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Virtual assistant vs temp
A temp fills a seat for a fixed block of time. A virtual assistant covers a set of tasks for as long as they need covering. Which is right depends on whether your problem is a chair or a workload.
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Side by side
Where the real difference sits
Rates, availability and obligations vary between suppliers. Treat this as a framework for the conversation rather than a quote.
| Factor | Temp via agency | Virtual assistant |
|---|---|---|
| What you book | Days or weeks of a person's time, on site or remote | The tasks themselves, billed by the hour actually worked |
| Cost basis | Charge rate covering the temp's pay plus the agency's margin, per day booked | £35/hour worked, or a fixed monthly package |
| Quiet hours | Paid whether or not there is work to fill the day | Not billed — quiet weeks simply cost less |
| Notice to start | Usually fast, sometimes next day | Typically within a week, after one consultation and handover |
| Continuity | Ends when the booking ends; the next temp starts from zero | Same person across months; processes documented as they go |
| On-site tasks | Genuine advantage — post, reception, stock, physical filing | Remote only; on-site work is not covered |
| Maternity or long-term cover | Designed for it, especially where the role is full-time | Good for the admin portion of a role, not full-time presence |
| Ongoing use | Expensive to keep running once the emergency passes | Scales down to a few hours a month and stays useful |
Option A
Book a temp if
- The work must happen in your building — post, reception, filing, stock.
- You need a full-time seat filled for a defined period.
- Cover is needed tomorrow and volume matters more than context.
- You are covering a specific employee's whole role, not a task list.
Option B
Use a virtual assistant if
- The backlog is admin — inbox, invoicing, diary, follow-ups.
- The need will outlast the crisis that prompted it.
- You want to pay for worked hours rather than booked days.
- You want the process written down so it never becomes a crisis again.
Rates are published in full on the pricing page, and the ROI calculator runs the numbers on your own hours.
Questions
Common questions
- Is a virtual assistant cheaper than a temp?
- Per hour the rates can be similar; per outcome a VA is usually cheaper, because a temp is paid for the whole booked day including the quiet parts, and a VA bills only worked time in a timed breakdown.
- How quickly can a VA start compared with a temp?
- A temp agency can often place someone within a day or two. A VA usually starts within a week — one consultation, an agreed scope and a handover — so for a genuine same-week emergency the temp route is faster.
- Can a VA cover maternity leave?
- The remote admin portion of a role, yes — inbox, diary, invoicing, client correspondence. What cannot be covered is anything requiring physical presence, so many businesses split the two.
- What happens when the busy period ends?
- Hours scale back to whatever level still earns its keep, or stop entirely — there is no notice period and no long tie-in. Anything documented during the busy spell stays yours.
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