Comparison Guide

Nacho vs. Athena

Two popular staffing services, two different approaches. Here's an honest look at how they compare so you can choose the right fit for your business.

A quick overview

The short version

Athena and Nacho both connect busy professionals with dedicated support, but they take different approaches to talent, pricing, and flexibility. Athena offers full-time executive assistants based in the Philippines at a flat monthly rate. Nacho provides a flexible team of US-based EAs, Specialists, and Executives through a scalable monthly budget. Below is a side-by-side comparison to help you decide which model fits your needs.

Full-time assistants · Philippines-based · Flat monthly rate

Nacho Flexible team · US-based · Scalable monthly budget

Some of our US-based talent

Kristen R. New York

Alyssandra B. Florida

Melissa B. California

Lauren L. New York

Run the numbers

Nacho vs. Athena, head to head.

Criteria	Nacho	Athena
Talent location	US-based	Philippines-based
Pricing model	$1,000/mo minimum budget	$3,000/mo flat rate
Contract commitment	3 months, then month-to-month	12-month annual contract
Talent types	EAs + Specialists + Executives	Executive Assistants only
Hours	Flexible, scale up or down	Full-time (40 hrs/week)
Pricing transparency	Minimums published on website	Published flat rate
Onboarding	Custom Delegation Strategy Plan	Generic onboarding
Where your money goes	Majority of fees go directly to talent	Majority of fees go to the company
Scaling	Spread budget across multiple talent	Add additional full-time assistants

Nacho leads in 8 of 9 categories. Want to see how it works for your business?

Book a discovery call

The honest take

Which service fits you better?

Both are legitimate options. The right choice depends on what your business needs.

may be better if…

You need a dedicated, full-time executive assistant for 40+ hours per week
You're comfortable working with Philippines-based talent across time zones
You prefer a single flat monthly rate over hourly billing
You can commit to a 12-month contract
Your work is primarily administrative and doesn't require specialized skills

Nacho is the better fit if…

You need a flexible mix of administrative, specialist, and strategic support
You want US-based professionals in your time zone
You prefer to start with a smaller budget and scale as needed
You value month-to-month flexibility after an initial commitment
You need more than an EA, like content creation, CRM management, or operational strategy
You want built-in oversight with weekly reporting and account management
You care about working with talent that's fairly compensated and invested in your success

The difference

Why businesses choose Nacho

Real people, not ticket queues

You'll work with the same small team of people who know your business, not bots or rotating support reps. When you need something, you talk to a real person who already has context.

Three levels of talent

Access EAs, Specialists, and Executives from one monthly budget. No need to hire separately for admin, creative, or strategic work.

Flexible monthly budget

Start at $1,000/mo and scale up or down as your needs change. No long-term contracts after your initial 3-month commitment.

US-based professionals

Every team member is a vetted, US-based professional. No timezone gaps, no cultural misalignment, no language barriers.

Talent-first pay model

The majority of your budget goes directly to the people doing the work. That means better talent, lower turnover, and professionals who are genuinely invested in your success.

Built-in oversight

Weekly reporting and dedicated account management keep everything running smoothly so you can focus on your business, not managing your assistant.

Nacho has been a game-changer for our business. The flexibility to access different levels of talent through one budget has saved us time and money compared to hiring in-house.