Comparison guide · 2026
BELAY vs Time etc:
costs, pros and cons
BELAY and Time etc both place U.S.-based assistants and both sell support by the month, so the choice comes down to how you want to buy those hours. BELAY is a managed service that matches you with one contractor, typically from 45 hours a month. It doesn't publish prices, and outside estimates put it at $42 to $46 an hour.
Time etc publishes its prices: four plans from 10 to 60 hours a month at $36 to $39 an hour, with unused hours rolling over on the larger plans and no notice period to cancel. You review your matched assistant's profile and speak to them before anything starts.
Choose BELAY
For hands-off, U.S.-based support
BELAY picks the match, and a Success Consultant stays on the account.
Choose Time etc
For a few hours a week, priced up front
Published plans, rollover hours, and you meet the assistant before you commit.
Consider Assistantly
For a full-time operator
Every candidate completes a simulation of the role before you meet them.
At a glance
BELAY vs Time etc vs Assistantly
The biggest differences are how you buy hours, who picks the assistant, and what a full-time workload ends up costing.
| Factor | BELAYManaged service | Time etcMonthly hour plans | Assistantly |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Managed U.S. assistant service | Dedicated U.S. assistant on a monthly hour plan | Placement of proven mid-to-senior operators |
| Who you get | One U.S.-based contractor BELAY matches to you | One dedicated U.S.-based assistant, shortlisted by Time etc; extra assistants added free | The finalist you choose from your top three |
| Who vets | BELAY, through interviews and a skills assessment | Time etc, through a seven-step process of tests, a video interview and ID verification; 98% of applicants don't make it in | A Day One™ simulation built around your role, reviewed by a person |
| Price | Not published; estimated at $42 to $46 an hour | Published: $390 for 10 hours to $2,160 for 60 hours a month, about $39 down to $36 an hour | Published: most full-time roles start at $2,500 to $3,000 a month |
| Hours | Typically from 45 hours a month | 10, 20, 40 or 60 hours of completed work a month; bigger plans by consultation | Full-time roles, matched to your team's hours |
| Unused hours | Not stated publicly | Roll over on the 20-, 40- and 60-hour plans | Not applicable: a dedicated full-time hire |
| Employment admin | BELAY contracts the assistant (1099) | Time etc contracts the assistant; an NDA is signed with every assistant | Contracts, payroll, compliance, and benefits handled |
| Commitment | Month-to-month | Month-to-month; cancel any time with no notice period | Three-month initial commitment |
| If it isn't working | Right-Fit Guarantee: mismatches resolved at no added cost | Change your assistant free of charge; lifetime satisfaction guarantee | Quality guarantee for as long as you work with us |
| Best for | Hands-off, part-time, U.S.-based support | A few hours a week at a published price | A full-time operator with proof up front |
Head to head
Managed match vs hour plans
BELAY does more of the choosing for you and charges more for it. Time etc shows its prices, lets you meet the assistant first, and sells smaller blocks of time.
Cost
Hour for hour, BELAY costs more. Its estimated $42 to $46 an hour is about 10% to 30% above Time etc's published $36 to $39. At full-time volumes, both charge U.S. rates and a 40-hour week runs $6,000 or more a month.
| Monthly hours | Time etcPublished plan prices | BELAYEstimated $42 to $46 an hour |
|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | $390 | Below its typical 45-hour starting point |
| 20 hours | $760 | Below its typical 45-hour starting point |
| 40 hours | $1,480 | $1,680 to $1,840, just under its typical minimum |
| 60 hours | $2,160 | $2,520 to $2,760 |
| About 87 hours (20 a week) | Custom plan; about $3,130 at the 60-hour rate | $3,640 to $3,990 |
| About 173 hours (full time) | Custom plan; about $6,230 at the 60-hour rate | $7,280 to $7,970 |
Time etc's standard plans stop at 60 hours, so the two largest rows are extrapolations at its published 60-hour rate. BELAY prices full-time work individually, so its full-time row is an extrapolation too. A full-time Assistantly operator is $2,500 to $3,000 a month.
One more thing to budget for: Time etc bills hours of completed work to the second, and its plans renew monthly. That is efficient for a light, steady workload and expensive for anything that needs someone available all day. Our breakdown of the true cost of a cheap virtual assistant covers the hidden side of hourly models.
Vetting and quality
BELAY says candidates go through interviews and a skills assessment before they are presented, and its team recommends one match. There are no further public details on what the assessments involve.
Time etc publishes its process: software screening, practical and psychometric tests, a team assessment, a video interview, identity verification through Shuftipro, onboarding, and ongoing monitoring of ratings and responsiveness. It requires 5 to 8 years of relevant experience, says its assistants average 12 years, and screens against disclosed convictions and bankruptcy. Its selection criteria were designed by Penni Pike, who was Sir Richard Branson's assistant.
Neither company says whether its tests use a client's actual tasks.
Time and effort
BELAY says most clients are matched “within about a week,” and you meet your assistant on a kickoff call. Time etc runs a consultation, shortlists a dedicated assistant and lets you speak to them before you go further; it also offers a free first task so you can try the service before paying. A Trustpilot reviewer in March 2026 described interviewing two candidates before choosing one, so expect to spend a few hours on the match.
Flexibility and commitment
Both run month-to-month, and this is where Time etc pulls ahead. Its plans start at 10 hours, can be changed at any time, and cancel with “no notice period”; unused hours roll over on the 20-hour plan and up. BELAY “typically begins at 45 hours a month” and doesn't say publicly whether unused hours roll over. For a light or variable workload, Time etc wins here.
What happens if a hire doesn't work out
BELAY says “any mismatch is resolved through the Right-Fit Guarantee at no additional cost,” and a Client Success Consultant stays involved after placement. Time etc says you can change your assistant free of charge at any time and backs the service with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee; a Client Happiness manager is assigned to each account. Its main site doesn't say whether a refund is available if a replacement doesn't work either, and one 2024 Trustpilot review says a refund request was answered with an offer to try another assistant.
Compliance and classification
With both services, you contract with the company, not the assistant. BELAY's assistants are independent contractors. Time etc says all of its assistants have signed non-disclosure agreements and that it provides a bank-grade encrypted environment for sharing information.
One point of disagreement between the two companies: BELAY's own comparison page says Time Etc's staffing “may include remote assistants in various locations.” Time etc's site says its assistants are 100% U.S.-based, and its footer repeats it on every page.
Provider one
What is BELAY?
BELAY Solutions is a U.S. company matching busy leaders with U.S.-based assistants and financial professionals. Bryan and Shannon Miles founded it in 2010, and Tricia Sciortino now leads it as CEO. BELAY says it has served “25,000+ leaders” and keeps a bench of “2,000+ vetted, U.S.-based professionals.”
BELAY offers assistants for executive, operations, marketing, sales, personal, and social media work. Its finance side covers bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, tax, and fractional CFO work.
How BELAY works
BELAY does the matching for you. After a call about your needs, its team selects “two to three candidates” from the bench, interviews each one, and recommends a single match. BELAY says candidates go through interviews and a skills assessment first, and that each client has a Success Consultant assigned for the life of the engagement.
You don't interview a slate. You meet your assistant on a kickoff call. BELAY says most clients are matched “within about a week” and reports a “first-match success rate” of 93%.
Assistants are U.S.-based independent contractors, not BELAY employees. Hours are agreed up front, and its talent usually works Monday to Friday, between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. in the client's time zone. Support runs month-to-month and hours can scale up or down; it “typically begins at 45 hours a month,” and many leaders start at 10 to 20 hours a week.
BELAY pricing in 2026
BELAY is vague on pricing. According to its FAQ, assistants charge “$30 to $75 an hour.” Two outside sources put BELAY at $42 to $46 an hour: a client of three years puts it at about $42 an hour as of September 2026, and Forbes Advisor lists $46 hourly. BELAY hasn't confirmed either figure. At those rates, BELAY's typical 45-hour starting point works out to about $1,890 to $2,070 a month, against $2,160 for 60 hours at Time etc.
BELAY's own guide says U.S.-based virtual assistants charge “$30 to $75 per hour” on average, and that services like BELAY “may cost more up front” in exchange for “less risk and more reliability,” with few details of that reduced risk and increased reliability (BELAY).
BELAY pros
- Onshore talent. Every assistant works in the U.S., which suits client-facing work and U.S. business hours.
- Done-for-you screening. BELAY interviews and assesses candidates, then recommends one, so you skip sorting applicants.
- Support after placement. A Success Consultant stays for the life of the engagement.
- Month-to-month terms. There is no long-term contract, and hours scale up or down as needs change.
- Assistants and finance under one roof. Bookkeeping, payroll, tax, and fractional CFO services sit next to assistant support; Time etc doesn't offer bookkeeping.
BELAY cons
- Fit guarantee unclear. BELAY says mismatches are resolved through the Right-Fit Guarantee, with a rematch “at the end of 30 days” on its Trustpilot profile, while its services page says rematches are provided “anytime.” How long the guarantee lasts isn't published.
- No published price or range. You won't know the cost until after a sales call. Time etc shows four prices on its pricing page.
- Higher starting point. Support typically begins at 45 hours a month, where Time etc starts at 10.
- One match, not a shortlist. BELAY recommends a single candidate, so you can't compare finalists or speak to the assistant before the match is made.
- No test on your own work. BELAY doesn't say whether its assessments use a client's actual tasks.
- Key terms aren't public. BELAY doesn't publish how long its guarantee lasts, what happens if an assistant leaves later, or whether unused hours roll over.
BELAY reviews
- 4.0/5Trustpilot
- 58Reviews
- 71%Five stars
- 14%One star
Praise centers on the matching process, such as “a proven process for efficiently and effectively pinpointing the right talent.” Recent complaints cite price (“too expensive”) and candidate quality (“Very poor quality of candidates presented”).
Comparing more providers? See our list of BELAY alternatives.
Provider two
What is Time etc?
Time etc is a virtual assistant service that pairs you with one dedicated U.S.-based assistant on a monthly plan of 10 to 60 hours. Barnaby Lashbrooke founded it in 2007, and it operates in the U.S. as Time etc USA alongside a UK arm. Its selection criteria were designed by Penni Pike, former assistant to Sir Richard Branson, and it says its assistants average 12 years of experience.
Time etc's assistants handle email and inbox, scheduling, administration, expenses and invoices, research, travel, writing, content marketing, website updates, social media, and personal tasks. It doesn't offer bookkeeping or accounting services.
How Time etc works
- Consultation. A call about your needs, how you like to work and what you want to achieve.
- Match. Time etc shortlists a dedicated assistant. You review their profile and speak to them before going further; if the match isn't right, it keeps looking.
- Start. You send work by email, text, phone, Zoom, Slack or its app, and the assistant logs time to the second against your plan.
Assistants work part-time from home, in U.S. business hours, and are contracted by Time etc. You can add extra assistants with different skills, share your assistant with your team, and give them a branded email address at your company. A Client Happiness manager is assigned to each account, and Time etc says holiday and sickness cover is built in.
Time etc is not built for one-off work. Its own FAQ answers “Is Time etc suitable for one-off tasks or projects?” with “No, we're better suited to providing you with ongoing assistance.” It does offer a free first task as a trial, with no card required.
Time etc pricing in 2026
Time etc publishes four plans on its pricing page; bigger plans are quoted after a consultation. There is no setup fee, plans renew monthly, and you can switch or cancel at any time.
| Plan | Monthly price | Effective hourly rate | Unused hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ten hours | $390 | $39 | Rollover not listed |
| Twenty hours | $760 | $38 | Roll over |
| Forty hours | $1,480 | $37 | Roll over |
| Sixty hours | $2,160 | $36 | Roll over |
Time etc says clients “save an average of 90%” against a full-time hire because they pay only for completed work, not breaks, holidays or sick days. That is true for a light workload. For a full-time one, 173 hours at the 60-hour rate would come to about $6,230 a month, and Time etc has no standard plan at that size.
Time etc pros
- Published prices. Four plans with the hourly rate shown, and a free first task before you pay anything.
- Small starting point. 10 hours a month, where BELAY typically starts at 45.
- You meet the assistant first. You review the profile and speak to them before the match is confirmed.
- Rollover and flexibility. Unused hours roll over on the 20-hour plan and up; plans change or cancel at any time with no notice period.
- Transparent billing. Time is logged to the second and visible in a dashboard and mobile app.
- Published vetting. A seven-step process with tests, a video interview and ID verification; Time etc says 98% of applicants don't make it in.
- Confidentiality built in. Every assistant has signed an NDA, and Time etc describes a bank-grade encrypted environment for sharing information.
Time etc cons
- Hours of work, not hours of availability. You buy completed task time, so an assistant who needs to be reachable all day doesn't fit the model.
- No standard full-time plan. Plans stop at 60 hours a month; anything larger is a custom quote.
- U.S. rates. At $36 to $39 an hour, a 40-hour-a-week workload would cost well over twice a full-time global operator.
- Replace rather than refund. Time etc's answer to a poor fit is a free change of assistant; its public pages don't describe refunds, and one reviewer who asked for one was offered another assistant instead.
- Management stays entirely with you. Time etc monitors ratings and responsiveness, but day-to-day direction, training and follow-up are yours, and its most critical recent review says assistants were switched without much support in between.
- Rollover isn't shown on the smallest plan. The 10-hour plan's feature list omits rollover; confirm the terms before you sign.
Time etc reviews
- 4.8/5Trustpilot
- 256Reviews
- 100%Of negative reviews answered
- 48 hrsTypical reply time
Praise centers on the client team and the matching, such as “Time Etc perfectly paired me right off the bat.” The most detailed recent complaint, a 2-star review from January 2026, describes four assistants across two companies who “didn't work out entirely,” one of whom stopped working without notice, and says the first response to problems was “an offer to change the assistant and 'start over'.” Time etc's Client Experience Manager replied at length and said the issues were reviewed at leadership level.
Weighing other hour-based services too? Our Time etc alternatives page covers them.
The third option
Assistantly, when the hours add up
A full-time operator with dedicated support behind the hire, for about what BELAY or Time etc charges for 45 to 60 hours.
BELAY and Time etc are both built for part-time, hourly support. Once a role needs someone most of the week, the math changes: Time etc's 60-hour plan is $2,160 and BELAY's estimated 45-hour start is $1,890 to $2,070, while most full-time roles at Assistantly cost $2,500 to $3,000 a month for a dedicated, experienced operator.
Assistantly places mid-to-senior operators in executive assistant, operations, marketing, client experience, and finance roles across nine industries. Every candidate completes a Day One™ simulation of the role's work, reviewed by a person, before you meet them.
Proof before you meet anyone
You describe the role on a call, and we build a Day One™ simulation around it. A person on our team reviews every result, and you meet your top three. BELAY recommends one match; Time etc shortlists one assistant you can speak to.
A published price range
Most full-time roles cost $2,500 to $3,000 a month, and senior or specialized roles run higher. That monthly number covers sourcing, the simulation, contracts, payroll, compliance, benefits, a success team, a 90-day plan, and the guarantee (pricing).
Pay is built around the person
Each operator sets their own rate, and you see it before you interview. We add benefits, including health coverage and paid time off, with no hidden markups.
Someone checks early
Every hire shares a Fresh Eyes™ review at two weeks, so a weak match surfaces early. Your success team then runs a 90-day plan with you.
A guarantee that doesn't expire
If a hire ever stops being the right fit, we find you a new one, for as long as you work with us.
Placements that last
98% of placements are still in role at six months.
Our talent is global rather than U.S.-based, drawn from more than 38 countries. In many cases a full-time Assistantly hire sits well below BELAY's estimated $7,280 a month, or the roughly $6,230 a full-time workload would cost at Time etc's 60-hour rate. The trade is availability for hours: you get one person for your team's full working day instead of a block of completed hours.
More than 1,000 companies have hired through Assistantly, with 80+ client reviews on our reviews page.
“Compared to my previous experiences with Upwork and other platforms, Assistantly's service was consistently superior in every aspect.”
What to know before you choose Assistantly
- It's built for full-time roles. For 10 to 20 hours a month, Time etc is the better fit, and BELAY suits part-time work from about 45 hours.
- Talent is global, not U.S.-based. If the role strictly needs someone in the U.S., BELAY or Time etc fits better.
- Placements start with three months. That gives a hire a real chance to deliver, and to become a valuable addition to your team. BELAY and Time etc are both month-to-month.
Which to choose
Your hours decide
The right choice comes down to how many hours you need and how much of the matching you want to do yourself.
Choose
BELAY
If you want U.S.-based support from about 45 hours a month, you'd rather have one match recommended than interview anyone, and you may want bookkeeping or finance help from the same provider.
Choose
Time etc
If you need 10 to 60 hours of completed work a month from a U.S.-based assistant, you want the price before the call, and you want to speak to the assistant before committing.
Choose
Assistantly
If you need a full-time operator who owns real work, you want to see a simulation of the role before you meet candidates, and you want a structured check two weeks in.
If you've outgrown an hour plan and don't want to pay U.S. rates for a full-time seat, that is what we built.
Book a free strategy call to scope the role, or read BELAY vs Upwork if you are weighing a marketplace instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between BELAY and Time etc?
Both place U.S.-based assistants, but they sell time differently. BELAY is a managed service: it recommends one match, typically from 45 hours a month, and prices each engagement after a call. Time etc sells published monthly plans of 10 to 60 hours of completed work, lets you speak to the assistant before you commit, and rolls unused hours over on its larger plans.
Is BELAY more expensive than Time etc?
Usually, yes. BELAY doesn't directly publish prices, but outside estimates put it at $42 to $46 an hour. Time etc publishes $39 an hour on its 10-hour plan down to $36 an hour on its 60-hour plan. At 60 hours a month, that is about $2,520 to $2,760 at BELAY against $2,160 at Time etc.
How much does Time etc cost per month?
Time etc publishes four plans: $390 for 10 hours, $760 for 20 hours, $1,480 for 40 hours, and $2,160 for 60 hours a month. Larger plans are quoted after a consultation. There is no setup fee, plans renew monthly, and you can switch or cancel at any time.
How much does BELAY cost per month?
BELAY quotes each client after a call and bills a monthly fee. Support typically begins at 45 hours a month, which comes to roughly $1,890 to $2,070 at estimated rates of $42 to $46 an hour. Twenty hours a week runs about $3,640 to $3,990.
Do unused hours roll over at Time etc and BELAY?
At Time etc, unused hours roll over to the next month on the 20-, 40- and 60-hour plans; rollover isn't listed on the 10-hour plan, so confirm before signing. BELAY doesn't say publicly whether unused hours roll over, so ask for the terms in writing.
Are Time etc assistants based in the U.S.?
Yes. Time etc's site says its assistants are 100% U.S.-based and work from home during U.S. business hours. A UK arm serves UK clients separately. BELAY's own comparison page suggests Time etc may use assistants in various locations, but that isn't what Time etc states.
Can you interview your assistant before you start?
At Time etc, yes: it shortlists a dedicated assistant, you review their profile and speak to them, and it keeps looking if the fit isn't right. At BELAY, no: its team interviews two to three candidates itself and recommends one, whom you meet on a kickoff call. At Assistantly, you meet your top three after each completes a Day One™ simulation of the role.
What happens if the assistant isn't a good fit?
BELAY resolves mismatches through its Right-Fit Guarantee. Time etc lets you change your assistant free of charge and backs the service with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee, though its public pages don't describe refunds. Assistantly replaces a hire who stops being the right fit for as long as you work with us.
Does Time etc offer full-time virtual assistants?
Not as a standard plan. Time etc's assistants work part-time, and its published plans stop at 60 hours a month; a full-time workload would be a custom quote at roughly $6,230 a month at its 60-hour rate. For a dedicated full-time operator, Assistantly's most common roles cost $2,500 to $3,000 a month.
What is the best alternative to BELAY and Time etc?
It depends on the hours. For a few hours a week of U.S.-based help, the two are each other's closest alternative. For a full-time operator, Assistantly is built for that middle ground: mid-to-senior talent who complete a Day One™ simulation before you meet them, with most full-time roles at $2,500 to $3,000 a month. For more options, see our guides to BELAY alternatives and Time etc alternatives.
Proof over Promise
See the work
before you meet the person
Tell us the role, and we'll show you who can actually do it.
There's no commitment until you choose who to hire.