Guides
Guides to hiring a Filipino VA
What it costs, what to hand off first, how to hire, and how to get a new VA productive fast. Written for US business owners, with sources.
- How to hire a virtual assistant, step by stepDefine the outcomes you want, turn them into a role scorecard, pick a hiring route (freelancer, agency or managed service), test candidates on real work, onboard with SOPs, and agree on the numbers you'll review after 30 days.
- Hiring a medical virtual assistant: tasks, HIPAA questions and red flagsA medical virtual assistant can handle scheduling, reminders, insurance verification and patient follow-up. Before they see any patient data, HIPAA requires a business associate agreement, named logins with limited access and approved tools. Be wary of anyone selling 'HIPAA certification' as a guarantee.
- Real estate VA vs transaction coordinator: which do you need first?A transaction coordinator manages deals from accepted offer to closing. A real estate virtual assistant handles everything before and around the deal: leads, follow-up, listings, CRM and marketing. Hire a coordinator first if paperwork is putting deals at risk, and a VA first if leads and follow-up are slipping.
- How to write SOPs your virtual assistant will actually followGood SOPs are short, numbered and specific. Give each one a clear trigger, the tools involved, step-by-step instructions with screenshots or a screen recording, and a definition of done. Record yourself doing the task first, then let your VA write it up and keep it current.
- What to delegate to a virtual assistant firstDelegate tasks that are frequent, follow clear rules and are easy to check: inbox triage, scheduling, CRM updates, customer replies and reporting. Keep decisions that depend on your judgment, like pricing, hiring and key client conversations.
- How much does a virtual assistant cost in 2026?Published prices for Philippine-based VA agencies run from about $7.50 to $13.30 an hour, or roughly $1,750 to $2,000 a month for full-time plans. A comparable in-house US hire often costs $64,000 to $110,000 a year once benefits are included.
Comparisons
Weighing your options
- Virtual assistant agency vs freelancerFreelancers cost less per hour and work well for one-off projects, but you do all the vetting, managing and replacing. An agency costs more and handles vetting, and a managed agency also supervises the work. For ongoing roles your business depends on, an agency usually costs less once your own time is counted.
- Delegate or automate? Virtual assistant vs automationAutomate tasks that follow the same rules every time, like moving data between apps, sending reminders and building reports. Delegate tasks that need judgment, like answering customers, qualifying leads and prioritizing. Most workflows are a mix, so automate the fixed steps and give the judgment calls to a person.
- Virtual assistant vs in-house hireAn in-house US hire costs its salary plus about 43% more in benefits on average, according to BLS data, before recruiting, equipment and office space. A Filipino VA through an agency usually costs a fraction of that. In-house wins when the job needs a physical presence or deep, daily in-person collaboration.
Free tools and downloads
Work it out yourself first
- Delegation ROI calculatorSee how many hours a year you would get back, and what a US in-house hire for the same work costs.
- What to Delegate First checklistTasks by department, marked by how easy they are to hand off.
- VA Hiring PlaybookScorecards, interview questions and a 30-day onboarding plan in one PDF.
- Delegation checklists by industrySeparate lists for clinics, real estate teams, online stores and agencies.
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