Businesses, when it is time to hire a remote worker, often get confused about whether to outsource a freelancer or a virtual assistant. Most often, this confusion lead them to wrong hiring, as they assume both roles are similar, and ultimately end up with a disappointment.
Freelancers are independent, expert in different skills, and offer hour or project-based service. They most often do not get integrated with the existing team, and once the work is done you can expect further support from them. Contrarywise, virtual assistants working remotely are hired most often to reduce the administrative burden from business and go for long-term support. They consistently work along with the in-house team and possess a good bond.
Today our blog is all about giving you all the information that defines and differentiates freelancers and virtual assistants. So, when you want to hire a virtual assistant or a freelancer, you can choose the right professional for you.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
Virtual assistants work remotely to reduce the administrative burden on the company or entrepreneurs and can work full-time, part-time, or on a contract or project basis. These professionals may or may not work long-term for their clients based on the mutual consent of both the VA and the client. Though VAs offer administrative support, email management, social media, or customer, today, there are VAs with wider skill sets and expertise in niches.
Virtual assistants have gained more popularity among small businesses or entrepreneurs because they are very cost-effective and can be a great replacement of in-house employees without physical presence. Also, to delegate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, remote assistants are more beneficial.
Virtual assistants settle themselves in their homes with all the necessary equipment. They are also flexible and can work from wherever they want.
What is a Freelancer?
A freelancer is a remote independent contractor rather than being employed by a single company who works either on a project or contract basis, sets their own charge, and most often does not go for a long-term partnership. These professionals possess broad skill sets and offer services like writing, graphic design, web development, and others.
In recent times freelancing has become more popular because of the high demand for freelancers and the flexibility to work on their own. Businesses hire freelancers when they need a specific project done and lack of expertise or in-house team is busy in handling core tasks.
A freelancer can setup a home office or work anywhere they want; there is no restriction. They also can work for clients at the same time, and there is less need of consistent communication with the clients.
Let’s Have a Quick Look Responsibilities Difference Between Virtual Assistants & Freelancers
The remote working nature of both professionals makes it more difficult to differentiate them for most businesses. But when you will have a detailed look at their responsibilities they are far different and serve businesses in their own way.
Types Of Virtual Assistant & Responsibilities
Initially, virtual assistants used to be employed to give administrative support, but today, VAs are way more diverse in their expertise and niche. Here are some common types of VAs,
Administrative Virtual Assistant: Handles daily administrative tasks like scheduling, email management, and document organization to support business operations, but different from administrative assistants.
Social Media Virtual Assistant: Manages and grows social media profiles by creating content, scheduling posts, and engaging with the audience.
Customer Service Virtual Assistant: Provides support to customers by addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and handling orders or returns.
Technical Virtual Assistant: Offers technical support, manages website updates, and troubleshoots IT-related issues for businesses.
E-commerce Virtual Assistant: Supports online stores by managing product listings, processing orders, and providing customer service.
Real Estate Virtual Assistant: Helps real estate agents with managing listings, scheduling showings, and handling client communications.
Marketing Virtual Assistant: Aids in marketing campaigns, including email marketing, paid ads, and performance tracking to drive business growth.
Executive Virtual Assistant: Provides high-level administrative support to executives by managing schedules, communications, and business tasks.
Finance Virtual Assistant: Assists with financial tasks like invoicing, bookkeeping, expense tracking, and preparing reports.
Common Types Of Freelancers & Responsibilities
Freelancers are not confined to one area, instead, their expertise is diverse and wider. Here are some common types,
Web Developer: Designs, builds, and maintains websites, ensuring they are functional, responsive, and user-friendly.
Graphic Designer: Creates visual content such as logos, branding materials, and marketing assets to communicate messages effectively.
Writer/Content Creator: Produces written content for blogs, articles, websites, and social media, ensuring it aligns with brand messaging and SEO strategies.
Photographer/Videographer: Captures high-quality photos and videos for various purposes, including marketing, events, and product shoots.
SEO Specialist: Optimizes websites and content to improve search engine rankings, driving organic traffic and enhancing online visibility.
Consultant: Offers expert advice in a specific field, helping businesses improve operations, strategy, and overall performance.
Translator/Interpreter: Translates written or spoken content between languages.
Marketing Specialist: Develops and executes marketing campaigns across various channels.
Virtual Assistants & Freelancers Main Difference Breakdown
When you are deciding to hire remote professionals, to clear your confusion, check the main difference between them at once. Because your decision will affect your work, and we do not want you to waste your precious time on wrong hiring. Here, check the main differences,
Project Basic vs Ongoing Support
Virtual assistants and freelancers can give project-based support, which is similar to both, but you need to decide whether you need ongoing support after completion of the project or not.
This is because virtual assistants are helpful in giving ongoing support even when the project is done. They work like a partner and help in every step. So, after completing the tasks, if you need help, you do not need to re-hire the VA.
On the other hand, freelancers do not work as partners and when the project is done, they say good bye to their clients. If you need some more support, you may need to go ahead with the hiring again.
Here, VAs give detailed progress reports on the tasks they’re handling, giving you valuable insights into your team’s performance. This helps pinpoint areas of strength and areas that may need extra attention. In contrast, freelancers often work independently and may not provide the same level of regular updates or progress tracking.
Read More: Executive Assistant VS Virtual Assistant
Multilanguage Support
When it comes to giving multilingual support, virtual assistants are the first choice for most people than freelancers. Freelancers are more focused on getting orders and completing the project.
But virtual assistants can give multilanguage support when communicating with their client. This is why companies hire VAs overseas if they have an international customer base and need customer service. Companies can easily hire VAS from other countries where they have customers.
Working Environment
Virtual assistants undoubtedly work from a remote location and have their own working setup.
However, if a freelancer is hired by a client from the same country and the client requires on-site work, the freelancer will work from the client’s office.
Cost-Effective Support for Growing Businesses
VAs are ideal for businesses looking for long-term assistance with routine tasks like scheduling, email management, and customer service. This makes them cost-effective for businesses that need regular help.
Freelancers’ rates can vary based on expertise. They tend to be more cost-effective for businesses requiring specific, short-term projects completed but may be less ideal for ongoing tasks requiring consistent support.
Salary Difference
Entry-level freelancers charge $10 – $30 per hour and mid-level freelancers $30 – $75 per hour. The average salary of freelancers ranges from $31,000 to $275,000.
Whereas, virtual assistants can earn between $15 and $30 per hour, but high-skilled tasks can pay up to $50 to $75 per hour. Their entry-level salary can be $1,000 – $2,500 per month.
Tailored Expertise vs Specialized Talent
VAs are versatile. Virtual Assistants offer a broad skill set that can be customized to meet the specific needs of your business. Their ability to adapt to different roles makes them ideal for businesses that need ongoing, flexible assistance across multiple areas.
Freelancers typically bring highly focused, in-depth knowledge and expertise in a specific area, such as web development, graphic design, SEO, or content writing. Their specialized skills make them the go-to choice for businesses requiring expert-level work in a particular field. It can be for one-time or project-based tasks.
Consistency vs. Flexibility
VAs are reliable for day-to-day operations, whereas freelancers help on an as-needed basis.
VAs provide steady, continuous support to their clients and business. When it is your peak season your VA can adapt and scale up their responsibilities. They stay consistent the whole time.
On the contrary, freelancers bring flexibility with expertise tailored to specific, short-term needs.
Reliability You Can Count On
If you need a partner more than only a remote employee, then virtual assistants must be your choice. You can count on these professionals to ease your burden and take away most of the responsibilities you assign to them. Mostly, personal or administrative virtual assistants manage all everyday tasks, manage calendars, and give reminders of important tasks. Being a business owner who is juggling tons of everyday work, having a virtual helper on your side is a blessing.
However, freelancers do not work like giving full-time support. You can only hire when you need help on specific projects. They do not become your everyday partner.
Seamless Integration with Your Team
Virtual assistants become a part of your team and work by collaborating with the entire team. They are not present in the office, but virtually they ensure they integrate with your existing office team. This makes the work environment better and helps your business grow altogether.
But freelancers only focus on completing their responsibilities and do not bother to integrate with your team unless their project needs a team collaboration.
Also, Virtual Assistants (VAs) have the ability to seamlessly step in if a team member is sick or on vacation, unlike freelancers, who are typically solo workers and may not be available during their absence. With a VA, you can rest assured that your tasks will still be completed on time, even if someone is unavailable.
VA or Freelancer: Which one is Perfect for Your Business?
You should hire a virtual assistant if you need someone to become your partner, who will take care of your business needs and show consistency and scalability. Also, with a VA you will need to give more autonomy and show more trust in them.
On the other hand, if your company is lacks some expert or project basis support without any ongoing support, then a freelancer is for you. Freelancers are strictly professional and most often do not integrate with your team. But you can rest assure about their high-quality work if you can hire a good freelancer.
Where Can You Hire Virtual Assistant or Freelancer?
Both freelancers and virtual assistants work remotely, and you can find them on any job posting platform such as LinkedIn, Fiverr, Freelancer, Glassdoor, Upwor,k or other popular platforms.
For freelancers, Fiverr is one of the most popular platforms where they open gigs and offer their services. If you want to hire a freelancer, you can easily find one.
On the other hand, virtual assistants also showcase their work and have own accounts on different job-hunting platforms. Plus, there are many virtual assistant prover agencies that give VA services. If you opt for a VA, then at HVA, we have a skillful and experienced team of virtual assistants from diverse niches and industries. You can easily find one for yourself.
You can also create job postings with detailed information and your requirements and post them on different online or social media platforms. Several candidates apply, and you can easily hire those who align with your business needs.
Conclusion
Freelancers and virtual assistants work remotely and charge per hour basis that makes them similar to most, but in reality their working style, responsibility, and type is far different from each other role.
Freelancers are the best who want a skilled professional to complete particular tasks like a project. With their strong skill, they deliver high-quality work to their clients. The professionals are best for you if you are not into long-term commitment.
On the other hand, when you find yourself overburdened with tons of work, virtual assistants can be your stress reliever. Again, if you need someone skilled, you can find expert VAs with the additional benefit of continuous support and long-term partnership.
