Free tool
In-house vs virtual assistant cost calculator
This free cost of hiring an assistant calculator sets the loaded yearly cost of an in-house hire (salary, employer tax, benefits, overhead, recruiting and the months lost to turnover) against the monthly figure you enter for a managed virtual assistant. Estimates are for orientation, not an AssistBPO price. Plans depend on hours, desks and coverage.
· Reviewed by Nimra Khalid
- Formula shown
- Runs in your browser
- Sources listed
In-house vs virtual assistant cost calculator
Change a number and the result updates as you type. Nothing is sent anywhere.
In-house loaded cost per year
$83,033
In-house loaded cost per month
$6,919
Managed assistant per year
$21,600
Difference per year
$61,433
How does the calculator work?
Loaded cost equals salary plus employer taxes at the percentage you set, plus benefits, overhead and recruiting, plus the months of salary lost when an assistant leaves (research on freelance and in-house turnover puts it at two to three months of salary in lost productivity). The managed assistant figure is whatever monthly number you enter, times twelve. The difference is the gap, positive when in-house costs more.
What is it based on?
- Default salary reflects a US administrative assistant; PayScale puts the average US virtual assistant at $19.45 an hour and Indeed at $27.15 (via Wishup 2026).
- Turnover of a freelance or junior assistant costs two to three months of salary in lost productivity (Zedtreeo, Catalyst, Nacho, 2026); the default is 2.5 months.
- Employer taxes and insurance default to 10 percent; adjust for your state, province or country.
- The managed assistant figure is yours to enter; AssistBPO does not publish a rate card.
- No allowance for management time saved or for a backup and team lead, both of which are included in an AssistBPO plan.
What should you do with your result?
If the gap is large, the decision is usually about continuity and phones rather than price: a managed assistant comes with a backup for leave and a team lead for quality. If the gap is small, weigh the hours: an in-house hire is full-time by default, while a managed assistant can start at 80 hours a month. Either way, the staffing plan gives you a real figure to put in the last field.
Frequently asked questions
What should I enter for the managed assistant figure?
Plans depend on hours, desks and coverage. Get a staffing plan within 1 business day and enter that figure. For orientation, 2026 guides put a full-time managed remote assistant at $640 to $2,400 a month (Wishup, Cherry Assistant, Zedtreeo) and premium onshore fractional plans at $2,600 to $3,900 for 40 to 60 hours (Boldly).
Why include turnover?
Because an assistant who leaves after a year costs you the search, the retraining and the two to three months during which the work is not done well. Managed providers absorb that risk with a backup and a re-match, which is the main reason the comparison is not just hourly rate against hourly rate.
Does the calculator handle part-time hires?
Enter a part-time salary and the calculator treats it the same way. Benefits and overhead often do not scale down proportionally, so check those fields for a part-time hire.
Which currency does it use?
Whichever you choose in the first field; all values are in that currency and no conversion is applied.
Is management time counted?
No. An in-house assistant needs a manager; a managed assistant comes with a team lead who runs the weekly review. If you want to reflect that, add an estimate of your own hours to the overhead field.
More free tools
Ask an AI assistant to summarize this page
Next step
Turn the estimate into a plan
Send the hours, the desk and the tools you use. A named person replies within 1 business day with a staffing plan based on your real numbers, not a calculator.
Or call +1-657-777-0006 during US, UK or Australian business hours, or hear our demo receptionist.
- A named assistant proposed within 72 hours
- Employed, screened and managed staff, never freelancers
- Your hours, your tools, your data