DeskAgent vs Moneypenny
Choose Moneypenny if you want an established UK answering brand with real receptionists ready to step in behind the AI, with AI Receptionist plans from £49 a month. Choose DeskAgent if you want published prices with no contract, and one AI front desk that answers your phone, WhatsApp, website chat and email - built and tested for you.
Last updated 27/10/2026 · Moneypenny facts taken from its own website on 27 October 2026 · Written by DeskAgent
How Do DeskAgent And Moneypenny Compare?
Moneypenny is a UK answering company headquartered in Wrexham, founded in 2000, whose AI Receptionist answers first with real receptionists able to step in. Here is how it lines up with DeskAgent, a London-built AI front desk for UK service businesses.
| DeskAgent | Moneypenny AI Receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From £85/month per agent. Phone Agent £125/month; Full DeskAgent (all four agents plus HQ) £285/month | From £49/month (VAT not stated; quote for your plan) |
| What the price covers | Phone Agent: unlimited inbound calls. Web Agent: unlimited conversations on one website | Not published |
| Channels | Phone, WhatsApp, web chat and email, sharing one brain | Phone (Moneypenny also lists live chat as a separate service) |
| AI or human answering | AI, with urgent jobs routed to your mobile; always honest that it is an AI if asked | AI first, with real Moneypenny receptionists able to step in |
| Setup | Done for you: Web and Inbox under a week, Phone and WhatsApp under two weeks | Done for you, guided by a Solutions Architect ("live in days, not weeks") |
| Your phone number | Keep your existing number (call forwarding) | Keep your number and divert calls to Moneypenny |
| Contract | None - pause or cancel anytime | Not published for the AI Receptionist (its human answering schemes have minimum terms and notice periods) |
| Free trial | No - a free 30-minute demo with an agent built for your business | Not published for the AI Receptionist (free demo calls) |
| Yes - the WhatsApp Agent, and you run everything from WhatsApp with DeskAgent HQ | Not published | |
| Data protection | Processed in line with UK GDPR; data processing agreement on request | "GDPR-compliant", encrypted, with access controls and audit logs; hosting location not published |
| Best for | UK service businesses that want every channel answered and set up for them | Businesses that want a trusted UK brand with human receptionists behind the AI |
"Not published" means we could not find it on Moneypenny's own website on 27 October 2026. Prices change, so check with Moneypenny before you decide.
What Is Different?
Human backup
Moneypenny can hand calls to real receptionists. DeskAgent is AI-only and routes urgent jobs straight to you or your on-call team.
Pricing you can see
DeskAgent publishes every price and has no contract. Moneypenny publishes a starting price of £49 a month for its AI Receptionist and asks you to get a quote for your plan.
Channels
DeskAgent answers WhatsApp, web chat and email as well as calls, with one shared brain. Moneypenny's AI Receptionist is a phone service.
DeskAgent vs Moneypenny: Your Questions.
Is DeskAgent cheaper than Moneypenny?
Not on the starting price. Moneypenny's AI Receptionist starts from £49 a month (checked 27 October 2026), but it does not publish what that plan includes or its contract terms, so ask for a quote. DeskAgent's Phone Agent is £125/month with unlimited inbound calls and no contract, and it is built and tested for your business.
Does Moneypenny's AI Receptionist answer WhatsApp?
Moneypenny does not publish WhatsApp as a channel for its AI Receptionist (checked 27 October 2026). DeskAgent's WhatsApp Agent answers your business WhatsApp 24/7.
Can I keep my number with either?
Yes. Moneypenny asks you to divert calls to a number it provides, and DeskAgent works by forwarding calls from your existing number.
Where Do These Facts Come From?
Moneypenny information comes from these pages on its own website, checked on 27 October 2026. DeskAgent information comes from our pricing page.
See DeskAgent On Your Own Calls.
Book a free 30-minute demo and we will build a demo agent for your business first. Or ring +44 20 7101 0617 to hear the Phone Agent answer.
Also see: All comparisons · Best AI receptionists in London · Phone Agent · Pricing