Best Moneypenny alternatives in 2026: top 7 compared

Moneypenny is a well-known virtual receptionist service, but it's not the perfect fit for everyone. Maybe you've noticed that their pricing starts at $165/month for just 50 minutes of call time. Or you've been hit with those $2.99/minute overage fees that can really add up. And if you need outbound calling, there's a $1,000 setup fee waiting for you.

Here's the other thing: many small business owners have simple use cases, like taking messages or transferring calls. So at the end of the day, they question the high costs of these traditional answering services when an AI receptionist can do the same thing.

We put together this guide to help you find the best Moneypenny alternatives for your business. Whether you want to save money, get more features, or just know exactly what you're paying for, we've got options for every budget. You'll find everything from AI-powered services starting under $30/month to premium human receptionist options.

Quick comparison: best Moneypenny alternatives

Why businesses are switching from Moneypenny

Pricing that adds up quickly

Moneypenny's plans start at $165/month, but you only get 50 minutes of receptionist time (at least in the US. UK and everywhere else must speak with Moneypenny about pricing). If you run a business with a decent number of calls coming in, those minutes go fast. Once you go over your limit, you're paying $2.99 for every extra minute. A few longer calls can make your bill jump way higher than you expected.

Need outbound calling? That's another $1,000 just for setup.

Limited features compared to competitors

Moneypenny handles the basics fine. They answer calls, take messages, schedule appointments, and transfer people to your team. But that's pretty much it. You won't get call recording or transcription, which a lot of businesses need for training or keeping good records.

Need an after hours answering service? Moneypenny's services operate from 8:30am to 6:00pm. They have after hours and 24/7 solutions, but expect to pay more.

Their AI voice agent is also still in beta, so they're playing catch-up with competitors like Smith.ai and Upfirst that already have solid AI solutions ready to go. Moneypenny also doesn't connect with as many CRMs as other services, which means more manual work for you.

No transparent pricing online

Most Moneypenny competitors post their prices right on their websites. If you're not in the US, then Moneypenny makes you talk to their sales team to get the details. That makes it hard to plan your budget or compare your options without sitting through a sales pitch first.

Lock-in contracts

Moneypenny has a minimum contract length of three months for 150 minutes and below. It's not as long of a contract as some other answering services, but contracts make businesses hesitant because they never truly know how good the service will be for them.

For larger companies that need more minutes, they require six or twelve-month contracts to use their service.

What to look for in a Moneypenny alternative

Pricing model

Virtual receptionist services charge in different ways, and knowing the difference helps you avoid surprise bills:

• Per-minute pricing charges you based on how long each call takes. This can get unpredictable if callers have lots of questions or like to chat.
• Per-call pricing charges a flat rate for each call, no matter how long it lasts. More predictable, but it can add up if you get a ton of calls.

Per-minute pricing is the most common pricing model for answering services, where per-call pricing is most often used among AI phone answering services

Features that matter

Beyond just answering the phone, think about what your business actually needs:

• 24/7 availability - Is it included or do you pay extra?
• Live call transfer - Can they connect calls directly to you or your team?
• Appointment scheduling - Do they work with your calendar to book meetings?
• Lead qualification - Will they ask screening questions to sort out good prospects?
• CRM integration - Does call info automatically go into your systems?
• Call recording and transcription - Important for training and keeping records
• Bilingual support - Helpful if you have Spanish-speaking customers
• AI capabilities - Modern AI handles routine calls for way less money

Industry fit

Any receptionist can answer a phone. But receptionists who know your industry understand your business. For law firms, that means they know legal terms, intake needs, and confidentiality rules. Healthcare businesses need HIPAA compliance. Home service companies benefit from receptionists who get dispatching and scheduling.

Scalability

Your call volume changes throughout the year, as you grow, or when you run marketing campaigns. The right answering service grows with you without charging crazy overage fees or pushing you into a bigger plan than you need.

The 7 best Moneypenny alternatives for 2026

1. Upfirst: best overall alternative

Starting price: $24.95/month

Best for: Budget-conscious SMBs, law firms, home service businesses

Upfirst earns the top spot for one simple reason: you get a professional call handling service at a price that makes Moneypenny look expensive. Starting at just $24.95/month, it costs about 85% less than Moneypenny's cheapest plan.

The AI-powered system picks up on the first ring, 24/7, and sounds natural enough that some callers (usually older audiences) often think they're talking to a real person. It's completely customizable, qualifies leads, collects intake information, schedules appointments and sends you instant call summaries by text and email so you know exactly what happened.

Setting up is made to be straightforward, too. People can set up their receptionist and go live in less than 30 minutes. If you're a small business owner who's short on time and money, Upfirst might be the move for you.

Key features:

• 24/7 AI-powered call answering
• Picks up on the first ring so you never miss leads
• Customizable AI and call handling instructions
• Lead qualification and intake gathering
• Instant call summaries via SMS and email
• Call recordings you can access anytime
• Live call transfer to your team for qualified leads
• Zapier integration for CRM connectivity
• No per-minute charges
• Spam call filtering (Upfirst doesn't charge for spam)
• Detailed analytics dashboard

Why it beats Moneypenny:

Moneypenny works well for larger businesses with bigger budgets and complex needs. But if you're a small business owner who just wants your calls answered professionally without the hefty price tag, Upfirst makes a lot more sense.

At $24.95/month versus Moneypenny's $165/month for 50 minutes, the savings are obvious. But it's not just about price. Upfirst keeps things simple. There's no $1,000 setup fee, no confusing per-minute overage charges, and no need to call a sales team just to find out what you'll pay. The pricing is right there on the website.

You get a straightforward AI receptionist that answers every call the same way, whether it's the middle of the afternoon or the middle of the night. It qualifies leads, captures the details you need, and sends you a summary so you're prepared before you call anyone back. No complicated dashboards to learn. No long onboarding process. Just reliable call answering that works.

Best for:

• Solo attorneys and small law firms who want affordable, professional call handling
• Home service businesses (plumbers, HVAC, contractors) who can't afford to miss calls
• Any small business tired of overpaying for basic virtual receptionist services
• Businesses fed up with unpredictable per-minute billing

Pros:

• Most affordable option on this list by a lot
• Founded by an attorney who gets what small businesses need
• AI delivers consistent quality around the clock
• Setup takes minutes, not days
• Call summaries and recordings included at no extra cost

Cons:

• AI-first approach (though you can transfer to your own live humans when needed)
• Newer company compared to established names like Ruby
• No outbound calling available; works best for inbound calls rather than complex admin tasks

Bottom line: For most small businesses, Upfirst gives you everything Moneypenny does, plus more, at a fraction of the price.

Want to give Upfirst a try? Try it today and start a free 14 day trial. No credit card is required, and you can fully test out the service before committing.

2. Smith.ai: best for AI + human hybrid

Starting price: $95.00/month (AI Receptionist) or $292.50/month (Virtual Receptionist)

Best for: Mid-sized businesses wanting the best of both AI and human receptionists

Smith.ai built its name by blending AI smarts with human warmth. Their virtual receptionists are real people based in North America, backed by sophisticated AI that handles call routing, spam filtering, and transcription in the background.

This means they can do way more than Moneypenny's basic message-taking. Smith.ai receptionists qualify leads using your criteria, book appointments right on your calendar, take payments, and complete intake forms, all on that first call. You don't end up with a list of callbacks. You end up with qualified leads already on your schedule.

Key features:

• 24/7 virtual receptionists (AI-assisted humans)
• Lead qualification and custom intake
• Appointment scheduling with calendar integration
• Payment collection during calls
• 30+ native CRM integrations (Clio, Salesforce, HubSpot, and more)
• Call recording and transcription
• Free spam blocking (you don't pay for junk calls)
• Outreach campaigns for outbound calling
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Pricing:

• AI Receptionist: $95.00/month for 30 calls
• Virtual Receptionist (human): $292.50/month for 30 calls
• Live chat: $140/month for 20 chats
• Per-call pricing (not per-minute) for predictable billing

Why it's a strong alternative:

Smith.ai charges per call instead of per minute, which makes your bills way more predictable than Moneypenny's. A complicated 10-minute call costs the same as a quick 2-minute one, so you're not punished for giving thorough service.

The integrations are also much better. With 30+ native connections to CRMs, calendars, and legal software, plus Zapier and Make for custom setups, Smith.ai fits into the tools you already use instead of creating data silos.

Best for:

• Businesses that want human receptionists backed by AI
• Companies with detailed intake requirements
• Organizations using multiple software platforms that need everything connected

Pros:

• Full feature set that goes well beyond taking messages
• Clear per-call pricing
• Great integrations with business software
• Bilingual support included
• Money-back guarantee lowers your risk

Cons:

• Way more expensive than AI-only options like Upfirst
• Costs climb fast at higher call volumes
• Might be more than simple businesses need

Bottom line: Smith.ai is the premium pick for businesses that want human receptionists without giving up modern AI features. It costs a lot more than Upfirst, but for companies with complex needs and the budget to match, it's worth it.

3. Ruby Receptionists: best premium human experience

Starting price: $250/month for 50 minutes

Best for: Businesses that put caller experience above everything else

Ruby has a loyal following among small businesses, especially law firms, that want every caller to feel like they're talking to a real in-house receptionist. Their 100% human, US-based receptionists are known for being warm, professional, and genuinely engaged.

What makes Ruby different is personalization. Their receptionists learn your business, remember your regular callers, and handle each conversation with a level of care that's tough to match with AI. For businesses where caller experience directly affects revenue, like law firms dealing with sensitive issues or healthcare practices, that human touch might be worth the higher price.

Key features:

• 100% live US-based receptionists
• 24/7/365 availability
• Industry-leading mobile app for managing calls in real-time
• Live chat services
• Appointment scheduling
• Payment processing
• Bilingual support (English/Spanish)
• Integrations with Clio, Rocket Matter, and other legal software

Pricing:

• Receptionist plans: Starting at $245/month for 50 minutes
• Chat plans: Starting at $143/month for 10 chats
• Bundled plans: Available if you need both

Ruby charges per minute, but they publish their prices clearly on their website. If you're outside the US, that's a nice change from Moneypenny's hidden pricing.

Why it's a strong alternative:

Ruby's mobile app is the best in the business. You can update when you're available, see who's calling as it happens, check messages, and manage your account from anywhere. If you're an attorney stuck in court or a contractor out on a job site, that flexibility is huge.

The receptionists also get to know your business over time. They'll recognize your important clients, learn your preferences, and handle calls with context that generic services just can't provide.

Best for:

• Businesses where caller experience directly drives revenue
• Professionals who need to manage calls while they're on the move
• Companies where human warmth is a must-have
• Law firms handling sensitive client matters

Pros:

• Outstanding receptionist quality and personalization
• Best mobile app in the industry
• Prices published clearly online
• Strong reputation in the legal industry

Cons:

• Per-minute pricing gets pricey for longer calls
• Premium pricing overall, much more than AI options
• Not as cost-effective for businesses with lots of calls

Bottom line: Ruby sets the standard for human virtual receptionists. If budget matters less than caller experience, Ruby delivers.

4. AnswerConnect: best for 24/7 coverage

Starting price: About $350/month for 200 minutes

Best for: Businesses that need guaranteed around-the-clock answering without paying extra

AnswerConnect has been doing this since 1994, and that experience shows in their reliability. Their main selling point is simple: 24/7/365 coverage comes with every plan. It's not an add-on you pay extra for.

If you have international clients, offer emergency services, or just have customers who call at weird hours, this matters. Moneypenny charges extra for 24/7 coverage on some plans. AnswerConnect includes it standard.

The company also cares about sustainability. They run 100% remotely and plant a tree for every new client. It's a nice bonus if environmental responsibility matters to your business.

Key features:

• 24/7/365 live answering included in base pricing
• Live chat support
• Appointment scheduling
• CRM integrations
• Bilingual support
• Lead capture and qualification
• 100% remote operation (sustainability focus)

Pricing:

• Starting around $350/month for 200 minutes
• Custom plans based on your needs
• Contact sales for exact pricing

Why it's a strong alternative:

The 24/7 inclusion is the big draw. If you're currently paying Moneypenny extra for after-hours coverage, AnswerConnect could actually cost you less while giving you the same service.

Their 30-year track record also gives you peace of mind. This isn't some startup that might vanish. It's an established company that's proven it can stick around.

Best for:

• Businesses that absolutely need 24/7 coverage
• Companies with international clients in different time zones
• Organizations that value sustainability
• Businesses wanting a proven, established provider

Pros:

• 24/7 coverage included at no extra cost
• 30 years of industry experience
• Sustainability-focused operations
• Solid CRM integrations

Cons:

• Technology feels a bit dated compared to AI-forward options
• Average answer time is 4 rings (slower than some competitors)

Bottom line: AnswerConnect is a reliable choice if 24/7 availability is your top priority.

5. Nexa: best for industry specialization

Starting price: Custom pricing

Best for: Businesses that need receptionists trained in their specific field

Generic virtual receptionists answer phones. That's about it. They might stumble over industry jargon or miss important details. Nexa fixes this by training receptionists for specific industries, especially legal, home services, healthcare, and real estate.

For a law firm, this means receptionists who know the difference between a retainer and a restraining order. For an HVAC company, it means receptionists who can tell a furnace problem from an AC issue and dispatch the right help.

Key features:

• Industry-specialized receptionists (legal, home services, healthcare, real estate)
• 24/7 availability
• Lead qualification based on your criteria
• Appointment scheduling
• CRM integrations
• Bilingual support
• Outbound calling campaigns

Pricing:

• Plans for 100, 300, and 500 minutes
• Custom pricing based on your industry and needs
• Contact sales for quotes

Nexa doesn't post prices online, so you'll need to talk to them for specifics.

Why it's a strong alternative:

The industry specialization really does help if your business uses unique terms or follows specific processes. A receptionist who understands your field handles calls better, asks smarter qualifying questions, and makes a better impression on callers.

Nexa also lets you start simple and add more over time. You can begin with basic message-taking and work up to full intake processing as your needs change.

Best for:

• Law firms needing legal-trained receptionists
• Home service companies (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing)
• Healthcare practices requiring HIPAA-aware call handling
• Real estate agencies with specific intake processes

Pros:

• Deep knowledge of specific industries
• Flexible scaling from simple to complex
• Full feature set
• Great for businesses with specialized terminology

Cons:

• No pricing posted online
• Might be more than you need if your answering needs are simple
• Setup takes longer because of all the customization

Bottom line: Nexa makes sense if industry expertise is what you're after.

6. Abby Connect: best for bundled chat + phone

Starting price: $329/month for 100 minutes

Best for: Businesses that want phone and live chat from one provider

Juggling different vendors for phone answering and website chat gets complicated. Abby Connect simplifies things by offering both with bundled pricing. They also assign dedicated teams of 5-10 receptionists to each client.

That dedicated team setup means callers hear familiar voices over time. Instead of whoever happens to be free picking up, Abby Connect gives you consistency that some businesses really value.

Key features:

• Dedicated receptionist team (5-10 people per client)
• 24/7 availability
• Live chat included in bundles
• Appointment scheduling
• Spanish language support
• Call recording
• Hybrid AI + human model

Pricing:

• Essential: $329/month for 100 minutes
• Professional: $599/month for 200 minutes
• Growth: $1,380/month for 500 minutes

Why it's a strong alternative:

The dedicated team approach is what sets Abby Connect apart. Your callers talk to the same small group of receptionists who actually get to know your business. For companies where relationship continuity matters, that's valuable. You might lose this type of personal touch going with other answering services.

Bundling chat and phone also means less vendor hassle and usually costs less than buying the services separately.

Best for:

• Businesses that want phone and chat from a single provider
• Companies that care about receptionist consistency
• Growing businesses that need scalable plans
• Organizations tired of managing multiple vendors

Pros:

• Dedicated small teams create consistency
• Bundled pricing for chat + phone
• Weekend coverage included
• Hybrid AI + human approach

Cons:

• Higher starting price than most alternatives
• Per-minute billing can add up on longer calls
• Fewer integrations than Smith.ai

Bottom line: Abby Connect works well for businesses that want phone and chat bundled with dedicated teams.

7. Goodcall: Best for AI automating customer service and sales requests  

Starting price: $79/month for 100 unique customers

Best for: Businesses that want to automate customer service and sales requests

If you want to go all-in on AI without human receptionists, Goodcall is worth a look. It's a fully automated phone agent that answers calls, captures leads, and books appointments around the clock.

The standout here is Goodcall's pricing model. Instead of charging by the minute, they bill based on "unique customers" who call each month. That means if one client calls you ten times, it only counts once. For businesses with repeat callers, this can save a lot compared to per-minute billing.

Setup is surprisingly simple. You can connect your Google Business listing or website, and Goodcall builds a custom AI agent from that information. From there, you train it on your FAQs, set up call routing, and integrate with your calendar or CRM.

Key features:

• 100% AI-powered (no human receptionists)
• 24/7 call answering
• Appointment scheduling via calendar integrations
• Lead capture with CRM sync
• Custom call flows and logic
• Unlimited minutes and calls (no per-minute fees)
• Zapier integration for 9,000+ apps

Pricing:

• Starter: $79/month (100 unique customers)
• Growth: $129/month (250 unique customers)
• Scale: $249/month (500 unique customers)
• $0.50 per additional unique customer

Why it's a strong alternative:

Goodcall flips the typical answering service model on its head. There are no per-minute charges eating into your budget, and you get true 24/7 coverage without paying premium rates for after-hours. For small businesses that get a lot of repeat callers or longer conversations, the unique-customer pricing can work out significantly cheaper than traditional services.

AI vs. human receptionists: which is right for you?

The rise of AI receptionists

AI answering services have come a long way. Today's solutions sound natural, understand what callers mean, and handle conversations that would have confused older systems. For a lot of businesses, AI isn't a compromise anymore. It's the smarter choice.

The math is pretty simple: AI receptionists typically cost 80-90% less than human services. Compare Upfirst at $24.95/month to Ruby at $245/month. That difference adds up to thousands of dollars every year.

AI also gives you perfect consistency. There's no difference between the day shift and night shift, or good days and bad days. Every caller gets the same professional experience, 24/7.

AI receptionists work best for:

• Businesses with lots of calls who want to keep costs down
• After-hours coverage where staffing humans gets expensive
• Budget-conscious companies that still want professional quality
• Simple to moderate intake needs

When human receptionists still win

Some situations really do benefit from human judgment and empathy. Complex emotional calls, like a personal injury client describing an accident or a patient calling about a sensitive health issue, might be better handled by a trained person who can read tone and respond appropriately.

If your callers specifically expect to talk to a human, or if your intake process needs nuanced judgment calls, human receptionists still have value.

The hybrid approach

Services like Smith.ai and Abby Connect mix AI and humans together. AI handles routing, transcription, and routine calls. Humans step in for the complicated stuff. You get flexibility, but you pay more for it.

You can also only use AI receptionists for missed calls. If you still pick up calls yourself, or have in-house staff, you don't need to fork out extra for a traditional answering service just to pick up the calls you miss. That way, you can make sure everybody hears a friendly voice when they call your line, and never a voicemail box or busy signal.

Our take: For most small businesses, AI-powered services like Upfirst deliver professional quality at way lower cost. The gap between AI and human receptionists has shrunk a lot in 2025. Save premium human services for specialized situations or if your specific customers demand it.

Best Moneypenny alternative by use case

How to switch from Moneypenny

Moving to a new virtual receptionist service is pretty straightforward. Here's how to do it smoothly:

1. Look at your current usage

Pull your Moneypenny bills from the past 3-6 months. Write down your average call volume, when calls peak, and how often you're paying overage charges. This info helps you pick the right plan with your new provider.

2. Add up your true costs

Total everything you pay Moneypenny: base plan, overage fees, add-ons for 24/7 coverage, any setup fees. That number is what you're comparing against.

3. Start a free trial

Most alternatives let you try before you buy. Upfirst has a free trial with no credit card needed. Smith.ai offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Use these to test quality before you commit.

4. Set up call forwarding

The technical part is easy: just forward your business number to your new service. Most providers give you a dedicated number to forward to, and calls route right through.

5. Share your scripts and FAQs

Give your new provider the same info you gave Moneypenny. How should they greet callers? What questions come up a lot? When should they transfer calls? What intake questions should they ask? Good providers make this setup easy.

6. Keep an eye on things

Track call quality and customer feedback for the first 30 days. Listen to recordings if they're available, check call summaries, and ask clients how their experience was.

Pro tip: A lot of businesses run both services at the same time during the switch. Start by forwarding overflow calls to your new provider to test quality. Once you're happy with how it's going, make the full move.

Conclusion

Moneypenny has earned its reputation as a reliable virtual receptionist service. But its complicated pricing, limited features, and lack of transparency push a lot of businesses to look for Moneypenny competitors.

For most small businesses, Upfirst offers the best value. At $24.95/month, roughly 85% less than Moneypenny, you get AI-powered 24/7 answering, lead qualification, and instant call summaries.

If you want human receptionists, Smith.ai gives you the best AI + human hybrid with tons of integrations, while Ruby delivers the premium human experience for businesses where caller warmth matters most.

The right choice comes down to what you care about most: budget, features, industry expertise, or caller experience. But with options ranging from $24.95/month to $375/month and up, there's no reason to overpay for basic call answering.

Ready to upgrade from Moneypenny? Try Upfirst free, no credit card required. See why businesses are switching to AI-powered answering that costs less and never misses a call.

Start your free trial here!