An Athena alternative for small businesses

Is Peachtree VA a good Athena alternative?

Peachtree VA is a good Athena alternative if you want fractional support instead of one full-time assistant. Athena lists one dedicated executive assistant for $3,000 a month after a 90-day commitment. Peachtree VA starts at 25 hours a month, month-to-month, with people-led matching. Athena is stronger on security certification and training.

The two companies sell different shapes of help. Athena sells a full-time assistant who joins your work and life. Peachtree VA sells fractional hours that you can scale. The table above links each Athena detail to its pricing page.

What does Athena cost compared with Peachtree VA?

Athena lists one price: $3,000 a month for one dedicated, full-time executive assistant, billed monthly after an initial 90-day commitment. Peachtree VA does not publish a VA rate. We quote after a free discovery call, on a fixed monthly package that starts at 25 hours.

Athena’s page does not state a number of hours, so we cannot compute an hourly rate. A full-time role is a bigger commitment than a 25-hour package. Read our virtual assistant cost guide, then use the effective hourly rate calculator to see what your own hours are worth.

Where is Athena stronger?

Athena is stronger on security and training. It says it is SOC 2 Type II certified, provides and manages assistant devices, and gives clients access to a Delegation Training Library. Its assistants are employed by Athena and each client has a Partnership Manager.

If your work involves sensitive data and your team asks for a certified vendor, Athena may fit better. Athena also says it accepts about 1% of its applicants. If you need a full-time person from day one, a full-time model is the more direct fit.

Who is each company right for?

Choose Athena if you want one full-time executive assistant, employee staff and a certified security program. Choose Peachtree VA if you want fractional hours, month-to-month terms, a person-matched assistant, and bookkeeping and hiring available later from the same partner.

How does matching differ at Peachtree VA?

Athena lists algorithmic matching plus tailored onboarding. Peachtree VA uses Method Matching: a real person picks your assistant on skill set, personality, culture and capacity. Every assistant has cleared multi-stage interviews, skills assessments, reference checks and background checks, and signs an NDA before seeing your business.

Most clients meet their match within 10 business days. A dedicated Relationship Specialist stays with the engagement. Our 100% Matching Guarantee means a rematch at no extra cost, with no expiration date. Learn more on the Method Matching page and in the glossary entry on method matching.

Katie Howard, Founder of KH Consulting, describes her experience:

“Peachtree’s matching process is amazing. It’s miraculous to me how perfect my virtual assistant is for who I am and what I was looking for. One of the things I first had her do that was so effective was to complete all the outlines for our grant proposals. She’s just built into our workflow and so everyone on our team is supported by her in that way, not just me.”

Katie Howard, Founder, KH Consulting

What if I need more than a part-time assistant later?

You can move up with the same partner. Peachtree VA places full-time staff through its Recruitment Service, using Method Matching. Clients save an average of 42 days in vetting, and we take on a limited number of searches each month. Bookkeeping is also available, alongside your CPA.

Read more about recruitment services and bookkeeping. If you are weighing a virtual assistant against an executive assistant, our guide on virtual assistant vs executive assistant explains the difference.

How do you switch from Athena to Peachtree VA?

Check Athena’s commitment and monthly terms first. Then book a free discovery call, meet your match and hand over your tasks. Keep your Athena assistant until your new one is working. Most Peachtree clients meet their match within 10 business days.

1. Review your terms. Note the end of your 90-day commitment and your billing date.
2. Book a free 30-minute discovery call. You leave with a delegation roadmap, whether or not you hire us. If we are not the right fit, we will point you toward someone who is.
3. Meet your match. A person selects your assistant through Method Matching.
4. Kick off. Share checklists and examples. Your Relationship Specialist stays available.

Compare more companies on our virtual assistant company comparison page.

What should you ask any company before you switch?

Ask Athena and any other provider the same questions, and write down the answers.

1. What is the smallest package, and what hours does it include?
2. What is in the monthly fee, and what costs extra?
3. How long is the first commitment, and what happens after it ends?
4. Who picks the match, and what happens if it is wrong?
5. How do you handle sensitive access and confidentiality?

The answers will show you which provider fits your workload. Our guide on giving a virtual assistant access safely covers the access question in more detail.

Next step

Book a free strategy call and tell us whether you need fractional or full-time help. You can also read about our virtual assistant services.