Zirtual vs BELAY 2026: Full Comparison

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Last Updated: June 2026

Zirtual and BELAY are both US-based managed VA services with college-educated assistants. At first glance, they look like close competitors. Look closer and real differences emerge: Zirtual's multi-user team plans have no equivalent at BELAY, while BELAY's bookkeeping services and longer track record give it stability advantages Zirtual can't match. And then there's Zirtual's rocky acquisition history, which raises legitimate questions any serious buyer should ask before signing up.

This comparison puts the real data on the table and names a winner.

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Quick Comparison: Zirtual vs BELAY

Both services use US-based VAs and target professionals willing to pay above-market rates. Their differences are in team structure, service breadth, company history, and pricing transparency.

Feature	Zirtual	BELAY
Starting price	$549/mo (12 hrs, 1 user)	~$1,380/mo est. (30 hrs)
Mid-tier (24 hrs)	$849/mo	N/A
Small Biz (36 hrs, 3 users)	$1,249/mo	N/A
Team plan (50 hrs, 5 users)	$1,699/mo	Not available
Estimated hourly rate	~$34-46/hr	~$42-46/hr
VA location	US-based only	US-based only
Multi-user team plans	Yes (2-5 users)	No
Bookkeeping services	No	Yes
Hours rollover	No	Not specified
Free trial	No	No
Pricing transparency	Yes (public)	No (consultation required)
Trustpilot score	3.8/5 (21 reviews)	4.1/5
Glassdoor score	3.4/5 (171 reviews)	4.1/5 (274 reviews)
Compensation score	2.9/5	Not specified
Acquisition history	Turbulent (3 owners since 2015)	Stable since 2010
Founded	2011	2010
Best for	Small teams (2-5 users) sharing a VA	Individuals needing bookkeeping + admin

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What Is Zirtual?

Zirtual is a US-based virtual assistant service founded in 2011 that became famous almost as much for its collapse as its service. After growing quickly, Zirtual abruptly shut down in August 2015, leaving clients and VAs without notice. It was acquired by Startups.co, then changed hands again to PennSpring Capital in December 2023. Today, it operates with US-based, college-educated VAs across four plan tiers. What makes Zirtual genuinely unique is its team-sharing structure: the Small Biz and Team plans let 2-5 users share a single VA, which is a feature you won't find at most managed VA services. Pricing is publicly listed, starting at $549/mo.

Read our full Zirtual review for the complete breakdown including what the acquisition history means for current customers.

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What Is BELAY?

BELAY is a managed virtual assistant agency founded in 2010 in Roswell, Georgia. It has remained under consistent ownership since founding and serves 1,000+ organizations. BELAY distinguishes itself with three service lines: virtual assistants, bookkeepers, and social media strategists. All VAs are US-based contractors. Pricing is not publicly available — you must request a consultation — but third-party research estimates rates at $42-46/hr, with monthly retainers around $1,380 for 30 hours and $3,800+ for 90 hours. BELAY's Right-Fit Guarantee provides a free rematch within 30 days if the initial placement doesn't work. Cancellation requires 30 days' written notice.

Read our full BELAY review for full feature and pricing details.

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Pricing: Zirtual vs BELAY

Zirtual's pricing is publicly listed and starts significantly lower than BELAY's estimated entry point.

Zirtual pricing (publicly listed):

• Entrepreneur: $549/mo (12 hrs, 1 user) — ~$45.75/hr
• Startup: $849/mo (24 hrs, 2 users) — ~$35.38/hr per user
• Small Biz: $1,249/mo (36 hrs, 3 users) — ~$34.69/hr per user
• Team: $1,699/mo (50 hrs, 5 users) — ~$33.98/hr per user
• Note: Hours do NOT rollover.

BELAY pricing (estimated, not publicly listed):

• ~30 hrs/mo: $1,380/mo ($46/hr)
• ~40 hrs/mo: $1,720-$1,840/mo ($43-46/hr)
• ~90 hrs/mo: $3,800+/mo ($42/hr)
• Note: You need a consultation call to get actual pricing.

The entry-level gap: Zirtual's $549/mo Entrepreneur plan is the only US-based managed VA option in this price range from a named service. BELAY's minimum commitment is estimated at nearly $1,380/mo — more than double. If you only need 12 hours of VA support per month, BELAY isn't even a practical option.

The team plan math: Zirtual's Team plan at $1,699/mo covers 5 users sharing 50 hours. If you tried to replicate this at BELAY, you'd need individual arrangements for each user — there's no shared plan structure. For small teams, Zirtual's per-seat cost is materially lower.

For a comprehensive look at managed VA pricing, see our virtual assistant pricing guide.

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Features Compared

Multi-User Team Plans

Zirtual's defining feature is team sharing. The Startup plan covers 2 users, Small Biz covers 3 users, and Team covers 5 users — all sharing a single VA's hours. This is a genuinely useful structure for small professional firms, founding teams, or small businesses where multiple people need occasional VA support but no one needs 30+ hours per month.

BELAY has no equivalent. Each client relationship is individual. If you need VA support across a team, you'd arrange separate engagements — at separate costs.

Bookkeeping Services

BELAY offers bookkeeping as a service line alongside its VA offering. This is a meaningful differentiator in the US-based premium space — most competitors don't offer it. If you want one vendor for administrative support and financial record-keeping, BELAY is the option.

Zirtual does not offer bookkeeping.

Company Stability

This is where Zirtual has a significant liability. Its history is unusual: founded 2011, abrupt shutdown in 2015 (clients woke up to emails saying the company was gone), acquired by Startups.co, then acquired again by PennSpring Capital in December 2023. That's two ownership changes in eight years, including one that left clients stranded overnight.

To be fair, the current PennSpring-operated Zirtual appears to be functioning normally. But if company stability matters to you — and it should when you're integrating a VA into sensitive business workflows — BELAY's 14-year single-company track record is a meaningful advantage.

BELAY has been under consistent leadership since 2010 with no public ownership disruptions.

Employee and VA Satisfaction

Glassdoor scores tell a story here. Zirtual scores 3.4/5 from 171 reviews, with a compensation rating of only 2.9/5. That's a concerning signal about how well Zirtual VAs are paid — and underpaid VAs tend to deliver inconsistent work or leave quickly.

BELAY scores 4.1/5 from 274 reviews on Glassdoor. Not exceptional, but meaningfully better than Zirtual, and the compensation complaints that plague Zirtual are less prominent.

Pricing Transparency

Zirtual publishes four clean pricing tiers on its website. You can self-qualify without a sales call. BELAY requires a consultation before disclosing pricing — a friction point that many buyers find frustrating.

Hours Rollover

Zirtual does not roll unused hours over to the next month. If you buy 24 hours and only use 18, you lose the remaining 6. BELAY's rollover policy is not publicly specified either, but Zirtual's no-rollover policy is a documented limitation worth noting.

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Who Should Choose Zirtual?

• You need 2-5 team members sharing a VA — Zirtual's multi-user plans are unique in this market
• Your monthly VA hours fall under 12-36 hours and you want a US-based option
• You want transparent pricing without a consultation call
• Your budget is $549-$1,249/mo for a US-based managed service
• You understand the acquisition history and have evaluated the risk

Also see: our best Zirtual alternatives if the company history concerns you.

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Who Should Choose BELAY?

• You need bookkeeping services alongside VA support
• Company stability is a priority — 14 years under consistent ownership matters to you
• You're a solo executive or individual professional (not a team), so Zirtual's team plans aren't relevant
• Your budget supports $1,380+/mo for a managed US-based service
• Higher employee satisfaction scores on Glassdoor give you more confidence in quality

Also see: our BELAY vs Boldly comparison, our Wishup vs BELAY comparison, and our best VA services ranked.

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The Winner: Zirtual vs BELAY

BELAY wins this comparison for individual professionals — but Zirtual wins on the specific use case it was built for: small teams sharing a VA.

For a solo founder, executive, or professional: BELAY is the stronger choice. It has a stable 14-year history, higher employee satisfaction scores, bookkeeping services, and a more credible track record. Zirtual's acquisition history and 3.4/5 Glassdoor score are genuine concerns for anyone integrating a VA into sensitive business operations. The Right-Fit Guarantee and deeper service breadth make BELAY the more reliable long-term partner for individuals.

For a small team of 2-5 people: Zirtual wins. No other managed US-based VA service has a multi-user sharing plan at this price point. If your startup team all need occasional VA support, Zirtual's $1,249/mo covering 3 users beats the alternative of three separate BELAY engagements at $1,380/mo each. The math is not close.

The honest caveat: if you're a team buyer who is worried about Zirtual's ownership history, see our best Zirtual alternatives for services that offer better stability with comparable team support. And if budget is a concern for either service, our Upwork vs OnlineJobs.ph comparison covers offshore options that cost a fraction of either US-based service.

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More Resources

• For the full market overview, see our best virtual assistant services ranking.
• Compare pricing across all services in our VA pricing guide.
• Considering offshore alternatives at a fraction of the cost? See our US vs Philippines VA comparison.

FAQ: Zirtual vs BELAY

Is Zirtual or BELAY cheaper?

Zirtual is cheaper at the entry level. Zirtual's Entrepreneur plan starts at $549/mo for 12 hours. BELAY's minimum is estimated at ~$1,380/mo for 30 hours — more than double the entry cost. At higher volume (40+ hours), both services converge around $42-46/hr, making them price-equivalent for heavier users. The key difference is that Zirtual lets you start small.

Which service is better for teams?

Zirtual, without question. Its Startup ($849/mo, 2 users), Small Biz ($1,249/mo, 3 users), and Team ($1,699/mo, 5 users) plans allow multiple people to share one VA's hours. BELAY has no multi-user plan structure. For small teams needing shared VA coverage, Zirtual is the only managed US-based service with this feature.

Is Zirtual reliable after its 2015 shutdown?

The 2015 shutdown — when Zirtual abruptly closed with minimal notice, leaving clients and VAs without warning — is a legitimate concern. The company has since changed ownership twice, most recently to PennSpring Capital in December 2023. The current operation appears functional, but the history warrants caution for buyers planning to deeply integrate a VA into core business workflows. BELAY, by contrast, has operated under consistent ownership since 2010.

Does Zirtual or BELAY offer bookkeeping?

Only BELAY offers bookkeeping. It's available as a separate service engagement alongside its VA offering. If you need both administrative VA support and bookkeeping from one vendor, BELAY is your only option between these two services.

Do Zirtual hours rollover if unused?

No. Zirtual explicitly states that unused hours do not roll over to the following month. If you buy a 24-hour plan and only use 18 hours, you lose the remaining 6 hours. Factor this into your decision if your VA usage will be irregular month-to-month.

Which service has better reviews?

BELAY holds a 4.1/5 Trustpilot score and a 4.1/5 Glassdoor score from 274 reviews. Zirtual has a 3.8/5 Trustpilot score from 21 reviews and a 3.4/5 Glassdoor score from 171 reviews — including a compensation rating of only 2.9/5. BELAY's scores are meaningfully better, particularly on employee satisfaction, which correlates with service quality for clients. Neither score is exceptional at the premium price points both services charge.

Are there better alternatives to both Zirtual and BELAY?

Yes. Time Etc offers US-based VA support starting at $360/mo (10 hours) with a 4.9/5 Trustpilot score — the highest in the managed VA industry — and a transparent pricing model. For offshore alternatives at dramatically lower cost, Wing Assistant offers a full-time dedicated VA at $1,099/mo. See our best virtual assistant services comparison and best Zirtual alternatives for full ranked lists.

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About the Author: Our editorial team independently researches and tests virtual assistant services. We are not affiliated with any VA company featured on this site.