Search for "hire a Filipino virtual assistant" and every platform promises talent. What they don't advertise on the homepage is how they get paid — and that's where most of your real cost hides. Bidding fees, connects, percentage commissions, and monthly minimums quietly add up to far more than the hourly rate you agreed with your VA.
This guide breaks down the three fee models you'll run into, shows the true cost of each over a year, and explains why a flat-fee, no-commission model is usually the cheapest way to hire a vetted Filipino VA for any ongoing role.
| Model | How you pay | What the worker loses |
|---|---|---|
| Bidding (Upwork, Freelancer) | Workers spend credits to bid; platform takes 5–20% of every payment | 5–20% commission on all earnings |
| Subscription (OnlineJobs.ph) | $69–$99/month for as long as you search or message | Nothing, but scam-post risk is higher |
| Flat fee (WorkBase PH) | One-time $18 to post a job; full contact access from day one | Nothing — workers keep 100% |
On bidding marketplaces, two separate charges eat into a hire:
"No bidding fees" means neither of those exists. Freelancers apply for free, keep 100% of what you pay, and you're not charged per message or per proposal to reach them. On WorkBase PH, employers pay a single flat fee to post a role and get every applicant's full profile and contact details from day one — no paywall, no per-bid charge, no percentage skim.
Why this matters for candidate quality: Experienced Filipino specialists know exactly how much commission platforms take from them. A no-commission model consistently attracts more professional, career-minded applicants — because they keep everything they earn.
Say you hire one VA at $1,200/month and keep them for a year. Here's what each model costs you (or your worker) on top of that salary:
| Model | Platform cost, year one | Effect on the hire |
|---|---|---|
| Bidding, 10% commission | ~$1,440 skimmed from the worker | Higher quoted rates to absorb the cut; best candidates apply selectively |
| Subscription $79/mo | $948 if kept year-round | You keep paying even after the hire is made |
| Flat fee (WorkBase PH) | $18, paid once | Nothing after the hire; worker keeps 100% |
The pattern is simple: bidding and subscription models charge you (or your worker) again and again; a flat fee charges once. The longer the working relationship lasts, the more decisively flat-rate wins.
To be fair, no single model wins every time:
For anything ongoing — a VA, an executive assistant, a bookkeeper, a support rep you'll work with for months — the flat-fee, no-commission model is almost always the cheaper and cleaner choice.
On bidding platforms like Upwork or Freelancer, workers spend credits or "connects" just to submit a proposal, and the platform takes a percentage (often 5–20%) of everything they earn. "No bidding fees" means neither of those exists: freelancers apply for free and keep 100% of what you pay them, and you don't pay a per-message or per-bid charge to reach candidates. On WorkBase PH, employers pay a single flat fee to post a job and freelancers pay nothing, ever.
On a flat-rate platform, your only platform cost is the posting fee. On WorkBase PH that is a one-time $18 flat fee for a job post, with full access to every applicant's profile and contact details from day one. After that, you pay the VA their agreed rate directly with no percentage cut taken by the platform. A typical Filipino VA rate ranges from about $4–$10/hour depending on skill level, and 100% of that goes to the worker.
A commission is charged on every payment for as long as the working relationship lasts. A 10% cut on a VA earning $1,200/month is $120 every month, or $1,440 per year, on top of what you actually pay the worker. A flat-fee platform charges once at the point of hire and never touches the ongoing relationship, so the longer you work with someone, the larger the savings compared to a percentage model.
No. Freelancers and specialists never pay to create a profile, apply to jobs, or receive payment. WorkBase PH takes no commission from workers, which means the people you hire keep 100% of their earnings. This tends to attract more experienced, professionally-minded candidates who won't work on platforms that skim their pay.
For most employers, yes — especially for ongoing roles. Flat-rate wins clearly when you hire someone for more than a few weeks, because commission keeps charging month after month while a flat fee is paid once. Bidding platforms can look cheaper up front for a tiny one-off task, but their percentage cut and worker-side fees usually make them more expensive for any real, ongoing hire.
Post your role for a flat $18, get AI-matched to pre-vetted Filipino specialists, and pay your VA directly — no commissions, no bidding wars.
Post a Job →Related: WorkBase PH vs OnlineJobs.ph · 5 Best Platforms to Hire Filipino VAs · How to Pay a Filipino VA