AI receptionists in the UK: an honest comparison
BT Business, Fasthosts and Moneypenny all offer an AI receptionist, and each suits different needs. Here’s how they compare with Zatio on the questions buyers ask, using only what each company publishes.
Side by side
Checked on 5 October 2026 against each company’s own pages. Numbers in brackets link to the sources below.
| Feature | Zatio | BT Business AI Receptionist | Fasthosts AI Receptionist | Moneypenny AI Receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone calls | Yes, 24/7 or on the hours you choose[5] | Yes, 24/7 or aligned to business hours[1] | Yes, 24/7[3] | Yes, 24/7[4] |
| WhatsApp conversations | Yes, full conversations on WhatsApp Business, same assistant[5] | Not listed on the product page[1] | Not listed on the product page[3] | Not listed on the product page[4] |
| Website chat | Yes, same assistant[5] | Not listed on the product page[1] | Not listed (Unlimited plan adds a website call function)[3] | Not listed (live chat is a separate Moneypenny service)[4] |
| Published starting price | £69 a month ex VAT (150 voice minutes and 300 chat and WhatsApp conversations)[5] | Not published. Sold in minute bundles (100 to 14,000 minutes a month); launch offer of 50% off the 100- and 300-minute bundles for six months, 2 October to 20 November[1] | £39 a month ex VAT (Lite: 30 calls a month, then £0.49 a call); Plus £69, Unlimited £99[3] | From £25 a month (VAT not stated); pricing by quote[4] |
| Set-up | Reads your website and drafts the assistant for you to review, in about 10 minutes. Optional done-for-you set-up, £179 one-off[5] | Self-service portal; trained on your website, FAQs or documents. Optional 1-hour onboarding session, £150[1][2] | Self-service: add your website URL to build its knowledge; live in under 15 minutes[3] | Done for you by a Moneypenny Solutions Architect; live in days[4] |
| Languages | British English, Polish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and more[6] | Not published (customisable voices and accents)[1][2] | English and more than 30 other languages[3] | Not published[4] |
| Free trial or test | Free test call on our homepage: it rings you in seconds[6] | No free trial published; free demo on request[1] | 1 month free on all plans; public demo number[3] | No free trial published; demo numbers by sector[4] |
| Keep your existing number | Yes, forward your calls[6] | Yes[2] | Yes[3] | Yes[4] |
| Contract | Month to month, no minimum term[5] | Monthly rolling[1] | Monthly, no long-term contract[3] | Not published[4] |
What Zatio does differently
If your customers also message you, one assistant can look after all three channels.
WhatsApp and website chat included
The same assistant answers your phone, holds full WhatsApp conversations and runs the chat on your website, in every plan.
Built from your website
Zatio reads your pages and drafts its knowledge base: services, areas, hours and common questions. You review it before switching on.
A live test call, right now
Leave your number on our home page and Zatio rings you in seconds. Talk to it like one of your customers would.
Which might suit you
Calls only, lowest published price
Moneypenny and Fasthosts publish the lowest starting prices of the four, and Fasthosts offers a month free.
Already with BT Business
If your lines are with BT, adding its AI Receptionist to the same account may be the simplest route.
Phone, WhatsApp and website together
If customers reach you on all three, Zatio answers them with one assistant built from your website.
Sources
Read on 5 October 2026.
- BT Business, AI Receptionist product page: https://business.bt.com/calling-messaging-tools/contact-centres/ai-receptionist/
- ISPreview, “Fancy an AI receptionist? BT Business will sell your company one” (1 October 2026): https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/10/fancy-an-ai-receptionist-bt-business-will-sell-your-company-one.html
- Fasthosts, AI Receptionist: https://www.fasthosts.co.uk/spark/ai-receptionist
- Moneypenny, AI Receptionist: https://moneypenny.com/uk/ai-receptionist/
- Zatio, pricing: https://zatio.io/pricing
- Zatio, home page: https://zatio.io/
BT, BT Business, Fasthosts and Moneypenny are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is independent and not endorsed by them. Competitors may change their products and prices at any time; if you spot something out of date, email hello@zatio.io and we’ll correct it.
Questions
How did you put this table together?
We read each company's own product page (and, for BT, the ISPreview launch article) on 5 October 2026. Anything we couldn't find stated on those pages is marked "Not published" or "Not listed" rather than guessed. Every claim links to its source.
Is Zatio the cheapest option?
No. If you only need your calls answered, Moneypenny and Fasthosts publish lower starting prices than our Essential plan. Our plans include WhatsApp and website chat alongside the phone, which is the main difference.
Something here is out of date. How do I tell you?
Email hello@zatio.io with the link to the updated information and we'll correct it. Offers and prices change, and we'd rather this page was right.
Hear how your business phone would sound
Leave your mobile and Zatio will ring you in a few seconds.
- Keep your number
- No annual commitment
- 60-day guarantee
Rather talk to a person? Book a 20-minute demo.