Online fax services are an easy and convenient way to transmit documents between offices without relying on costly paper, ink or a dedicated machine. To help you decide which service may be right for your business, we spent weeks researching and evaluating dozens of options. We considered a host of factors – including cost, ease of use, added features and customer service – to determine the online fax services we think are best.
\r\nYou can read more below about the services we think are best and why, the features you should look for in an online fax service, the cost structure for these services, and some important online faxing regulations to know. In addition, you can hear from those who use online fax services about the platforms they use and what they like about them.
\r\neFax supports both the sending and receiving of online faxes. It boasts a user-friendly interface on the web and an easily navigated mobile application that is free of charge to account holders. eFax offers unlimited fax storage, as well as 24/7 customer support by phone, email and live chat. eFax enables the sending and receiving of online faxes by multiple methods, including online portal, email attachment or mobile device. eFax lets you take a picture of a document with your mobile device and send it directly as a fax as well. It also includes a digital signature feature and file-sharing option at no additional cost.
\r\nTo sign up with eFax, you must choose between two plans: eFax Plus and eFax Pro. The eFax Plus plan offers a monthly allotment of 150 pages of incoming faxes and 150 pages of outgoing faxes for $16.95 per month. If you sign up for one year of service, you get two months free. The eFax Pro plan increases the number of both incoming and outgoing faxes to 200 each at a cost of $19.95 per month, or $199.50 per year. eFax charges a 10 cent overage fee for every fax sent beyond your monthly limit. There is also a $10 setup fee with both plans.
","fullReview":"eFax supports both incoming and outgoing faxes. It does not offer as much value compared to other fax services; however, its versatile functionality and user-friendliness make it a popular choice. If you need assistance, you can contact eFax through email, live chat and phone support. The website also has a help center with FAQs, tutorials and other resources.
\r\nTo view all of our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\neFax provides two plans to choose from: eFax Plus and eFax Pro. The Plus plan provides 150 pages of incoming faxes and 150 pages of outgoing faxes for $16.95 per month (or $169.50 per year). The Pro plan gives you 200 pages for both incoming and outgoing faxes at a cost of $19.95 per month (or $199.50 per year). The service charges a 10 cent overage fee for each page sent or received over your faxing limit, which is more than what other fax software services on our lineup charge. There is also a one-time $10 setup fee for each plan. (Many of the online fax providers we evaluated do not charge a setup fee.)
\r\nThe service provides both local and toll-free numbers and supports international faxing. For large corporations or users that frequently send faxes from their computers, eFax provides an enterprise solution, which has scalable page volume and is also HIPAA compliant.
\r\nUsing eFax, you can send faxes from email, the online portal or a mobile device. Further, you can send faxes as email attachments or upload files directly to the eFax web portal and send them that way.
\r\nThere are two methods for sending a fax using eFax's mobile app (available for iOS or Android). With the first method, you snap a picture of the document and fax it as an image file. With the second method, you can attach a file to a fax and send it that way. eFax's mobile app is free to account holders. We found both eFax's online platform and mobile app easy to navigate and use.
\r\neFax's standout features include a digital signature option, file sharing and unlimited storage of your faxes for as long as you use the service. The digital signature tool allows you to create a signature that you simply drag and drop into documents. You can also send a fax to multiple recipients at once, which can save you time.
\r\nDespite eFax's appealing features, including its mobile app, it isn't the most cost-effective fax service we reviewed. Like other fax services owned by J2 Global, it has mixed customer satisfaction reviews, with numerous complaints about its billing practices and difficulty canceling service.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=312&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|QT&aff_sub3=deal|Impact-Radius&url_id=1","name":"HasOffers/Tune"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5e8f681e7b4374916b8b4605/efax_logo.png"}}},{"bullets":["Inbound and outbound faxing ","Web-based admin console ","14-day free trial"],"description":".","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Featured Sponsor","isFeaturedBestPick":true,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Featured Sponsor","review":{"displayName":"MetroFax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/metrofax/","id":"cf3b30fe55ffd888d0f4f93edb8fa99b","url":"http://www.metrofax.com/","review":{"pros":null,"cons":null,"fullReviewTest":"MetroFax is an online fax service that you can access via desktop, mobile app or email platform. The service supports both inbound and outbound faxing, allows you to send faxes to multiple recipients simultaneously, and has a web-based, centralized administration console. MetroFax allows you to choose a dedicated local or toll-free number, or you can port over an existing fax number. Faxes can be stored for as long as you are a subscriber, and they can all be converted to PDF and TIFF documents. MetroFax service is available in three pricing plans that differ based on the number of incoming and outgoing faxes you can send and receive each month. There are no setup, activation or cancellation fees. A 14-day free trial is available.
","fullReview":"MetroFax is an online fax service that you can access via desktop, mobile app or email platform. We found MetroFax's service to be intuitive and easy to use, but users report billing and cancellation issues. It has a full slate of features and a 30-day free trial.
\r\nTo view all our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nMetroFax is priced competitively and has three service tiers for businesses with varying fax usage. A discount is available if you pay annually rather than monthly. There are no setup fees. The company does not charge any early termination or activation fees either and does not require a contract.
\r\nThe charge for additional pages beyond your service level is one of the lowest in our review at 3 cents per page. Sending a fax internationally carries a small charge based on its destination. You can sign up for a toll-free number at no extra charge.
\r\nMetroFax supports both inbound and outbound faxing, allows you to send faxes to multiple recipients simultaneously, and has a centralized client portal with administrative permissions. It gives you the option to use your existing fax number, or you can choose from local and toll-free fax numbers if you need a new one. Users can digitally sign documents before sending them.
\r\nMetroFax integrates with popular office software, including Microsoft Outlook. In this scenario, sending faxes from your email is similar to sending an email attachment.
\r\nThe faxes you send and receive with MetroFax are stored in your account database for as long as you're subscribed to the service. The service automatically converts all faxes to PDF and TIFF files, so you can easily access your faxes, regardless of how they were sent.
\r\nMetroFax's website has a FAQs page that may be useful if you have issues with the service and want to find answers on your own. Demos and tutorials are also available.
\r\nIn 2013, MetroFax was acquired by j2 Global Inc., and since then has had numerous consumer complaints. The Better Business Bureau reports that MetroFax has a \"pattern of complaints concerning consumers having charges automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts without notice on a monthly basis after making a one-time purchase. Consumers also allege having difficulty canceling their accounts online or by phone.\"
\r\nAdditionally, MetroFax's service lacks the ability to schedule faxes, but given the accessibility of MetroFax's mobile platform, and the fact that few services in our review offer this feature at all, this is not a significant barrier.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=322&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|QT&aff_sub3=deal|impact-radius&url_id=1","name":"QT Program"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rev/prod/ce/2913-metrofax-box.jpg"}}},{"bullets":["Unlimited storage at all levels","HIPAA compliance and SSL encryption","60-day free trial"],"description":"Healthcare providers rely on faxing to transmit sensitive documents. They need a service that can provide special security measures so that patient information isn't compromised. While there are numerous online fax solutions that comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), SRFax is exemplary. \r\n\r\nThis fax solution uses password protection and SSL encryption to ensure messages are sent securely. With its healthcare plans, the company provides multiple user accounts and an unlimited number of authorized email addresses.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best for HIPAA Compliance","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best for HIPAA Compliance","review":{"displayName":"SRFax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/srfax/","id":"ea343d6912b219b0a517ecdda7277399","url":"https://www.srfax.com","review":{"pros":["SRFax has strict encryption protocols for HIPAA compliance.","Plans start as low as $3.29 per month."],"cons":["There is no mobile app support."],"fullReviewTest":"Medical practices all over the world rely on faxing to quickly get sensitive patient data into the right hands. However, they must do so in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its Canadian equivalent, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). With such stringent guidelines from the federal government, these small businesses have to rely on an online fax provider that can follow the law in order to securely handle sensitive data. In our research, we found that SRFax offers multiple levels of data encryption without sacrificing functionality.
\r\nLike nearly every other online fax company, SRFax has multiple service tiers, including its standard and healthcare-specific plans. Each standard plan comes with a 60-day free trial, while the HIPAA-compliant plans have a 30-day free trial.
\r\nStandard plans range from the Basic plan, which comes with 25 pages of faxes for $3.29 per month, to the Standard Professional plan, which comes with 2,500 pages per month and costs $45.95 per month. Each of those plans also includes multiple individual user accounts and unlimited online storage. Only some of those plans include unlimited authorized email addresses, however.
\r\nThese are the healthcare-specific plans, which offer additional security measures and optional PGP encryption:
\r\nBy now, everyone should be aware that there are people on the internet who try to obtain sensitive data for personal gain. Without proper safeguards, that data can put customers at risk. SRFax has implemented safeguards to help keep that from happening. SRFax has 2048-bit SSL certification, 2048-bit RSA public keys, PGP encryption and conventional password protection for its transmissions. In addition, each user gets an encrypted session ID cookie that detects when they're logged in to the system. Once they're online, their communications are encrypted.
\r\nThe safety precautions don't stop there. SRFax keeps its production equipment outside of its employees' reach; only its team of approved engineers and security specialists has access to it. The facility housing SRFax's equipment is under guard 24/7 and has generators and other backup equipment to ensure continual security and uptime. The company's dedication to encryption and data security is among the most impressive of the companies we researched.
\r\nWhile SRFax has an intuitive interface and supports both sending and receiving faxes, it does not have its own mobile app for either iOS or Android. However, the service is accessible from any internet browser.
\r\nThough SRFax is certainly impressive when it comes to data protection, we were a little let down by not being able to digitally sign or update faxes prior to transmission. This may not be a major problem for most businesses, but medical practitioners may need this feature if they and their patients prefer not to print and scan documents that require signatures.
\r\nSeptember 2020: Earlier this year, SRFax was acquired by online communications giant J2 Global. According to J2 Global, SRFax was added to the company's Cloud Services division, joining other companies like eFax, eVoice, iContact and KeepItSafe. According to J2 Global, the acquisition will help grow their customer base, offer access to new markets and expand its product lineup.
\r\n","fullReview":"
Boasting data protection strong enough to satisfy both the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), SRFax is our pick for the best online fax service for medical practices. In addition to its secure faxing qualifications, the company offers flexible service plans and a set of features that businesses of any size can appreciate.
\r\nTo view all our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nSRFax offers multiple plans for both its standard services and its healthcare-specific plans for companies in the medical industry. Each standard plan has a 60-day free trial, and the healthcare-specific plans include a 30-day free trial.
\r\nYou can port your existing fax number to this faxing service so you won't have to change it, or you can receive a new one. Additional fax numbers for all plans cost $4.95 per month per number. There are no startup costs or additional fees to begin working with SRFax.
\r\nAll standard SRFax plans have multiple individual user accounts, unlimited online storage and, unless otherwise indicated below, unlimited authorized email addresses. Here are the costs for the company's standard plans.
\r\nSRFax's HIPAA-compliant plans for healthcare-related businesses are highly secure and give you the option of PGP encryption for additional security. Every pricing tier comes with multiple individual user accounts and unlimited authorized email addresses. Unless otherwise noted below, each page beyond the monthly allotment costs 3.5 cents.
\r\nSince transferring any type of information over the internet risks interception by unintended recipients, online fax services that work with healthcare providers must follow strict guidelines to safeguard patients' personal data. To meet HIPAA compliance regulations, they must add extra layers of authentication and encryption.
\r\nTo that end, SRFax offers 2048-bit SSL Certification, 2048-bit RSA public keys, PGP encryption and conventional password protection. Each user gets an encrypted session ID cookie that detects when they're logged in to the system. Once they're online, their communications are encrypted.
\r\nFurthermore, the company's production equipment remains outside of its employees' reach; only its team of approved engineers and security specialists have access to it. The facility housing SRFax's equipment is under guard 24/7 and has generators and other backup equipment to ensure continual security and uptime.
\r\nSRFax has a 24-hour customer support hotline and maintains an online knowledgebase for customers who prefer to troubleshoot issues themselves. While we had a satisfactory experience with SRFax's customer service when we called and posed as a potential customer as part of our testing, we felt like we had to press the rep we spoke with for information. Instead of giving straight answers to our questions, they often referred us to the website, which made the experience less helpful than it could have been.
\r\nMedical practices often require signatures on faxes, but SRFax doesn't allow for digital signatures. While this is not a deal-breaker for most businesses, healthcare providers may want this feature if they and their patients prefer not to print and scan documents that require signatures.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=377&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|Affiliate&aff_sub3=deal|SRFax&url_id=1","name":"SRFax"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rev/prod/srfax.png"}}},{"bullets":["Feature-rich platform","Four pricing plans","E-signature options"],"description":"RingCentral's rich selection of features set it apart from other online fax companies we evaluated. Though the company does not offer a cheap, low-volume option for sending and receiving faxes, RingCentral clients get access to a wide range of features, such as indefinite storage of faxes, seamless integration with some of today's most ubiquitous office software, international faxing capabilities, and a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. \r\n\r\nUsers can set SMS or email alerts to be notified whenever a new fax is sent to their inbox. Further, you can use the company's desktop client, the Android or iOS app, or your preferred email service to access your faxes.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Overall Online Fax Service","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Overall Online Fax Service","review":{"displayName":"RingCentral Fax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/ringcentral-fax/","id":"d2e8d5c71057aeb2475b33ff640ee655","url":"https://www.ringcentral.com/fax/features/how-it-works.html","review":{"pros":["You can store up to 200 faxes indefinitely.","Native iOS and Android apps are available."],"cons":["There's no low-volume option for smaller businesses."],"fullReviewTest":"RingCentral is our pick as the best online fax service for small businesses, thanks in large part to its robust feature set, intuitive interface and strong security measures to keep sensitive data away from prying eyes.
\r\nRingCentral offers four pricing plans for its online faxing service, though only two – Fax 1500 and Fax Unlimited – are prominently featured on its main page. Each service tier includes a single shared fax number, though you can purchase additional numbers for $4.99 per month per user. The company offers these pricing tiers:
\r\nUnlike some of its competitors, RingCentral doesn't offer a free service, though it does have a 30-day free trial. Also, each page is considered equal to one minute of service, meaning your internet connection's speed can impact what counts as a page in the company's calculations. If you have a speedy connection, your allotments will stretch a little further.
\r\nDuring setup, you can either keep your existing fax number or choose one from a list of toll-free, local and vanity numbers, with custom caller ID information available for free. You can then access faxes through the company's browser-based dashboard, a supported email client, or RingCentral's iOS and Android apps. RingCentral can integrate with many major business software suites, including Windows Office, Dropbox and Google Drive.
\r\nIf your outgoing faxes require a signature beforehand, RingCentral's platform allows you to create an electronic signature to add to documents. You can also add digital annotations and create custom cover pages. Each fax you send and receive is converted into a PDF for easy reading on most machines, with the RingCentral platform able to support most common file formats.
\r\nDecember 2020: RingCentral transmits all faxes through an encrypted connection. Transmission security includes Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) encryption, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, HiTrust CSF Certification and HIPAA compliance.
\r\nRingCentral recently announced it received three internationally recognized ISO certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018. The certification acknowledges that RingCentral complies with ISO international standards to ensure users security and privacy needs are met.
\r\nWhile there's a lot to like about RingCentral, a few things about it may be a problem for some small businesses. The most glaring issue is that the company doesn't have a particularly low-volume option. Most small businesses don't need to send 750 pages in a month, so even the lowest tier might be overkill for some. It's also unfortunate that the company doesn't calculate pages on a 1-to-1 scale, since internet connectivity varies so much throughout the country. Any disparity can result in an uneven pricing system, which may turn off some users.
","fullReview":"After extensive research, RingCentral Fax is our pick for the best overall online fax service. Its feature set, security-minded service and flexible user counts make this California-based company stand out as the best option for small businesses looking to tailor their online faxing needs.
\r\nTo view all our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nRingCentral Fax offers four pricing plans. Before you sign up for a plan, it's important to know how much faxing your business conducts, since each service tier offers a different volume of incoming and outgoing faxes, with are additional charges for each page you send or receive over that limit.
\r\nUnlike its competitors, RingCentral doesn't offer a free version of its faxing service. It does, however, offer a free trial.
\r\nRingCentral's monthly plans are priced as follows:
\r\nSubscription plans come with one shared fax number – except the Fax Unlimited plan, which comes with two. All plans give you the option of adding extra fax numbers for a monthly price of $4.99 each. You can purchase a toll-free or vanity fax number for a one-time fee of $30. There are no setup fees, nor are there any long-term contracts to sign.
\r\nIt's worth noting that RingCentral considers one page as equal to one minute of service, but your internet connectivity can affect this calculation. Therefore, your total allotment of pages is truly a minute-based plan, meaning that if you have a fast internet connection, your service will stretch further. Slower internet connections, on the other hand, might be limited to fewer faxes than the number your plan specifies. RingCentral is very upfront about this fact, as its customer service representative explained the system to us.
\r\nThe best online fax companies offer more bang for your buck by including multiple features that make sending and receiving faxes easier and more secure, giving you and your fax recipients peace of mind. RingCentral, while predominantly a phone service company, provides a strong slate of features with its online faxing service.
\r\nDuring setup, you can use your existing fax number or choose one from a list of toll-free, local and vanity numbers. Custom caller ID information can also be set up at no additional charge. You can then create email and SMS alerts to let your staff know when faxes show up in their inboxes.
\r\nRingCentral users can access both incoming and outgoing faxes almost anywhere.
\r\nUsing the RingCentral platform, you can create an electronic signature and add it to documents. This digital signature is legally binding, just as it would be if you printed off the documents, signed them and then scanned them back in before sending. You can also annotate documents and create cover pages in the RingCentral platform. The company supports most common file types, including PDF, DOC and various image files. Each sent and received fax is converted into a PDF for easy reading on most machines.
\r\nOne service RingCentral offers that most of the other services in our review do not is the ability to schedule faxes for future delivery. This is especially helpful if you need to fax documents to different time zones but don't have time to manually stagger your sending times to match your recipients' schedules. RingCentral offers international faxing, but costs vary by the number of pages you send and the country your recipient is in.
\r\nIf your business needs to send a fax to multiple recipients, RingCentral allows you to create groups of up to 50 email addresses to send faxes to in one message. Whether a fax has multiple recipients or just one, RingCentral touts the security of any documents sent through its service. All faxes sent through RingCentral are encrypted and transmitted through a secure connection.
\r\nUp to 200 faxes can be stored indefinitely in your online account. The 200-fax limit is relatively low for online fax services in our review; however, since you can store faxes in your email inbox as well, this isn't a serious drawback.
\r\nCustomer service representatives are available over live chat and email, and the company's website has additional support resources such as FAQs, video tutorials, and online forums that may contain answers to your questions or problems.
\r\nPosing as a prospective customer, we called RingCentral's customer service hotline with some questions about its online faxing services. The representative we spoke with was very helpful, listened attentively to our questions and offered thorough responses.
\r\nWhile we had a positive interaction with RingCentral's customer service, it's important to note that certain accounts won't have 24/7 access to phone support, as this feature is only available with the Fax 1,500 plan and up. Other plans can still access phone support, but only between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Non-English support is available Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central European Time.
\r\nWithout a low-volume option for small businesses, customers with minimal needs could be stuck paying for more service than they need – even if the plans are still relatively affordable.
\r\nWhile RingCentral says its plans are measured in pages, it really calculates usage based on the number of minutes each fax takes to transmit. The company assumes that one page usually takes one minute to send. In truth, faxing speed varies depending on your internet connection and what you're trying to send. This results in an uneven pricing system, but the company's representatives didn't attempt to hide this fact.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=289&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|Affiliate&aff_sub3=deal|Partnerize&url_id=1","name":"RingCentral"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5d23c6245a215ed6418b458b/ringcentral.png"}}},{"bullets":["Up to 50 users per group","Free toll-free numbers","Web-based interface"],"description":".","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best For Multiple Users","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best For Multiple Users","review":{"displayName":"mFax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/mfax/","id":"288e9668f44565ff707e8158cfdfa3a5","url":"https://www.mfax.io/","review":{"pros":["mFax automatically stores all sent and received faxes in the cloud.","It supports email-to-fax functionality."],"cons":["You can't digitally edit or sign documents."],"fullReviewTest":"Small businesses consisting of multiple teams need an online fax service that accommodates more than one user at a given time. Throughout our research, we found mFax to be one of the more flexible options for companies in need of an easy online fax platform that accommodates their needs.
\r\nmFax's plans operate on a monthly or yearly basis, with multiple pricing options to cater to most small businesses. Each service tier offers a variation on the same package and does not require a setup fee or long-term contract.
\r\nCompanies looking to take advantage of mFax's multi-user functionality will have to eschew the Solo tier. Though it's the cheapest option at $9 per month (or $84 per year), it does not allow for more than one user at a time, as the name suggests. Those who want multiple users on the same account need to sign up for the Team tier or higher. Along with a complimentary toll-free number, you can have additional fax numbers for an extra monthly fee.
\r\nIf your small business needs to accommodate multiple users on the same account, you will need one of these plans:
\r\nWith its intuitive web-based interface, mFax allows you to both send and receive messages. It gives all member accounts a toll-free fax number to use and has full fax-to-email functionality. If you'd rather send faxes through your computer's word processor, mFax provides a free print-to-fax driver that gives any program with printing capabilities the ability to send faxes.
\r\nOctober 2020: mFax's parent company, Documo, has added more features to its online faxing capabilities with its recent mDrive update. With the move to version 3.4.5, users can save faxes directly to mDrive, view information of each fax there, drag and drop faxes into folders, and give account administrators the ability to limit their own access to specific products.
\r\nThe overall interface is reminiscent of most web-based email clients. All incoming and outgoing faxes are stored in the system, while all saved files are stored and encrypted in the cloud. You can add tags to each fax to allow simple categorizing and easy searching later.
\r\nWhile we found plenty to appreciate about mFax's online fax solution, we were a little concerned that the company's international faxing capabilities remain in beta. With global business being so inextricably connected through the internet, it's not a stretch to consider a situation where mFax's limited overseas scope could be an issue. In its current form, mFax can only send messages to 23 countries other than the U.S. and Canada.
\r\nAnother point of concern is the inability to digitally edit or sign faxes before you send them. Anyone interested in the convenience of a digital signature feature and its potential paper waste reduction should keep this omission in mind.
","fullReview":"All online fax solutions can mimic a fax machine, but only some make it widely available to multiple users. mFax is our pick as the best online fax service for multiple users because it is a flexible solution for small businesses that need fax account access for multiple employees.
\r\nTo view all our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nLike most fax providers, mFax has multiple pricing tiers. Each service tier offers a slightly different package and is available on a monthly or yearly basis. There is no setup fee and no long-term contract to sign, so small business owners looking to use the online faxing services can sign up on mFax's website without fear of being locked into a multiyear agreement.
\r\nIf you want to give multiple employees access to the fax system, you need to sign up for the Team tier or higher. The Solo tier, as its name suggests, does not allow for more than one user per account. Each plan comes with a toll-free number, with the option to add more numbers for an additional monthly fee.
\r\nHere's what it costs to use mFax as your online faxing solution:
\r\nAlong with these service tiers, mFax offers an Enterprise plan that allows you to customize the service to fit your business faxing needs. You can call the company and speak with a sales representative to discuss your options.
\r\nIn addition to its easy-to-use web interface and the ability to both send and receive faxes, mFax includes some features by default that other online fax providers charge extra for. All service tiers include a toll-free fax number and support both email-to-fax and fax-to-email functionality. It also has a free print-to-fax driver for your computer, giving users the ability to send faxes directly from any program with printing capabilities.
\r\nUsers access their accounts through an intuitive web portal that's set up like most email clients. It has a set of folders where all incoming and outgoing faxes are stored. All files are encrypted and stored in the cloud. You can add tags to each message for easy searchability later.
\r\nTeam-level accounts and higher come with administrator tools that you can use to manage several aspects of an account, such as by adding new fax numbers, adding and removing users, and editing user-level settings.
\r\nFor small businesses that aren't entirely sold on getting rid of their in-office fax machine, mFax offers a VoIP adapter called a FaxBridge. Once set up, the adapter connects your existing fax machine to mFax's servers instead of a physical phone line. The device costs $175 plus tax but could save your business some money, depending on how much you were paying the telephone company for a dedicated fax line.
\r\nDuring our evaluation process, we called mFax's customer service hotline and posed as a prospective customer with a number of questions. The customer service representative we spoke with was professional and answered each of our questions politely and thoroughly. The rep only went into greater detail on mFax's offerings when asked and did not attempt to pressure us into costlier services.
\r\nSmall businesses that need to send and receive faxes internationally may need to look elsewhere, as mFax's international faxing services are currently very limited (still in beta). Aside from the U.S. and Canada, users can only send documents to recipients in 23 countries.
\r\nFurthermore, faxes cannot be edited or signed online before sending. In its current form, you must print, sign and scan a document before faxing it. Users looking for the convenience of a digital signature feature and hoping to reduce paper waste should keep this omission in mind.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=628&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|affiliate&aff_sub3=deal|mfax&url_id=208","name":"MFax"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5d13a2717b437427358b4568/mfax-logo.png"}}},{"bullets":["50 free received pages per month","Free storage of up to 1,000 pages","Easy-to-use platform"],"description":"FaxBetter is an online faxing service that offers a lot upfront at no cost. The company doesn't charge a setup fee to establish your account, there are no contracts to sign, and it supports most major file types.\r\n\r\nWith FaxBetter's free offering, you can receive up to 50 pages of faxes each month free. It also allows you to store up to 1,000 pages with your free account. You can't send faxes for free with this service, but for the sole purpose of receiving faxed messages, FaxBetter is an excellent choice.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Free Incoming Online Fax Service","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Free Incoming Online Fax Service","review":{"displayName":"FaxBetter","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/faxbetter/","id":"1af60a4b85807e5896a7aac0f1cbf20d","url":"https://www.faxbetter.com/","review":{"pros":["All paid plans have unlimited storage.","It provides features for free that most companies charge extra for."],"cons":["It requires an advertising browser extension."],"fullReviewTest":"For companies that only need to receive faxes without the use of a traditional fax machine, there aren't that many options out there. Most online fax solutions tend to focus on sending messages, so we were happy to name FaxBetter as our best pick for free incoming fax solution after testing out the service.
\r\nWhat you get for no cost may or may not be enough for your small business. When you sign up for a free account (which FaxBetter does not require a credit card to do, unlike some of its competitors), you can receive up to 20 pages per month without paying a cent.
\r\nOnce you go over the 20-page allotment, a paid option of $9.95 per month (with automatic renewal) becomes available. The price goes down if you opt for an annual or biannual subscription at $95.40 or $142.80 respectively. Through this paid account, you get 500 pages per month to work with and can send faxes as well. The paid account also comes with unlimited lifetime storage.
\r\nFaxBetter is a fax-to-email service, meaning incoming faxes are treated similarly to any type of email you may receive. This company's interface is very similar to any email application you may have used, with incoming faxes arriving in a virtual inbox like the one you would find in Gmail or Microsoft Outlook. FaxBetter lets you manage your inbox, sort faxes and apply labels to faxes for better searchability.
\r\nFaxBetter's free incoming fax plan gives your business a dedicated toll-free number to use and enough digital storage to file away up to 1,000 pages for the life of the account. That last part is important, since you only get 60 days to retrieve any files you want once your account is deactivated. After that window, everything is permanently deleted.
\r\nBringing up the potential for account deactivation highlights a major downside to FaxBetter's free service. To maintain your account, you must use it at a fairly regular pace. If you do not receive any faxes within seven days, you will lose the free fax number the company gave you. That can obviously cause problems for your business if you gave that number out to clients and leads. If your company receives faxes infrequently, you will either need to ensure you receive a fax at least once a week with your existing free account and fax number or get accustomed to signing up for a new account (and number) anytime you need to receive a fax.
","fullReview":"Services that send online faxes for free are fairly common. What's rare, however, is an online service that allows small businesses to receive the occasional fax at no cost and without the need for a fax machine. FaxBetter is our pick as the best free incoming online fax solution because it allows companies to receive incoming faxes without ads, and it features an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
\r\nIf you need a service that lets you send faxes for free, see our review of GotFreeFax. Or, to view our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nWith FaxBetter's free service, you can receive up to 20 pages per month free of charge. FaxBetter does not require you to input a credit card just to sign up for a free account.
\r\nIf your faxing needs exceed 20 pages per month, a paid option is available. For $9.95 per month (with automatic renewal), you get up to 500 pages per month. The paid plan also allows you to send faxes, plus you get unlimited lifetime storage. If you opt for a yearly or biyearly subscription, you receive a discount. These plans cost $95.40 and $142.80, respectively.
\r\nYou can't exceed the monthly limit with FaxBetter's free plan; the paid version allows for more than the 500 pages a month, however, if you exceed that limit, additional charges apply. Once the 501st page is used in a billing period, FaxBetter charges $15 for 250 additional pages. Any pages left over transfer to subsequent billing cycles.
\r\nFaxBetter is a fax-to-email service. Incoming faxes arrive in a digital format and are stored in a virtual inbox that looks much like any email application. And similar to the layout and function of email clients like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook, you can manage your inbox, sort faxes and manage labels. If you have a paid plan with FaxBetter, you can send faxes here as well.
\r\nFor a free service, FaxBetter's incoming fax plan includes some nice added features. For example, it provides you with a dedicated toll-free number to use, and there is enough storage space for you to keep up to 1,000 pages of faxes for the life of your account. If you deactivate your account, you have 60 days to retrieve any files you want before they are permanently deleted. FaxBetter also has an email notification feature that alerts you when you've received a new fax in your FaxBetter inbox. There are no advertisements to sort through either.
\r\nWe were pleased with FaxBetter's customer service. The representative we spoke with was courteous and affable, and took the time to answer our questions clearly. We focused entirely on the company's free product during our conversation. At no point did we feel pressured to upgrade to the paid subscription, though we were told of its existence as a possible option for the future.
\r\nYou can contact the company's customer support team between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
\r\nFaxBetter's free plan does not support outbound faxing. If you want to send faxes, you must upgrade to a paid account. Also, your fax number is effectively on a timer. If you do not receive any faxes within seven days, the free fax number provided by FaxBetter will be canceled. Companies that receive infrequent faxes will either need to ensure they receive a fax at least once each week with their existing free account and fax number or get accustomed to signing up for a new account (and number) anytime they need to receive a fax.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=625&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|Not-Monetized&aff_sub3=deal|no&url_id=1","name":"NO AFFILIATE"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5ac52cd61039eb25258b4578/faxbetter-logo.png"}}},{"bullets":["Free cover page","No ads on free outgoing faxes","Fax broadcasting included"],"description":"If your business doesn't send a lot of faxes, GotFreeFax's free service is a good choice. After signing up for a free account, you can fax up to three pages each day to recipients in the U.S. and Canada at no charge. The online fax solution provides a free cover page, but you can opt out and use your own. \r\n\r\nGotFreeFax does not add advertisements to your free faxes, which is a plus. This Canadian company supports international faxing as well, but this feature isn't included in the free plan, and you will incur charges based on the location of the fax recipient.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Free Outgoing Online Fax Service","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Free Outgoing Online Fax Service","review":{"displayName":"GotFreeFax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/gotfreefax/","id":"f99aec8171138aa456d0bc02c1dbbcf6","url":"https://www.gotfreefax.com/","review":{"pros":["Faxes are sent through an encrypted connection.","The entire interface is located on one page."],"cons":["There is no option to receive faxes."],"fullReviewTest":"Not every small business that faxes documents needs to sign up for a monthly subscription to an online fax solution. For small businesses that only fax every once in a while, GotFreeFax is our best pick for a pay-per-use fax service and the best free outgoing online fax service, thanks to its simple interface and flexibility as a platform.
\r\nNote that this company only deals in sending faxes, whether you use the free service or not. Still, with a name like GotFreeFax, it's good to know that its free version is a capable tool for small businesses that may not send many faxes on a regular basis. Under its free offering, GotFreeFax lets you send two faxes a day, each with a three-page maximum. For anything more than that, you will need to rely on the company's pay-per-use or prepaid business service tier.
\r\nThrough GotFreeFax's paid offerings, you gain access to more features and the ability to send more faxes. Both paid service tiers eschew the monthly subscription fee that GotFreeFax's competitors regularly charge, charging instead by the number of pages being sent at any given time. For example, this is the normal pay-per-use model's pricing structure:
\r\nUnder the business prepaid service, you can purchase page credits that never expire and can be used at any time. Businesses that choose this plan also get access to the fax broadcasting feature, allowing one fax to be sent to multiple recipients. This arrangement makes sense for companies that only have occasional faxing needs but know they will fax documents in the future. This tier's pricing structure deals in the hundreds and thousands of pages, so your potential volume makes a difference.
\r\nWhile GotFreeFax has competitive prices for its pay-per-use and business prepaid services, it would be natural to wonder if the company skimps on any features. We found that GotFreeFax still offers some basic features along with its simple, single-page interface and apparent disinterest in forcing people to sign up for an account. You can edit the body of your fax in a simple HTML-enabled text box, which has rich text formatting options to enhance the visual flair of your message. You can also create cover pages in the text field; upload one as a separate PDF, JPEG or DOC file; or use GotFreeFax's ad-free option.
\r\nAs for data security measures, GotFreeFax sends its messages through its servers that are managed by certified engineers, secured by Gateway AntiVirus software and sent over an encrypted connection.
\r\nWhile free or nearly free is always better than paying too much for a service, those low costs often have a caveat. In GotFreeFax's case, that caveat is no inbound fax services. While GotFreeFax recommends either RingCentral or Faxage for that service, we also suggest you consider FaxBetter, our best pick for free incoming fax service.
\r\nOf course, you get what you pay for with GotFreeFax, so you should temper your expectations for the features and functionality. This service doesn't have many of the nice features that come with paid plans, such as document storage, a mobile app and software integration.
","fullReview":"Running a small business is difficult enough, so when a service comes along that's intuitive to use, flexible and fills a need, it's worth taking note. GotFreeFax's online fax solution is all those things, making it our best pick for both free outgoing and pay-per-use online fax services. If your small business only sends faxes periodically and is looking to ditch the fax machine – along with the costs associated with it – GotFreeFax may be a cost-effective faxing solution for you.
\r\nTo view all of our recommendations for online fax services, visit our best picks page.
\r\nAs its name suggests, GotFreeFax offers a free service – you can send two faxes per day, each with a three-page maximum.
\r\nGotFreeFax's pay-per-fax service has pricing tiers based on page length. Here's what it costs.
\r\nGotFreeFax also offers a business prepaid service that is priced per page and includes page credits that can be used at any time and never expire. There is no monthly subscription fee. This arrangement makes sense for companies that only have occasional faxing needs but know they will fax documents in the future.
\r\nUsers who opt for this prepaid service also get access to the fax broadcasting feature, allowing for one fax to be sent to multiple recipients.
\r\nWhen considering an online fax service, regardless of whether you need a free outgoing solution to send a few short faxes each week or a pay-per-use pricing model that lets you send the occasional long fax, ease of use is very important.
\r\nIn our experience, GotFreeFax is one of the easiest outgoing faxing services to use. It has an intuitive, straightforward browser-based faxing interface. There's no need to sign up for an account – sender and recipient info, fax content, file uploads (it accepts PDF, JPEG, and DOC), and free or premium fax options are all located right on the main page. The body of your fax can be edited in a simple HTML-enabled text box, and it has rich-text formatting options you can use to enhance the visual appeal of your fax. If you need a cover page, you can use GotFreeFax's ad-free option or upload your own in one of the above-mentioned formats.
\r\nGotFreeFax securely sends all faxes through its servers, which are managed by certified engineers and secured by Gateway AntiVirus software. Faxes are sent over an encrypted connection.
\r\nGotFreeFax offers no phone support for its free service, but you can send an email to its customer support address, a fax or fill out the contact form on its website. There is also a lengthy FAQs page.
\r\nWe emailed GotFreeFax; it took customer service eight hours to respond to our email. It's understandable that a free service doesn't staff a call center, but that long of a delay could be a deal-breaker if you send time-sensitive faxes and need immediate help. That said, though, GotFreeFax's service is so user-friendly that customer support won't be needed very often.
\r\nGotFreeFax does not have an inbound fax service; it recommends either RingCentral or Faxage for that service. You may also want to consider FaxBetter, our best pick for free incoming fax service.
\r\nAn additional limitation of GotFreeFax is that it lacks many of the nicer features that come with paid plans, such as document storage, a mobile app and support for software integration.
\r\nAdditional reporting by Adam Uzialko.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=626&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|NM&aff_sub3=deal|&url_id=1","name":"NO AFFILIATE"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5ac52c2151ee4784438b4576/gff-logo.png"}}},{"bullets":["Up to 30 pages per faxed document","International faxing available","Simple and flexible platform"],"description":"If your company doesn't frequently send faxes, GotFreeFax's pay-per-use model is the way to go.\r\n\r\nInstead of paying a monthly subscription fee, GotFreeFax only charges you for the faxes you send. For less than a dollar, you can send up to 10 pages. Additional tiers are available for slightly more money.\r\n\r\nIts pricing options are easily expandable based on your company's needs. (You can also purchase credits to apply toward future faxes.) The company's interface is incredibly simple to use, and it supports popular file formats like PDF and JPG. There are no setup fees or contracts.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Pay-as-You-Go Online Fax Service","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Pay-as-You-Go Online Fax Service","review":{"displayName":"GotFreeFax - Best Pay-Per-Use Online Fax","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/gotfreefax-online-fax/","id":"f99aec8171138aa456d0bc02c1dbbcf62","url":"https://www.gotfreefax.com/","review":{"pros":["Faxes are sent through an encrypted connection.","The entire interface is located on one page."],"cons":["There is no option to receive faxes."],"fullReviewTest":"Not every small business that faxes documents needs to sign up for a monthly subscription to an online fax solution. For small businesses that only fax every once in a while, GotFreeFax is our best pick for a pay-per-use fax service and the best free outgoing online fax service, thanks to its simple interface and flexibility as a platform.
\r\nNote that this company only deals in sending faxes, whether you use the free service or not. Still, with a name like GotFreeFax, it's good to know that its free version is a capable tool for small businesses that may not send many faxes on a regular basis. Under its free offering, GotFreeFax lets you send two faxes a day, each with a three-page maximum. For anything more than that, you will need to rely on the company's pay-per-use or prepaid business service tier.
\r\nThrough GotFreeFax's paid offerings, you gain access to more features and the ability to send more faxes. Both paid service tiers eschew the monthly subscription fee that GotFreeFax's competitors regularly charge, charging instead by the number of pages being sent at any given time. For example, this is the normal pay-per-use model's pricing structure:
\r\nUnder the business prepaid service, you can purchase page credits that never expire and can be used at any time. Businesses that choose this plan also get access to the fax broadcasting feature, allowing one fax to be sent to multiple recipients. This arrangement makes sense for companies that only have occasional faxing needs but know they will fax documents in the future. This tier's pricing structure deals in the hundreds and thousands of pages, so your potential volume makes a difference.
\r\nWhile GotFreeFax has competitive prices for its pay-per-use and business prepaid services, it would be natural to wonder if the company skimps on any features. We found that GotFreeFax still offers some basic features along with its simple, single-page interface and apparent disinterest in forcing people to sign up for an account. You can edit the body of your fax in a simple HTML-enabled text box, which has rich text formatting options to enhance the visual flair of your message. You can also create cover pages in the text field; upload one as a separate PDF, JPEG or DOC file; or use GotFreeFax's ad-free option.
\r\nAs for data security measures, GotFreeFax sends its messages through its servers that are managed by certified engineers, secured by Gateway AntiVirus software and sent over an encrypted connection.
\r\nWhile free or nearly free is always better than paying too much for a service, those low costs often have a caveat. In GotFreeFax's case, that caveat is no inbound fax services. While GotFreeFax recommends either RingCentral or Faxage for that service, we also suggest you consider FaxBetter, our best pick for free incoming fax service.
\r\nOf course, you get what you pay for with GotFreeFax, so you should temper your expectations for the features and functionality. This service doesn't have many of the nice features that come with paid plans, such as document storage, a mobile app and software integration.
","fullReview":"Not every small business that faxes documents needs to sign up for a monthly subscription to an online fax solution. For small businesses that only fax every once in a while, GotFreeFax is our best pick for a pay-per-use fax service and the best free outgoing online fax service, thanks to its simple interface and flexibility as a platform.
\r\nNote that this company only deals in sending faxes, whether you use the free service or not. Still, with a name like GotFreeFax, it's good to know that its free version is a capable tool for small businesses that may not send many faxes on a regular basis. Under its free offering, GotFreeFax lets you send two faxes a day, each with a three-page maximum. For anything more than that, you will need to rely on the company's pay-per-use or prepaid business service tier.
\r\nThrough GotFreeFax's paid offerings, you gain access to more features and the ability to send more faxes. Both paid service tiers eschew the monthly subscription fee that GotFreeFax's competitors regularly charge, charging instead by the number of pages being sent at any given time. For example, this is the normal pay-per-use model's pricing structure:
\r\nUnder the business prepaid service, you can purchase page credits that never expire and can be used at any time. Businesses that choose this plan also get access to the fax broadcasting feature, allowing one fax to be sent to multiple recipients. This arrangement makes sense for companies that only have occasional faxing needs but know they will fax documents in the future. This tier's pricing structure deals in the hundreds and thousands of pages, so your potential volume makes a difference.
\r\nWhile GotFreeFax has competitive prices for its pay-per-use and business prepaid services, it would be natural to wonder if the company skimps on any features. We found that GotFreeFax still offers some basic features along with its simple, single-page interface and apparent disinterest in forcing people to sign up for an account. You can edit the body of your fax in a simple HTML-enabled text box, which has rich text formatting options to enhance the visual flair of your message. You can also create cover pages in the text field; upload one as a separate PDF, JPEG or DOC file; or use GotFreeFax's ad-free option.
\r\nAs for data security measures, GotFreeFax sends its messages through its servers that are managed by certified engineers, secured by Gateway AntiVirus software and sent over an encrypted connection.
\r\nWhile free or nearly free is always better than paying too much for a service, those low costs often have a caveat. In GotFreeFax's case, that caveat is no inbound fax services. While GotFreeFax recommends either RingCentral or Faxage for that service, we also suggest you consider FaxBetter, our best pick for free incoming fax service.
\r\nOf course, you get what you pay for with GotFreeFax, so you should temper your expectations for the features and functionality. This service doesn't have many of the nice features that come with paid plans, such as document storage, a mobile app and software integration.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"affiliate","widgetId":null,"widget":null,"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://businesscom.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=626&aff_id=1000&source=online-fax-services&aff_sub4=revenue|Not-Monetized&aff_sub3=deal|no&url_id=1","name":"NO AFFILIATE"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5ac52c2151ee4784438b4576/gff-logo.png"}}}]},{"__typename":"SectionWidget","id":"","isInToc":false,"type":"widget","title":"","widget":{"widgetId":""}},{"__typename":"SectionOurApproach","id":null,"isInToc":false,"type":"ourapproach","isActive":null,"ourapproach":{"isClonable":false,"servicesConsidered":"27","servicesTested":"16","servicesSelected":"5","linkText":"How we evaluate products and services","linkUrl":"mailto:editor@business.com"}},{"__typename":"SectionContainer","id":"compare-our-best-picks","isInToc":true,"type":"container","title":"Compare Our Best Picks","container":{"isBuyingGuide":false,"html":"| \r\n | RingCentral | \r\nmFax | \r\nSRFax | \r\nGotFreeFax | \r\nFaxBetter | \r\n
| Email faxing support | \r\nSend and receive | \r\nSend and receive | \r\nSend and receive | \r\nWeb-based service; no email support | \r\nSend and receive | \r\n
| Mobile app | \r\niOS and Android | \r\nNo app; web-based | \r\nNo app; web-based | \r\nNo app; web-based | \r\nNo app; web-based | \r\n
| Fax number selection | \r\nToll-free, local and vanity numbers available; can transfer existing fax number | \r\nToll-free number included; more available for a cost; can transfer existing fax number | \r\nToll-free and local numbers available; can transfer existing fax number | \r\nNo fax numbers for personal use | \r\nToll-free number provided at signup (free account must be used weekly to keep) | \r\n
| Inbox and/or outbox | \r\nBoth | \r\nBoth | \r\nBoth | \r\nOutbox only | \r\nOutbox only with free account; both with paid account | \r\n
When considering an online fax provider, you should have an idea of how many faxes you'll generally need to send and receive in a month. Most online fax providers charge a monthly subscription fee largely based on how many faxes will be sent and/or received in any given month. If you were to go over that allotment, an overage charge may be levied against your account, though this is usually only a few cents for each additional page. We didn't find many companies that charge a setup fee, and they were usually only $10 or less in the rare case they existed.
\r\nGenerally, costs range from $3 to $50 a month, with a significant number of pages allotted. More robust feature sets, like support for a higher number of users on each account and customization options, are usually available at higher pricing tiers. Though very few small businesses will be able to take advantage of most services' corporate packages, these plans offer the ability to send and receive a high volume of faxes (at a significantly higher price range).
\r\nIf you don't need too many bells and whistles attached to your faxes or have high-volume needs, a pay-per-use model may be the cost-effective choice. Those providers generally only allow for sending faxes and charge for each page transmitted through their service.
\n"}},{"__typename":"SectionBuyingGuide","id":"features","isInToc":true,"type":"buying-guide","title":"Buying Guide","containers":[{"title":"Online Fax Service Features","html":"\nWhen choosing an online fax service for your small business, you should consider which features matter the most to you. If your company only needs to receive faxes from time to time, you don't need a service with a high monthly page allotment for sending faxes. If you run a medical practice, it would behoove you to seek out a service with stringent data protection measures.
\r\nAfter extensively researching the online fax industry, we noted several basic features that are widely available and beneficial to most businesses. If you're shopping around for an online fax service, keep an eye out for these features in the average service plan:
\r\nThere are many reasons why you would want to sign your small business up for an online fax service. To better understand why some have made the switch, we sought out and discussed the topic with individuals from companies that have done so.
\r\nFor Ryan Turner, co-owner of 3Prime Web Solutions, the decision to switch from a physical fax machine to MyFax came down to efficiency.
\r\n\"Managing a traditional fax machine seemed ridiculous to us, and having to segment the phone number or, worse, get a dedicated line seems wasteful,\" he said.
\r\nThough he is considering looking into a different service since his business doesn't send as many faxes as it used to, Turner said his company has \"never had an issue with [online fax]. We create documents and upload them to fax. It's much easier to work with than the fax machines I remember.\"
\r\nSimilarly, Alex Kovalenko, director of IT recruitment at Kovasys, said the switch hinged on how much his company was paying for an extra phone line to operate a traditional fax machine. \"We no longer need to pay a separate line for faxes, which would cost us around $40 to $50 a month, when online fax only costs around $10 a month.\"
\r\nWhile a cost analysis may prompt one company to make the switch, Burial Insurance Pro founder Matt Schmidt said ease of use and accessibility was important to his team's needs.
\r\n\"Our faxes now come into our email system and can immediately be downloaded into our sales system,\" he said. \"This also allows us to immediately send off the documents to the appropriate party, without any further scanning or downloading.\"
\r\nAs these services reduce the need to purchase ink and paper, some environmentally conscious companies naturally make the switch to an online fax solution. Torben Lonne, diver and co-founder of online magazine DIVEIN.com, said his company has used RingCentral's fax service for years because of its lighter carbon footprint.
\r\n\"The amount of paper generated by fax machines is completely unnecessary nowadays where we can digitize everything,\" he said.
\n"},{"title":"Online Faxing Frequently Asked Questions","html":"\nPerhaps the most touted reason to adopt an online faxing service is to reduce office costs. An office fax machine often requires constant attention. Regular maintenance, ink and toner costs, and dips in productivity as employees stand around a machine while they send or wait to receive faxes are eliminated when the entire process can be done online from a person's desk.
\r\nFax providers often allow you to store your sent and received faxes online. For some businesses, especially ones with regulatory requirements for faxing, it can be a lifesaver to store messages digitally instead of printing out the documents and stuffing them in filing cabinets. Some service providers make the faxes searchable so you can easily find them later.
\r\nCompanies looking to go green could also find online faxing beneficial, as each message is transmitted over the internet and stored in the cloud. With no need to print documents, there is less paper waste.
\r\nThe biggest difference between online faxing and regular faxing is the removal of a dedicated piece of office equipment from the equation. Such machines can cost thousands of dollars, with additional costs in the form of paper, ink and toner replacement, and a dedicated telephone line for transmission. Online faxing, however, just needs an internet-capable device and a stable internet connection to send and receive digital files.
\r\nWhile the best online fax solutions charge either a monthly or one-time fee to use their services, there are some ways to send an online fax for free. The easiest to consider are the free alternatives available online. In fact, we've reviewed a free incoming fax service as part of this section, so be sure to read our FaxBetter review to see why it's our best pick for free incoming faxes.
\r\nYou are unlikely to find any free fax solution that lets you send faxes, since the action of transmitting a file requires more effort from a company's server than receiving a file does. Any company that says it offers its online fax sending services for free usually mean it offers a free trial, after which you'll be charged a monthly fee. If you find such a service, be sure to read the fine print before agreeing to anything.
\r\nThe easiest answer to this question is \"it depends.\" The faxing solution that will work best for you depends on how much you intend to use it and what features you require.
\r\nGood fax service providers feature a combination of three things: secure incoming and outgoing fax capabilities, an easy-to-use interface or integration with existing services, and stellar customer service.
\r\nOne of the benefits to using an online fax service is the need for less equipment. Rather than relying on a clunky piece of office machinery to send faxes through a land-based telephone line, online faxing just requires a functioning computer, a working internet connection, and the digital file or group of files you're looking to transmit.
\r\nWhile it doesn't matter if your internet connection is hardwired or transmitted via Wi-Fi, you should make sure your wireless connection is strong and consistent during transmission. Any interruptions in the sending or receiving process can cause transmission issues with the documents.
\r\nWhat are the different kinds of online fax services? When it comes to choosing which online fax service you want to utilize, it's important to consider how you want to send and receive faxes in the first place. Depending on the service, multiple methods can be available to you at the same time, largely depending on the devices you have on hand.
\r\nIn most cases, services will be of the \"fax from web\" variety, which allow you to send and/or receive faxes through your internet browser. This method employs a web-based dashboard that houses your Inbox and your Sent messages folder, as well as a long list of settings that you can change.
\r\nIn a similar fashion, some services offer email-to-fax or fax-to-email. This type of service allows users to utilize their email provider to send and receive faxes. Users that opt for this method generally send faxes by entering the recipient's fax number into the \"To\" field, with the service's website (e.g. @onlinefax.net) at the end of the number. If someone wants to send a fax to you though this service, they will do the same, entering your fax number and service provider's domain name into the \"To\" field.
\r\nSome of the more modern services allow for mobile online faxing. With this style, you can use your mobile device as a de facto fax machine. This usually requires an app so you can send and receive faxes anywhere.
\r\nThere are some rare cases where an online fax service can provide a device to act as a bridge between your office's existing fax machine to the internet. With that device installed, your online faxing capabilities still eliminate the need for a dedicated land-based telephone line but keeps your existing equipment intact.
\r\nOne of the more common features among online fax services is the ability to send a fax through an email client. While some details vary depending on the service you're using, there are some commonalities.
\r\nWhen sending a fax, you attach a document or file to an outgoing email and send it to a predetermined email address attached to your account with the online fax provider. That address is usually your recipient's fax number, followed by the \"@\" symbol and the service provider's URL. (e.g., 8752348341@onlinefax.net) Once you click Send, the provider takes that information and sends it to the fax number selected as the recipient.
\r\nIf you are receiving an emailed fax, the online fax provider takes the incoming fax, converts it to an email-friendly message or attachment, and sends that information to your email inbox.
\r\nIn nearly every instance, the only equipment needed to utilize an online faxing service is a computer with a modern internet browser installed and an internet connection.
\r\nSome services offer additional equipment to connect existing fax machines to the online fax service. These devices connect directly to your fax machine and internet connection. Users who are more familiar with the traditional fax machine can still take advantage of online faxing.
\r\nThe answer to this question often hinges on cost, available office space and accessibility. While the cost of purchasing a fax machine may no longer be a factor in your office's daily operation, the cost to replace paper, ink, or toner, and regular maintenance, can add up over the years – which doesn't exist with an online fax service.
\r\nFor a small business, available office space is also a major consideration. Smaller workspaces are cheaper than larger ones, but if you have limited room for a fax machine, that's space that can be better used for other equipment (or purposes). With online fax services, you can minimize the amount of equipment you have to purchase and maintain, plus you can read and send faxes from any compatible device, while traditional faxes require a printed page, which comes with some degradation in quality.
\r\nThe answer to this question is highly subjective. If your business needs to only occasionally send or receive a fax, then you should consider a service that charges on a per-use basis. If you need something a little more consistent, then a service with a monthly subscription will be best for your small business. Companies that need to keep their data safe and secure should consider an online fax service that offers strong data protections. To that end, you want to find a company that also caters to healthcare providers and other institutions that handle sensitive documents.
\r\nIn all honesty, you can choose the best online fax service by considering your business's needs and looking for a company that can fill those needs. Price, reliability, security and functionality should factor into your decision.
\r\nDo you need any additional devices to use an online fax service? In most instances, if you have a Mac or PC that's connected to the internet, you are good to go when it comes to using an online fax service. Most services simply need an internet browser to operate. In special cases, however, some services let users download apps to their phones to send and receive faxes, while in some cases, a service can sell a special bridge device to allow legacy faxing equipment to connect to the online fax service.
\n"},{"title":"Our Methodology","html":"\nWe researched several online faxing vendors, including their plans and features. We began by compiling a list of vendors. In addition to the service providers we were already familiar with, we added vendors we found in our research, those that regularly appeared on other reputable online lists and reviews, and companies that reached out to us asking to be considered for review.
\r\nNext, we went to each vendor's website, noting their features and pricing structures. When available, we took advantage of trial periods, watched product demos and tutorials, and sent sample faxes to gain firsthand experience of the service. We eliminated companies whose plans contained lots of hidden fees and/or that charged exorbitant over-limit fees.
\r\nFor the next phase of our research, we reached out to our finalists, posing as a potential customer. We posed a series of questions to customer service reps from each company, noting the quality of service we received.
\r\nTo arrive at our final determination, we considered which companies offered the best balance of affordability, robust features and ease of use. Here are the criteria we used to evaluate each online fax software provider:
\r\nOne major trend in the online faxing industry is consolidation. J2 Global has acquired more than a dozen online fax brands. During our research, we came across numerous consumer complaints about unfair billing practices, poor customer service and almost scam-like practices, which have led to J2 Global and its holdings receiving an F rating from the Better Business Bureau. Customers report similar problems on Consumer Affairs and the Complaints Board.
\r\nWhile some of these subsidiary companies are listed below on our vendor's list, in each case, we have noted their parent company and eliminated them from consideration as a best pick.
\r\nIf you're considering using one of these services, carefully research whether or not the company is the best option for your business.
\r\nLike most industries in the U.S., online fax services are largely regulated by the government. In particular, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the ability to levy strict fines and penalties for unsolicited \"junk faxes.\" In 2005, the Junk Fax Prevention Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush to end the proliferation of unsolicited junk faxes.
\r\nUnder that law, penalties start at $500 for each page sent without following the government's strict guidelines. Only if they meet the following criteria are junk faxes legal to send:
\r\nIn the event that you are legally able to send an unsolicited fax, the legislation requires you to give your recipients a way to opt out of future faxes. The notice must include your contact information on the first page of any documents you send, and you must reply within 30 days of receiving an opt-out request. Fax laws vary by location, so make sure you understand the laws in your area before you start sending faxes.
\r\nOther major regulations surrounding the internet have a potential impact on online faxing, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
\r\nHaving gone into effect at the start of the year, CCPA has been billed by government officials as California's version of GDPR. While both regulations focus on consumer data rights, companies would be remiss to imagine their compliance with the EU's law automatically puts them in compliance with CCPA. For instance, the latter regulation doesn't apply to companies that refrain from doing business in California. Given that online fax solutions operate over the internet, which has no inherent borders, companies will likely have to decide between restricting California fax numbers or being forced to change how customer data is protected, stored and deleted.
\r\nWhile all these regulations are something to consider when seeking out an online fax provider, companies that operate outside of the U.S. may not have to abide by the Junk Fax Prevention Act or CCPA. Thanks to the universal nature of the internet, however, they may still have to adhere to the GDPR if their fax senders or recipients fall under its jurisdiction.
\r\nJune 2020: One of the major selling points for online fax services may be in jeopardy, as a recent report from Gizmodo revealed some major security issues with the technology. The tech site says it located and identified \"three separate commercial cloud storage servers\" containing scores of faxes that included private information.
\r\nAmong the documents Gizmodo found were sensitive items like \"insurance claims, invoices, government forms, family photos, checks, prescription information, bank account details, and Social Security numbers.\" In many cases, those documents could be downloaded by anyone \"for years.\"
\r\nThe main issue here is the use of Amazon's Simple Storage Service (S3), which many companies use to store files. This stems from developers who make S3 file buckets public for testing but fail to switch them over to private, leaving sensitive data exposed.
\r\nThough Gizmodo refrains from naming specific online fax services, prospective users of the technology should read the report and make up their own minds. With files dating as far back as 2013, this lack of data security is something everyone should think about before signing up for an online fax service.
\n"}},{"__typename":"SectionContainer","id":"state-of-the-industry","isInToc":true,"type":"container","title":"State of the Industry","container":{"isBuyingGuide":false,"html":"\nConsidering all of the technological upgrades that have happened since the widespread adoption of faxing in the '80s, it may seem counterintuitive to consider faxing as a realistic office need in 2020. With the advent of online faxing, though, this industry actually shows signs of considerable growth.
\r\nAccording to a report from Arizton, the global online fax market is estimated to grow to over $2.4 billion by 2022. The report pointed to \"the advancement in technology and flexibility provided by online fax vendors [to] enable organizations to automate their fax solutions\" as a \"major driver for the growth of the market.\" That value is driven by the obvious factors that drive most digitization: increased efficiency, reduced expenditures, scalability through a SaaS model and superior service.
\r\nCouple the perceived efficiency and cost savings of online faxing with the environmental friendliness of needing less ink and paper, and you have an online-based industry that will surely see further adoption in North American and European markets over the next few years.
\r\nWith the passage of data privacy regulations like the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act, online faxing is sure to gain even more traction. The largest contributor to the industry's growth is expected to be the healthcare industry, which has to follow HIPAA guidelines that require patient records to be transferred via fax for security reasons.
\r\nSince fax service providers bolster security through encryption, provide speedy transmissions, digitally store files, reduce an organization's paper use and decrease maintenance costs, small businesses are likely to continue switching to digital faxing solutions.
\r\nConsolidation has already begun and is poised to continue in what remains a crowded and competitive industry. As leaders emerge, it is likely the industry will continue to consolidate, driving the growth of a few prominent companies.
\n"}},{"__typename":"SectionContainer","id":"what-to-expect-in-2021","isInToc":true,"type":"container","title":"What to Expect in 2021","container":{"isBuyingGuide":false,"html":"\nMarket experts anticipate that the cloud faxing industry's growth is expected to last into 2025. Reports also suggest the global online fax market will grow to over $2.4 billion by 2022, as many global organizations believe faxing is more secure than other modern methods of communications.
\r\nAccording to researchers at Advance Market Analytics, the global cloud fax market is anticipated to grow by 9.16% by 2024. Researchers attribute the increase to the influx of small and midsize enterprises adopting the technology because of its cost-effectiveness and technological capabilities. As more companies expand into international markets, faxing over the internet is even more appealing, since large faxes can be sent much more quickly online than through traditional machines.
\r\nThe coronavirus pandemic has also played a large role in the growth of online fax services. Offices that went fully remote during 2020 were no longer able to monitor their physical fax machines, and online faxing became a remote-friendly alternative for industries like healthcare and education, which rely heavily on fax services for secure communications.
\r\nSome online fax companies have heavily discounted their rates or offer services for free for the duration of the pandemic. For instance, RingCentral is providing the RingCentral Office plan for free to impacted healthcare providers, schools, community colleges, news and media publishers, public sector companies, and nonprofits that sign up as new customers. Similarly, J2 Global has offered to provide free access to an \"on-demand patient record query\" through the company's Consensus healthcare platform.
\r\nIn addition to continued market growth during the pandemic, the online faxing industry will likely continue to be the subject of legislative scrutiny as governmental bodies around the world regulate and secure various facets of the internet. Existing regulations, such as those in the HIPAA, have long impacted the industry and its need to securely transmit sensitive data. In the coming years, more regulations aiming to protect personal data will cause companies like J2 Global to continue pushing for higher data security and privacy standards to meet regulations.
\n"}},{"__typename":"SectionMoreCoverage","id":"","isInToc":false,"type":"morecoverage","isActive":null,"title":"More Coverage","articles":[{"title":"Is Internet Faxing Safe? How to Send and Receive Faxes Online Safely","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/is-internet-faxing-safe-how-to-send-and-receive-faxes-online-safely/","author":{"displayName":"business.com editorial staff"},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5a3/13f4c1039ebf8268b458a/1500-0-"}},{"title":"The Most Interesting Office Equipment Stories Imaginable","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/office-equipment-horror-stories/","author":{"displayName":"Bennett Conlin"},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5d4/896fb7b4374ee3c8b4577/1500-0-"}},{"title":"Progressly's Nick Candito on Making the Switch to a Paperless Office","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/making-the-switch-to-a-paperless-office/","author":{"displayName":"Chad Brooks"},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5a3/8244351ee4778288b45e8/1500-0-"}}]}],"tocElements":[{"title":"Best Picks","id":"top-of-page"},{"title":"Intro","id":"intro"},{"title":"Compare Our Best Picks","id":"compare-our-best-picks"},{"title":"Our Reviews","id":"our-reviews"},{"title":"Pricing","id":"pricing"},{"title":"Buying Guide","id":"features"},{"title":"Faxing Regulations","id":"faxing-regulations"},{"title":"State of the Industry","id":"state-of-the-industry"},{"title":"What to Expect in 2021","id":"what-to-expect-in-2021"}],"author":{"id":"5e3884175a215e257c8b456e","name":"Andrew Martins","bio":"Andrew Martins has written more than 300 articles for business.com and Business News Daily focused on the tools and services that small businesses and entrepreneurs need to succeed. Andrew writes about office hardware such as digital copiers, multifunctional printers and wide format printers, as well as critical technology services like live chat and online fax. Andrew has a long history in publishing, having been named a four-time New Jersey Press Award winner.","thumbnail":null,"status":"disabled","type":"Staff","user":{"slug":"andrew-martins","imagePath":"https://staging.business.com/images/uploads/user/profile/90fbafafd9d2d02794376c2811156bd1eea34.jpg"},"title":null,"image":null,"social":{"facebook":"","linkedin":"http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmartins","twitter":"https://twitter.com/andrew_martins","website":"https://www.business.com"}},"breadcrumbs":null,"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Technology","slug":"technology"},"sub":{"name":"Technology Solutions","slug":"technology-solutions"}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5df905909c658a7e538b4567/Faxing_junce_Getty.jpg","caption":"junce / Getty Images","isBlurred":false},"image":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5df905909c658a7e538b4567/Faxing_junce_Getty.jpg","meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Online fax services are growing as more companies divest from conventional fax machines in favor of an automated, scalable and cost-effective option. Here's a look at some of the best online fax services on the market. ","title":"The Best Online Fax Service Reviews for 2021 - business.com"}}},"pageContext":{"displayModified":"2021-03-02T16:07:00.000Z","title":"The Best Online Fax Services of 2021","template":"mega","meta":{"robots":"index, follow"},"docType":"categories","slug":"online-fax-services","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/online-fax-services/"}},"staticQueryHashes":[]}