A remote hiring budget for your first year has eight cost lines: wages, your hiring platform, payment fees, tools, onboarding and training, management time, advice, and a contingency. Estimate wages with a formula: hourly rate x weekly hours x 52 weeks. Add the other seven lines, then a safety margin of 10 to 15 percent. The template below gives you a table to copy. On DonutJobs the platform line is a flat plan starting at $0, with no per-hire fee, no placement fee and no commission on wages, so your hiring costs stay easy to forecast.
The Template
Copy this table into a spreadsheet or document and fill in your own numbers.
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Cost line |
How to calculate it |
Your figure for year one |
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1. Wages |
Hourly rate x weekly hours x 52 (or monthly retainer x 12) |
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2. Hiring platform |
Monthly plan cost x months you will use it |
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3. Payment and transfer fees |
Fee per payment x number of payments, plus currency conversion costs |
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4. Tools and software |
Licences and seats the assistant needs x 12 months |
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5. Onboarding and training |
Hours of your time and any paid training time |
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6. Management time |
Weekly hours you spend managing x 52 x your own hourly value |
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7. Advice |
Adviser time for your agreement and any tax or data questions |
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8. Contingency |
10 to 15 percent of lines 1 to 7 |
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Total |
Add lines 1 to 8 |
Line 1: Wages
Wages are your largest line. Use the formula: hourly rate x weekly hours x 52. If you agree a monthly retainer instead, multiply it by 12. Allow for any bonuses, commission or overtime you plan to offer, and for paid leave if your agreement includes it. You set the rate directly with your hire, based on the experience the role needs and the hours you want. The VA cost calculator helps you test different inputs and compare a remote hire with an in-house one. Enter your own figures and add lines for taxes and setup costs.
Line 2: Hiring Platform
On DonutJobs there is no per-hire fee, no placement fee and no commission on wages, so this line is your subscription. Here is what a full year costs on each option, using the monthly price multiplied by 12:
- Free plan: $0, with one active post, up to 10 applications, chat with applicants and a human review of up to 48 hours before a post goes live
- Agency plan, monthly: $99 x 12 = $1,188 a year
- Agency plan, 3 month term: $66 x 12 = $792 a year
- Agency plan, 6 month term: $55 x 12 = $660 a year
- Pro plan, monthly: $299 x 12 = $3,588 a year
- Pro plan, 3 month term: $199 x 12 = $2,388 a year
- Pro plan, 6 month term: $166 x 12 = $1,992 a year
Choose the plan length that matches how long you expect to be hiring. Agency gives you 10 active posts a month, unlimited talent-pool outreach and instant go-live. Pro adds unlimited posts, five seats, 50% off boost add-ons and founder support. Every paid plan includes the ATS, Formbuilder, Magic Search and Swipe, time tracking, the AI Workflow Builder and MCP. Check the pricing page for current terms.
Line 3: Payment and Transfer Fees
You pay your hire directly. Common methods include Wise, Payoneer, PayPal and direct bank transfer. Each has its own fees and exchange rates, so agree before the first payment who covers transfer fees. Our guide on how employers pay virtual assistants lists the terms to settle in advance. Estimate the fee per payment, multiply by the number of payments in the year and add a margin for currency movements.
Line 4: Tools and Software
List the tools your assistant needs, such as a helpdesk, CRM, project management app, password manager and communication apps. Count seats as well as licences. Time tracking is included in paid DonutJobs plans, so you can keep hour records in the same place as your hiring.
Line 5: Onboarding and Training
Allow time to write instructions, record walk-throughs and review early work. Plan for paid time while your assistant learns your processes. A first month usually has lower output and higher management time than later months, so build that into the plan. Our guide to onboarding a new virtual assistant in the first 30 days gives you a structure to cost.
Line 6: Management Time
Your time has a cost, even if you do not pay yourself for it. Estimate how many hours a week you will spend giving instructions, answering questions and checking work, especially in the first three months, then multiply by what an hour of your time is worth to the business. If you would rather buy back that time, DonutJobs also offers managed VA in 80 hour and 160 hour monthly packages, so you can have hours covered without managing a person.
Line 7: Advice
Budget a short consultation for your written agreement and for any tax or data questions that apply where you operate. The rules vary by place, so a qualified adviser is the right source. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Line 8: Contingency
Add 10 to 15 percent of lines 1 to 7 for what you cannot predict: extra hours in busy periods, a change of tools or a rate review after the first quarter. If you need to run a second search, DonutJobs reports an average of about 48 hours from search to signed offer, and your own timing depends on how quickly you review and decide.
Turn This Budget Into a Hire on DonutJobs
Once the numbers work, here is the shortest path from budget to first day.
- Create your free account and post your role while you finish the budget.
- Test your wage inputs in the VA cost calculator, then add your own lines for taxes and setup costs.
- Shortlist from the pool of 50,000+ pre-tested assistants. On Agency or Pro, use Magic Search and Swipe to filter by skills and test scores.
- Agree rate, hours and payment terms directly with your hire, and pay them directly.
- On paid plans, use time tracking each month to compare hours worked with your wage line.
Practical Use Cases
A founder planning a first hire can use the template to decide between part-time and full-time. An agency adding three assistants can copy the table once per hire and add the totals. A business comparing a direct hire with managed VA can use lines 1 and 6 to see where the real differences lie.
Common Budgeting Mistakes
The most common mistake is budgeting only for wages. Another is leaving out your own management time, which makes a hire look cheaper than it is. A third is skipping the contingency line. Finally, compare total cost, because the lowest rate on paper is not always the lowest cost once rework and turnover are counted.
FAQ
What costs should I include in a remote hiring budget?
Wages, platform costs, payment fees, tools, onboarding, management time, advice and a contingency.
How do I estimate wages for a remote assistant?
Multiply the hourly rate by the weekly hours and by 52. If you agree a monthly retainer, multiply the monthly figure by 12.
Is there a fee when I hire through DonutJobs?
There is no per-hire fee, no placement fee and no commission on wages. You pay a platform plan, which can be the Free plan, and you pay your hire directly.
How much contingency should I add?
A common range is 10 to 15 percent of the total, and a little more for a first remote hire.
Do I need a paid plan for the whole year?
Not necessarily. You can start on the Free plan, move to Agency or Pro while you hire, and choose the term length that fits your plans.
A good budget covers every cost, including the less visible ones. Fill in the table, add your contingency and review it again after the first 90 days.
Test your numbers, then start your search. Create your free DonutJobs account, compare plans or browse the talent pool.