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Virtual Assistant Marketplaces Vs Agencies: The Real Differences
A marketplace gives you the whole pool and all the work. An agency gives you a shortlist and a fee. Here is how to pick based on your time, budget, and risk tolerance.
By
Hire A Virtual Assistant Team
3 Minute Read
Key Takeaways
Marketplaces are cheapest and most work.
Agencies cost more and save you screening time.
Both can lead to great hires; the difference is who does the filtering.
Use a paid test task on either path.
Marketplaces
You post a job, receive applications, and screen them yourself. Platforms handle contracts and payments and take a fee. Quality varies widely, so your screening skill decides the outcome.
Lowest cost per hire.
Fastest to start.
Most time spent on screening.
You manage everything after the hire.
Agencies
You describe the role, the agency screens candidates, and you interview a shortlist. You pay a placement fee and then employ or contract the person directly.
Higher up-front cost.
Fewer, better-matched candidates.
A guarantee window if the hire leaves.
You still manage after the hire.
How To Choose
If you have hired remotely before and enjoy screening, a marketplace can work well. If this is a first hire, or the role is senior, an agency's shortlist usually saves more than it costs.
Screening On A Marketplace Without Losing A Weekend
Write a job post with one unusual instruction, such as a specific word in the first line of the proposal, to filter template applications. Shortlist by written clarity, then send a short paid test task to five people. Interview two or three. Done well, this takes a few hours spread over a week.
Getting The Most From An Agency
Arrive with a written scorecard, decide how many finalists you want to meet, and ask to see assessment results with each profile. Give the agency feedback after each interview so the second round improves. Confirm the guarantee window and what counts as a replacement before you accept a candidate.
What This Looks Like In Practice
A founder posts on a marketplace and receives 140 applications. She spends a weekend screening. For the next role she uses an agency and interviews four people over two days. Both hires work out; the second cost more money and far less time.
A Quick Checklist Before You Start
Your available screening time is honest.
Budget includes fees on either path.
Paid test task planned.
Post-hire management plan exists.
Questions Owners Ask
Can I use both?
Yes. Many owners use a marketplace for part-time or project work and an agency for full-time roles.
Which has better talent?
Both draw from the same regions. Agencies pre-filter; marketplaces do not.
Written by
Hire A Virtual Assistant Team
Editorial Team
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