Experience with Virtual Assitants

Has anyone hired really cheap virtual assistants on upwork? If so what was your experience?

Never hired from upwork but I hired from a seller here in the marketplace, which assigned me a va from his agency. The va was very professional, would show up always on time and do the hired hours, was really impressed. And it was relatively cheap.

You've a couple of options; take on your own va or go through an agency.

Either you hire an individual freelancer yourself.
Upside you pay them direct and not also paying an agency, so potentially cheaper for you.
Downside, they haven't got the agency support and may not be as fully trained up as they think.
Agency VAs might also have access to tools that an individual might not.