Managed VA companies provide offshore human workers for admin tasks. AI Staff builds automated systems that handle the same tasks 24/7 without per-hour billing. The right choice depends on whether your problem needs human judgment or just consistent execution.
Owner-operated service businesses where the main bottleneck is high-volume, repeatable processes (scheduling, follow-up, invoicing, reminders) that must run 24/7 and consistently every time.
Businesses that need flexible human assistance for varied, judgment-heavy tasks that change frequently — executive support, creative work, complex customer service.
Real Cost Comparison
Year-one total cost of ownership — including setup, ongoing fees, and hidden management costs.
$7,500 assessment + $3,500–5,500/month implementation + $2,500–3,500/month ongoing
$8–25/hour × 160 hours/month = $1,280–4,000/month for one VA; enterprise VA agencies charge $3,000–8,000/month for a team
AI Staff: $49,500–85,500. VA company: $15,000–96,000 depending on hours, plus management overhead. After month 6, AI Staff cost stays flat while VA costs grow with volume.
Common Questions
VAs are trained on your processes. AI Staff is configured with deep vertical knowledge of your industry's specific workflows, software, and terminology — plus cross-client data from similar businesses.
VA turnover means retraining, transition time, and knowledge loss. AI systems don't leave. Once configured, the system runs with the same consistency until you change it.
Yes — many clients start with a VA to handle gaps while we build the automation infrastructure. The goal is to automate everything that doesn't require human judgment, freeing any VAs or staff for higher-value work.
Book a free 30-minute call. We'll ask about your situation and give you an honest answer — including if a different approach would serve you better.