Comparison

A Moneypenny alternative that also runs your jobs

Moneypenny is one of the UK's best-known telephone answering services, using real receptionists to handle your calls. TradeAssist answers your calls, WhatsApp and SMS with an AI receptionist, and goes further: it runs your job board, tracks per-job profit and syncs invoices to Xero, all in one place.

Feature
Moneypenny
TradeAssist
Answers your phone
Yes, human receptionists answer in your business name
Yes, AI receptionist answers every call automatically
WhatsApp and SMS handling
Focused on calls, with message taking
AI handles inbound calls, WhatsApp and SMS and replies for you
Availability
Office hours and after-hours cover by package
24/7, the AI never goes off shift
Books jobs onto a board
No, takes a message or transfers the call
Yes, captures the enquiry and books the job for you
Job board and scheduling
Not provided
Kanban job board with per-job status and profit
Profit tracking
Not provided
Per-job profit tracking
Quoting and invoicing
Not provided
Ballpark quotes from your rate card plus Xero invoice sync
Pricing model
Typically per-call or per-minute packages by volume
Flat monthly price with no per-call fee

Why trades switch

Answering plus the whole back office

Moneypenny picks up the phone and takes a message. TradeAssist picks up the phone and then books the job, tracks the profit and invoices through Xero, so the enquiry turns into completed, paid work.

No per-call meter

Human answering is often priced per call or per minute, so a busy week costs more. The TradeAssist receptionist is AI on a flat monthly price, from £69 to £129 a month, with no per-call fee.

Always on, instant pickup

The AI answers 24/7 and responds straight away across calls, WhatsApp and SMS, including evenings and weekends, with a dedicated business number of your own.

Frequently asked questions

How is TradeAssist different from Moneypenny?

Moneypenny is a telephone answering service: human receptionists answer your calls and take messages. TradeAssist answers your calls, WhatsApp and SMS with an AI receptionist and also runs your job board, profit tracking and Xero invoicing, so it covers both the phone and the office.

Is the TradeAssist receptionist a real person?

No, it is an AI receptionist. That means it answers instantly, 24/7, with no per-call fee. Moneypenny uses human receptionists, which some businesses prefer for the personal touch.

Does Moneypenny book jobs or track profit?

No. Moneypenny handles call answering and message taking; it does not run a job board, track per-job profit or sync invoices to Xero. TradeAssist does all of that alongside answering the phone.

How is TradeAssist priced compared with an answering service?

Answering services are often charged per call or per minute by volume, so costs rise with busy periods. TradeAssist is a flat monthly price from £69 to £129 a month, with a 14-day free trial and no card required.

Will it answer evenings and weekends?

Yes. The AI receptionist works 24/7, so out-of-hours enquiries get answered and booked rather than going to voicemail.