The short answer
Use an AI assistant for the high-volume, rules-based back-and-forth: scheduling, chasing, reminders, first drafts. Hire a human VA for judgement, relationships, phone calls and anything that needs a person. Plenty of people use both.
At a glance
| Human virtual assistant (UK) | AI assistant (Emily) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Employed VAs average £15.33 an hour (PayScale); freelance VAs typically charge £30 to £40 an hour at entry level | £5 a month including 50 actions, then 10p per action |
| Availability | Working hours you agree | Any time, including evenings and weekends |
| Speed on routine tasks | Minutes to hours, depending on workload | Usually minutes |
| Judgement and relationships | Strong - can read a situation and use discretion | Follows your instructions; asks when something's missing |
| Phone calls and in-person tasks | Yes | No - email and, in the UK, text |
| Setting up | Recruit, brief and manage | Sign up and email an instruction |
Prices are list prices as published on 21 September 2026, in the currency and billing basis shown. They change, so check the provider's own page before you buy.
What a human VA is better at
- Judgement calls, delicate conversations and anything where the relationship matters.
- Phone calls, and tasks in the physical world.
- Working across your own systems and logins, where you're happy to give access.
- Spotting what you forgot to ask for.
What an AI assistant is better at
- Volume: arranging many meetings, chasing many people, without getting tired or forgetting.
- Speed and hours: tasks start as soon as you ask, including at 11pm on a Sunday.
- Cost: routine admin for pounds a month rather than pounds an hour.
- Consistency: follow-ups go out exactly on the schedule you set.
How to decide
Write down the admin that ate your last week. Anything that's a clear instruction - book this, chase that, remind me, draft this - is a good fit for an AI assistant. Anything that needs someone to use judgement, talk on the phone or know your business deeply is a better fit for a person. If your list is mostly the first kind, try an AI assistant first; it costs little to find out.
Questions
How much does a virtual assistant cost in the UK?
PayScale puts the average employed UK virtual assistant at £15.33 an hour. Freelance VAs usually charge more, commonly £30 to £40 an hour at entry level and £40 to £60 mid-level, according to one UK VA's 2025 rate guide.
Can an AI assistant replace a virtual assistant?
For routine email admin - scheduling, chasing, reminders, drafts - often yes. For judgement, phone work and relationship management, not yet.
Is Emily an AI virtual assistant?
Yes. You email her instructions and she does the email side of the work: booking meetings, chasing people, sending emails as your assistant and reminding you.
Sources
- PayScale - UK virtual assistant hourly rate
- Bee Constructive VA - UK virtual assistant rates 2025
- Emily pricing (landing page)
- Emily privacy policy - where data is stored and processed
We wrote this page, and Emily is our product, so read it with that in mind. Every fact about another product comes from its own public pages, checked on 21 September 2026. Where we couldn't confirm something, we say so. Product names belong to their owners, and we're not affiliated with them. Spotted something out of date? Email help@emily-wrf.com and we'll fix it.
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