Allying vs
a virtual assistant agency.
Assistant companies give you a real person, matched and managed: from $390 a month for ten hours at Time etc to $3,000 a month and up for one full-time person at Athena, Pearl Talent or Persona Talent. Allying does the job you posted for 30% of the salary in your posting, a month, with a monthly minimum for each job and the first week done before any conversation. The right choice depends on whether you need hands or a job done.
What a virtual assistant agency does well
A dedicated person who learns your calendar, your inbox and your travel. Hours you buy in blocks, matched to you by someone whose job is matching. A manager on their side if it is not working. For an executive who needs a human to book the flight, chase the signature and call the restaurant, this is a mature market with good companies in it.
What they charge
Each figure below is from the company's own pages, read on the date in its source. Where a company does not publish a price, we say so rather than guess.
| Company | What their page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Athena | One dedicated, full-time executive assistant: $3,000 a month with a 12-month commitment, or $3,600 a month on the monthly plan after an initial 90-day commitment. | [1] |
| Pearl Talent | One full-time remote professional from the Philippines, Latin America or South Africa: from $3,000 a month, the rate by role and seniority, quoted on a call. Monthly, cancel any time; a 30-day replacement guarantee. | [2] |
| Persona Talent | One full-time, dedicated team member: starting at $3,000 a month, priced by quote. Month to month, no setup fee; billing starts after you approve a hire. Or a permanent placement onto your own payroll. | [3] |
| Boldly | 40 hours a month $2,600; 60 hours $3,900; 80 hours $5,200; 100 hours $6,500. Specialist work $79 an hour. No start-up fees. | [4] |
| Time etc | 10 hours a month $390; 20 hours $760; 40 hours $1,480; 60 hours $2,160. Unused hours roll over. Cancel any time. | [5] |
| Magic | Part time (20 hours a week) $270 a week; full time (40 hours a week) $540 a week; billed every four weeks. | [6] |
| Somewhere | Direct hire for a one-time fee, a percentage of first-year salary that is not published. On-demand assistants shown at $1,200 to $2,200 a month. | [7] |
| BELAY | Not published; ask them. | [8] |
| Wing | A general virtual assistant: $999 a month full time (160 hours) or $699 part time (80 hours). The pricing page itself asks you to schedule a meeting. | [10] |
We checked Athena, Pearl Talent, Persona Talent and Wing on 2026-09-25, and the others on 2026-09-17. Prices change; the links in the sources are the ones to trust.
Athena, Pearl Talent or Persona Talent?
The three sell one vetted, remote person, full time by default, for about $3,000 a month. The differences are in how you commit and who the person works for.
- Athena gives you one executive assistant, employed by Athena, located overseas and working your schedule, for $3,000 a month with a 12-month commitment, or $3,600 a month on a 90-day commitment, then month to month [1]. It suits an executive who wants one person for work and personal life, for years.
- Pearl Talent places a full-time remote professional from the Philippines, Latin America or South Africa with US-based, founder-led teams, from $3,000 a month, monthly, cancel any time, with a 30-day replacement guarantee [2]. It suits a US company that wants one vetted, full-time hire without a long commitment.
- Persona Talent recruits a dedicated team member from its network, starting at $3,000 a month by quote, month to month, or finds someone for you to hire onto your own payroll [3]. You meet the finalists and make the final call, and it also offers part-time, hourly and temporary cover [9]. It suits a business that wants to pick the person from a shortlist.
All three give you a person's time, managed by the company that placed them. Allying does the job on your posting: the first week of the work is done before any conversation, a named specialist answers for it, and the price is 30% of the salary in your posting, a month, with a monthly minimum for each job. The full list of alternatives, by what you need, is on Athena alternatives.
The five things a job is
An agency sells hours. A posting asks for a job, and a job has always been five things. Here is how an assistant by the hour compares with the job done.
- The tasksAn assistant does what you hand over, within the hours you bought. Allying does the whole job on the posting, every week.
- The availabilityAn assistant keeps the hours on the plan. Allying is in your channels, with its own phone number, and answers when the question comes.
- The accountabilityAn assistant reports to you and to their agency. Allying puts every action on the record, with a daily note, a weekly report and a named specialist who answers for it.
- The judgmentAn assistant follows your instructions and learns your habits. Allying brings a specialist’s standard for the job itself, and learns your preferences from every approval and edit.
- The reliefAn assistant lifts the errands. Allying lifts the job, including the part where you had to know how to do it.
When to choose which
Choose an assistant agency when
- You need a human on the phone for travel, scheduling and personal errands.
- The work is a few hours a week of handing things off.
- You want one person you can get to know over years.
- The tasks need a physical presence or a signature in person.
Choose Allying when
- You posted a job, not a list of errands: marketing, support, admin, writing, design, research.
- You want the first week done before you commit to anyone.
- You want the work in your own channels, with every action on the record.
- You want a specialist in that job, not a generalist learning it.
One company at a time
The same comparison, company by company, each with that company's own plans and terms.
Hiring for this job
Your contact for anything on this page is Mae Santos, co-founder of Allying: hello@allying.com.
The work is done with AI and overseen by a named specialist who answers for it.
Sources
- Athena, FAQs. Read on 2026-09-25. "$3,000 per month with a 12-month commitment, billed monthly (most popular)"; "$3,600 per month after initial 90-day Commitment, billed monthly (most flexible)"; "Athena EAs are located overseas but work on a schedule determined by your needs." The pricing page shows the same two prices behind a Monthly and Annual toggle: "One dedicated, full-time EA".
- Pearl Talent, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-25. "Managed Talent Services", "From $3,000 /mo", "Rate varies by role and seniority - book a call to get a quote", "Monthly, Cancel anytime", "30 Day Replacement Guarantee". Its FAQ: full-time remote talent "from the Philippines, Latin America, and South Africa" placed "with U.S.-based founder-led teams".
- Persona Talent, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-25. "Get a full-time, fully dedicated Persona team member starting at $3,000 a month"; custom pricing by "Role Complexity", "Specialized Skills Required", "Seniority Level", "Industry Expertise"; "Month-to-month contracts". Its FAQ: "no setup fees"; "billing starts only after you approve a hire"; managed staffing or a permanent placement.
- Boldly, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-17. 40 hours "$2600/mo", 60 hours "$3900/mo", 80 hours "$5200/mo", 100 hours "$6500/mo"; specialist tasks "$79/hr"; "No start-up fees"; ACH pricing, 2.9% for cards.
- Time etc, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-17. 10 hours $390, 20 hours $760, 40 hours $1,480, 60 hours $2,160 a month; "Unused hours rollover"; "cancel any time"; "no setup fee".
- Magic, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-17. Part time "20 hours/week" at "$270/week"; full time "40 hours/week" at "$540/week"; "All plans are billed every 4 weeks". Page modified 2026-08-13.
- Somewhere, Pricing. Read on 2026-09-17. Direct hire: "a one-time fee (percentage of their first-year salary)", percentage not published. On-demand: "customised to fit your requirements"; example assistants shown at $1,200 to $2,200 a month.
- BELAY, Pricing. Checked on 2026-09-17. No price is published on the pricing page; ask them.
- Persona Talent, FAQ. Read on 2026-09-25. Engagements "full-time, part-time, hourly, permanent placements, temporary coverage, project-based staffing, overflow support, and more"; "you'll meet curated finalists and make the final call".
- Wing, General Virtual Assistant. Read on 2026-09-25. "GVA Full-Time" "$999/Month", "160 Hours per month"; "GVA Part-Time" "$699/Month", "80 Hours per month". The pricing page itself publishes no price and asks you to schedule a meeting.