--- title: "Is a Virtual Executive Assistant Worth It? | Ant Assist" description: "Is a virtual executive assistant worth it? UK costs against an in-house EA on official figures, when it pays off, when it does not and how to choose one." url: "https://ant-assist.com/resources/is-a-virtual-executive-assistant-worth-it/" --- RESOURCES · ADMIN · VIRTUAL EA WORTH IT # Is a virtual executive assistant worth it? Yes, if the hours you hand over are worth more than the assistant costs and the work is screen-based. Not if it needs someone in the building. Tools our VAs use for this - Updated 23 October 2026 - 10 min read - By Ant Assist [Calculate your savings](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) · [Book a free 15-min call](https://ant-assist.com/book/) In short For most owners and directors who spend several hours a week on their own diary, inbox, travel and documents, yes: a virtual EA costs a fraction of an in-house hire and returns those hours. So, is a virtual executive assistant worth it for you? It is when three things hold: you have regular screen-based work to hand over, you value your own hour above the assistant's rate, and you get one dedicated person who learns how you work. It is not worth it if the work needs someone in the building, or if you will not hand anything over. On this page Admin Virtual Assistant [Book a free 15-minute discovery call](https://ant-assist.com/book/) On this page [Book a call](https://ant-assist.com/book/) · [Calculate your savings](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) Part 2 ## What does a virtual executive assistant do? ### What the role is A [virtual executive assistant](https://ant-assist.com/services/admin/virtual-executive-assistant/) does the work of an executive assistant remotely. They work in your email, calendar, documents and other tools, with access you grant, and keep in touch by chat, email and calls. ### Tasks to delegate - Diary management: booking, moving and confirming meetings, resolving clashes, protecting focus time - Inbox triage: sorting, drafting replies and flagging what needs you - Meeting preparation: agendas, briefing notes and papers - Minutes and follow-up from video meetings - Travel booking and itineraries - Research and summaries before a decision or a meeting - Expenses, invoices and simple tracking - Chasing people and projects on your behalf For a longer list, see our guide to [admin tasks to delegate](https://ant-assist.com/resources/admin-tasks-to-delegate/). If most of the work is general admin rather than executive support, an [admin virtual assistant](https://ant-assist.com/services/admin/) may fit better. ### Virtual EA versus virtual PA The two overlap. A virtual PA often supports one person across work and personal admin; a virtual EA is weighted towards business priorities, meeting preparation, projects and senior correspondence. If most of what you want handled is your own diary and errands, a PA may fit; if it is your working week as a leader, look for an EA. Our guide to [virtual assistant vs personal assistant](https://ant-assist.com/resources/virtual-assistant-vs-personal-assistant/) covers the differences. If you are weighing the role against general office support, see [executive assistant vs administrative assistant](https://ant-assist.com/resources/executive-assistant-vs-administrative-assistant/). Costs ## Virtual versus in-house executive assistant costs An in-house executive assistant costs a salary of £28,000 to £60,000 plus employer National Insurance, pension and holiday, while a virtual executive assistant costs an hourly or monthly rate for the hours you choose. ### In-house salary According to the [National Careers Service](https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/personal-assistant), an in-house executive assistant earns from £28,000 a year as a starter to £60,000 when experienced. The nearest Office for National Statistics group, "Personal assistants and other secretaries", had a full-time median gross annual pay of £36,929 in the [Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026](https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/occupation4digitsoc2010ashetable14) (provisional, released 22 October 2026); it covers roles less senior than an EA. Our guide to [executive assistant salary in the UK](https://ant-assist.com/resources/executive-assistant-salary-uk/) goes into the figures in detail. ### Employer National Insurance, pension and holiday On top of salary, an employer pays Class 1 National Insurance at 15% above £5,000 a year ( [GOV.UK rates and thresholds 2026 to 2027](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-thresholds-for-employers-2026-to-2027)), at least 3% in auto-enrolment pension contributions ( [GOV.UK workplace pensions](https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions/what-you-your-employer-and-the-government-pay)), and 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year ( [GOV.UK holiday entitlement](https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights)). Recruitment, equipment, software and desk space come on top. What sits on top of an in-house salary, against a virtual EA's single rate. ### Side by side comparison Side by side comparison | Cost line | In-house executive assistant | Virtual executive assistant (agency) | |---|---|---| | **Pay** | Annual salary, starter to experienced range above | Hourly or monthly rate for the hours you choose | | **Employer National Insurance and pension** | You pay | Provider pays its own staff costs | | **Paid holiday** | You pay, and need cover | Provider arranges | | **Desk and equipment** | You provide | Provider provides | | **Hours** | Usually a full working week | Part time or full time | | **In person** | Yes | No | ### What changes the price - **Hours:** part time or full time, and whether you buy a fixed block or pay as you go. - **Experience:** senior assistants who have supported directors cost more. - **Dedicated or pooled:** one person who learns your business against a team that shares your work. - **What is included:** supervision, replacement cover, onboarding and security tools, or the person's time only. Use the [calculator](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) to set your own hours and an in-house salary side by side, and see our [virtual assistant cost UK](https://ant-assist.com/resources/virtual-assistant-cost-uk/) guide for how pricing models work. [See the numbers for your own hours](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) Part 4 ## When a virtual executive assistant pays off A virtual executive assistant pays off when the hours you would hand over, multiplied by the value of one hour of your time, comfortably exceed what the assistant costs for those hours. ### Hours saved against cost Run your own numbers. Track a fortnight of the tasks above and total the hours. Then put a value on one hour of your time, for example what you bill a client or what an hour of selling is worth to the business. If the hours you would hand over, multiplied by your hourly value, comfortably exceed what the assistant costs for those hours, the assistant pays. This is a sum only you can do; nobody publishes a reliable average. If the left side comfortably outweighs the right, the assistant pays. ### When it pays - You spend part of every day on scheduling, email and admin you could describe to someone else - Your diary is busy enough that clashes, missed follow-ups and late preparation cost you - You need cover for part of the week, not a full-time employee - You want to test delegation before committing to an in-house hire ### When it does not - The work needs someone physically present: visitors, post, office running - Your work changes so fast that you cannot describe it, and you will not invest time in briefing - You have too little to hand over to fill the minimum hours - You are not prepared to give access to your inbox and diary ### London and other UK cities Location can change the in-house side of the sum, through local salaries and the cost of office space; check current adverts and your own rent. The virtual side does not change: a remote EA costs the same wherever you are based. The higher your local costs, the more the comparison leans towards virtual. If the sums work Buy back your diary and inbox hours A dedicated virtual EA takes your diary, inbox, travel and documents from £5 an hour on the introductory rate. [See virtual EA support](https://ant-assist.com/services/admin/virtual-executive-assistant/) · [See your savings](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) Part 5 ## Types of virtual executive assistant service The three main types of virtual executive assistant service are a self-employed freelancer, an agency that places a person with you, and an AI assistant tool. A **self-employed freelancer** gives you direct contact and sets their own terms; you handle cover when they are away and [the contract yourself](https://ant-assist.com/resources/virtual-assistant-contract/). An **agency** places a person with you and carries recruitment, supervision and replacement; you pay a rate that includes that. An **AI assistant tool** can draft, summarise and schedule, but it cannot exercise judgement on your behalf or deal with people the way an assistant does. Our guide to [virtual assistants for small business](https://ant-assist.com/resources/virtual-assistant-for-small-business/) compares the three in more depth. Part 6 ## Confidentiality, security and AI Protect confidentiality with a virtual executive assistant by agreeing confidentiality in writing, giving access you control and can remove, and confirming that a person, not AI, does the work. ### Data-processing agreements and NDAs An executive assistant sees your most sensitive email, documents and diary. If they handle personal data on your behalf, UK GDPR treats the assistant or their agency as a processor. The ICO explains that the contract with a processor must include terms such as processing only on your documented instructions, a duty of confidence and appropriate security measures ( [ICO guidance on what the contract must include](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/accountability-and-governance/contracts-and-liabilities-between-controllers-and-processors-multi/what-needs-to-be-included-in-the-contract/)). Ask for an NDA as well, and give access through a password manager so it can be revoked in one step. This is general information, not legal advice. ### Human assistants versus AI Ask any provider directly whether the work is done by a person. An EA's value is judgement: knowing which email can wait, which meeting to move and when to call you. Make sure that is what you are paying for. Part 7 ## How to hire a virtual executive assistant in the UK ### Questions to ask a provider 1. Will I have one dedicated person, the same person every day? 2. Who recruits, trains and supervises them, and where do they work? 3. Are they an employee of the provider, a freelancer or an AI tool? 4. What hours do they work, and do those match UK business hours? 5. What happens if the fit is wrong, and does a replacement cost me anything? 6. How is my data protected, and how do I remove access? 7. How quickly can they start, and what does onboarding involve? ### Onboarding steps 1. List the tasks to hand over first, with a short note on how you like each done. 2. Grant access through a password manager, not by sharing passwords. 3. Agree check-in times and how urgent requests reach you. 4. Review the first fortnight together and adjust. 5. Add more work as trust builds. Our [VA hiring guide](https://ant-assist.com/resources/va-hiring-guide/) covers each step in more detail. Before you advertise, a [virtual assistant job description UK template](https://ant-assist.com/resources/virtual-assistant-job-description/) helps you set out the tasks and hours. Part 8 ## Getting a virtual executive assistant through an agency Ant Assist's virtual executive assistants are one dedicated person each, never shared. They work full time from our own managed office in Cairo, where they are recruited, managed and supervised; they are not freelancers and not AI. You choose from 20 hours a week up to a full 40-hour VA, on UK business hours, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. If the fit is wrong, we replace the VA without restart cost. NDAs and data-processing agreements, password managers and revocable access are standard. For wider admin beyond executive support, see [admin support from a dedicated VA](https://ant-assist.com/services/admin/). Rates start at £5 per hour for the first 6 months on the Entry tier. After that, admin Entry is £6.30 per hour full time (£1,008 a month for 160 hours) or £6.50 per hour part time (£520 a month for 80 hours). Rated 5.0 on Google. · Trusted by our clients FAQ ## Questions about virtual executive assistants ### Why hire a virtual executive assistant? To get your own time back without taking on a full-time employee. A virtual EA handles the screen-based work that fills a leader's week, at the hours you need, and the employer costs sit with the provider if you go through an agency. ### What is the best virtual executive assistant? The best one for you is a dedicated person whose experience matches your work, on hours that match yours, through a provider that supervises them and replaces them if the fit is wrong. Judge providers on the questions in this guide, not on price alone. ### Can a virtual executive assistant work with my existing tools? Usually, yes. A virtual EA works in your own email, calendar and document tools with access you grant. Tell the provider which tools you use before they start, so the person placed already knows them or can be trained. ### How quickly will I see a difference? Most owners notice the diary and inbox first, because those tasks hand over quickest. The bigger return comes once the assistant knows your priorities and can act without being asked, which depends on how well you brief them in the first weeks. Didn't find your answer? Browse [more common questions](https://ant-assist.com/help/) in the Help Center. Get Started Get your week back. One dedicated virtual executive assistant, from £5 per hour. Book a free call. [Book a free 15-min call](https://ant-assist.com/book/) · [Calculate your savings](https://ant-assist.com/calculator/) Discovery call · Role brief · VA matched · Onboarded into your tools