Virtual Assistant Jobs vs Freelancing: Which Pays More?

Remote work has revolutionized the modern career landscape, ushering in a new era of flexible jobs and unconventional work arrangements. For those considering a shift from traditional office jobs, two options often stand out: pursuing a role as a virtual assistant or setting out independently as a freelancer. But which path offers the greater earning potential? Let’s dive deep into a comparison of virtual assistant jobs and broader freelancing careers—analysing pay, perks, challenges, and which might be best for you in 2024 and beyond.

Understanding Virtual Assistant Roles

A virtual assistant, or VA, is someone who provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely. VAs handle a variety of tasks—from managing emails and calendars to data entry, basic social media management, customer service, and even bookkeeping. The VA field has grown especially popular among those seeking steady, part-time or full-time remote work without having to market themselves as an expansive service-provider.

Typical Responsibilities:

• Scheduling appointments and meetings
• Email and correspondence management
• Research and data compilation
• Social media posting
• Invoicing and bookkeeping

Example: Consider "Anna," who works as a VA for three small business clients. She maintains signing in/out times, schedules meetings through Google Calendar, and updates Shopify product listings. Anna's workday revolves around her clients' business hours and is predictable, with relatively stable-project scope.

Skill Requirements: Most VA roles require strong organizational and communication skills, basic tech literacy (e.g., cloud applications), and sometimes niche expertise (like managing CRM software). Formal education is less crucial than proficiency with digital tools, reliability, and responsiveness.

What Is Freelancing?

Freelancing refers to working as a self-employed contractor, typically specializing in a particular area or skill. This can span software development, graphic design, writing and editing, marketing, consulting, and much more. Freelancers often juggle multiple clients, set their own schedules, negotiate rates, and take on project-based work that ranges from hourly gigs to multi-month assignments.

Breadth of Opportunity: Websites like Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, and 99designs showcase thousands of freelancing categories—from voiceover artistry to legal transcription and even advanced financial modeling.

Example: Imagine "Raj," a freelance web developer, who alternates between designing Shopify themes and coding custom plugins for small businesses worldwide. Raj controls his rates, scopes out interesting projects, and sometimes works 60-hour weeks to meet multiple deadlines.

Skill Requirements: Freelancing usually demands in-depth expertise or creativity in a particular field, strong self-marketing abilities, and entrepreneurial skills. Success often relies on both technical mastery and the ability to deliver value independently.

The Paycheck Showdown: Who Earns More?

Let’s get to the critical question—who typically earns more, virtual assistants or freelancers?

Virtual Assistant Pay Rates

• On average in 2024, entry-level VAs charge $8 to $25 per hour depending on their locale and the complexity of tasks (with rates higher in countries like the US, UK, or Australia).
• Experienced, specialized VAs (like executive assistants or tech-savvy VAs) can command $30 to $60+ per hour.
• Most VAs secure ongoing, retainer contracts, providing predictable monthly income. For example, managing the office admin for a US real estate agent at $500 per month for 10 weekly hours of work.

Data:

• According to PayScale, the median hourly pay for VAs in the United States is about $19 per hour (2024 data).

Freelancer Pay Rates

• Freelancing spans a broader pay spectrum because many services are specialized. For example, freelance:
  • Developers often command $50–$150/hour.
  • Copywriters may earn anywhere from $15–$100+ per hour based on experience and niche.
  • Graphic designers typically range from $25–$100/hour.
  • Administrative freelancers (jobs similar to VA work) earn $15–$35/hour.
• Highly skilled or in-demand freelancers can land project rates exceeding several thousand dollars per contract. A skilled copywriter may charge $2,000 for a long-form website, while a software developer might pocket $10,000 for a complex web application.

Data:

• Freelancer's Union and Upwork surveys cite the average freelancer rate in the US at around $28/hour, with high-earning specialists reporting rates of $75/hour or greater.

Conclusion: Freelancing generally offers a higher ceiling—especially for those with advanced or niche skills—though entry-level or admin-oriented freelance gigs may pay similarly to standard VA roles.

Income Stability: Retainers vs. Projects

One of the most overlooked aspects of remote careers is the reliability of income—how consistent your cash flow will be from month to month.

Virtual Assistant Stability:

• Many VAs work under monthly retainers. These contracts guarantee a fixed payment for a set number of hours or tasks per month, similar to a "part-time" employment relationship (albeit as an independent contractor).
• This predictability appeals to those who prioritize reliable schedules and income, even if the hourly rate is moderately lower.

Freelancing Stability:

• Freelancers often work on shorter-term projects, sending invoices per milestone, hour, or project completion. A slow month, a missed bid on a new client, or project cancellations can lead to "feast or famine" cycles.
• High-skilled freelancers, after establishing a client base and reputation, often distance themselves from short-term instability by negotiating retainer agreements, retainers, or recurring contracts—similar to advanced VAs.

Bottom Line: If you’re risk-averse or value steady paychecks, VA work (especially if you can lock down a handful of monthly clients) is a more predictable choice. Freelancing has a higher income ceiling—but with it often comes a rockier financial road before establishing yourself.

Practical Examples: Who Should Choose What?

Deciding between VA and freelance paths often hinges on your skills, personality, risk tolerance, and lifestyle preferences.

Best Fit for Virtual Assistant Roles

• Those transitioning from traditional office admin roles: The learning curve is lower and the skill set aligns well.
• Serial multitaskers: Juggling multiple simple or moderately complex tasks for one or more clients.
• Those who crave structure: Set hours, repeated processes, clear deliverables.

Example: Sarah, a former office manager, became a VA for e-commerce entrepreneurs. She enjoys ticking off a clear daily task list and appreciates predictable hourly pay.

Who Thrives as a Freelancer?

• Creative professionals or niche specialists: Writers, designers, developers, consultants, videographers, etc.
• Entrepreneurially minded individuals: Those who enjoy marketing themselves, pitching clients, and scaling up.
• People comfortable with variable schedules: Willing to endure income ups and downs with an eye on bigger payoffs.

Example: Alex, a freelance copywriter, spent a year building a reputation on Upwork and now regularly books $2,500+ blog package projects, more than doubling his former in-office income.

The Impact of Skills and Experience on Earnings

The money you’ll make—whether as a VA or freelancer—relies heavily on your expertise, ongoing learning, and the perceived value you deliver. Up-skilling and specialization almost always translate to better rates and bigger client opportunities.

As a Virtual Assistant:

• Knowing advanced or industry-specific tools (QuickBooks for bookkeeping, Shopify for e-commerce, Salesforce for client management) lifts your earning power beyond the VA averages.
• If you move from general admin tasks to social media marketing or project management, you can bump your rate substantially.

As a Freelancer:

• Freelancers who evolve into subject matter experts—for example, WordPress site developers, technical SEO analysts, or specialized medical copywriters—routinely double or triple beginner rates in just a few years.
• Niche down: Focusing on a specialty (e.g., writing business case studies for SaaS companies) often enables you to out-earn generalists.

Continuous Learning Pays: Whether you choose VA or freelancing, investing in online courses, certifications, or new skills is one of the fastest ways to move up the earnings ladder.

Platforms and Where to Find Work

Knowing where to land high-paying gigs is half the battle. Here’s how the landscape typically looks:

Virtual Assistant Work:

• Upwork and Freelancer.com: Many clients seeking ongoing admin help.
• Belay, Time Etc., Boldly, Fancy Hands: VA-specific agencies that place assistants with vetted clients, often offering training and more job stability.
• Virtual Vocations, Remote.co: Job boards specializing in remote/virtual positions.

Freelancing Gigs:

• Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, Guru: International platforms for every skill imaginable. These platforms handle payments, vet clients/freelancers, and (with strong reviews) can be very lucrative.
• Specialized platforms: 99designs for design, ProBlogger for writers, TopTal for engineers.
• Direct Outreach: Once you have a sharp portfolio, pitching directly to businesses, agencies, or fellow professionals via LinkedIn or email can dramatically increase both rates and gig quality.

The Long-Term Outlook: Scaling, Growth, and Burnout

It’s also crucial to think beyond your first year: How can you scale your business, and what career pitfalls should you watch for?

Virtual Assistants:

• VAs can transition to VA agency owners—multiplying earnings by subcontracting work to other VAs and servicing more clients.
• Upskilling into project management, executive support, or industry consulting routes often leads to double or triple pay.

Freelancers:

• You can become a full-fledged consultant, offer recurring packages ("monthly SEO for $1,000"), or create digital products and courses.
• Many freelancers eventually form boutique agencies, employing small teams and drastically increasing revenue.

Remote Risks: Both fields come with the risk of burnout, especially if you’re juggling too many clients or not setting boundaries. Successful pros block off "off" days, automate repetitive work, and regularly audit their client roster to keep workload manageable and rates sustainable.

Tips for Raising Your Earning Potential

Regardless of which route you pick, here’s how to boost your remote income:

1. Build a stellar portfolio/testimonials: Whether you’re a VA or freelancer, tangible evidence of your excellence is your best sales tool.
2. Over-deliver early: Prove your value and secure glowing references, leading to repeat work and rate increases.
3. Specialize, don’t generalize: Specialists nearly always command higher rates because their skills fill a narrow—but pressing—need.
4. Upskill regularly: Invest in the latest tools, certifications, and best practices in your field.
5. Network strategically: Join industry groups, attend webinars, and use LinkedIn for direct outreach—many high-paying leads never hit general job boards.
6. Know your numbers: Review your effective hourly rate, annual earning potential, and time invested so you can negotiate more confidently.
7. Diversify income: Offer new packages, digital products, or passive income streams alongside client work.

Finding Your Best Fit in the Remote Economy

Ultimately, the question of whether virtual assistant jobs or freelancing pays more depends on your skill set, career stage, and appetite for risk. Virtual assistants thrive on structure, predictability, and multi-client juggling—and can enjoy a reliable income stream, especially if working through agencies or retainer agreements. Freelancers, with sharp skills and a flair for self-promotion, can break through the income ceiling, accessing projects and client relationships far beyond traditional employment’s offerings, albeit with more volatility in daily earnings.

The good news: Both paths can be lucrative, flexible, and rewarding when approached with strategy and self-awareness. Whether you become the linchpin remote helper clients can’t do without, or you chart your path as an in-demand freelance expert, success is less about the title—and more about the value you provide and the smart choices you make along the way.