On this page 16 sections
ACXHUB vs BELAY and Boldly is mostly a question of where your assistant sits. Choose BELAY or Boldly if you want a US-based assistant working remotely on a monthly hours plan. Choose ACXHUB if you want a dedicated assistant working from an office in Cebu, Philippines, overseen by an Account Coordinator, and you can work with a shift that covers most of the US Eastern day.
ACXHUB vs BELAY and Boldly at a glance
Where the assistant works from
ACXHUB: Our office in Cebu, Philippines. Assistants are office-based, not working from home.
BELAY: The US. BELAY says every Executive Assistant and Personal Assistant is US-based and that all of its assistants work fully remotely (source).
Boldly: Remote. Boldly describes its US-based staff as its employees and offers a choice of North America or Europe-based staff (source).
Published pricing
ACXHUB: New customers on the Hourly Retainer deposit $100 and get 20 hours (10 paid plus 10 bonus). A dedicated full-time assistant through Dedicated Staffing is quoted, not published.
BELAY: No price on its FAQ. BELAY describes a flat monthly rate (source).
Boldly: $2,600 a month for 40 hours, $3,900 for 60, $5,200 for 80 and $6,500 for 100, with larger plans up to 160 hours priced on request. Specialist tasks such as web development and design are billed at $79 an hour (source).
Minimums and contract
ACXHUB: No contract on the Hourly Retainer, and hours never expire. Top-ups are a minimum of 50 hours at a standing rate we quote first.
BELAY: Month-to-month, with support typically starting at 45 hours a month (source).
Boldly: A minimum of 40 hours a month per assistant, and you can upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time (source).
Matching
ACXHUB: We shortlist vetted, office-based candidates and you meet and approve the person.
BELAY: A discovery call, then a match, most often within about a week. For Personal Assistants, BELAY says the screening happens on its side rather than in your own interviews (source).
Boldly: You review candidate profiles and meet your assistant before you subscribe (source).
If the match is wrong
ACXHUB: Your coordinator oversees quality, and we re-match or adjust scope.
BELAY: A rematch at no added cost if the first match is not right (source).
Boldly: A satisfaction guarantee that refunds the month's fees if you are not satisfied (source).
How are the plans structured?
All three sell hours, but BELAY and Boldly sell a monthly allowance while ACXHUB sells either a prepaid pool or a full-time seat.
Boldly publishes the most detail. Its plans run from 40 to 100 hours a month, and every published tier works out to $65 an hour ($2,600 divided by 40, through $6,500 divided by 100). Card payments add a 2.9% processing fee, and prices are based on ACH direct debit (source). BELAY publishes the structure but not the number: a flat monthly rate, month-to-month, usually starting at 45 hours (source). BELAY also notes that many leaders start an Executive Assistant at 10 to 20 hours a week.
ACXHUB offers two routes. If your admin load is occasional, the Hourly Retainer gives new customers 20 hours for a $100 deposit, and those hours can also go to design, web or video work. That offer covers the intro pool only. Later top-ups are at a standing rate we quote in writing first. If you need someone every day, Dedicated Staffing gives you a full-time assistant, which on our virtual assistant page means 160 hours a month. We quote staffing rather than publish a price.
Does a US-based or a Philippine assistant suit you better?
A US-based assistant shares your working day by default, while an ACXHUB assistant works a fixed Western shift that covers most of it. BELAY says its Executive Assistants are vetted for fit with your time zone and business culture (source). That is a real benefit if your assistant needs to be live for your whole day, including the late afternoon.
ACXHUB's office runs 3:00 PM to 5:00 AM Cebu time (UTC+8), or 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM UTC. US Eastern Standard Time is UTC minus 5 hours and Pacific Standard Time is UTC minus 8 (source). Daylight saving time ended on November 1, 2026 (source), so in standard time our shift covers 2:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern. That is 7 of the 8 hours of a 9-to-5 East Coast day. On the West Coast it is 11:00 PM to 1:00 PM Pacific, or 4 hours of a 9-to-5 day. In summer the overlap rises to the full 8 Eastern hours and 5 Pacific hours.
The early start has a practical upside. An ACXHUB assistant is already working several hours before an East Coast morning begins, so the inbox can be triaged and the calendar confirmed before you sit down. The why the Philippines page shows the same calculation for other regions.
Who looks after the assistant?
At ACXHUB an Account Coordinator sits alongside your assistant, while BELAY and Boldly describe their own support around the match.
With ACXHUB your assistant works from our office, and the coordinator documents how you like things done, checks quality and is the person you speak to if something needs to change. We handle recruiting, HR, payroll, equipment and backup cover. Boldly's plans include a trained backup to cover vacations or sickness and a dashboard to track hours (source). BELAY says a Client Success Consultant scopes your engagement and finds the right fit (source).
The difference that matters most is the setting. BELAY says everything is remote and that there is no office space to account for (source). ACXHUB's model is the opposite by design: your assistant sits in a supervised office with peers, which is how we keep quality and focus consistent.
When BELAY or Boldly is the better choice
These companies are the stronger option for several kinds of buyer.
You need a US-based assistant. If your assistant must be in the US, for client-facing calls in your own hours or because your industry expects it, BELAY and Boldly both offer that (BELAY, Boldly).
You need live coverage through the late afternoon. Our shift ends at 4:00 PM Eastern in standard time and earlier on the West Coast.
You need European-based support. Boldly offers a choice of North America or Europe-based staff (source).
You want to meet the assistant before paying anything. Boldly lets you meet your staff member before you subscribe (source).
You want a path to an internal hire. BELAY says it can help transition an Executive Assistant into an internal full-time role (source).
When ACXHUB is the better choice
ACXHUB fits buyers who want an office-based assistant and are comfortable with a Philippine shift.
You want your assistant in a supervised office. Our team works from Cebu, not from home.
You want admin and creative work from one place. The same coordinator can route design, web or video work to the wider team, and you can move between engagement models without changing coordinator.
You want to start small. New customers can test the arrangement with a $100 deposit for 20 hours before committing to a full-time seat.
You want work done before your day starts. Most of our shift falls before the East Coast afternoon, which suits inbox and calendar preparation.
Questions buyers ask
Are ACXHUB virtual assistants freelancers?
No. They are vetted members of our team working from our office in Cebu. ACXHUB has been running since 2017 and also has a US office in Delaware. For how the Philippines compares with other outsourcing locations, see the Philippines in the global BPO landscape.
What does an ACXHUB virtual assistant handle?
Inbox and calendar, scheduling, travel and bookings, data entry and CRM updates, research, document preparation and follow-ups. We document your preferences so the work is done your way.
Can I compare ACXHUB's price directly with Boldly's?
Only partly. Boldly publishes its monthly plans (source). ACXHUB publishes one price, the $100 for 20 hours offer for new customers, and quotes Dedicated Staffing and later top-ups before you pay. Ask for a quote with the hours you need and compare like with like.
What happens if my assistant is off sick?
Backup cover is part of Dedicated Staffing, and your coordinator arranges it so the routine keeps running.
Competitor details were checked on 5 November 2026 and may have changed since.
If an office-based assistant on a Western shift sounds right, see how it works on our virtual assistant page and tell us what you want to hand off.
