutions. Their team includes qualified BAS Agents for bookkeeping services, virtual receptionists for professional phone handling, and skilled virtual assistants for various business tasks.
Services Offered:
Pricing: Packages start from $250 for 5 hours ($50/hour + GST), with discounts available for larger hour blocks. Their most popular package is the 5-hour option, which is perfect for businesses testing virtual assistant services.
Location: Australia
Specialization: Comprehensive VA matching and management Key Features: ISO 9001:2015 certified, established since 2009
Virtual Elves stands out as an ISO 9001:2015 certified virtual assistant agency, demonstrating their commitment to quality management systems. Founded in 2009, they have extensive experience in matching businesses with skilled virtual assistants tailored to specific needs. Their certification ensures consistent, high-quality service delivery across all client engagements.
Services Offered:
Why Choose Them: Virtual Elves offers transparency in pricing with a rate calculator on their website, making it easy to estimate costs for different roles. They provide flexible and cost-effective packages designed to suit various business goals and budgets.
Location: Australia
Team Size: 50-249 employees
Key Features: ISO-certified, Australian-based operations, comprehensive management
24×7 Direct is Australia’s top ISO-certified virtual staffing agency, offering hassle-free recruitment and management of virtual staff. They provide competitive pricing starting at $12 per hour while maintaining high-quality service standards. Their larger team size means they can accommodate businesses of various scales with reliable backup support.
Services Offered:
Pricing: Starting from $12 AUD per hour for dedicated virtual staff working 20-40 hours per week on an ongoing basis.
Location: Australia Established: 2008
Key Features: Industry pioneer, experienced Australian VAs, same timezone operations
As Australia’s premier virtual assistant service since 2008, The Virtual Assistant prides itself on being the original virtual assistant company and industry leader. All their virtual assistants live and work in Australia, ensuring cultural alignment, perfect timezone compatibility, and adherence to Australian business practices and regulations.
Services Offered:
Why Choose Them: Working with Australian-based VAs means you benefit from shared work ethic, Australian English communication, cultural understanding, proactive problem-solving approaches, and compliance with Australian privacy and business laws.
Location: International operations serving Australia Team Size: 1,000-9,999 employees
Key Features: Premier verified status, extensive service range, 4.8-star rating
Remote CoWorker is a versatile Business Process Outsourcing firm specializing in Remote Back Office Solutions and Virtual Office Support. With 144 client reviews maintaining a 4.8-star rating, they’ve proven their reliability across various industries. Their large team size provides excellent scalability for growing businesses.
Services Offered:
Pricing: Competitive hourly rates starting from $8 AUD per hour for various specialized roles.
Location: International operations serving Australia Team Size: 10-49 employees
Key Features: Cultural fit expertise, accommodating service approach, 85% positive feedback
Virtual Gurus specializes in Remote Back Office Solutions and Administrative Support Services. They receive particular praise for their accommodating nature and strong cultural alignment with client values. Their focus on finding the right cultural fit ensures smooth integration with your existing team and business values. Services Offered:
Location: International operations serving Australia Team Size: 10-49 employees
Key Features: 4.9-star rating, 100% positive reviews, strong project management Sharkhelpers maintains an exceptional 4.9-star rating with 100% positive sentiment from clients.
They specialize in offshore administrative services and remote back office solutions with particular strength in project management. Their consistent perfect reviews demonstrate their commitment to client satisfaction.
Services Offered:
Location: Sydney, Australia Team Size: 50-249 employees
Key Features: Competitive pricing, exceptional candidate quality, local presence hammerjack is a Sydney-based business process outsourcing company specializing in skilled virtual assistants and executive support at competitive prices. They maintain 100% positive sentiment with clients praising their high-quality candidates and cost-effectiveness. Their local Australian presence combined with competitive pricing makes them an attractive option.
Services Offered:
Team Size: 250-999 employees Rating: 5.0 stars (43 reviews)
Key Features: Premier verified status, effective administrative support, strong project management
Prialto has received overwhelmingly positive feedback for their effective virtual assistant services, with clients noting significant time savings—averaging 10 hours per week reclaimed for high-impact tasks. Their team’s proactive communication and collaborative approach have been consistently praised, with 90% of reviewers expressing high satisfaction.
Services Offered:
Why Choose Them: Clients highlight Prialto’s responsiveness, effective communication, strong support system, and proactive problem-solving approach, with 85% commending their ability to quickly integrate into existing operations.
Location: Melbourne, Australia Notable Clients: Google, Microsoft
Key Features: People-as-a-Service outsourcing, enterprise-level experience
Helpware CX is a leading People-as-a-Service outsourcing company with experience serving notable clients like Google and Microsoft. They offer comprehensive services including content control and verification, back-office support, and startup acceleration, combining BPO expertise with high-quality virtual assistant services to support businesses at scale.
Services Offered:
Delivers complete virtual office solutions with premium telephone answering services and virtual mail addresses, offering a professional business presence across Australia with 24/7 call handling.
Provides 24/7 call handling and customer support, ensuring businesses never miss a client interaction. Their services free up business owners to focus on growth and strategic tasks.
Manages multiple brands including MyInternship Australia and My Virtual Mate, offering virtual assistant solutions for administrative support, internships, and talent management.
Specializes in providing virtual assistants specifically to the property management sector, helping landlords and agencies handle administration, compliance, deadlines, and client communication efficiently.
Provides pre-trained virtual assistants specifically for real estate agencies, helping reduce operational costs while increasing efficiency and responsiveness to clients.
Empowers service-based business owners by providing virtual assistants to reduce workload, improve client experience, and enable profitable business growth through administrative support, client management, and operational assistance.
Offers skilled virtual assistants for social media management, admin tasks, and customer support. Their team is experienced, resourceful, and proactive, helping businesses stay organized and maintain productivity at affordable rates.
The cost of hiring a virtual assistant in Australia varies significantly depending on several factors, but understanding the pricing landscape helps you budget effectively and find the right balance between cost and quality.
Entry-Level / General Administration: AU$8 – $20 per hour
Ideal for basic tasks like data entry, email inbox management, calendar scheduling, file organization, and transcription.
Mid-Level / Niche Skills: AU$15 – $40 per hour
Suitable for customer service (phone, email, chat), social media post scheduling and community engagement, basic graphic design, blog post formatting, and newsletter management.
Specialist / Expert Level: AU$35 – $80 per hour
Required for advanced services like bookkeeping with BAS agent qualifications, web development, digital marketing strategy, technical IT support, and industry-specific expertise.
Average Hourly Rate: The typical rate across all experience levels in Australia is approximately AU$34.39 per hour, though this varies significantly based on the factors outlined below.
Hourly Rates: The most common and flexible pricing structure, ideal if you have irregular workloads or want to test a virtual assistant before committing to larger projects. You pay only for the actual time worked.
Package Deals: Many services offer blocks of hours at discounted rates. For example, you might pay $900 for 20 hours instead of $1,000 at $50 per hour. These packages typically need to be used within 12 months and provide better value for ongoing support needs.
Monthly Retainers: Fixed monthly fees for a set number of hours per week or month. This provides predictable costs and ensures your VA has dedicated time allocated for your business. Common options include 2 hours/day, 4 hours/day, or full-time 8 hours/day arrangements.
Project-Based Pricing: Some VAs offer fixed prices for specific projects rather than hourly billing, which can be advantageous for well-defined deliverables with clear scope.
Experience Level: VAs just starting out might charge $8-15 per hour, while those with several years of experience could charge $25-50 per hour or more. The difference often shows in work quality, speed, and the level of guidance required.
Task Complexity: Simple administrative tasks are generally the cheapest option, while specialized tasks like social media management, content creation, technical support, or industry-specific services cost more due to required expertise.
Location: Australian-based virtual assistants typically charge more than overseas counterparts, but you benefit from timezone alignment, cultural understanding, and knowledge of local business practices and regulations.
Specialization: Industry-specific VAs with deep knowledge in sectors like healthcare, real estate, legal, or e-commerce command higher rates due to their specialized expertise and compliance knowledge.
Even part-time virtual assistant support provides substantial savings. Twenty hours per week at $15 per hour costs just $15,600 per year, yet provides significant help with your workload.
Annual Savings: $40,000 – $75,000+
Even part-time virtual assistant support provides substantial savings. Twenty hours per week at $15 per hour costs just $15,600 per year, yet provides significant help with your workload.
Virtual assistants can handle an incredibly wide range of tasks across multiple business functions, from basic administrative work to complex specialized services.
Selecting the ideal virtual assistant service requires careful consideration of multiple factors to ensure the partnership delivers value and meets your specific needs.
Before beginning your search, clearly identify what you need help with:
Task Inventory: List all tasks consuming your time that could be delegated. Categorize them by type (administrative, creative, technical, customer-facing) and priority.
Time Requirements: Estimate how many hours per week or month you need support. This determines whether you need part-time, full-time, or project-based assistance.
Skill Requirements: Identify any specialized skills needed (e.g., BAS agent qualifications, real estate knowledge, specific software proficiency).
Budget Parameters: Determine what you can afford to invest in virtual assistant support. Remember to consider the value of your time being freed up for revenue-generating activities.
Reputation and Experience: Research the service’s track record through client reviews on platforms like Clutch, Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and LinkedIn. Look for services with consistently positive feedback and proven experience in your industry.
Timezone Alignment: For Australian businesses, working with Australian-based VAs or those in compatible timezones (like the Philippines, which aligns well with Australian hours) ensures smooth communication and collaboration.
Specialization Match: Choose services with expertise in your industry or the specific tasks you need completed. Industry-specific VAs understand unique challenges, terminology, and compliance requirements.
Quality Assurance: Look for certifications like ISO 9001:2015, which demonstrate commitment to quality management systems and consistent service delivery.
Recruitment Process: Understand how the service finds, vets, and matches VAs to clients. Strong services conduct thorough background checks, skills assessments, and personality matching.
Communication Infrastructure: Assess what communication tools and platforms the service uses. Ensure they align with your existing systems (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, etc.).
Backup and Continuity: Ask about backup support if your assigned VA is unavailable due to illness, vacation, or other circumstances. Reliable services provide seamless coverage.
Contract Terms: Review contract lengths, cancellation policies, and minimum commitments. Flexible services allow you to scale up or down as your needs change.
Data Security: Ensure the service has robust security measures, confidentiality agreements, and compliance with Australian privacy laws if handling sensitive business or customer information.
Trial Periods: Many services offer trial periods or small initial projects to assess fit before longer-term commitments. Take advantage of these to evaluate quality and compatibility.
When speaking with potential VA services, ask:
Once you’ve selected a service, proper onboarding ensures smooth integration:
Define Roles Clearly: Provide a detailed job description with specific tasks, expectations for quality, deadlines, and communication preferences.
Provide Tool Access: Set up necessary logins, software access, and communication platform accounts before their first day.
Create Documentation: Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), workflow guides, and video tutorials for recurring tasks.
Establish Communication Protocols: Define preferred communication channels, response time expectations, regular check-in schedules, and how to handle urgent matters.
Set Clear Goals: Establish KPIs, performance metrics, and success criteria so both parties know what success looks like.
Plan Training Time: Allow 1-2 weeks for your VA to learn your systems, processes, and preferences. Provide test projects to build confidence.
Schedule Regular Feedback: Plan weekly check-ins initially, transitioning to bi-weekly or monthly as the relationship matures. Provide both positive reinforcement and constructive feedback.
Understanding the distinctions between virtual assistants and traditional employees helps you make informed decisions about which model best suits your business needs.
Virtual assistants are ideal when:
Traditional employees may be better suited when:
Many successful businesses use a hybrid approach, combining traditional employees for core roles with virtual assistants for flexible, specialized, or overflow support.
An Australian e-commerce business specializing in eco-friendly home products partnered with Virtual Colleague to address challenges with limited in-house resources. They struggled to maintain active social media engagement and efficiently respond to customer queries, leading to missed sales opportunities.
After hiring a VA with digital marketing and e-commerce expertise to develop social media strategy, manage customer service, and provide after-sales support, the business achieved:
A busy Melbourne dental clinic needed to enhance administrative efficiency to allocate more time toward patient care. Despite a committed on-site team, they faced challenges managing growing appointment volumes and complex back-office tasks while maintaining AHPRA compliance.
Virtual Colleague introduced a seasoned VA with healthcare administration background, resulting in:
A Sydney-based e-commerce startup faced challenges scaling customer support operations to meet growing demand. By hiring a team of customer service VAs, they:
An IT firm reported by Remote Hirely achieved remarkable results after onboarding specialized VAs:
The virtual assistant industry continues to evolve rapidly, with several key trends shaping the landscape for Australian businesses.
Businesses increasingly seek VAs with niche expertise rather than general administrative skills. The rise of specialized roles includes:
Virtual assistants are leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity rather than being replaced by them. The 2025 model is a human VA empowered by AI technology:
With increasing cyber threats and privacy concerns, data security has become a top consideration. Leading VA services now offer:
Environmental consciousness is influencing business decisions, and VA services offer inherent sustainability benefits:
VAs play key roles in delivering tailored customer interactions:
With remote work becoming standard for many Australian businesses, VAs increasingly support distributed team management:
The virtual assistant industry in Australia offers tremendous opportunities for businesses seeking cost-effective, flexible, and skilled support. By understanding the landscape, evaluating your needs, and choosing the right service partner, you can unlock significant productivity gains, cost savings, and growth potential.
Australian businesses using virtual assistant services report an average of 78% cost savings, 40% productivity improvements, and the ability to scale operations faster than competitors relying solely on traditional employment models. With the right virtual assistant partner, you can reclaim valuable time, reduce operational costs, access specialized expertise, and focus on the strategic activities that drive business growth.
The Top Virtual Assistant Services in Australia profiled in this guide represent proven, reliable options with track records of delivering results for businesses across various industries. Whether you choose an Australian-based service for timezone and cultural alignment, or an international provider for cost optimization, the key is finding a partner that understands your needs, communicates effectively, and shares your commitment to quality and growth.
Start your virtual assistant journey today and join the thousands of Australian businesses experiencing the transformative impact of skilled remote support. The future of work is flexible, global, and powered by virtual collaboration—and your business can thrive in this new landscape with the right virtual assistant partnership.
Ready to hire a Top Virtual Assistant Service in Australia? Use the insights and company profiles in this comprehensive guide to make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals, budget, and growth aspirations. The perfect virtual assistant match is out there waiting to help transform your productivity and business success.
A virtual assistant is a skilled professional who provides remote support services to businesses, working from their own location using digital communication tools. They handle tasks ranging from administrative duties to specialized services like marketing, bookkeeping, and technical support. VAs communicate with clients through email, video calls, messaging platforms, and project management software, making physical presence unnecessary for most tasks.
Virtual assistant costs in Australia typically range from $8 to $80 per hour, depending on experience level and task complexity. Entry-level general administrative tasks cost $8-20 per hour, mid-level specialized tasks range from $15-40 per hour, and expert-level services like bookkeeping or technical support cost $35-80 per hour. The average hourly rate is approximately $34.39. Many services offer package deals or monthly retainers that provide better value than hourly rates.
The primary difference is the employment relationship. Virtual assistants operate as independent contractors in a B2B arrangement, meaning you don't pay superannuation, leave entitlements, or provide office space and equipment. Traditional employees are bound by Fair Work Australia regulations requiring these benefits. VAs offer greater flexibility, lower costs (typically saving 60-80% compared to employees), and specialized skills on demand, while employees provide on-site presence and potentially deeper company integration.
Australian VAs offer specific advantages including timezone alignment (ensuring real-time communication during business hours), cultural understanding (familiar with Australian business practices and customer expectations), language proficiency (native Australian English speakers), and legal compliance (adherence to Australian privacy and business laws). However, offshore VAs,
particularly from the Philippines, offer cost advantages while maintaining good timezone compatibility with Australia. The best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and communication preferences.
Virtual assistants can handle nearly any task that doesn't require physical presence. Common tasks include email and calendar management, customer service, social media management, content creation, bookkeeping, data entry, lead generation, research, travel planning, appointment scheduling, CRM management, website updates, graphic design, and industry-specific support for sectors like real estate, legal, healthcare, and e-commerce.
Most virtual assistant relationships use a combination of communication tools including email for detailed instructions and non-urgent matters, messaging platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for quick questions and daily updates, video conferencing via Zoom or Google Meet for regular check-ins and training, and project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com for task tracking and progress monitoring. Regular scheduled check-ins ensure alignment and provide opportunities for feedback.
Yes, reputable virtual assistant services operate with formal service agreements that outline responsibilities, expectations, confidentiality terms, pricing, payment terms, cancellation policies, and dispute resolution processes. These contracts protect both parties and ensure clear
understanding of the relationship. Review contract terms carefully, paying attention to minimum commitments, cancellation notice requirements, and what happens if the VA-client match isn't working.
Measure VA ROI by tracking: time saved (calculate your hourly rate × hours freed up for revenue- generating activities), cost savings (compare VA costs vs. equivalent employee costs including super,
leave, and overheads), revenue impact (track new business or projects enabled by delegating tasks), productivity metrics (measure task completion rates and quality), and employee satisfaction (reduced burnout and improved focus on strategic work). Most businesses report positive ROI within the first few months, with average productivity gains of 30-40%.
Yes, many virtual assistant services offer project-based or short-term engagement options without long-term commitments. This flexibility allows you to bring in specialized support for specific initiatives like website launches, event planning, seasonal campaigns, or temporary workload increases. Project-based hiring also provides an excellent opportunity to test a VA relationship before committing to ongoing support.
The ideal number of hours depends on your workload and budget. Common options include:
Start with fewer hours and scale up as you identify additional tasks to delegate and build confidence in the relationship.
Common tools VAs should be familiar with include communication platforms (Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet), project management (Trello, Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp), cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive), productivity suites (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office), CRM systems (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho), social media management (Hootsuite, Buffer, Meta Business Suite), design tools (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite), and bookkeeping software (Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB). Discuss specific tool requirements during the hiring process to ensure compatibility.
Yes, one significant advantage of virtual assistants is their flexibility to work beyond traditional 9-5 hours. This is particularly valuable for:
Discuss hour preferences and availability during the onboarding process to establish clear expectations.
Typical onboarding timelines range from 1-2 weeks depending on task complexity and documentation quality. The process includes:
Well-documented processes with clear SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and video tutorials significantly reduce onboarding time and improve outcomes.
Reputable VA services have replacement policies to address fit issues. If the match isn't working despite clear communication and feedback:
Clear initial communication about expectations and regular feedback help prevent most mismatch issues.
Data security depends on the practices of both the VA service and your own protocols. Protect your information by:
Reputable Australian VA services prioritize security and comply with Privacy Act 1988 requirements.
Reputable Australian VA services prioritize security and comply with Privacy Act 1988 requirements.
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