Moneypenny is a 24/7 phone answering provider for businesses that want live receptionist support without hiring in-house staff. Its Answering Service plans start at $132 per month and include bilingual answering, CRM integrations, a mobile app, dashboard access, and AI-supported call handling.
The platform earned 4.38 out of 5 in my review, with its strongest scores in general features, advanced capabilities, and ease of use. It is a good fit for businesses that need reliable after-hours coverage, lead qualification, appointment scheduling, and professional call handling. However, it is not the lowest-cost answering service; some add-on services require custom pricing.
Moneypenny overview
To complete my Moneypenny review, I compared the provider with other leading live answering service providers in the market. I tested the platform, compared my findings with feedback, and verified them against verified reviews on reliable review websites. I used criteria important to small businesses, such as pricing, range of features, customer service, and ease of use.
- Pricing: To determine affordability, I checked whether 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.
- General features: I looked at 24/7/365 live answering services, message taking, and custom call scripting. These services improve credibility and establish a small business’ professionalism. I also included analytics and reporting in the mix, as they are 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.
- Advanced/niche features: I focused on different key criteria to evaluate additional services of an answering solution. These included the availability of bilingual receptionists to serve English- and Spanish-speaking customers, as well as additional features such as live chat to support digital interactions. I also checked the availability of local numbers for flexibility and the ability to make outbound sales calls.
- Customer service: To determine my rating for customer service, I looked for multiple support channels. Key offerings considered included phone, email, and live chat support. I also examined customer support operating hours and the ease with which customers can find answers to their inquiries in the knowledge base.
- Ease of use: The main 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 to enabling users to easily configure their call handling preferences.
- Expert score: The expert score comprises my assessment of the service provider’s standout features, popularity, and value for money. I reviewed verified Moneypenny reviews on popular, credible third-party platforms to gauge customer satisfaction among current users.
Moneypenny alternatives
Moneypenny is a strong option for businesses that want 24/7 receptionist coverage and a managed customer-facing call experience. However, it may not be the right fit for every business. Consider these alternatives if you need different pricing structures, bundled services, or administrative support.
| Provider | Best for | Starting monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Go Answer | Businesses that need industry-trained receptionists or more flexible answering coverage | $175 for 100 minutes |
| AnswerConnect | Companies that want bundled phone and live chat support | Contact sales for pricing |
| Ruby | Teams that want flexible receptionist coverage with business phone integrations | $250 for 50 minutes |
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 lets you merge communication tools into a single platform, enabling streamlined call management and lower costs
Moneypenny pricing
2.75 / 5
Moneypenny’s phone answering service starts at $132 per month and includes 24/7 service, bilingual answering, CRM integrations, a mobile app, and dashboard access. I deducted some points from Moneypenny’s pricing score because it doesn’t offer a clear breakdown of rates or a free trial, making it difficult for potential customers to assess how the services will fit within their budget.
| Services | Monthly starting price |
|---|---|
| Phone Answering Service | $132 per month |
| AI Receptionist | $99 per month |
| Managed Live Chat | Custom |
| Contact Center Outsourcing | Custom |
To get detailed pricing information, reach out to Moneypenny’s sales team.
General features
5.00 / 5
Moneypenny earned a perfect score in this category because its Phone Answering plan includes the core services small businesses expect from a live receptionist provider. These include 24/7 answering, message taking, warm call transfer, customized responses, bilingual answering, online dashboard management, CRM integrations, and mobile app access.
For small businesses, Moneypenny enables you to reduce hiring and training costs, streamline daily customer communications, and manage high call volumes.
Online dashboard and mobile app
Moneypenny’s dashboard gives users visibility into calls, messages, and account details. The mobile app supports real-time account changes, message checking, usage alerts, caller blocking, and access to support articles. This makes Moneypenny easier to manage than traditional answering services that require users to email or call support for every script or routing change.
Moneypenny’s mobile app is available on Google Play and the App Store. (Source: Moneypenny)
Custom scripts and call handling
Moneypenny receptionists follow custom scripts and can handle calls based on your instructions. Depending on the call, they can qualify leads, schedule appointments, transfer callers, send messages by email or text, or update CRM records. This is useful for businesses that want receptionists to act as an extension of their internal team rather than only taking basic messages.
Customize your out-of-hours schedule from your Moneypenny dashboard. (Source: Moneypenny)
Advanced features
4.15 / 5
Moneypenny scored strongly for its advanced features, offering bilingual answering, lead management, appointment scheduling, virtual receptionist, and AI-supported answering. I deducted some points because contact center solutions are a separate service, and some advanced services require custom pricing or setup (e.g., managed live chat).
Appointment scheduling
Moneypenny receptionists can book, rearrange, and cancel appointments for callers. The service integrates with booking platforms, such as Calendly, and other business tools, helping teams convert calls into scheduled appointments without requiring staff to manage every inquiry manually.
AI-supported answering
Its phone answering service combines live receptionists with behind-the-scenes AI tools that help identify returning callers, surface relevant company details, and draft instant message summaries. These AI-supported tools improve continuity, routing, and follow-up speed without replacing live receptionist support.
Returning-caller recognition helps create a more familiar experience for repeat customers, while smarter triaging and message summaries help businesses receive clearer call details and act on them faster. Moneypenny positions AI as support for its human answering service, not as a fully self-service AI phone system.
Lead management
Moneypenny’s lead management service is designed to help businesses capture and qualify inbound leads during live calls. Its receptionists answer calls with company information and custom scripts on hand, ask qualifying questions, and flag high-value leads. They can also schedule appointments or demos while the caller is still on the phone.
After the call, Moneypenny can send the gathered information directly into the CRM system, giving sales teams a cleaner handoff and helping them prioritize prospects that are more likely to convert.
Virtual receptionist
Moneypenny’s virtual receptionist service gives businesses access to trained professionals who answer calls as an extension of the company’s team. Receptionists follow custom scripts and can handle tasks such as call transfers, message taking, appointment scheduling, order processing, custom form population, bilingual answering, and lead qualification.
Call dispatch service
Moneypenny’s call dispatch service is built for urgent calls that require escalation or immediate action. Its receptionists answer the call, collect the necessary information, and follow the business’ preferred on-call or escalation process to notify the right person. Moneypenny positions this service for scenarios such as after-hours emergencies, maintenance issues, field technician callouts, medical on-call support, and customer escalations, where missed handoffs can delay service or affect customer satisfaction.
Customer support
4.00 / 5
Moneypenny offers phone and email options, proactive account management, and a comprehensive knowledge base. The support team can provide technical assistance, help with reporting, answer invoicing questions, and address other service needs. I scored this category 4 out of 5 because I found strong basic customer service channels, but I did not verify a live chat option specifically for support.
Ease of use
5.00 / 5
I gave Moneypenny a perfect score for its ease of use. It is very easy to set up: customers choose a plan, tell Moneypenny about their business, and explain how they want calls handled. Moneypenny then works with them to create custom scripts and provides a free local or toll-free number that can be promoted as a business number or used to forward calls. Once active, receptionists can forward calls, send messages by email or text, qualify leads, schedule appointments, send inquiries into a CRM, and take payments, depending on the business’ instructions.
This managed-service model keeps day-to-day operation simple. Instead of building the entire call-handling workflow alone, users primarily define how calls should be handled and manage updates through Moneypenny’s tools. The mobile app supports real-time changes, message checking, caller blocking, usage alerts, and access to support articles, while the portal dashboard lets users customize account details and view call reporting.
Expert score
3.75 / 5
Moneypenny’s expert score has slightly improved compared to our last update. This is because the current offering is stronger, with additions such as CRM integrations and app/dashboard access. It also clearly positions AI as part of its phone answering services.
The main reason the expert score is not higher is the value for money. Moneypenny’s starting price is above the rubric’s low-cost benchmark, and some services still require custom quotes. However, for businesses that value 24/7 coverage, bilingual answering, AI-supported receptionists, and a polished customer experience, Moneypenny offers strong overall value.
On Trustpilot, Moneypenny earned a 4.6 out of 5 based on over 450 reviews.
“I have just finished my onboarding meeting with Jesse Bueno. Jesse was very friendly and professional. I appreciated that he had worked for a few years as a receptionist for Moneypenny before becoming part of the onboarding team; I’m sure that experience helps him relay the types of questions the receptionists need to filter. I also appreciate that Moneypenny offers plans scaled to meet the needs of a variety of customers. We only need a small number of hours of answering service per month, so it is nice that we don’t need to pay for a bunch of minutes we will never use.”
—Trustpilot reviewer
Many Moneypenny customer testimonials reflected the company’s professionalism and that of its receptionists. Users commended the positive attitude of the receptionists handling their calls. However, there were also a very few negative comments from clients who had difficulty processing payments.
“…Made a 1 time payment with a different credit card and now it’s the default card. I didn’t agree to that, and there doesn’t appear to be anywhere to change it back nor to delete an old card on file.”
—Trustpilot reviewer
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Yes. Moneypenny is an established answering service provider that also offers other solutions, such as managed live chat and contact center outsourcing. Older customers recognize it as VoiceNation. However, it has rebranded to Moneypenny and has been in the industry for over 25 years. It is part of Fit Small Business’ list of the best answering services.
Yes. Moneypenny includes AI-supported features in its phone answering service, but they are designed to assist call handling rather than replace its live receptionists. Its tools help identify returning callers, surface company information for receptionists, draft message summaries, and triage calls before they are handled.
No. Moneypenny does not offer any contracts. However, companies should still review the plan terms before signing up.
Bottom line
Moneypenny is a strong live answering service for businesses that want professional receptionist support, 24/7 coverage, bilingual English and Spanish answering, CRM integrations, dashboard visibility, and AI-supported call handling. It is particularly useful for businesses that need professional call handling without hiring an in-house receptionist or customer support team.
Its updated score of 4.38 out of 5 reflects a stronger current offering. Pricing is now more transparent, core features are included across listed plans, and AI capabilities are part of the current phone answering workflow. Moneypenny is not the cheapest answering service, and some add-on services still require custom pricing, but it is a compelling option for small businesses that prioritize customer experience, reliability, and ease of setup.
