Time ETC Virtual Assistant

Overview

Time Etc is a virtual assistant company that connects businesses with experienced, pre-vetted assistants on a flexible hourly basis. Founded in the United Kingdom by Barnaby Lashbrooke, the company has grown into a major player in both the US and UK markets, serving over 22,000 entrepreneurs and business owners to date.

The pitch is simple: buy a block of hours each month, get matched with a dedicated VA, and use those hours however you need. No long-term contracts, no onboarding fees, and no minimum commitments beyond your chosen plan. If you need help with admin, marketing, or research but don’t want to hire someone full-time, Time Etc fits the bill.

What sets it apart is the quality bar. The company claims a roughly 2% acceptance rate for VA applicants, and their assistants average 12+ years of professional experience. These are not entry-level workers. You are getting people who have worked at established companies and bring real-world skills to the table.

That said, the hourly model gets expensive fast if you need 40+ hours per week. And the company does not offer full-time, dedicated staffing. We will cover all of this below.

Services

Time Etc VAs are generalists by design, meaning most can cover several categories rather than being locked into one specialty. Here is what you can expect:

• Administrative support — Email management, calendar scheduling, data entry, travel booking, and document preparation.
• Social media management — Content scheduling, community engagement, platform setup, and basic analytics reporting.
• Marketing support — Email campaigns, newsletter management, blog formatting, SEO research, and content coordination.
• Research — Market research, competitor analysis, lead list building, data gathering, and presentations.
• Sales administration — CRM updates, lead tracking, follow-up scheduling, and pipeline management.
• Web-related tasks — Basic website updates (WordPress, Squarespace), content uploads, and image editing.
• Customer support — Email and chat support, FAQ management, order tracking, and customer communication.

Keep in mind: if you need deep expertise in bookkeeping, legal support, or high-level graphic design, you may want providers like BELAY (for bookkeeping) or Boldly (for premium executive assistance). For everyday business admin, marketing coordination, and research, Time Etc’s VAs are well-equipped.

Pricing

Time Etc uses an hourly billing model, which is different from the flat monthly rates you see at most managed VA providers. You buy a block of hours each month, and the per-hour cost drops as you commit to more hours.

Here is the current pricing breakdown:

A few things worth noting about their pricing:

No contracts or setup fees. You can switch between plans or cancel at any time. This is a genuine advantage over providers that lock you into 3- or 6-month commitments.

Unused hours roll over on the Standard and Premium plans. If you buy 20 hours but only use 14, those remaining 6 hours carry forward. This removes the pressure of “use it or lose it” that plagues some competitors.

Extra hours are available if you exceed your plan in a given month. You will pay a slightly higher per-hour rate for overages, but it beats being stuck without help when a deadline hits.

How does this compare on cost? At $34-$36 per hour, Time Etc sits in the mid-to-upper range for managed VA services. Offshore providers can be significantly cheaper — Stellar Staff offers full-time dedicated VAs starting at $1,599/month (roughly $10/hour for full-time). But if you want US-based talent and only need part-time help, Time Etc’s pricing is competitive with similar providers like BELAY.

Use our VA cost calculator to see how Time Etc’s hourly model compares to flat-rate providers based on your specific needs.

Vetting Process

Time Etc reports a roughly 2% acceptance rate, meaning 98 out of every 100 applicants do not make the cut. Their vetting includes multiple stages:

1. Application screening — Review of experience, qualifications, and professional background.
2. Skills assessments — Testing for proficiency in core VA tasks like email management, scheduling, and research.
3. Interview rounds — Evaluating communication skills, professionalism, and cultural fit.
4. Reference checks — Verification of past work experience and performance.
5. Trial period — Probationary period where output is monitored and reviewed.

The result is a team with an average of 12+ years of professional experience. Many have backgrounds at well-known companies, so they can hit the ground running without heavy hand-holding.

By comparison, some budget providers do minimal screening. Time Etc’s vetting process sits closer to premium providers like Boldly, which also emphasizes experience and selectivity.

Client Experience

Once you sign up, you fill out a questionnaire about your business, tasks, and working style. Time Etc then matches you with a VA based on skills and availability. Communication happens through the Time Etc platform, email, or whatever tools you prefer — most VAs are comfortable with Slack, Asana, Trello, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office.

A few things that stand out:

Dedicated assistants. You work with the same person consistently, which means they learn your preferences over time. This is a big advantage over services like Fancy Hands where tasks go to a pool of workers.

Flexible task submission. Send tasks via email, through the platform, or by phone. No rigid system that forces you to document every request in a specific format.

Replacement guarantee. If your VA is not a good fit, Time Etc will rematch you at no extra cost.

Response times vary. Because VAs work with multiple clients, responses are not always instant. For ad hoc tasks and weekly work batches it works well, but if you need someone available 8 hours a day, the part-time model may feel limiting.

If you are new to working with a virtual assistant, check out our onboarding checklist to set your engagement up for success.

Who Should Use Time Etc

Time Etc works best for a specific type of buyer. Here is who will get the most value:

Solo entrepreneurs and small business owners who need 10-40 hours of help per month but don’t want the commitment of a full-time hire.

Executives and professionals who need part-time administrative support — calendar management, travel booking, report preparation, and correspondence.

Growing businesses testing the VA model. The no-contract, hourly approach lets you start with 10 hours, see how it goes, and scale up from there.

Businesses that want US-based talent without paying full-time US salaries. At $34-$36/hour for part-time support, you get experienced professionals at a fraction of what an in-house hire would cost.

Project-based needs. Researching vendors, organizing a database, setting up a social media presence — buy the hours you need without an ongoing commitment.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

Time Etc is not the right fit for everyone. Here are situations where you should consider other options:

You need a full-time dedicated VA. At $34/hour for 160 monthly hours, you would pay $5,440/month — far more than Stellar Staff ($1,599/month) or BELAY ($2,100/month). Check our full provider directory for full-time options.

You need a specialist. If you need deep expertise in bookkeeping, graphic design, or software development, a specialist provider will serve you better.

You need 24/7 availability. Time Etc assistants work standard business hours. If you require round-the-clock coverage, other providers offer more flexibility.

You have a very tight budget. At $36/hour on the Basic plan, Time Etc is not the cheapest option. Offshore providers deliver competent VAs at $5-$15/hour. Use our comparison tool to weigh your options.

You want a fully managed team. Time Etc provides individual assistants, not managed teams. If you need a project manager overseeing multiple VAs, look at agencies with team-based models.

How Time Etc Compares

Here is how Time Etc stacks up against two other popular VA providers:

Time Etc vs. Stellar Staff: These serve different needs. Time Etc is for part-time, flexible support. Stellar Staff provides full-time dedicated VAs at a flat monthly rate with a much lower per-hour cost. If you need 40+ hours per week, Stellar Staff is the better value. For 10-20 hours of flexible help, Time Etc makes more sense.

Time Etc vs. BELAY: Both serve the part-time market differently. BELAY focuses exclusively on US-based talent with strong bookkeeping services. Time Etc offers a mix of US and international VAs with more flexible hourly packaging. BELAY’s starting price is higher, but includes a dedicated Client Success Consultant.

For a more detailed breakdown, run your own comparison using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Time Etc cost per month?

Time Etc offers three main plans: 10 hours for $360/month ($36/hour), 20 hours for $700/month ($35/hour), and 40 hours for $1,360/month ($34/hour). The per-hour rate drops as you commit to more hours. There are no setup fees or long-term contracts, and unused hours roll over on the Standard and Premium plans.

Does Time Etc only hire US-based virtual assistants?

No. Time Etc uses a mix of US-based and international virtual assistants. The company was founded in the United Kingdom by Barnaby Lashbrooke and operates in both the US and UK markets. You can request a US-based assistant, but the platform also includes international VAs who may be matched to your account depending on your needs and plan.

What happens if I don’t use all my hours in a month?

On the Standard (20-hour) and Premium (40-hour) plans, unused hours roll over to the following month. This gives you flexibility during slower periods without losing the hours you have already paid for. The Basic 10-hour plan does not include rollover, so you will want to plan your task submissions accordingly.

Can I switch my Time Etc virtual assistant if it’s not a good fit?

Yes. Time Etc offers a replacement guarantee. If your assigned VA is not working out — whether it is a skills mismatch, communication style, or scheduling issue — you can request a new assistant at no additional cost. The company handles the rematch process, so you do not need to go through onboarding again from scratch.

Is Time Etc good for one-off projects or only ongoing work?

Time Etc works for both. The no-contract model means you can sign up for a single month, use your hours on a specific project, and cancel without penalties. That said, the service works best when you build an ongoing relationship with your VA, since they learn your preferences and become more efficient over time. For true one-off tasks with no ongoing need, a marketplace like Upwork might be simpler.

Our Verdict

Time Etc earns a 4.3/5 rating as a solid option for businesses that need part-time, flexible virtual assistant support without long-term commitments. The hourly billing model, strong vetting process (2% acceptance rate), and experienced VA pool make it a reliable choice for entrepreneurs and small business owners who need 10-40 hours of help per month.

The strengths are clear: flexible plans, no contracts, experienced assistants. The weaknesses are equally clear: the hourly model gets expensive at high volumes, VAs are generalists rather than specialists, and the service is not built for full-time dedicated staffing.

If you want part-time help with the flexibility to scale up or down monthly, Time Etc is worth trying. You can cancel at any time, so the risk is low.

For full-time dedicated support, compare your options across our full provider directory. And if you are still weighing costs, our VA cost calculator can help you figure out whether an hourly or flat-rate model makes more financial sense.

Looking for our top-rated pick? If you are comparing options, check out our Stellar Staff review — currently our highest-rated VA provider with a 4.95/5 score and our “Our Choice” badge.