HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a virtual assistant in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A virtual assistant in Ireland costs €20–€60 per hour, typically around €35. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a virtual assistant in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers virtual assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — customer Service — providing customer support via email or chat is another key service offered by virtual assistants.
- How does their experience change the price?A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the tasks change the price?It affects the finish as much as it affects the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of the engagement change the price?Time spent setting up and clearing away is part of the booking. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Research and Data Entry — virtual assistants often conduct research for projects or compile data into spreadsheets — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a virtual assistant job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they are a trader — a business name and an invoice, not a favour with money attached; Public liability insurance, and who the insurer is; For anyone in your home unaccompanied, references you actually telephone; For food, whether they hold food-safety training and where the food is prepared; Exactly what the hours cover and what counts as extra; Keys and access in writing: who holds what, and how it comes back.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers virtual assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — customer Service — providing customer support via email or chat is another key service offered by virtual assistants.
A good answer: A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It affects the finish as much as it affects the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Time spent setting up and clearing away is part of the booking. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Research and Data Entry — virtual assistants often conduct research for projects or compile data into spreadsheets — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a virtual assistant job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too — social Media Management — many virtual assistants specialise in managing social media accounts, including creating content, scheduling posts, and engaging with followers.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the virtual assistant starts, and an itemised invoice after — administrative Support — virtual assistants can handle a variety of administrative tasks, such as managing emails, scheduling appointments, and maintaining calendars.
Getting the quote right
- Their experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one.
- Complexity of the tasks — it affects the finish as much as it affects the price.
- Duration of the engagement — time spent setting up and clearing away is part of the booking.
- Their level of expertise — years on the job are part of what you are paying for.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: their experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the tasks — it affects the finish as much as it affects the price
- They will not talk about it: duration of the engagement — time spent setting up and clearing away is part of the booking
- A price for the virtual assistant before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the virtual assistant has begun
What a virtual assistant costs: €20–€60 per hour
Most virtual assistants quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Administrative assistant and Social media manager each carry their own band. Virtual Assistant price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Virtual assistants near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstTheir experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one — that is what the virtual assistant is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the tasks — it affects the finish as much as it affects the price — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of the engagement — time spent setting up and clearing away is part of the booking — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherTheir level of expertise — years on the job are part of what you are paying for — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the virtual assistant is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, hours required — running over is charged, so the estimate matters.
- Administrative Support
- Virtual assistants can handle a variety of administrative tasks, such as managing emails, scheduling appointments, and maintaining calendars.
- Social Media Management
- Many virtual assistants specialise in managing social media accounts, including creating content, scheduling posts, and engaging with followers.
- Research and Data Entry
- Virtual assistants often conduct research for projects or compile data into spreadsheets.
- Customer Service
- Providing customer support via email or chat is another key service offered by virtual assistants.
- Administrative Assistant
- Handles scheduling, email management, and general office tasks to improve efficiency.
- Social Media Manager
- Creates and schedules content, engages with followers, and analyses social media performance.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a virtual assistant: questions people ask
The cost of hiring a virtual assistant can vary based on their experience, the complexity of the tasks, and the duration of the engagement. Highly specialised tasks or those requiring advanced skills may command higher rates.
The duration for completing tasks can vary widely depending on the specific job and its complexity. Simple administrative tasks may take an hour, while more complex projects could require several hours or even days.
For general administrative tasks, a general virtual assistant is often sufficient. However, for specialised tasks such as legal or financial work, it's advisable to hire a qualified professional with relevant expertise.
Same-day availability may be possible, but it often depends on the specific virtual assistant's schedule and workload. It's best to discuss your needs upfront to see if they can accommodate urgent requests.
Tasks that typically fall out of scope include highly specialised work that requires certification or licensure, such as medical or legal advice. It's important to clarify the scope of work during the initial consultation.
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
MORE GUIDES