Moneypenny is a 24/7/365 answering solution with bilingual receptionists and offers services like lead capturing, appointment scheduling, and order processing. Answering plans start at $145 per month, and additional paid services include live chat and outbound calling.
In my Moneypenny review, the platform earned a high overall score for its flexible plans designed for businesses dealing with seasonal inquiries or high call volumes. However, it received a low rating for pricing, as it is more expensive compared to its competitors and has a costly one-time setup fee.
Find out if Moneypenny suits your needs by reading my full review below.
Moneypenny overview
What I Liked
- Complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
- Offers custom scripts
- Well-trained bilingual receptionists
- Unlimited collection of caller data
What’s missing
- Requires a plan upgrade for appointment scheduling and order processing
- Has higher overage fees than its counterparts
- Lacks artificial intelligence (AI) features (e.g., call summaries and transcriptions) The AI Voice Agent feature is still in beta phase.
- Charges a $1,000 setup fee for outbound calling services
Deciding Factors
Best for | Businesses facing seasonal variations in call volume and needing customized answering services |
Standout features |
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Starting monthly pricing |
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Free trial | 7 days |
Customer Service |
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- If your business is operating 24/7: Moneypenny’s live operators answer business calls and chats around the clock, including after-hours and holidays, with no additional fees. It is well-suited for companies with international clients or engaged in emergency services, which makes it one of the best answering services.
- If you’re handling sensitive data: This HIPAA-compliant answering service adheres to best practices, including informed consent, data encryption, and physical data protection. Receptionists are trained to secure confidential data and handle calls as if they’re an extension of your practice. Thus, it works best for healthcare providers and even law firms. Moneypenny made it to our top best answering services for law firms.
- If you need straightforward answering support: Moneypenny offers a no-frills answering service that assigns receptionists who will take your calls without any personalized support. This simplicity makes their monthly plans more affordable compared to other providers. Once you sign up, Moneypenny can start taking your calls right away.
- If you need time-based billing: Moneypenny doesn’t offer a pay-as-you-go option. For a customizable, zero-minute plan, consider Go Answer or Ruby. These providers let you decide when receptionists handle your calls, enabling you to take more control of the billing structure.
- If you seek administrative support: Moneypenny’s personalized services are limited to appointment scheduling and order processing. Choose Davinci Virtual if you need trained receptionists who can handle administrative tasks like meeting assistance, calendar management, and travel planning.
- If you’re looking for AI tools to expedite call summaries and transcriptions: Moneypenny’s AI Voice Agent is still in beta phase. If these AI functionalities are crucial to your operations, consider AbbyConnect as an alternative.
The Fit Small Business editorial process follows strict standards to ensure that our best answers are founded on accuracy, clarity, authority, objectivity, and accessibility.
For this editorial review, I utilized proprietary evaluation criteria to assess the provider’s pricing, usability, and standout features. As part of the research process, I immersed myself in product demos, resources, and user feedback. I analyzed different aspects of Moneypenny as a live receptionist provider, including the cost per minute for each plan and the range of customer service features offered. Head to my full methodology for more information.
Moneypenny alternatives
Moneypenny is a flexible live answering service that uses a range of tools to capture every lead and improve the caller experience. However, if you are looking for other personalized services, such as industry-specific receptionists, bundled phone and live chat options, or more flexible coverage, here are the best Moneypenny alternatives to consider:
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Best for | Businesses that need receptionists trained in a specific industry (e.g., law or healthcare) | Companies that require bundled plans for phone and live chat service | Teams that require flexible coverage with VoIP integrations |
Monthly starting price | $175 for 100 minutes | Contact sales for pricing | $245 for 50 minutes |
Learn more | or |
The best VoIP providers for small businesses, like Grasshopper and Phone.com, offer live answering services as an add-on for their monthly plans. This allows you to merge communication tools into one platform, streamlining call management and reducing costs.
Moneypenny pricing
Moneypenny pricing offers two plans: Essential and Personalized. Rates vary based on the allocated minutes, starting at $145 or $189 for 50 minutes. I deducted points from Moneypenny’s pricing score because it doesn’t offer a clear breakdown of rates, making it difficult for potential customers to assess how the services will fit within their budget.
Aside from answering service, Moneypenny also offers live chat services at $75 per month.
Inclusions | Essential | Personalized |
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Best for | Teams that need basic call handling services | Businesses that need to integrate third-party apps to extend functionalities |
Starting monthly pricing | ||
Call transfer and message taking | âś“ | âś“ |
Toll-free or local number | âś“ | âś“ |
Bilingual receptionists (English and Spanish) | âś“ | âś“ |
Scripted responses | âś“ | âś“ |
CRM integration | âś• | âś“ |
Appointment scheduling | âś• | âś“ |
Order processing | âś• | âś“ |
On-call management | âś• | âś“ |
Setting up your account requires a one-time fee of $1,000. This covers account programming, unlimited customizable intake scripts, CRM and live chat integration, outbound calling agent training, DID numbers, personalized greeting messages, voice mailboxes, and customized reports. You will also receive 500 free minutes as part of the setup package.
General features
Moneypenny received a high score for general features, as it provides a range of functionalities that allow businesses to address client needs while providing responsive customer service. However, it lost some points due to the lack of native customer relationship management (CRM) integrations on its basic plan, a standard feature most answering service providers offer.
Available features vary based on your monthly subscription. The Essential plan focuses on basic answering support, while Personalized plans cater to specialized customer service needs such as order processing and dispatching calls.
Through Moneypenny’s online dashboard, you can analyze call trends. (Source: Moneypenny)
Here are the specific offerings included with each of the two subscription types to help you choose the right receptionist plan for your needs.
Essentials
| Personalized
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Niche features
Moneypenny received a fairly high rating for advanced features, as it offers additional services tailored to more complex customer service demands. These include critical answering service features like call patching, order processing, and appointment scheduling. However, I deducted some points, as some key features, like appointment scheduling and order processing, are locked behind higher-priced plans.
Personalized online dashboard
With Moneypenny’s online dashboard, businesses can customize and edit their scripts anytime. The real-time portal also shows the call volume, location, type, and length of most phone calls. The dashboard streamlines backend management by allowing you to add or remove employees, manage on-call schedules, and update company information. You can access the dashboard through the app and make calls using your Moneypenny number.
The dashboard tracks all interactions, giving you total visibility of your calls. (Source: Moneypenny)
Bilingual virtual receptionists
Moneypenny’s receptionists speak English and Spanish, helping reduce communication barriers, particularly for Spanish-speaking customers. This not only enhances customer experience, but it also improves customer satisfaction and builds long-term customer loyalty.
Additionally, Moneypenny’s on-call management feature assigns receptionists to your business according to a daily or weekly on-call rota, ensuring calls always go to the right person.
Moneypenny’s agents are US-based and trained to handle bilingual calls. (Source: Moneypenny)
Call patching
Moneypenny forwards all or some of your calls based on your preferences. Live receptionists will receive the call and patch it through to you, along with all the information collected from the customer. You can also use it in urgent situations where receptionists will try to call you at set intervals until you answer the phone.
Use the Moneypenny app to configure notifications and call management settings. (Source: Moneypenny)
Customer service
Moneypenny earned a 5 out of 5 for customer service, thanks to its support across multiple channels, including phone, email, and live chat.. I also took into account the feedback customers shared online, most of whom highlighted the positive experience they had with Moneypenny’s support team. They mentioned they are quick to respond and were extremely helpful.
To add to that, Moneypenny also has an easily accessible online knowledge base that answers general inquiries about client accounts, billing, and account support.
Moneypenny’s ease of use
One of the standout features of Moneypenny is instant activation. Customers’ live answering services are activated within seconds of placing an online order. You will receive a unique local or toll-free phone number that customers can call and live operators will immediately answer them on your behalf. Messages are emailed to you and are accessible through the online dashboard.
Moneypenny users simply log onto their online dashboard through their browser or mobile app and get real-time updates on call minutes. According to Moneypenny reviews, the live answering dashboard is easy to use. It allows you to instantly change your account, such as call scripts and hours, anytime from any location.
Expert score
Moneypenny scored fairly in my expert assessment, mainly because it costs more than its competitors. However, I want to highlight that the platform delivers value for money with its 24/7 answering services that come with call handling functionalities like appointment scheduling and order processing. It also provides bilingual receptionists and customizable scripts, capturing a broader market.
After the rebranding, from VoiceNation to Moneypenny, there are not many online reviews available yet. On Trustpilot, Moneypenny earned a 4.7 out of 5 based on 901 reviews.
We’ve been using Moneypenny for our call handling from day 1, and honestly, it’s been a total game-changer — professional, seamless, and never missing a beat.
Today I had a small issue with the app, and the support team was on it straight away. Quick, helpful, and completely resolved in no time.
— A Trustpilot reviewer
Many Moneypenny customer testimonials reflected the company’s professionalism. Users commended the positive attitude of the receptionists handling their calls. However, there were also a few negative comments from clients who had difficulty canceling their subscriptions and received unexpected monthly charges.
They quoted me one price, and the price they charged me ended up being triple what was quoted. They have made no attempt to rectify this for me.
— A Truspilot reviewer
Methodology: How I evaluated Moneypenny
To complete my Moneypenny review, I examined the provider side by side with other leading live answering service providers on the market. I tested the platform and compared my findings against feedback and verified reviews on reliable review websites. I used criteria critical to small businesses, such as pricing, range of features, customer service, and ease of use.
15% of Overall Score
To determine affordability, I checked if the provider offers a free trial and doesn’t charge termination fees. I also looked at the price of its base plan, whether it’s lower than other providers offering similar services, and gave higher points if it does not charge on holidays and weekends.
25% of Overall Score
The general features I looked at include 24/7/365 live answering services, message taking, and custom call scripting. These services improve credibility and establish professionalism. I also added analytics and reporting in the mix since this is important for real-time monitoring. I verified that the mobile app is fully functional and allows users to customize call handling for their answering service.
20% of Overall Score
I focused on different key criteria to evaluate additional services of an answering solution. These included the availability of bilingual receptionists to cater to English and Spanish customer bases and extra features like live chat to support digital interactions. I also checked the provision of local numbers for flexibility and the ability to make outbound calls for sales campaigns.
15% of Overall Score
When evaluating customer service performance, I looked at whether the provider offers multiple support channels. Key offerings also considered included phone, email, and live chat support. I also examined the operating hours of customer support and the ease with which customers can find answers to their inquiries through the knowledge base.
10% of Overall Score
When it comes to ease of use, the main point of consideration was the technical skill required to set up and use the provider’s services. More points are given to providers with an intuitive platform interface and an easy-to-navigate client portal. These factors are critical for allowing users to easily configure their call handling preferences.
15% of Overall Score
The expert score is based on my assessment of the service provider’s standout features, popularity, and value for money. I looked through verified Moneypenny reviews on popular and credible third-party platforms to measure the level of customer satisfaction of current users.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Yes, Moneypenny offers a seven-day free trial period for its live answering service. To get started, you’ll need to create an account and specify whether you need a new phone number or forward your existing business line to their service. You can also sign up for a demo to see if it’s going to be a good fit for your business.
Moneypenny pricing starts at $145 per month for its Essential plan, which includes a 24/7 answering service. This plan also provides call transfer and message taking, scripted responses, and bilingual receptionists. Upgrade to the higher plan, which starts at $189, to access CRM integrations, appointment scheduling, and order processing.
Yes, I can confirm that Moneypenny is a legit answering service provider. Older customers recognize it as VoiceNation. However, it has rebranded this year to Moneypenny. It has been in the industry for over 25 years and is currently the number one answering service on Fit Small Business’s list of best answering services.
Bottom line
Moneypenny is a platform that offers live call and chat answering and receptionists. It’s an excellent option for small businesses looking for communications support with real-time monitoring. Key features include 24/7/365 service operations, bilingual agents, and call patching to ensure immediate resolution of your client’s concerns. One thing to be mindful of is its relatively higher cost compared to competitors. There’s also a $1,000 setup fee to begin with. Sign up for Moneypenny’s seven-day free trial or sign up for a demo to discover how it can help your business elevate customer service.