A fractional executive assistant is a dedicated EA who works a set number of hours a month for one executive, usually 20 to 80, through a monthly subscription instead of a salary. You get one person who learns your calendar, inbox, and priorities, without the cost or the hiring process of a full-time employee. As of September 2026, published rates for a fractional executive assistant run from $390 a month for 10 hours to $2,800 a month for 40 hours, depending on provider and experience level, with blocks available up to 160 hours a month.
Full disclosure: Base has placed fractional executive assistants for 14 years, and our pricing is on this page next to everyone else’s. If you already know you want one and are comparing providers, go to our ranked comparison of executive assistant services.
Fractional executive assistant vs virtual assistant vs full-time EA
The word “fractional” describes the hours. The word “executive” describes the work. Both matter, and the table shows where each model lands on both.
| Model | Hours | Who directs the work | Employment | 2026 cost range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task-based virtual assistant | Per request | You, task by task | Pooled team | $35 to $125/mo |
| Fractional virtual assistant | 10 to 40/mo | You | Dedicated contractor | $390 to $1,480/mo |
| Fractional executive assistant | 20 to 160/mo | Your EA | Dedicated contractor or W2 | $1,800 to $2,800/mo for 40 hrs |
| Full-time executive assistant | 160/mo | Your EA | Your employee | $3,000/mo offshore; salary plus benefits US-based |
Pricing verified against each provider’s published pricing page on July 27, 2026. Always confirm current rates directly. For the full salaried-hire math, see fractional executive assistant vs full-time hire; for the offshore rows, see offshore vs onshore executive assistants.
A virtual assistant executes tasks you define: book this flight, format this document, update this spreadsheet. An executive assistant owns outcomes: protect my time, run my inbox, make sure the board deck ships. A fractional executive assistant does the second kind of work on a monthly hour block. If you can write every instruction down, a fractional VA is enough. If the instructions are the work you are trying to get rid of, you want a fractional EA.
What a fractional executive assistant does at each monthly block
Fractional plans are sold in monthly hour blocks, and the block decides how much your EA can own. Here is what each level covers, based on 14 years of Base placements.
20 hours a month, about 1 hour a day. Light, flexible, mostly async support. A few clearly defined recurring responsibilities: light calendar or inbox management, basic travel, predictable workflows. Fits executives who do not need same-day responsiveness, or who are not sure what they need yet and want to start small. The sentence we hear: “I have a few things I consistently need off my plate.”
40 hours a month, about 2 hours a day. Consistent administrative support. Active calendar and inbox management, basic travel and task management, several recurring responsibilities, and 1 to 4 live calls a week. Fits executives who work mostly async with their EA but need reliable coverage every week. The sentence: “I need reliable help managing the administrative parts of my work every week.”
60 hours a month, about 3 hours a day. Integrated support with more ownership. Your EA owns a workflow or a significant project alongside core admin, collaborates with your team, and starts anticipating needs instead of only executing requests. Fits executives who need help creating systems and structure around their work. The sentence: “I want someone who can really learn how I work and start owning things.”
80 hours a month, about 4 hours a day. Strategic EA partnership. Thought partnership, creating and improving processes, a meaningful presence through the workday, 5 to 7 live calls a week, support for 2 or more executives, and consistent hybrid or in-person coverage. Fits executives who need significant help managing priorities, commitments, and follow-through. The sentence: “I want an EA who works alongside me, understands the business, anticipates what I need, and helps me operate better.”
100 to 160 hours a month, 5 to 8 hours a day. Major project or event ownership on top of ongoing support, heavy cross-functional coordination, 8 to 10 or more live calls a week, and daily availability. This is where executives land when they are replacing a traditional full-time EA. At 160 hours, the arrangement is a full-day EA relationship on a subscription.
The 6 workload multipliers
The task list only tells you part of the story. Two executives asking for the exact same responsibilities can need very different amounts of EA time. Six factors move the number. To run them on yourself, use our scoping guide to how many executive assistant hours you need.
Scope. How much does the EA need to own? A few recurring admin responsibilities sit at the low end. Multiple functions, projects, events, and team coordination sit at the high end.
Volume. How much work moves through those responsibilities? A light inbox and a predictable calendar are one thing. A meeting-heavy calendar with frequent rescheduling and regular travel is another.
Complexity. How complicated is the environment? Multiple companies, executives, calendars, time zones, external stakeholders, and changing priorities all add hours.
Responsiveness. How fast do you expect action? Async work fits a smaller block. Same-day responses, last-minute requests, and “be available from 9 to 12” mean the EA reserves time for you, and that reserved time is capacity you are buying.
Ownership. Do you want execution or partnership? “I’ll tell them what I need” fits 20 to 40 hours. “I want them to anticipate what I need” is thought partnership, managing up, and owning outcomes, and that generally requires 60 or more hours a month, with 80 the level where deeper partnership has room to work.
Structure needed. Is the EA stepping into a working system or building one? An executive whose priorities change daily and who needs help tracking commitments and follow-through needs substantially more EA capacity than an executive with the same task list and established systems.
How fractional executive assistant pricing works in 2026
Key numbers
- As of July 2026, a 10-hour fractional plan runs $390 a month at Time etc and $549 a month at Double, the two lowest published entry points for a dedicated US-based assistant.
- As of July 2026, a 20-hour fractional plan runs $760 a month at Time etc and $999 a month at Double.
- As of July 2026, a 40-hour fractional plan runs $1,480 a month at Time etc, $1,899 at Double, $2,600 at Boldly, and $2,800 at Base.
- As of September 2026, Base’s Built by Base program prices a newer-career fractional executive assistant at $1,800 a month for 40 hours, or $45 an hour.
- As of September 2026, Base’s standard fractional executive assistant subscription is $2,800 a month for 40 hours, or $70 an hour, with blocks available in 20-hour steps up to 160 hours.
Effective hourly rates on this list run $36 to $55 at the task-execution end and $65 to $70 at the strategic-partner end. The difference is experience: an EA who has supported founders for 10 years bills more than one in her second year. For a full breakdown of what drives these numbers, see how much an executive assistant costs.
How the match works
Every fractional executive assistant service pairs you with one person. How they pick that person decides whether the arrangement works, and it is the part most providers describe least.
At Base, the match is built on 14 years of placement data: which EA profiles have stayed longest with which executive profiles. You share how you work, what you delegate now, and what you want gone, and we scope the block using the 6 multipliers above. We match you within 5 business days. Your EA leads onboarding from day one, so the first week is her setting up your systems rather than you training her.
Two questions to ask any provider before you sign: “What data backs your matching?” and “What happens if the first match misses?” Rematching is standard in the category, and the timeline varies from days to weeks.
Who a fractional executive assistant is for
Four situations where fractional fits better than full-time or task-based.
You are a founder or executive with no support at all. You are your own assistant. A 40-hour block is about 2 hours a day of administrative work you stop doing.
You had a full-time EA and lost the budget. A 60 or 80 hour block keeps the ownership and the partnership at a fraction of a salaried seat.
You lead a small team and everyone shares the calendar pain. Supporting 2 or more executives starts at 80 hours a month total.
You want to test the relationship before you hire. Base’s Select+ runs a trial period on a fractional basis before a full-time hire.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a fractional executive assistant and a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant executes tasks you define. A fractional executive assistant owns outcomes, such as your calendar, inbox, and open projects, on a monthly hour block. EAs cost more per hour and return more time.
How many hours a month do you need a fractional executive assistant?
Light calendar, inbox, and basic travel start at 20 to 40 hours a month. Consistent admin with moderate complexity starts at 40. Admin plus project ownership or team collaboration starts at 60. Strategic partnership starts at 80, and so does supporting 2 or more executives. Executives replacing a full-time EA usually need 120 or more. Our scoping guide walks through it in 10 minutes.
Is a fractional executive assistant an employee or a contractor?
It depends on the provider. Boldly uses W2 employees. Base and BELAY match you with vetted independent contractors. Ask directly before signing, since directing a contractor’s daily work can create misclassification questions for your business under IRS rules.
How much does a fractional executive assistant cost?
As of 2026, published fractional plans run from $390 a month for 10 hours to $2,800 a month for 40 hours, and Base’s blocks scale in 20-hour steps to 160 hours. The range reflects experience level and whether the work is task execution or strategic support.
How fast can you get a fractional executive assistant?
Base matches within 5 business days. Double publishes 2 to 4 business days depending on plan. Most other providers quote 1 to 2 weeks on a sales call.
Can a fractional executive assistant become full-time?
Yes, with most providers. Boldly offers a buy-out option. Base’s Select+ is built as a trial-before-hire path, and Base’s 160-hour block is a full-day EA on a subscription.
Where Base fits
If the work you want gone is executive work, Base places that fractional executive assistant in 2026 at $1,800 a month for 40 hours through Built by Base or $2,800 a month for an experienced EA, with blocks up to 160 hours. See the ranked comparison, or talk to us about your first 40 hours.
