At some point, every growing high-ticket dropshipping business hits the same wall. You’re handling email, scheduling calls, managing supplier follow-ups, uploading content, responding to customers, and trying to do actual strategy work – all at once. The business is working. You’re the bottleneck. That’s the moment a virtual assistant stops being an optional luxury and starts being a practical necessity.
Time etc is one of the most established premium virtual assistant services operating today. Founded in 2007 in the UK by entrepreneur Barnaby Lashbrooke, Time etc has served 22,000+ entrepreneurs and saved over 1.6 million hours of client time. Their model is built around one core idea: match you with a single, dedicated, highly experienced US or UK-based assistant who learns your preferences, your business, and your working style over time.
This is an independent review covering how Time etc works, the four pricing plans, what types of tasks VAs handle, who this is genuinely right for, and where offshore alternatives make more financial sense.
What Is Time etc?
Time etc (timeetc.com) is a virtual assistant company that connects entrepreneurs and business owners with dedicated, experienced US and UK-based remote assistants. Unlike pool-based VA services where tasks get routed to whoever is available, Time etc matches you with one specific assistant who becomes your ongoing resource. That assistant tracks time to the second, works from a home office, and is available during standard business hours Monday through Friday.
The vetting is where Time etc differentiates itself. Less than 2% of applicants are accepted. Every assistant is college-educated, averages 12+ years of professional experience, and many have worked for Apple, Facebook, IBM, AOL, and Virgin. The management team includes Richard Branson’s former executive assistant. These aren’t entry-level workers learning on your time.
How Time etc Works
Step 1 – Free consultation: You speak with a Time etc team member who listens to your needs and what kind of assistant would be the right fit.
Step 2 – VA matching: Time etc suggests a matched assistant. You review their profile and speak with them before committing.
Step 3 – Free replacement guarantee: If the suggested assistant isn’t the right fit for any reason, Time etc will keep working until they find one that is – at no additional cost.
Step 4 – Task delegation: Submit tasks via email, through the platform, or by phone. No rigid format required.
Step 5 – Transparent time tracking: Your assistant tracks every task to the second. Check the running total through your dashboard at any time.
Step 6 – Monthly renewal: Plans renew automatically each month. Change your plan, add hours, or cancel with one email or call. No notice period.
Pricing
Time etc uses a prepaid hours model. You buy a block of hours each month at a set per-hour rate. More hours = lower per-hour cost.
10 hours/month – $380 ($38/hour): Entry plan. No unused hour rollover on this tier. Good for testing the service or very light ongoing support.
20 hours/month – $740 ($37/hour): Unused hours roll over to the following month. Suitable for ongoing admin support alongside a growing business.
40 hours/month – $1,440 ($36/hour): Unused hours roll over. Covers approximately 10 hours per week of dedicated VA support. The right plan for entrepreneurs committed to consistent delegation.
60 hours/month – $2,100 ($35/hour): Unused hours roll over. Approximately 15 hours per week of dedicated support. For entrepreneurs with established operations and consistent recurring delegation needs.
Larger plans: Available by consultation for higher-volume requirements.
All plans include: dedicated same assistant (not a pool), NDA protection and bank-grade encrypted information exchange, free VA replacement if your assistant isn’t the right fit, dashboard with running time totals, and Client Happiness expert support throughout.
Free trial: $50 credit to test the service with no credit card required.
Money-back guarantee: 100% money-back within 30 days. No long-term contracts. No setup fees. Cancel at any time.
What Tasks Can a Time etc VA Handle?
Administrative and calendar management: Email inbox management, calendar scheduling, travel research and booking, appointment coordination, document organization. For entrepreneurs buried in email, this is often the first and highest-value delegation.
Research and data tasks: Competitor research, market research, data entry, list building, contact research, content research. For high-ticket niche validation and supplier prospecting, a VA doing structured research saves hours of your time.
Marketing coordination: Social media content scheduling, caption writing, image sourcing, blog post formatting and uploading, newsletter coordination. A VA handles execution while you handle strategy.
Customer support: Email and chat support, FAQ management, order tracking follow-ups, customer communication. For a dropshipping store with consistent order volume, delegating customer email management removes a time-consuming task that doesn’t require you personally.
Basic web tasks: WordPress content uploads, page updates, image editing and resizing, Squarespace updates. Simple CMS updates and content management within scope.
Writing and editing: Article drafting, press release writing and editing, email drafting, document creation.
Project coordination: Managing recurring tasks, following up with contractors, organizing project files, coordinating between team members.
What Time etc VAs are NOT suited for: Deep specialist work – bookkeeping, graphic design, software development, legal research, or technical SEO. Time etc’s strength is experienced, professional general business support, not technical depth.
Time etc for Ecommerce Entrepreneurs
Freeing time for high-leverage work: The early stages of building a dropshipping business require your personal attention on product selection, supplier relationships, and store strategy. A Time etc VA handles the operational and administrative tasks that don’t require you – so you can spend your limited hours on the things that actually grow the business.
Supplier communication follow-ups: After making initial contact with suppliers, a VA can manage follow-up emails, track response status, and keep your outreach pipeline organized.
Customer service management: For stores generating consistent orders, delegating customer support email management to a US-based VA with professional experience provides a quality-of-service level that offshore alternatives often can’t match. Your high-ticket customers spending $1,500+ expect professional, prompt responses.
Content and marketing execution: Scheduling posts, uploading blog content, formatting email newsletters, and sourcing images are all tasks a Time etc VA can handle weekly – keeping your marketing active without requiring your personal time for execution.
Business operations foundation: As your store grows, the operational workload grows with it. A dedicated VA who learns your systems and preferences builds institutional knowledge that compounds over time – they get faster and more autonomous as the relationship develops.
What Real Clients Say
According to Virtual Assistant Assistant’s in-depth Time etc review, Time etc holds a strong reputation among US and UK-based VA providers. Specific assistants are repeatedly praised by first name in client reviews: Chloe (“we have achieved so much together”), Keeley (“consistent support, adaptability, and remarkable productivity”), Sara (“signing up with Time etc is transforming my business”), and Angie (“she is fantastic and the company is wonderful to work with”). The review highlights the free $50 trial credit and money-back guarantee as meaningful risk reducers for first-time outsourcers.
According to VA Picker’s independent Time etc review, Time etc’s dedicated assistant model is its clearest competitive advantage over pool-based services. Assistants who work with clients for months or years develop deep familiarity with preferences, communication style, and recurring tasks – dramatically reducing instruction overhead over time. VA Picker identifies Time etc as the right fit for entrepreneurs with variable monthly workloads who need consistent quality without a full-time commitment, and flags that full-time VA needs (160hrs/month would be $5,440 vs BELAY at $2,100) are better served by purpose-built alternatives.
According to Shadin Digital’s independent Time etc review, the service earns high marks for VA quality, responsiveness, and flexibility of the monthly model. The review specifically highlights the 30-day money-back guarantee and free trial credit as distinguishing features versus most premium VA services, which rarely offer comparable trial options without a credit card.
Pros and Cons
What I like about Time etc:
Sub-2% VA acceptance rate with an average of 12+ years of professional experience is not a marketing claim – it shows up in client reviews where VAs are praised for proactivity, quality output, and operating without constant supervision.
Dedicated single assistant model. You work with the same person every time. They learn your preferences, your business vocabulary, your working style. Fundamentally different from pool-based services where you’re constantly re-explaining context.
Free $50 trial credit with no credit card required. Genuine low-risk entry point. Test with real tasks before committing to a plan.
100% money-back guarantee within 30 days. For a premium service at these price points, this is meaningful risk protection.
No long-term contracts. Cancel with one email. No notice period. Unused hours roll over on the 20, 40, and 60-hour plans.
NDA protection and bank-grade encryption for all information exchange. Important for business owners sharing sensitive operational details.
US and UK-based VAs working in your time zone, communicating in your language, with professional work standards from recognized corporate backgrounds.
What I’d flag:
The 10-hour plan ($380/month, $38/hour) does not include unused hour rollover. Start with a clear task backlog so you use hours effectively from month one.
Premium pricing vs offshore alternatives. A VA from the Philippines costs $5-15/hour. Time etc costs $35-38/hour. The gap is significant. For entrepreneurs on tight budgets or with execution-heavy tasks, offshore alternatives deliver more hours per dollar.
Not suited for full-time VA needs. At 160 hours per month, the cost exceeds $5,440. Dedicated full-time VA services like Stellar Staff ($1,599/month) or BELAY ($2,100/month) serve full-time needs at dramatically lower rates.
Monday to Friday, standard business hours only. No weekend availability.
No specialist capabilities. For bookkeeping, graphic design, software development, or technical SEO, specialist providers serve you better.
First-time outsourcers may find the onboarding requires more self-direction than expected. How you structure delegation, brief tasks, and communicate priorities is up to you. A learning curve for entrepreneurs who’ve never worked with a VA before.
Time etc vs Alternatives
| Service | Hourly Rate | VA Location | Model | Full-time Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time etc | $35-$38/hr | US / UK | Dedicated same assistant | Not cost-effective |
| Boldly | $39+/hr | US | Dedicated premium | Limited |
| BELAY | Custom | US | Dedicated | Yes (~$2,100/mo) |
| Wishup | ~$10/hr (offshore) | India / US | Dedicated | Yes (full-time plans) |
| Fancy Hands | ~$29/task | US | Task pool | No |
| Offshore (Philippines) | $5-$15/hr | Philippines | Varies | Yes (OnlineJobs.ph) |
Time etc sits in the premium US/UK-based dedicated assistant tier alongside Boldly and BELAY. Among this tier, it is competitive on pricing and differentiates through the free trial credit and money-back guarantee. For entrepreneurs whose priority is cost-per-hour and whose tasks don’t require US-based experience, offshore alternatives deliver dramatically more hours per dollar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Time etc?
Time etc (timeetc.com) is a virtual assistant company founded in 2007 that matches entrepreneurs with dedicated, experienced US or UK-based assistants. Less than 2% of VA applicants are accepted. VAs average 12+ years of professional experience. Four pricing plans: 10hrs/mo ($380, $38/hr, no rollover), 20hrs/mo ($740, $37/hr), 40hrs/mo ($1,440, $36/hr), 60hrs/mo ($2,100, $35/hr). Free $50 trial credit with no credit card required. 100% money-back guarantee within 30 days. No long-term contracts.
How does Time etc match you with a VA?
Time etc starts with a free consultation call to understand your needs and task types. They suggest a matched assistant. You review the VA’s profile and speak with them before committing. If the suggested assistant isn’t the right fit, Time etc will rematch you at no charge. This repeats until you have an assistant you’re satisfied with.
Is Time etc worth the cost vs offshore VAs?
It depends on your priorities. Offshore VAs typically cost $5-15/hour – 2-6x less than Time etc. The case for Time etc: US-based professional experience, 12+ average years in roles at recognized companies, the same dedicated assistant learning your preferences over time, and professional communication standards consistent with a US business context. For entrepreneurs whose tasks require professional-level judgment and communication quality – customer-facing work, research, executive admin – the premium can be justified. For execution-level tasks like data entry or social scheduling, offshore alternatives deliver more hours per dollar.
What tasks can a Time etc VA handle?
Administrative tasks (email, calendar, travel booking), research and data (competitor research, list building, market research), marketing coordination (social media scheduling, content uploading, newsletter coordination), customer support (email, chat, order tracking), basic web tasks (WordPress/Squarespace updates, content uploads), writing and editing (articles, press releases, email drafts), and project coordination. Not suited for: bookkeeping, graphic design, software development, or technical SEO.
Can I cancel Time etc at any time?
Yes. No long-term contracts and no notice period. Cancel with one email or call. Unused hours on plans above 10hrs/month roll over for one month. The 10-hour plan does not include hour rollover.
How experienced are Time etc virtual assistants?
Time etc VAs average 12+ years of professional experience. All are college-educated. Less than 2% of applicants are accepted through a multi-step selection process. Many have prior experience at Apple, Facebook, IBM, AOL, and Virgin. VA pay starts at $17-19/hour minimum (increased from a previous $13/hour minimum after feedback).
My Verdict on Time etc
Time etc earns an 8.0/10 for entrepreneurs and business owners who need reliable, ongoing, professional-level virtual assistance from a dedicated US or UK-based assistant without committing to a full-time hire.
The case is strong: sub-2% acceptance rate with 12+ years average experience, the dedicated single-assistant model that builds institutional knowledge over time, a free $50 trial credit with no credit card required, 100% money-back guarantee, no long-term contracts, and client reviews that consistently name specific VAs and praise the quality of ongoing work. For high-ticket ecommerce entrepreneurs who need a professional handling customer communication, research, and business administration to a US standard, Time etc delivers that.
The honest deductions: premium pricing makes offshore alternatives significantly more cost-effective for budget-conscious entrepreneurs or execution-heavy task loads, the Monday-Friday schedule limits availability, the 10-hour plan lacks rollover hours, and first-time outsourcers need to invest their own effort in learning how to delegate effectively. Full-time VA needs are better served by purpose-built services at much lower monthly costs.
The right Time etc customer is an established entrepreneur generating consistent revenue who needs to reclaim 10-40 hours per month of their own time, has tasks that benefit from US-based professional experience and communication quality, and values the consistency of working with the same dedicated assistant month over month.
Build your ecommerce business with these free resources from Ecommerce Paradise:
- Free Beginner’s Guide to High-Ticket Dropshipping
- Free Mini Course
- Free High-Ticket Niches List
- Free Supplier Directory
Or if you want personalized guidance on building your ecommerce business, check out our private coaching program or join the Ecommerce Paradise community. I wish you guys the best of luck out there.
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
