AI Receptionists · 7 min read
Moneypenny Alternatives for a Small UK Clinic (2026)
Published 2026-10-16 · The Scaling Firm
Published 2026-10-16 · The Scaling Firm
The main alternatives to Moneypenny for a small clinic are other UK human answering services, such as Face For Business, Answer4u, Posh and Verbatim, and AI receptionists, which answer in your clinic’s name and can book the appointment. Moneypenny now sells both kinds itself. The right choice depends on whether your callers need a person, whether you want appointments booked or only messages taken, and how many calls come in after hours.
Moneypenny’s receptionists are UK-based people. Its standard service runs from 8.30am to 6pm, with calls going to voicemail outside those hours; out-of-hours and 24/7 cover are options. It has a healthcare team for private hospitals, clinics and practices. Prices for the human service are by quote: its pricing page shows no figures. Smaller schemes, up to 150 minutes, have a three-month minimum and then one month’s notice; larger schemes need a six or twelve-month commitment (Moneypenny). Moneypenny also sells an AI Receptionist, from £49 a month.
A person answers, takes a message or follows your script, and passes the call on. These suit clinics whose callers expect a human voice, or whose calls need judgement. Most charge by the minute or by the call.
| Provider | Published price | Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Face For Business | From £49 a month; its dentists page says its most popular dental service costs around £200 a month | 90-day minimum, then 30-day rolling |
| Answer4u | £19.99 a month plus £1.75 a call on pay as you go | No contract |
| Posh | From £50 a month plus £1.50 a minute, excluding VAT | Month to month |
| Verbatim | “As little as £2.25 per day” | Not published |
| AllDayPA | By quote | 90 days’ notice to cancel |
Prices and terms from each provider’s own website, checked 16 October 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy.
An AI receptionist answers every call at once, day and night, and can book appointments into your diary, not only take messages. Prices vary widely: general tools start low, while services built for dental and clinic diaries cost more.
| Provider | Published price | Built for |
|---|---|---|
| Moneypenny AI Receptionist | From £49 a month | General, with escalation to people |
| Answer4u AI | £14.99 a month plus 27p a minute, £25 setup | General |
| Jodie | From £49 a month, excluding VAT | General, with a dentists page |
| Voco | 29p a minute pay as you go, or from £49 a month, excluding VAT | General, with dental and physio pages |
| Intavia | From £249 a month | Dental and clinics |
| ViveoAI | From £349 a month per location | Dental |
| Ivy by Verbalise | £147 a month plus 55p a minute; Verbalise states this price has VAT in it | Physio and allied health |
| The Scaling Firm | £500 setup, then from £1,500 a year, or £249 a month; no VAT charged | Dental, cosmetic and other clinics |
Prices and terms from each provider’s own website, checked 16 October 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy.
Ask each provider five things. Does it book straight into the diary you use, or only take a message? What happens to calls at night and at weekends? How many minutes or calls are included, and what does each one cost after that? Where is call data processed, and will they sign a UK GDPR data agreement? And how long is the contract? If your clinic cannot reclaim VAT, add 20% to any price quoted excluding VAT before you compare.
We are not the cheapest option, and we do not try to be. Every AI receptionist promises calls answered; the difference is how sure you can be that it books for your practice, how soon it starts and how much of the work falls on you. Our AI receptionist is built around one practice at a time: your treatments, prices, booking rules and the questions your front desk hears every day. It runs for 2 weeks on your real calls before you decide, and there is no annual invoice until it books your first real appointment. If you mostly need messages taken during the day, a human answering service may suit you better. If you want every call answered and booked, day and night, take a test call and hear it first.
Moneypenny does not publish prices for its human answering service; it quotes by usage. Its AI Receptionist page says from £49 a month (checked 16 October 2026).
Often, because most AI receptionists charge by the minute or a flat monthly fee with no per-call charge. Compare like for like: minutes included, the rate after them, and whether it books appointments or only takes messages.
Yes, if it connects to your diary. Ours books into Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, Cal.com and TSF Booking, and we check practice systems such as Dentally before you pay.
Most callers want an answer or a booking. Ours says it is AI if asked, and can say so at the start of every call.
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