Hourly Vs. Packages: How Should You Charge As A Virtual Assistant?

Let’s be real.

When you work a 9-5, your paycheck is SET before you even step through the door. Your boss decides how much you get paid, when you get paid, and how many hours you’re allowed to work.

AKA—your income is capped.

But when you’re a virtual assistant? YOU CALL THE SHOTS.

You decide how much you charge. You decide when you get paid. You decide what your time is worth.

And there are TWO main ways to charge as a VA:

1️⃣ Hourly Rates – You get paid for the time you work.

2️⃣ Packages – You get paid for the value you bring.

Both have their perks. Both have their downsides. So let’s break it down, and you can decide which one works best for your business.

HOURLY PRICING: GETTING PAID FOR YOUR TIME

✅ PROS:

✔️ Easy to Set Up – If you’re a newbie VA, hourly rates are SIMPLE. You work X hours, you get paid X dollars. No complicated pricing structures.

✔️ Flexibility – Clients can hire you for as little or as much time as they need. Got someone who only needs 5 hours a month? No problem.

✔️ No Guesswork – If a project takes longer than expected, you STILL get paid for every extra hour you put in.

✔️ Great for Short-Term Clients – If a client just needs help for a few weeks or one-time projects, hourly rates make total sense.

❌ CONS:

• Your Income Fluctuates – If a client only needs you for 10 hours one month but 6 hours the next? That’s a pay cut.

• Limited Earning Potential – There are only so many hours in a day. If you’re getting paid by the hour, your income is automatically capped.

• Some Clients Micromanage – A few clients might want you to track every minute of your time. If that happens, use a time tracker like Clockify to keep things professional.

👉 BEST FOR: New VAs who want an easy, flexible way to get started, OR clients who have unpredictable workloads.

PACKAGE PRICING: GETTING PAID FOR YOUR VALUE

✅ PROS:

✔️ Income is More Predictable – When you charge by package, you know EXACTLY how much you’re making every month. No surprises.

✔️ You Get Paid for Your Skills—Not Time – If it takes you 5 hours or 10 hours to do the work? Doesn’t matter. You still get paid the same amount.

✔️ Easier to Scale Your Business – As you get better and faster, your income stays the same (or increases!) while your work time decreases.

✔️ More Professionalism – Clients see you as an expert, not just someone they’re hiring for a few hours here and there.

❌ CONS:

• Pricing Can Be Tricky – You need to figure out how much your work is worth so you don’t undercharge yourself.

• Scope Creep is REAL – If a client keeps adding more tasks that weren’t part of the original package, you’ll need to set clear boundaries or renegotiate the price.

👉 BEST FOR: VAs who offer specialized services (social media management, bookkeeping, etc.) and want long-term, high-paying clients. If you’re aiming to boost your earnings, check out my tips on scaling to $10K months as a VA here!

SO WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

• New to the VA world? Start with hourly rates to get comfortable and gain experience.

• Want to earn MORE? Switch to packages so you’re getting paid for your skills, NOT your hours.

• Want the best of both worlds? Use a hybrid approach—hourly for one-time projects, and packages for long-term clients.

The real goal? Move to package pricing as soon as possible. That’s where the BIG money is.

FINAL THOUGHTS

To effectively implement your chosen pricing strategy, ensure you have the right tools in place. Check out this guide to the essential tools every VA needs here.

You started your VA business for freedom—so don’t box yourself in with pricing that doesn’t serve you.

Take the time to weigh the pros and cons. Figure out what works for your business model. And most importantly… CHARGE WHAT YOU’RE WORTH.

Your bank account will thank you.

If you want to become a virtual assistant...

If you have been thinking of becoming a Virtual Assistant, there truly hasn’t been a better time to start! More businesses than ever are turning to freelancers and virtual assistants today.

You can turn the skills you already have into a service-based business, work from the comfort of your own home, work with clients you genuinely enjoy working with, and have more freedom than a regular 9-5 job. 

As someone who’s been in the game for 8 years, I can tell you - it’s a pretty fun gig!

If you want to learn how to become a virtual assistant, you CANNOT miss this free training I created for you. I deep dive into the world of freelancing, tell you how I started my virtual assistant business, and give you the absolute BEST tips for getting started and finding clients.

Want me as your coach? Join my online course, Virtual Freelancer Academy, where I teach you EVERYTHING you need to know and give you all the tools you need to succeed as a VA (just like I've done for hundreds of students just like you).

Have more questions? Message me here!