If there’s one question every new Virtual Assistant asks, it’s this:
‘How much should I charge for …?’
And unfortunately, the answer usually reads something like:
‘It depends.’
Or…
‘Only you can work that out.’
I appreciate, neither of which is particularly helpful when you’re staring at a client enquiry wondering whether your quote should be £250 or £600.
The good news?
After more than ten years as a VA, I’ve built something to help.
But first, let’s look at the things we all, at times, forget to consider when working out what to charge for any of your services…
There’s so much more to consider
For example:
Managing an inbox isn’t just:
- replying to emails
It’s:
- reading previous conversations
- switching between software
- making decisions
- chasing information
- communicating with clients
- solving problems
And at the beginning of the relationship; it’s also replying to endless emails with ‘no, that password didn’t work either’.
Clients aren’t paying for someone to click buttons.
They’re paying for the result. The stress you remove from their day. The distractions you remove. The calm you bring.
You do not charge less because you’re new
Literally no one is paying you for the length of time you’ve been in business. Look, I have a cleaner (one of the perks of having disposable income now my pay isn’t dictated by minimum wage) and I pay her £30 an hour. I have no idea how long she’s been cleaning. It’s irrelevant. I just know she’s good at what she does and I’m happy to pay her what she charges to take the job away from me.
Let me put is this way too; the tax office don’t reduce what you’re going to pay them because you’ve been in business less time than someone else, and the software you’ll be using won’t be cheaper because you’re a new VA.
We worry that enquiry might be our only opportunity EVER to get a client and so we must get this right.
So… we go in with a stupidly low price, and no boundaries (‘yeah you can call me any time of the night and day, or pop round’). What we don’t realise early on is that pricing ourselves too low can be quite negative for our business.
- It can make a potential client wonder why we’re so much cheaper. Are we rubbish at what we do? Not confident at what we’re offering – e.g. have you said yes, but you’re going to watch a few YouTubes because you’re a ‘fast learner’
- Pricing low undermines the VA world’s worth. At time of writing we’re close to a minimum of £35 an hour. Minimum! If people start charging less because they’re not yet appreciating their worth, it could eventually bring the whole sector down.
- Underpaying clients are the absolute worst! They have limited profit, which is why they’re happy to pay peanuts, and they always expect a service as if they’re some kind of God. Please don’t learn the hard way.
Things we often forget to include when working out a price
- Client communication
- Training
- Research
- Context switching
- Meetings
- Phone calls
- Project management
- Software costs
- Revisions
- Waiting for approvals
- Responsibility
- Getting the blood logins
- Clarifying jumbled instructions
And so much more.
The easiest way to work out what to charge
When I was a new VA I lost over £3000.
Because I undercharged.
A client paid me £360 to transcribe some documents for them and it should’ve been more like £3600.
It wasn’t their fault. That’s what I’d quoted them because I didn’t realise how long it was really going to take me until I’d started.
By that time there was NO WAY I could go back and ask for another £3k.
I just had to suck up the huge loss.
There were so many questions I’d not asked, so many things I’d not taken into account when I priced the job. It was 2015 and I was a rookie VA, and there was nothing out there to help us work out prices for one-off jobs, packages and combined services. In fact there has been nothing to help until now.
I have created a custom GPT to help you, Virtual Assistants, work out what to charge!
It asks the questions I’d ask.
Then gives you an idea of what to charge!
Want to have a look? It’s free! > What Would Catherine Charge?
FAQs around what Virtual Assistants should charge
What is the average hourly rate for a Virtual Assistant in the UK?
As of June 2026 the average hourly rate is £34 an hour
Should beginner Virtual Assistants charge less?
Absolutely NOT. Why would you? You’re only ever providing services you’re confident and competent at so there’s literally no reason why you should charge less than someone who’s been a VA for longer. Your length of service is of zero relevance to any of our clients. Do you pay less to get on a train if the driver is new? No.
How do I price a monthly retainer?
Retainers are where a client block books hours with you every month. This is great for the client because they are guaranteed your time, unlike if they need ad hoc support (because you might be too busy with other clients). You can offer any number of hours as retainers, there’s no rule. But, my advice is to calculate them based on your hourly rate. For example, if you charge £35 an hour ad hoc, then a ten hour retainer would be £350.
We don’t do discounts the more people buy. If you did offer discounts you’d earn less money. That’s not how businesses thrive.
What is the different between retainers and packages?
As above re retainers. Packages are services that are bundled together / combined. For example; bookkeeping isn’t just ‘bookkeeping’, you could promote it as a package: raising and chasing invoices, reconciliation, liaising with accountant.
Can I increase my prices?
Of course. I know it’s scary, but yes increasing your prices is a must when the rest of the world is increasing theirs. If you’re working from home and the price of utilities increases then you’re going to need to start earning more.
If you need any help with what to say to clients then grab my free copy and paste template here.
Should I put prices on my website?
100% yes. Your website is your 24/7 shopfront. That business owner who’s overwhelmed and unable to sleep at 4am is scrolling for solutions to his ever growing to-do list. He comes across two VAs websites. One has her prices clearly laid out, none of this ‘get in touch for a bespoke quote’ nonsense and the other has nothing, not even her hourly rate. Just a ‘book a discovery call here’.
Which one is this stressed, time poor business owner going to get in touch with?
For the avoidance of doubt, it’s the one with the prices on her website.
What if a client says I’m too expensive?
You add under your breath ‘…for you’. You’re too expensive for them because they’re not yet earning enough to afford you. Then reply ‘that’s okay, I’ll be here if you need me in the future’.
Test your pricing prowess
What would you charge?
A client wants:
✔ Inbox management
✔ Diary management
✔ Weekly newsletter
✔ 10 hours per month
How much would you quote?
£_____
Now compare your answer with What Would Catherine Charge?