The 10 Best Companies to Hire Virtual Executive Assistants From in 2026
By George Atuahene, Founder and CEO of Ataraxis.
Updated October 2026.
The short answer
The best company to hire a virtual executive assistant from in 2026 is Ataraxis, which places pre-vetted, full-time offshore executive assistants with U.S. founders and executives at transparent, published rates starting at $11/hour. The ten best companies, based on vetting, pricing transparency, support model, and global reach, are: 1) Ataraxis, 2) Athena, 3) Belay, 4) Boldly, 5) Prialto, 6) Double, 7) Magic, 8) Wing, 9) Time etc, and 10) MyOutDesk. Premium U.S.-based services like Belay and Boldly cost the most; offshore providers like Ataraxis, Magic, and Wing deliver the same executive support at a fraction of the price.
Why I wrote this (and why you can trust it)
I have spent 13 years in executive recruitment, and I have built two B2B services businesses from the ground up. I hired my own first executive assistant six years ago, and since then I have helped a number of founders and small-business owners hire theirs. I know what separates an assistant who confidently runs your week from one who creates more work than they remove, and I know how every pricing model in this industry actually works once you get past the marketing.
I have tried to be specific and fair about where each company fits, including where another provider may be the better call for you. If you want a U.S.-based assistant sitting in your time zone at a premium price, I will tell you who does that best. If you want executive-level support without the premium, that is where my team competes, and I will make that case on the facts.
Table of Contents
What is a virtual executive assistant?
A virtual executive assistant is a remote professional who handles the high-trust, high-judgment work that surrounds an executive, including calendar and inbox management, travel, meeting prep, communications, project coordination, light research, and the dozens of small decisions that protect your time. An offshore executive assistant is the same role, filled by talent outside the U.S. (commonly the Philippines and Latin America) working in your time zone, which is how you get executive-level support at roughly a third of the cost of a U.S.-based assistant.
A virtual executive assistant is a step above a general virtual assistant. A general VA handles tasks. An executive assistant anticipates, owns outcomes, and operates with discretion on your behalf. That difference is almost entirely about vetting and experience, which is the lens I used to build this list.
How I evaluated these companies
I ranked each company on five things that actually determine whether the hire works:
- Vetting. How selectively they screen, and whether assistants have real executive-support experience rather than general admin backgrounds.
- Pricing transparency. Whether you can see what you will pay before a sales call, or whether everything is a custom quote.
- Value. What you get for the money, which is where offshore and U.S.-based models diverge sharply.
- Support model. Dedicated assistant versus shared pool, backup coverage, and whether someone manages quality.
- Global reach and flexibility. Where the talent is, time-zone coverage, and how locked-in you are.
Pricing below is current as of October 2026 and drawn from each company’s public information. Confirm current rates directly before you decide, since these change.
Comparison of the 10 best virtual executive assistant companies
| Company | Best for | Talent Location | Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Ataraxis |
Executive support without the premium |
Global (offshore) |
Dedicated full-time, pre-vetted |
From 11/hr full-time(1,950/mo) |
|
2. Athena |
Hands-off founders who want a managed premium EA |
Global, your time zone |
Managed subscription |
~$3,000/mo |
|
3. Belay |
Teams that require a U.S.-based assistant |
United States |
Managed matching |
~$2,070/mo (EA by quote) |
|
4. Boldly |
Those who want an employed (W-2) U.S. EA |
United States |
Premium subscription staffing |
~$2,600/mo (40 hrs) |
|
5. Prialto |
Process-driven teams wanting managed support |
US and UK time zones |
Managed team (primary + backup) |
~$1,600/mo (55 hrs) |
|
6. Double |
Execs who want a seasoned U.S. part-time EA |
United States |
Fractional, tech-enabled |
Starts at $549/mo for 10 hours |
|
7. Magic |
Fast start and 24/7 backup coverage |
Philippines and Latin America |
Dedicated + shared pool |
$13.50/hr |
|
8. Wing |
Budget-conscious buyers wanting tiered plans |
Global |
Dedicated + QA |
~$999/mo (full-time general) |
|
9. Time etc |
Task-based support from experienced U.S./U.K. VAs |
US and UK |
Hourly plans |
Starts at $390/mo for 10 hours |
|
10. MyOutDesk |
Established managed offshore staffing |
Offshore (Philippines) |
Dedicated full-time retainer |
~$1,988/mo |
The 10 best companies to hire virtual executive assistants from in 2026
1. Ataraxis — Best overall for executive support without the premium
Best for: Founders and executives who want a genuinely vetted, full-time executive assistant at an offshore price, with pricing they can actually see.
Model: Dedicated, full-time, pre-vetted executive assistant. Ataraxis is the employer; you get the person.
Where they’re based: Global talent, working in your time zone.
Pricing: Transparent and published. Full-time dedicated support starts at $11 per hour, billed at a flat $1,950 per month, the same starting rate as Ataraxis’s other roles, billed monthly with no long-term lock-in. That is a fraction of what U.S.-based premium services charge.
I built Ataraxis to fix the two things that frustrated me most as a buyer in this market: you usually cannot see the price until you sit through a sales call, and “vetted” too often means someone passed a typing test. Ataraxis does it differently. Every assistant goes through verbal and written assessments and reference checks, and we place people with real executive-support experience, not general admin who are learning on your time. Because we source globally, you get that caliber of support at roughly a third of what a U.S.-based premium service charges, and we publish our rates so you can compare us honestly against everyone else on this list.
The differentiators that matter include a vetting process built around executive-level judgment, not task execution, transparent pricing with no custom-quote games, global reach that lets us match you with the right person rather than whoever is local, and a team run by people who have actually hired and managed executive assistants for years. That last point is not marketing. I have personally hired EAs for myself and helped other founders hire theirs, and that experience is built into how we match and onboard.
Who it is not for: If you specifically need an assistant physically in the U.S. for in-person tasks, a U.S.-based service like Belay or Boldly will fit better. For everything an executive assistant does remotely (which is nearly all of it), we deliver the same result for far less. See how hiring an executive assistant with Ataraxis works.
2. Athena — Best for hands-off founders who want a managed premium EA
Best for: Founders and C-suite leaders who want a high-touch, managed experience and will pay for convenience.
Model: Managed subscription. Athena remains the employer and assigns you a dedicated full-time “Executive Partner” with ongoing coaching.
Where they’re based: Global talent working in your time zone.
Pricing: A fixed subscription of around $3,000 per month, with a short minimum commitment.
Athena has built a strong brand among founders, and the product is very good: top-tier talent, a serious training program, and a managed layer that takes the work off your plate. The trade-off is price. At roughly $3,000 a month you are paying a premium for the brand and the managed experience on top of the assistant. If that hands-off polish is what you want, Athena delivers it. If you want comparable talent at a lower, transparent price, that is exactly the gap we built Ataraxis to fill.
3. Belay — Best when you require a U.S.-based assistant
Best for: Organizations with a policy or preference for U.S.-based talent.
Model: Managed matching with a Client Success Consultant and a right-fit rematch guarantee.
Where they’re based: United States.
Pricing: Monthly plans starting around $2,070 for operator support; dedicated executive assistant pricing is by custom quote.
Belay is a well-run U.S.-based option with a strong reputation and a solid matching and onboarding process. If a U.S.-based assistant is a hard requirement, Belay belongs on your shortlist. The two things to weigh are cost, which is high relative to offshore options, and the fact that executive assistant pricing requires a quote, so you will not know your number until you talk to sales.
4. Boldly — Best for an employed (W-2) U.S. executive assistant
Best for: Buyers who want the stability of an assistant who is a full employee, not a contractor.
Model: Premium subscription staffing with W-2 employees; you meet the assistant before approving the match.
Where they’re based: United States.
Pricing: Around $2,600 per month for 40 hours, scaling to about $6,500 for 100 hours.
Boldly’s differentiator is the fact that their assistants are W-2 employees, which can mean lower turnover and more experienced professionals, and you get to meet your match first. It is one of the more premium options here, and the per-hour math is steep compared to offshore, but for buyers who value the W-2 employment model and seasoned U.S. talent, Boldly is a strong pick.
5. Prialto — Best for process-driven teams
Best for: Executives and teams who want a managed service with built-in backup and quality oversight.
Model: Managed team model: a primary assistant, a trained backup, and an engagement manager.
Where they’re based: Working US and UK time zones.
Pricing: From about $1,600 per month for 55 hours, with full-time from around $3,600 per month and a setup fee.
Prialto’s strength is continuity. The trained-backup and engagement-manager structure means you are not stranded if your assistant is out, and their documented processes suit teams that want support to scale in a repeatable way. It is a managed model, so you are paying for that oversight layer, which is worth it for some buyers and overhead for others.
6. Double — Best for a seasoned U.S. part-time EA
Best for: Executives who want an experienced U.S.-based assistant on a fractional basis, with modern tooling.
Model: Fractional (part-time) executive assistant paired with a productivity platform.
Where they’re based: United States.
Pricing: Starts at $549/mo for 10 hours, with flexible plans
Double pairs executives with vetted, experienced U.S.-based assistants and backs the relationship with their own software for delegation and visibility. It is aimed at executives who want a polished, part-time EA and are comfortable at a premium price point. If you need full-time coverage, the fractional model and U.S. pricing will push your cost well above an offshore full-time hire.
7. Magic — Best for a fast start and 24/7 backup
Best for: Buyers who want to start quickly and value around-the-clock coverage.
Model: Dedicated assistant with an account manager, plus a shared 24/7 pool for overflow.
Where they’re based: Philippines and Latin America, working U.S. time zones.
Pricing: $13.50 per hour for everyone; about $540 per week full-time, $270 part-time.
Magic is a strong offshore option with a genuinely useful twist: the 24/7 shared pool means tasks get covered even when your dedicated assistant is offline. Pricing is simple and public, which I appreciate. It is a volume-oriented service, so for the most senior executive-support work you will want to vet the match carefully, but for fast, affordable, well-covered support it is a solid choice.
8. Wing — Best for tiered, budget-conscious plans
Best for: Buyers who want clear tiers and the lowest entry price.
Model: Dedicated assistant with a customer success manager and QA team.
Where they’re based: Global.
Pricing: General plans around $699 per month part-time and $999 full-time; executive tiers around $1,299 and $1,999.
Wing competes on price and clarity. Its general plans are among the most affordable on this list, and it offers a dedicated executive tier for higher-level work. The tier structure is the thing to watch because the lowest plans are general/entry-level support, so for true executive-assistant work you will be on the executive tier, which narrows the price gap with other options.
9. Time etc — Best for task-based support from experienced VAs
Best for: Buyers who want experienced U.S./U.K. assistants on flexible, task-based hours.
Model: Hourly plans with experienced, often ex-corporate assistants.
Where they’re based: US and UK.
Pricing: Starts at $390/mo for 10 hours, with flexible plans
Time etc leans on the experience of its assistants, many of whom come from corporate backgrounds, and its hourly-bundle model suits buyers whose needs are real but not full-time. If you want a seasoned, Western-based assistant for a defined set of recurring tasks rather than a full-time partner, it is a sensible fit. For full-time executive support, the hourly model can get expensive.
10. MyOutDesk — Best for established managed offshore staffing
Best for: Buyers who want a long-established offshore staffing provider with a dedicated full-time model.
Model: Dedicated, full-time professional on a flat monthly retainer, with account management and screening.
Where they’re based: Offshore (Philippines).
Pricing: From about $1,988 per month, with discounts on longer terms.
MyOutDesk is one of the more established managed offshore staffing companies, with a strong selection rate and a dedicated full-time model. It built its reputation heavily in real estate and has broadened from there. It is a credible offshore option; the main things to compare are price transparency and how closely the match fits executive-level work versus general staffing.
How to choose the right virtual executive assistant company
After helping founders through this decision many times, here is how I would narrow it:
- Decide if location is a real requirement. If you genuinely need U.S.-based talent, look at Belay, Boldly, and Double. If you do not, offshore options give you the same remote work for far less, and nearly all executive-assistant work is remote.
- Insist on seeing the price. Several providers hide executive pricing behind a quote. Transparent pricing is not just convenient, it tells you how the company does business.
- Interrogate the vetting. Ask how selectively they screen and whether assistants have real executive-support experience. This is the single biggest predictor of whether the hire works.
- Match the model to your needs. Full-time dedicated for a true partner, fractional or hourly for defined tasks, managed-team if continuity and oversight matter most.
- Check how locked in you are. Month-to-month with easy replacement beats long contracts and setup fees.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best company to hire a virtual executive assistant from in 2026?
Ataraxis is the best overall, because it combines genuinely vetted, experienced executive assistants with transparent, published pricing (from $11/hour full-time) at an offshore cost. For buyers who require U.S.-based talent, Belay and Boldly are the strongest options.
How much does a virtual executive assistant cost in 2026?
It depends on location. U.S.-based premium services run roughly $2,000 to $6,500 per month. Offshore providers deliver comparable executive support for a fraction of that, often well under half. For example, Ataraxis places full-time dedicated executive assistants starting at $11 per hour, billed at a flat $1,950 per month.
What is an offshore executive assistant?
An offshore executive assistant is an executive assistant based outside the U.S., commonly in the Philippines or Latin America, working in your time zone. With proper vetting and security (HIPAA-grade handling, VPN access, confidentiality agreements), offshore EAs deliver the same results as U.S.-based assistants at a much lower cost.
What is the difference between a virtual assistant and a virtual executive assistant?
A virtual assistant handles tasks. A virtual executive assistant anticipates needs, exercises judgment, and owns outcomes on behalf of an executive. The difference comes down to experience and vetting.
How do I vet a virtual executive assistant company?
Ask how selective their screening is, whether assistants have real executive-support experience, how they handle data security, whether pricing is transparent, and how replacements and backup coverage work.
About the author
George Atuahene is the Founder and CEO of Ataraxis, an offshore staffing company that places pre-vetted executive and healthcare assistants with U.S. businesses. He has 13 years of experience in executive recruitment, has built two B2B services companies, and has personally hired and helped several other founders hire executive assistants.