How we score

Every service gets the same six criteria, scored 0 to 10 from public information: pricing pages, terms, service pages and review profiles.

The rubric

Vetting & talent quality
How candidates are screened (skills tests, interviews, background checks) and what share of applicants get through.25%

Pricing transparency
Are hourly or monthly rates published? Are setup, placement or hidden fees disclosed up front?20%

Replacement & guarantees
Free replacement if the hire doesn't work out, how fast, and under what conditions.15%

Contract flexibility
Minimum hours, notice period, lock-in terms, and whether you can scale up or down.15%

Industry experience
Proven placements and trained talent in the specific industry or task.15%

Support & management
Account management, onboarding help, performance check-ins and time-zone coverage.10%

Industry rankings

Each industry page blends the rubric score (70%) with industry fit (30%): dedicated services, tool experience and proven work in that field.

How we pick the services on each page

Each industry page is a shortlist of specialists for that industry, not a list of every provider. We feature a different set of specialists on each page, so a service usually appears on the page where it's strongest.

VA MASTERS, the parent company of this site's publisher, appears on every page because it serves all of these industries. It's scored with the same rubric and has its own "what to watch" list.

We don't list freelance marketplaces or job boards. Those are a different way to hire: you screen and manage the person yourself.

Rules we follow

One rubric for every service, fixed before scoring.
Every fact about a service has a source and the date we checked it. If something isn't published, we say so.
No one pays for a score or a rank. If we ever add sponsored placements, they'll be clearly labeled "Sponsored" and kept apart from the scores.
Services can request a listing or a correction at any time.