Paying bills is probably one of your least favorite things to do – we know it doesn't rank very high on our list of favorites. When our most dreaded time of month came around, the Star Reviews team decided it was time to check out some alternatives. We looked at MSN Bill Pay since MSN is one of several popular portals which let you check email, read the news, find movies, etc. We thought their bill paying service had to be convenient, as well. Read on to find out what we concluded about this service.
What’s New with MSN Bill Pay?
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$50 guarantee through Checkfree
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Two subscription plans
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First 3 months free
Star Reviews Favorite MSN Bill Pay Feature:
One of the most convenient features of MSN’s online bill paying service is that it automatically signs you out of your account if there is no activity for ten minutes. If anyone else uses your computer, then this handy feature can prevent them from accidentally gaining access to your billing and account information if you forget to log yourself out.
MSN Online Bill Pay Features:
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Pay anyone – businesses or individuals – within the United States by check or electronic transfer
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Export your payment information to Quicken software
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Set up automatic payments for recurring bills
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Transfer money between accounts you use through the service
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Guarantee of up to $50 to cover late payments made through their service of no fault of your own.
About MSN's Online Bill Pay:
MSN is an Internet portal which can be used for a number of purposes, including checking email and handling stock information. Being able to have a single site where you can go for almost anything you need on the Internet, including paying your bills, is very convenient. Although MSN is technically part of Microsoft, the online bill pay service is handled through CheckFree Web.
Navigating the MSN Online Bill Pay Site:
Trying to find out anything about the service was pretty frustrating. You’re only option is to look at the FAQ’s or enroll. Unfortunately, the FAQ’s don’t include any screenshots either so when you sign up you won't know exactly what type of interface to expect. In fact, even finding out what the program costs requires you to start the enrollment process. The prices aren’t even listed in the terms and conditions.
Using
MSN Bill Pay
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Using MSN’s bill paying service is fairly straightforward. You’ll be presented with an easy-to- read break down of your bills which are marked with helpful icons so you’ll know which ones are due and which ones have been paid. Plus, you can review your bills for up to six months online. You can pay anyone in the United States through the service. CheckFree Web is definitely one of the easiest online bill pay services available so it's good that MSN's service is powered by them.
MSN Bill Pay Pricing:
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Level 1 - $2.95 per month – 5 free transactions - $0.50 per additional transactions and $1.50 for additional transfers between accounts
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Level 2 - $5.95 per month – 15 free transactions - $0.50 per additional transaction and $1.50 for additional transfers between accounts
Besides the number of free transactions you receive, nothing else is different between the two subscription levels. You’ll receive three months free regardless of which plan you choose, and you’ll receive all of the same benefits. The real difference is just in how many bills you need to pay each month.
Customer Support:
We were a bit disappointed by the limited number of customer service options available BEFORE you sign up for MSN's online bill paying service. Our team was able to find information through their FAQ's, which open up in a pop-window. While these FAQ's provide plenty of information, they are not comprehensive and didn't answer all of our questions. Unfortunately, no email or live chat support was available.
While we were searching the site for possible customer support options, we found a toll-free number listed in the terms and conditions for the service. When we called the number, none of the options were for customer service and we weren’t even given the option of staying on the line to speak to an operator. This was pretty dissatisfying, as any customer requests should be handled in a friendly, efficient manner.
Upside:
Reasonable prices. Checkfree $50 guarantee. Three months free.
Downside:
Poor customer service. Too difficult finding information about the service.
MSN Bill Pay Summary:
While Star Reviews was impressed with the reasonable price of the MSN Bill Pay service and the Checkfree guarantee, other problems seemed to overshadow those benefits. MSN simply made it too difficult to learn anything about their program and even though you get to try it free for three months, most users want to know a little more about how their bills will be paid before they sign up for a service.
With better customer support for potential users and current users, MSN’s bill paying service might be a better bill paying option. Right now, the service has its strengths but when compared with its weaknesses, it only ranks average among online bill paying services.