Time Etc vs BELAY: Which Virtual Assistant Service Is Better in 2026?

Time Etc and BELAY both connect businesses with experienced remote assistants, but they serve different types of buyers.

Time Etc is generally better for entrepreneurs, consultants and small businesses that want transparent monthly pricing and flexible blocks of 10 to 60 hours. BELAY is generally better for executives and established teams that want highly vetted US-based talent, personalized matching and ongoing support from a Client Success Consultant.

The biggest difference is the service model. Time Etc publishes its prices and lets clients select a monthly number of hours. BELAY creates a customized support arrangement and provides a quote after learning about the client’s workload and requirements.

Time Etc vs BELAY: Quick verdict

Choose Time Etc when you:

• Need approximately 10 to 60 hours of assistance per month
• Want to see the price before scheduling a consultation
• Need administrative, scheduling, research or content support
• Want the option to change or cancel your package
• Run a small business, consultancy or solo operation

Choose BELAY when you:

• Want a more managed matching and onboarding process
• Need executive, operational or specialized business support
• Prefer thoroughly vetted US-based professionals
• Want a dedicated Client Success Consultant
• Need support that can develop into a long-term working relationship

TaskVive’s verdict: Time Etc provides the more accessible starting point. BELAY provides the more personalized and managed service.

Time Etc vs BELAY at a glance

Feature	Time Etc	BELAY
Service type	Hour-based virtual assistant plans	Customized fractional staffing
Published starting price	$390 per month for 10 hours	No standard public price
Available hours	10, 20, 40 or 60 hours monthly, with larger plans available	Customized; many executive-support clients begin with 10–20 hours weekly
Pricing structure	Fixed monthly package	Customized flat monthly fee
Assistant location	Dedicated US-based assistant on current US plans	US-based professionals
Experience claim	Assistants average 12 years of experience	Accepts the top 3% of applicants, according to BELAY
Matching method	Expert matching	Personalized human matching
Ongoing account support	Client Happiness Manager	Client Success Consultant
Unused-hour rollover	Advertised on 20-, 40- and 60-hour plans	Confirm during consultation
Cancellation	Switch or cancel plans	Flexible month-to-month support
Replacement support	Lifetime satisfaction guarantee	Right-Fit Guarantee with free rematching
Best for	Entrepreneurs and smaller businesses	Executives and growing organizations

The experience, selection and success-rate figures above are provider-reported claims rather than independent TaskVive measurements.

What is Time Etc?

Time Etc is a virtual assistant company that provides dedicated remote assistance through monthly hour-based plans. Clients are matched with an assistant based on the skills, tasks and working style they require.

Time Etc focuses heavily on flexible administrative and executive assistance. A Time Etc assistant may help manage email, coordinate calendars, research information, organize documents, arrange travel, maintain databases, support customers and assist with routine content or social media work.

Current US plans include expert matching, a dedicated assistant, the ability to add more assistants, team sharing, account support and the option to change or cancel the plan.

Time Etc vs BELAY pricing

Pricing is one of the clearest differences between Time Etc and BELAY.

Time Etc publishes four standard monthly packages. BELAY does not publish a standard price list because its plans are based on the type and amount of support required.

Time Etc pricing in 2026

Monthly hours	Monthly price	Effective hourly rate
10 hours	$390	$39 per hour
20 hours	$760	$38 per hour
40 hours	$1,480	$37 per hour
60 hours	$2,160	$36 per hour

Time Etc publishes its current packages on the official Time Etc plans and pricing

Time Etc also offers larger plans through consultation. The company advertises unused-hour rollover on its 20-, 40- and 60-hour packages. Rollover is not listed as a feature of the current 10-hour package, so customers should confirm that point before subscribing.

What is BELAY?

BELAY is a US-based remote staffing company offering Assistant Solutions and Financial Solutions.

Its Assistant Solutions cover roles such as:

• Executive assistants
• Virtual assistants
• Marketing assistants
• Operations assistants
• Personal assistants
• Financial client-services assistants
• Social media managers

Its separate Financial Solutions include bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, tax support, fractional controllers and fractional CFO services.

BELAY uses a personalized matching process rather than asking customers to search through a public assistant marketplace. BELAY says it accepts the top 3% of US-based applicants and matches 93% of clients successfully with the first professional selected. These are BELAY’s own reported figures.

How much does BELAY cost?

BELAY uses customized flat monthly pricing. The amount depends on factors such as:

• Role required
• Type of work
• Weekly workload
• Experience needed
• Operational complexity
• Additional financial or specialist services

BELAY does not provide an official standard hourly rate or package price on the service pages reviewed for this comparison. Therefore, quoting an exact BELAY monthly price without receiving a current proposal would be misleading.

BELAY states that US-based virtual assistants across the wider market commonly charge approximately $30 to $75 per hour, but this is general market guidance and should not be presented as BELAY’s own price.

How many hours are included?

Time Etc is designed around a clearly defined monthly hour allowance. Customers can select 10, 20, 40 or 60 hours and request a larger arrangement when required.

This makes Time Etc easier to budget for when you already know roughly how many hours of assistance you need.

BELAY does not offer the same public package table. Its executive-assistant information says many leaders begin with approximately 10 to 20 hours per week and adjust their support as business priorities change. The final arrangement is customized.

Review the roles and support options available through BELAY Assistant Solutions

Which model is more flexible?

Time Etc offers greater purchasing transparency. You can see the hours and price before signing up.

BELAY offers greater customization. The support arrangement can be designed around a particular executive, department or operational need.

Assistant experience and vetting

Time Etc assistant experience

Time Etc says its assistants have an average of 12 years of professional experience. Clients are matched with a dedicated assistant based on the tasks and skills they need.

This model can work well when a business needs an experienced generalist who can manage several recurring administrative responsibilities.

The provider explains its consultation and matching process in how Time Etc works

BELAY assistant experience

BELAY does not publish a single average number of years of experience across all assistants. Instead, it emphasizes its applicant-selection process.

BELAY says it:

• Accepts only the top 3% of applicants
• Uses US-based professionals
• Conducts interviews and skills assessments
• Performs background checks for relevant specialist roles
• Personally matches clients with professionals

BELAY’s model may be more appealing when the quality of the match and the professional’s fit with an executive or organization are more important than finding the lowest available rate.

Services compared

Tasks Time Etc can support

Time Etc is suitable for recurring business-administration work such as:

• Inbox organization
• Email drafting and follow-up
• Calendar management
• Appointment scheduling
• Travel planning
• Internet and competitor research
• Data entry
• Document preparation
• Customer-service administration
• Social media scheduling
• Basic content assistance
• CRM and contact-list maintenance

The exact work available depends on the skills of the assistant assigned to the client.

Tasks BELAY can support

BELAY Assistant Solutions cover a broader range of defined business roles, including:

• Executive calendar and inbox management
• Meeting preparation and follow-up
• Project coordination
• Customer follow-up
• CRM administration
• Marketing execution
• Email-campaign support
• Blog publishing
• Social media scheduling
• Operations support
• Personal assistance

BELAY also offers separate financial professionals for bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, tax and higher-level accounting support.

Important distinction

Time Etc should not automatically be described as suitable only for basic data entry. Its experienced assistants can perform meaningful executive and business-support work.

Similarly, a standard BELAY assistant should not automatically be described as a bookkeeper or fractional CFO. Those capabilities fall under BELAY’s separate Financial Solutions and may require a different engagement.

Matching and onboarding

How Time Etc matches clients

Time Etc asks about the assistance required and matches the client with a dedicated US-based assistant. Clients can communicate through email, text, phone or Zoom and can share the assistant with other team members.

The package also includes a Client Happiness Manager, holiday and sickness cover, a task-management dashboard and detailed time reporting.

How BELAY matches clients

BELAY uses human-led personalized matching. A BELAY team member learns about the client’s role, company, workload, communication style and requirements before selecting a professional.

BELAY says clients may be matched in as little as one week. It also reports a 93% first-match success rate and provides support from a dedicated Client Success Consultant.

Which onboarding process is better?

Time Etc is more suitable when you want a straightforward plan and a quick route into delegating recurring work.

BELAY is more suitable when you want the provider to take a more active role in understanding your organization, selecting the candidate and supporting the relationship.

Replacement and satisfaction policies

A strong matching process matters, but no provider can guarantee that every working relationship will be perfect.

Time Etc satisfaction policy

Time Etc advertises a complete satisfaction guarantee for the lifetime of the client’s account. Clients also receive support from a Client Happiness Manager if something is not working as expected.

Before purchasing, ask Time Etc what steps apply when you want to change assistants and whether any unused or disputed hours will be credited.

BELAY Right-Fit Guarantee

BELAY’s Right-Fit Guarantee states that a client can be matched with another professional at no additional cost when the original match is not suitable. BELAY handles the rematching process.

BELAY provides the clearer publicly stated rematching promise of the two providers.

Cancellation and contract terms

Time Etc cancellation policy

Time Etc says clients can switch plans or cancel at any time. Its terms establish an initial minimum period of one month, after which the service continues until terminated according to its conditions.

Check the billing date and applicable notice requirements before cancelling so that you understand whether another monthly payment will be collected.

BELAY cancellation policy

BELAY says its executive-assistant support is flexible and month-to-month. Clients are not locked into a long-term contract and can scale their support according to changing operational requirements.

The exact cancellation, notice and billing terms should still be reviewed in the proposal or service agreement provided to the customer.

Which is better for entrepreneurs?

Time Etc is our choice for most entrepreneurs

Time Etc is the stronger starting option for:

• Solopreneurs
• Consultants
• Coaches
• Freelancers
• Small agencies
• Early-stage companies
• Business owners hiring their first assistant

Its main advantage is predictability. An entrepreneur can begin with 10 hours for $390 per month without first negotiating a custom staffing arrangement.

It is particularly suitable when the workload includes email, scheduling, research, customer follow-up, documentation and content administration.

Time Etc may not be the best choice when you need an entire financial function, several deeply specialized roles or a highly managed enterprise-level staffing arrangement.

Which is better for larger businesses?

BELAY is our choice for managed and specialized support

BELAY is more suitable for:

• Established companies
• Senior executives
• Leadership teams
• Growing agencies
• Multi-department organizations
• Businesses needing operations or marketing support
• Companies that may later require financial professionals

The main advantage is not simply company size. BELAY is better when a buyer values personalized matching, ongoing relationship support and access to clearly defined specialist roles.

BELAY may be excessive for a business that needs only a few hours of predictable administrative work each month.

Time Etc pros and cons

Advantages of Time Etc

• Transparent prices
• Plans begin at 10 hours per month
• Lower effective hourly rates on larger packages
• Average of 12 years of assistant experience, according to the company
• Ability to add assistants without an additional platform fee
• Assistant can be shared with team members
• Rollover offered on qualifying plans
• Plans can be changed or cancelled
• Lifetime satisfaction guarantee

Limitations of Time Etc

• Monthly hours may be insufficient for a near-full-time role
• Rollover is not clearly advertised on the 10-hour package
• The customer must still set priorities and delegate effectively
• Specialist expertise depends on the assistant available
• Financial services are not presented as a full outsourced accounting department

BELAY pros and cons

Advantages of BELAY

• Thoroughly vetted US-based professionals
• Personalized human matching
• Dedicated Client Success Consultant
• Right-Fit Guarantee
• No long-term lock-in stated
• Flexible fractional support
• Executive, marketing, operations and other assistant roles
• Separate bookkeeping, payroll and financial solutions
• Potential to begin matching within about one week

Limitations of BELAY

• No transparent public price table
• Buyers must schedule a consultation to receive pricing
• Likely unnecessary for very small or irregular workloads
• Custom arrangements make direct price comparison difficult
• Financial services may require a separate solution or proposal

Time Etc vs BELAY for different business situations

Business situation	Better choice	Reason
Solopreneur needing 10 hours monthly	Time Etc	Published entry plan
Consultant needing calendar and inbox support	Time Etc	Flexible recurring administration
Small agency needing 20–40 hours monthly	Time Etc	Predictable monthly cost
CEO needing an executive right hand	BELAY	Managed matching and executive support
Company needing marketing coordination	BELAY	Defined Marketing Assistant roles
Business requiring bookkeeping	BELAY Financial Solutions	Dedicated financial professionals
Buyer who wants prices immediately	Time Etc	Public pricing
Buyer who wants custom staffing	BELAY	Consultation-based arrangement
Business worried about a poor match	BELAY	Explicit free-rematch guarantee
Team wanting to share one assistant	Time Etc	Team sharing included

Get matched with the right virtual assistant

Not sure whether Time Etc, BELAY or another provider fits your workload?

Complete the form below and tell TaskVive what your business needs.

Suggested form fields

• Full name
• Business email
• Company name
• Industry
• Number of employees
• Tasks you want to delegate
• Hours required each month
• Monthly budget
• Preferred assistant location
• Expected starting date

Privacy message:
By submitting this form, you agree that TaskVive may contact you about suitable virtual assistant services. Submitting the form does not create a contract with Time Etc, BELAY or TaskVive.

Do not state that TaskVive has an official partnership with either provider unless such a partnership has been confirmed.

How TaskVive compared Time Etc and BELAY

TaskVive evaluated the providers using these factors:

1. Pricing transparency
2. Included monthly hours
3. Assistant experience and vetting
4. Available services
5. Matching and onboarding
6. Account-management support
7. Cancellation flexibility
8. Replacement protection
9. Suitability for different business sizes
10. Ability to scale support

This update is based on publicly available information from the official Time Etc and BELAY websites. TaskVive did not purchase and test both services as part of this update. Provider-reported statistics have been identified as such.

That disclosure is important. Do not claim first-hand testing unless someone from TaskVive has genuinely used both services.

Final verdict: Time Etc or BELAY?

Time Etc is the better choice for most entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking transparent prices, flexible monthly hours and experienced administrative assistance. Its $390 entry plan provides a practical way to begin delegating without arranging a large customized engagement.

BELAY is the better choice for executives and growing organizations that want a more managed staffing experience. Its personalized matching, Client Success support, Right-Fit Guarantee and broader range of professional roles make it suitable for more complex requirements.

Choose Time Etc when price visibility and hour-based flexibility matter most.

Choose BELAY when personalized matching, managed support and access to specialized professionals matter more than seeing a public price.

Frequently Asked Questions