Employ Directly vs VirtualStaff.ph: grow your team without seat fees
Build your Filipino remote team with Employ Directly. Post free or use AI applicant matching on paid plans, with no recurring seat fee for each hire.
At a glance
This comparison makes the case for Employ Directly when employers want to recruit Filipino virtual assistants and handle contracts, onboarding, and payments themselves. It compares employer plan pricing with VirtualStaff.ph's recurring per-person seat model, including the different responsibilities covered. Published by Employ Directly with official competitor pricing checked October 1, 2026 and our product definitions. Platform cost examples exclude pay and do not represent identical services. Paid Employ Directly plans add AI applicant match scores, strengths, gaps, and explanations.
TL;DR
Choose Employ Directly if you want to run your own VA search and arrange pay directly. Start on Free or use Pro at $35/month and Premium at $62/month; there is no per-hire seat fee. VirtualStaff.ph lists $99 per person per month for staffing infrastructure, with worker pay extra. Pro and Premium include AI applicant matching.
Source: Employ Directly vs VirtualStaff.ph: grow your team without seat fees
Key Takeaways
- Employ Directly charges by employer hiring plan, with no monthly seat fee for each person you hire.
- Free includes limited job posting, application review, and applicant replies.
- VirtualStaff.ph advertises $99 per staff member per month, plus agreed compensation.
- Direct hiring works well when your business can manage onboarding, contracts, and worker payments.
Summary
If your business already knows how it will onboard and pay a remote assistant, Employ Directly is a strong place to make your next hire. You can post the role, review applications, and speak with Filipino professionals directly. Your platform plan is based on recruiting access, so hiring another person doesn't add a monthly staff-seat charge from Employ Directly.
VirtualStaff.ph's seats include ongoing staffing and payment infrastructure. That serves a different need. For employers ready to manage the relationship themselves, our free starting plan and fixed paid hiring plans keep recruiting costs separate from team size.
| What you're paying for | Employ Directly | VirtualStaff.ph |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing unit | Employer hiring plan | Active staff seat |
| Platform price | Free; Pro $35/month; Premium $62/month | $99/person/month |
| Worker compensation | Agreed and paid separately | Agreed pay additional to seat price |
| Candidate selection | Review applications and contact talent within limits | Choose from supplied staff options |
| Payment arrangements | Employer and professional handle directly | Staffing system handles payment infrastructure |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Employ Directly charge for every VA I hire?
No. There is no per-hire seat fee or placement commission. Your chosen employer plan determines posting, application, outreach, and administrator limits.
Does VirtualStaff.ph's $99 include worker pay?
No. Its pricing page separates the seat price from the agreed monthly pay. Include both when budgeting for the arrangement.
Can I start my search on Employ Directly for free?
Yes. Free includes up to three retained posts, 15 applications per approved job, applicant review, bookmarks, and replies. Free posts require approval before publication, which may take up to two days.
Who handles payroll and onboarding on Employ Directly?
You arrange those directly with the professional. Employ Directly organizes hiring through applications, messages, and offers; it does not process wages or provide a staffing agreement for the resulting engagement.
About
This comparison is published by Employ Directly. Official VirtualStaff.ph pricing was checked October 1, 2026, and our plan details were checked against our pricing and product definitions. USD examples exclude worker pay, taxes, transfer fees, and external tools unless stated.
Hire the next person around your team's needs
Your first VA might handle scheduling and admin. Your next might focus on customer support because the workload has grown. Each role needs its own brief, relevant applicants, and a conversation about what the person will take responsibility for.
Employ Directly gives you the tools to run those searches yourself. You can publish a role, review screening answers, bookmark applicants, and follow up in the same workspace. Paid plans also let you approach talent directly within monthly contact allowances.
You're choosing the person who will work with your team. If you have someone ready to interview and onboard them, start with a free job post.
A hiring plan that isn't charged per staff member
VirtualStaff.ph lists $99 per month for each staff seat, whether part-time or full-time. Its seat provides staffing and payment infrastructure, while the worker's agreed pay is additional.
At that advertised rate, three active seats cost $297 per month before worker pay and other costs. Over twelve months, that's $3,564 if all three seats stay active and the price stays the same.
Employ Directly Pro costs $35 per month, or $420 over twelve months of paid access. Premium costs $62 per month, or $744 for twelve months. You choose according to your recruiting needs and plan limits; there's no Employ Directly seat charge attached to each hire.
Those totals cover different services. With Employ Directly, you still need to arrange contracts, onboarding, and payments and budget for any tools or services you use. For a business that already has those arrangements, our model can keep the hiring platform budget lower.
Choose capacity for the search you're running
Pro includes five new job posts per month, up to 200 applications per job, 100 proactive talent contacts per month, and two administrators. It also includes instant job approval and advisory AI matching.
Premium raises the allowance to 15 new posts, 500 contacts, and five administrators, with the same application limit. If several people help with hiring, that administrator access lets them work in the same hiring workspace.
Free offers a smaller search with up to three retained posts, including archived posts, and 15 applications per approved job. Replies to your applicants are included, so you can start conversations before upgrading.
Get ready to welcome the person you hire
Agree on the hours, compensation, payment timing, and responsibilities before the first day. Name the person who will answer questions and prepare access to the tools the assistant needs. Even a short onboarding plan helps everyone know what happens next.
Your job post should explain the work clearly enough that the interview can focus on experience and approach. For a customer support role, ask how the applicant would handle a complaint, when they'd escalate it, and how they'd keep the rest of the team informed.
For other direct recruitment options, see our OnlineJobs.ph and HireTalent.ph comparisons.
Focus each search on the people who fit that role
As your team grows, you'll need different skills for different jobs. Pro and Premium include AI matching that compares each applicant's evidence with the role they've applied to. In table view, sort by match score and review the strengths and gaps before choosing your interviews.
That keeps your review tied to the job you need filled. A support specialist and an operations VA may need different experience, even when they'll work on the same team. You decide whom to hire and how the person will work with your business.
Final Verdict
We recommend Employ Directly for employers who want to recruit Filipino VAs directly and manage the resulting working relationship themselves. You get free posting to start, paid plans based on hiring capacity, and no recurring seat fee for each person you hire.
Post your next role on Employ Directly. Choose the recruiting access you need and agree on the working arrangements directly with your new hire.
Your next great hire starts here.
Post a job free and talk directly with Filipino applicants. Pro and Premium add AI matching to help you build your shortlist.