Wakeman vs Ruby
An AI built for the trades, or a person on every call: price, emergencies and Jobber, side by side.
Comparison · VoiceNation
VoiceNation vs Wakeman: Moneypenny’s receptionists, or an AI built for the trades
Wakeman is an AI receptionist built only for home-service trades. VoiceNation is now part of Moneypenny, which bought it in 2020. Moneypenny sells people answering from $165 a month and AI answering from $99.
- Facts from each company’s own pages
- Checked November 2, 2026
At a glance
| Wakeman | VoiceNation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI, which says so up front | People, or an AI with people behind it |
| Plans | From $49 a month, 100 minutes | People from $165, AI from $99 a month |
| Dangerous calls | Safety steps, then it tries your on-call phone | Not described on its pricing page |
| How you start | Free for 14 days or 500 minutes | No free trial on its pricing page |
The full table, and where each fact comes from, is below.
Side by side
| Wakeman | VoiceNation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI, which says so at the start of every call | People on minute plans; an AI with human escalation on call plans |
| Plans | Starter $49 (100 min) · Pro $149 (500 min) · Max $399 (1,500 min). Every plan answers day and night; any plan can be set to answer only while you are closed. | People: $165 (50 min), $265 (100), $422 (200), $985 (500) a month · AI: $99 (50 calls), $199 (100), $435 (250), $775 (500) a month |
| What is counted | Minutes: each call is rounded up to the next whole minute | Minutes on people plans, calls on AI plans; how each is counted isn’t published |
| Over your allowance | $0.45 / $0.35 / $0.29 a minute by plan, published, with a monthly spending limit you set | People: $2.09–$2.85 a minute · AI: $1.69–$2.39 a call |
| Urgent calls | Gas, carbon monoxide, a downed power line, fire or smoke, a medical emergency, a child or pet locked in a car, water near electrics, a structural collapse, major flooding and sewage inside: safety steps, then Wakeman tries your on-call phone during the call. No heat, no cooling or a leak that can’t wait is urgent and texted at once. A safety net, not 911 | Not described on its pricing page |
| A person when needed | Puts the caller through to your own people: your on-call phone, then the owner’s if nobody picks up. It does this on a dangerous call, a complaint or an angry caller, or when someone asks for a person twice. The AI answers every call; there’s no call center | A person answers every call on people plans; AI plans include human escalation |
| Software it connects to | Jobber, built in on Pro and Max. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet | “CRM integrations”; Jobber, ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro aren’t named on its pricing page |
| Languages | English | “Bilingual answering”; the languages aren’t listed on its pricing page |
| Built for | Home-service trades only: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, restoration and their neighbours | Businesses of every kind |
| Contract | No minimum term; cancel in the billing portal. The first month’s payment is refunded in full if you ask within 30 days | No long-term commitment; 30 days’ notice to cancel |
| How you start | Free for 14 days or 500 minutes, whichever comes first. You pick a plan at sign-up; nothing is charged until the trial ends, and you can change the plan or cancel before then | No free trial on its pricing page |
Where these facts come from · checked November 2, 2026
Checked November 2, 2026. Prices and policies change; the links are the authority, not this page.
- Moneypenny US pricing (voicenation.com/pricing redirects here) — people and AI plans, overage, notice period
- Moneypenny: the VoiceNation acquisition — 2 March 2020
Which one you need
Choose Wakeman if
- You run a 2–15 truck plumbing, HVAC or electrical shop and want a receptionist built only for the trades.
- A gas smell or water near electrics at 2am should get safety steps written in advance, while Wakeman tries your on-call phone during the call.
- You want the price on the page and a free trial before you pay: 14 days or 500 minutes, $0 today.
- You’re happy for an AI to answer, as long as it says so and puts the caller through to your own on-call phone when they need a person.
Choose VoiceNation if
- Every caller must reach a person, whatever the call. Wakeman is an AI; Moneypenny’s people plans put a receptionist on every call.
- Many of your callers speak a language other than English. Wakeman answers in English only; Moneypenny lists bilingual answering.
- Your business isn’t a home-service trade. Wakeman is built only for the trades.
Common questions
Comparing more than two? Every option for contractors, on one page.
Is VoiceNation part of Moneypenny?
Yes. Moneypenny, a UK answering company, bought VoiceNation and Ninja Number in March 2020, and voicenation.com’s pricing page now opens Moneypenny’s US prices. Wakeman is a separate company: an AI receptionist built only for home-service trades.
How much does VoiceNation cost compared with Wakeman?
VoiceNation’s prices are now Moneypenny’s: people answering is $165 a month for 50 minutes up to $985 for 500, with extra minutes at $2.09–$2.85; AI answering is $99 a month for 50 calls up to $775 for 500, with extra calls at $1.69–$2.39 (checked November 2, 2026). Wakeman’s plans are Starter $49, Pro $149, Max $399 a month with minutes included, free for 14 days or 500 minutes, with nothing charged until the trial ends.
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