Head-to-Head Comparison
Time Etc's entry-level plan has zero rollover. Their higher plans roll over to the next month only. TaskBullet carries unused hours forward for 90 days — plus a 60-day guarantee. And that's before we get to specialist routing, team-building, or pricing.
TaskBullet is the better flexible-hour virtual assistant service for most businesses in 2026. Here's what the comparison actually looks like:
Time Etc is a credible service for narrow, perfectly steady workloads where you use every hour every month. For everyone else, the gap in rollover protection and team flexibility is decisive.
| Feature | TaskBullet | Time Etc |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid Buckets of Hours — no recurring fee | Monthly subscription with auto-renewal |
| Effective hourly rate (PH) | From $6.50/hr | No PH option available |
| Effective hourly rate (US) | From $25/hr (40-hr bucket) | $39/hr (10 hrs) · $38/hr (20 hrs) · $37/hr (40 hrs) |
| Rollover period | 90 days — industry best | 0 days on 10-hr plan · 1 month on 20+ hr plans |
| Unused-hour guarantee | 60-day guarantee | None — hours lost at month end |
| Monthly fees / commitment | None — buy a bucket, use it at your pace | Monthly subscription required |
| Waste protection | 90-day rollover + 60-day guarantee | None — unused hours are forfeited |
| Specialist routing | Yes — any skill, same bucket | No — single assistant only |
| Dedicated VA continuity | Yes — with specialist backup | Yes — single person |
| Account management | US-based account manager — included | Matching assistance only — you manage day-to-day |
| Quality assurance | Manager reviews all work | Your responsibility |
| Free trial | 10 free hours — no credit card | None |
| Contracts | None — cancel anytime | None — but monthly auto-renewal |
| Best for | Variable workloads, multi-skill needs, cost efficiency | Steady, narrow-scope tasks with full monthly utilization |
Most businesses don't use every hour they buy every single month. Here's what that actually costs you with Time Etc vs TaskBullet:
Time Etc — 20 hrs/mo at $38/hr
Use 15 hrs during a slow month: 5 hrs × $38 = $190 lost
3 slow months per year: $570 gone — no rollover, no refund
TaskBullet — 20 hrs/mo at $10.50/hr (PH)
Use 15 hrs during a slow month: 5 hrs roll forward for 90 days
3 slow months per year: $0 lost — hours carry forward
Note: Time Etc's entry-level 10-hour plan has zero rollover at any time — every unused hour is lost at month end.
Time Etc's 10-hr plan has no rollover at all. Their 20+ hour plans roll over one month only. TaskBullet carries unused hours forward for 90 days on every bucket — Starter through Full-Time. The 60-day unused-hour guarantee adds further protection beyond the rollover window. Full rollover details →
Time Etc gives you one assistant. That person can handle admin, scheduling, and correspondence — but when you need WordPress work, a graphic, or a bookkeeping task, you're on your own to find someone. TaskBullet routes specialist tasks automatically from your existing bucket. One plan, one price, every skill covered.
Time Etc matches you with an assistant, then hands management back to you. Reviewing work, catching errors, handling skill gaps — that's your job. TaskBullet includes a US-based account manager who reviews deliverables before they reach you, routes specialist tasks, and manages any VA transitions. It's in every plan, not an upgrade.
Time Etc charges $37–$39/hr for US-only assistants. TaskBullet's PH Light Bucket is $8.13/hr — 4.5× cheaper. Even comparing US-to-US: TaskBullet's US 40-hour plan costs $1,000/month vs Time Etc's $1,480/month for the same hours. And with 90-day rollover, TaskBullet's effective cost drops further on any slow month. See full pricing →
Time Etc auto-renews monthly whether you're busy or not. TaskBullet uses prepaid Buckets of Hours — you buy when you have work, use at your pace, and hours carry forward. No surprise billing during slow months, no idle subscription draining your budget.
Time Etc has no free trial. TaskBullet gives you 10 free hours with no credit card. You experience the full model — dedicated VA, specialist routing, account manager oversight — before committing a dollar.
This month our Social Media VAs published 620 pieces of content across client buckets, growing audiences by an average of 8.3% using the Flexible Hour Virtual Assistant Model.
620
Content pieces published
8.3%
Avg. audience growth
16
Active social media clients
Updated May 2026 • Based on real client work
Anonymized examples from recent Flexible Hour Virtual Assistant Model engagements.
Created and scheduled 21 posts across Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok — including 5 Reels, 8 carousels, and 8 text posts with custom graphics.
Responded to 180+ comments and DMs across 3 platforms, identified 12 potential brand ambassadors, and escalated 3 customer issues.
Pulled metrics from 4 platforms, created visual performance dashboard, identified top-performing content themes, and recommended next month optimizations.
Avg. hours rolled over: 6.2 hrs / month
Social media clients bank hours between campaigns and surge during product launches, events, and seasonal promotions.
Every service runs on the same Flexible Hour Virtual Assistant Model — Buckets of Hours, dedicated VA continuity, specialist routing, 90-day rollover.
Unlike Time etc, TaskBullet brings over 14 years of experience and uses a unique hybrid team model combining US and Philippines-based professionals. This model ensures you receive expert oversight, flawless continuity, and highly competitive pricing without being locked into rigid monthly retainers.
No. Time Etc's entry-level 10-hour plan ($390/month, $39/hr) includes zero rollover. Unused hours at the end of the month are gone. Rollover only applies to 20-hour and higher plans — and even then, hours only carry to the following month, not 90 days. TaskBullet rolls all unused hours forward for 90 days on every plan.
On Time Etc's 20-hour plan ($760/month at $38/hr), if you average 15 hours used during slower months, you lose 5 hours × $38 = $190 per slow month. Three slow months per year = $570 in expired, unrecoverable hours. With TaskBullet's 90-day rollover, those hours stay in your bucket. The 60-day unused-hour guarantee adds additional protection on top.
Time Etc assigns a single dedicated assistant. Tasks outside their skill set — WordPress development, graphic design, bookkeeping — require you to hire separately. TaskBullet routes specialist tasks automatically to qualified team members, all from the same Bucket of Hours. One bucket can fund admin, design, WordPress, social media, and more without additional contracts.
Time Etc 40-hour plan: $1,480/month ($37/hr, US-only). TaskBullet PH 40-hour Light Bucket: $325/month ($8.13/hr). TaskBullet US 40-hour Light Bucket: $1,000/month ($25/hr). Even comparing US-to-US, TaskBullet is 32% cheaper for the same hours — and with 90-day rollover your effective cost drops further on any month you use fewer hours.
Time Etc matches you with an assistant and then leaves day-to-day management to you — reviewing work, requesting revisions, and handling skill gaps yourself. TaskBullet includes a US-based account manager who reviews deliverables, routes specialist tasks, and handles transitions. It's management overhead you never have to carry.
Yes. TaskBullet offers 10 free trial hours with no credit card and no contracts. Time Etc does not offer a free trial — you subscribe to start. TaskBullet also has no long-term commitments: change bucket sizes, pause, or cancel anytime.
With TaskBullet, unused hours roll forward for 90 days with a 60-day unused-hour guarantee as a further safety net. Time Etc's 10-hour plan has zero rollover — every unused hour is lost at month end. Their 20+ hour plans roll over one month only. Over 12 months, this difference can represent hundreds to thousands of dollars for any business that doesn't hit full utilization every single month.
10 free hours. No credit card. No contracts. 90-day rollover. Specialist routing. Management included.