We’ve compared various online fax services and compiled the 10 best.
Which is the best online fax service for you?
Time to find out.
In this article, you’ll find:
Best Online Fax Services
1. iFax
iFax is one of the few online fax services to offer a free plan, which is ideal for the occasional user. The service uses military-grade encryption to ensure secure fax transactions and sends real-time updates so you’re always up to date about the status of your fax. It also includes a built-in scanner and an e-signature tool.
• HIPAA and GLBA compliant
• 256-bit encryption
• Scalable pricing
iFax prides itself on being the world’s first mobile fax app. It was initially developed for iOS devices, following the release of Apple’s iPhone in 2008, and quickly became one of the most downloaded apps in the App store. iFax is now available on Windows, Mac, and Android, and has over 5 million users across 20,000 companies worldwide.
1. Ease of Use
iFax has an intuitive user interface that makes sure you can find your way around the app, even if you’ve never used a fax service before.
You can send a fax directly from the dashboard in just a few clicks. All you’ll have to do is enter the recipient’s name and fax number, upload your document, and click Send.
The rest of the functions– like fax number and storage– are neatly displayed in the main menu on the left side of the screen. From here, you can change your settings, pick a pricing plan, and contact iFax’s customer support team.
2. Features
iFax is one of the few fax services that lets you choose your own fax number (instead of assigning you a system-generated one). You can pick local and international numbers from any location worldwide and business owners can also set up toll-free numbers to appear more professional.
If you already have a fax number, you can keep it (but you’ll have to add it to your iFax account).
The best part about iFax is that it works on multiple platforms and with most email services, including Gmail and Outlook. It also sends real-time notifications and allows you to download transmission recipients on any device.
What makes the service convenient for both individuals and businesses is the built-in scanner feature, which lets you scan hardcopies with your smartphone, add your electronic signature, and fax them online, all in a matter of minutes.
3. Pricing
iFax has three plans:
- Free– 5 fax pages a month and no fax number
- Plus – $19.99/month for 500 fax pages, one fax number
- Professional (custom) – $30/month for fax 1000 pages, one fax number
The free plan doesn’t feature any of the perks that iFax has to offer. That means you won’t be able to receive faxes, convert your faxes into text, fax by email, or get 24/7 customer support. You can still send faxes and you won’t have to provide any credit card details.
The Plus plan is great for individual use and entrepreneurs, and the Professional plan, which is highly customizable, is an excellent option for businesses.
If you commit to an annual subscription, you will get a discount and use iFax’s service for free for the first two months. Both paid plans also come with a 7-day free trial.
Security
iFax is a highly secure online faxing service.
It is HIPAA compliant, which makes it a suitable option for healthcare providers, and adheres to GLBA regulations, which guarantee the protection of users’ personal financial information.
iFax also uses 256-bit SSL encryption for all transmissions, which is considered the golden standard.
Fax doesn’t offer two-factor authentication, but users can still sign in via Google, Microsoft, and Linkedin– all of which support that function.
Verdict
iFax is pricey compared to other fax services, but it offers plenty of perks to justify those numbers. The service is highly customizable, offers multi-platform support, has a built-in scanner, and lets you choose your own fax number, which is not the case with most fax services. The only downside is that it lacks two-factor authentication.
2. Fax.Plus
FAX.PLUS is a great online fax service perfect for all business sizes. It has all the features you might need and the best thing – there’s even a free version!
• Extensive support in different platforms
• Two-key authentication
• Sleek user-interface
FAX.PLUS provides reliable virtual faxing services. It’s made with businesses in mind, offering flexible efax pricing models depending on how many faxes you send per month.
Here’s how it performed during our tests:
1. Ease of Use
Accessing FAX.PLUS is as easy as it gets. Yet, getting used to the online portal is harder than we thought. Its minimalist website interface hides vital features making it hard to access. It’s necessary to visit the Help Center Portal to understand how functions like scheduling and third-party app integration work.
2. Features
FAX.PLUS is the best among all the online fax services offering foreign fax numbers and international faxing. You can buy numbers from 47 countries and send faxes across 180 countries worldwide.
You can also request to port your existing fax number. This makes your transition to a virtual fax service seamless. Sending a file takes 1 minute. Take note of the file sizes as it doesn’t proceed if you exceed 20 MB.
FAX.PLUS has a clean dashboard divided into sections for archiving, sending faxes, accessing contacts, and updating your profile. You can assign roles and control the features for every account user.
Additionally, FAX.PLUS can be integrated into third-party apps like G-Suite and Office365. This lets you do virtual faxing on various platforms. The mobile app also has a scanner to convert documents into fax.
Unfortunately, everything has limitations. Unlike other online fax services, FAX.PLUS can only support Adobe PDF files, Microsoft Word, Excel, text documents, and three image formats (JPG, PNG, TIFF)
3. Pricing
For only $4.99 monthly, you can send and receive fax with a total of 100 pages. Upgrade to enjoy enterprise-level features.
- Premium – $9.99/mon for 300 pages
- Business – $14.19/mon for 800 pages, 5 users
- Enterprise – $49.99/mon for 3000 pages, unlimited users
Prices are based on annual billing.
Security
As a HIPAA-compliant faxing solution, FAX.PLUS guarantees the safety of your data. Its two-factor authentication, biometric authentication, and Single Sign-On add extra layers of protection to your account security. The encryptions, servers, and data centers are also compliant with the best security standards. Read its security overview for more details.
Verdict
With great performance results and robust security, FAX.PLUS is undeniably one of the best online fax services on the market.
However, most of its premium-tier plans (except Enterprise) barely offer new features as you upgrade, compared to other cloud faxing services. We hope that changes in the future.
As for now, FAX.PLUS is a wonderful and affordable tool for all.
3. MetroFax
Its affordable plans make MetroFax perfect for SMEs. You can easily add 50 recipients in one fax and organize files without a hiccup. Having a user-friendly portal and mobile apps is also a plus! See for yourself how great it is – there’s a free trial on every plan.
• Easy-to-use web portal
• Affordable pricings
• Fax blasting up to 50 recipients
Established in 1997 and acquired by J2 Global, Metrofax has both a long track record and a trusted cloud solutions company as support. The service is designed to handle extensive online faxing through built-in features like fax tagging and blasting.
But does it manage? Let’s see:
1. Ease of Use
The web console is simple yet visually appealing. The main screen has 4 buttons to view the fax, send one, update your account, and visit the help center. The drop-down bar makes everything easier to navigate.
2. Features
Faxing through MetroFax is quick. Whether on the web, mobile, or email, you only need to fill out a single page. Porting your old fax number is also possible.
MetroFax supports common file types such as PDF, JPEG, PSD, and Microsoft Office files. You can send up to 10 documents or up to 20 MB per fax and forward it to 50 people. Easily organize your fax by tagging it on the portal.
The Android and iOS apps have the same features. Expect an inconsistent performance though – the reviews in Google Play are not exactly positive.
3. Pricing
MetroFax is one of the cheapest online fax services out there. The 500-page plan only costs $9.95. This is cheaper than what most online fax services will charge you. The same could be said for its higher tiers:
- 1000-page plan costs $12.95 monthly
- 2500-page plan costs $35.95 monthly
All plans have a 14-day free trial. To get an account, choose your area code and subscription plan. You will get your own fax number and automatic PIN for login.
Security
Metrofax encrypts all transmitted information. Yet, its services cannot be used to send files with ePHI data. MetroFax doesn’t sign a Business Associate Agreement with its clients and is missing a few capabilities to be a HIPAA-compliant electronic fax service.
Verdict
MetroFax sends your files swiftly, no matter the platform you use. It is also a cheap fax service option for companies who send an average of 2,500 pages monthly.
But keep in mind that MetroFax is not HIPAA-compliant and doesn’t offer international fax numbers. The mobile apps are also not the best out there.
4. Sfax
Leave behind the complexities of traditional faxing and switch to Sfax – a HIPAA-compliant internet fax service. It is specifically designed to help healthcare providers complete their faxing efficiently. Annotate, add signatures, and securely deliver your patients’ data anytime, anywhere with Sfax.
• BAA-ready for ePHI data
• Edit, Highlight & Online signature
• Unlimited Users
J2 Global, the developer of Sfax, is a cloud-based service provider, with more than 11 million subscribers worldwide. As an expert in the field of online communication, let’s see how much of their experience is reflected in the platform’s features and overall secure fax performance.
1. Ease of Use
The Sfax web-based portal is a bit outdated. However, it uses common icons making it easier to navigate than some faxing services. In general, sending fax mostly takes a minute per page.
2. Features
Sfax is built with comprehensive management tools. Team leaders can add users, control access permissions, and monitor accounts’ activity. Sfax allows unlimited users in one account.
One unique function of Sfax is its editing capability. It lets you revise, hide, or highlight parts through drop-and-drag textbox and shapes. You can add your digital signature.
Sfax is ready to sign BAA with clients helping you protect sensitive data like health records.
Sadly, features like scheduling, as well as web and Android apps are missing. Unlike other online fax services, Sfax can’t be integrated into third-party apps and its one-year storage limit cannot be expanded.
3. Pricing
All four subscription plans have free trials. You can choose a yearly subscription to get one month free. Except for the Standard plan, all higher tiers have Business Associate Agreements signing (BAA). Here are the prices:
- Standard Plan – $29 monthly for 350 pages
- Plus Plan – $49 monthly for 700 pages
- Contender Plan – $99 monthly for 1,500 pages
- Enterprise Plan – customizable for large-scale needs
Security
Sfax protects your faxes with 256-bit AES SSL and the strongest TLS encryptions. Your documents are also stored in SSAE16 Type 2-compliant data centers. User verifications like the Touch ID authentication in the mobile app, OTPs, and two-factor authentication on the web also add extra security layers to your account.
Verdict
Sfax’s editing capability is commendable, especially for medical professionals. But aside from this and HIPAA-compliant features, it barely offers anything unique to send fax documents online.
Sfax subscriptions can be expensive. If you don’t have a large workforce, consider other online fax services that offer more benefits for the same value.
5. eFax
Delivering fax is now as easy as sending emails with eFax. It’s an electronic fax service built with editing tools and unlimited cloud storage. Whether through the web or mobile, eFax can forward any document as it supports more than 170 standard file formats.
• Solid desktop app
• International faxing
• Local & toll-free fax numbers
eFax turns your email into an electronic fax machine. Edit, sign, and forward your files internationally through its solid desktop app.
See how well it performed during our tests.
1. Ease of Use
If you’re familiar with emails, using eFax is a piece of cake. But getting an account can be challenging. A simple Google search will direct you to their outdated page. You can use our link above to get to the new page. It takes minutes to register. eFax needs more information than other internet faxing services.
2. Features
eFax lets you choose your local and toll-free numbers. You can fax worldwide using email or directly from the application you’re working on through its print-to-fax driver.
Its free downloadable desktop app, eFax Messenger, is simple and reliable. It’s designed with custom cover pages, electronic signatures, markup tools, PDF options, and editing tools for annotation.
eFax has the most number of supported file types among all the online fax services. It accepts more than 170 standard file formats. Some of these are TIFF, PDF, PSD, GIF, HTML, PUB, WPG, PNG, and ODP among others.
eFax also has a mobile app but the performance is unstable based on mixed reviews from users.
3. Pricing
eFax’s subscriptions are expensive. The Pro plan starts at $16.95 monthly with only 150 pages. While the next tier is worth $19.95 for 300 pages. You can avail of their Corporate tier for a personalized plan.
All paid plans have free trials and can easily be canceled on the portal. Additionally, they will give 2 months free if you choose to subscribe annually.
Security
eFax ensures that every fax transmission is protected. It has Enhanced Security encryption that you can activate. Every file received has email notifications but can only be viewed on the portal or eFax messenger.
Meanwhile, its HIPAA-compliant solution is a separate plan.
Verdict
Getting started with eFax is a bit tricky but the overall performance is okay. It has editing capabilities and provides different ways for a secure fax online transmission.
However, its mobile app performance is unsteady. It’s also expensive, considering you can’t combine the allotted pages for sent and received faxes.
6. RingCentral Fax
RingCentral Fax is a cloud fax service with the best subscriptions for medium and large businesses. Its cross-platform capabilities ensure you’re ahead of your faxing tasks without a headache thanks to its clean interface.
• Large number of supported formats
• Modern & clean interface
• Same features for all platforms
RingCentral was founded in 1999 and is now established as an all-in-one online communications platform. They offer digital fax service as one of their solutions, and despite some drawbacks, RingCentral performed fairly in this field.
But what else can it do?
1. Ease of Use
RingCentral has a modern interface. Yet, the dashboard isn’t made solely for online faxing. Most fax-related features are put together with inbound & outbound functions. While its icons are placed on the side or below, unlabelled and easily missed.
The performance isn’t hindered, but it can be confusing if you only want RingCentral as an online fax machine.
2. Features
RingCentral lets you fax through the web, mobile, or email. Unlike its rivals, RingCentral is the only omnichannel faxing service that offers the same functions across all of its platforms. You don’t have to use one channel for one function alone.
You can schedule to send a fax later. The dashboard informs you of the status. Forwarding files with mostly text takes 1 minute per page. Sending a graphic file is slower.
RingCentral is among the online fax services that have the most types of supported file format. It supports a total of 20 formats, including PSD, ppt, pub, HTML, CSV, and more.
3. Pricing
RingCentral has two pricing plans. The lowest tier costs $17.99 monthly for 1,500 pages. This provides more pages than other online faxing services at the same value. The next plan costs $34.99 with unlimited faxing and other corporate-friendly features.
Security
RingCentral has seven layers of security measures in place. It has Transport Layer Security (TLS) plus Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) encryption in place. You can also expect firewalls and session border controllers, fraud analytics, vulnerability scans, multiple authentication levels, etc.
RingCentral has recently announced that its cloud-based services are now HIPAA-compliant in addition to other security certifications.
Verdict
RingCentral proves itself reliable despite not being solely used for faxing services. The price is also neat.
Yet, it should still improve its dashboard to highlight its faxing features. It should also consider adding more functions like e-signature for a better experience.
7. SRFax
SRfax offers a cost-efficient and dependable virtual fax service for individuals and business owners. It comes with a lot of goodies, including email addresses, multiple user accounts, unlimited storage, and more. It also has the longest trial period we’ve seen for such a service!
• International faxing
• Print-to-fax capable
• Toll-free & local fax numbers
SRfax is an internet fax service designed to support office workers and healthcare professionals. They can send faxes without worry as SRfax has numerous security protocols in place.
1. Ease of Use
The web portal is easy to navigate thanks to its simple design. The dashboard contains tabs for fax functions, settings, advanced security, and support center. Adjust settings per fax, drop-and-drag files, and add multiple recipients on a single page.
All in all, the whole process of faxing using the website was painless.
2. Features
You can send a fax using the website or your email. You can fax files directly from programs you’re working on too, thanks to its printer driver function. Forward files with 50 MB each and add up to 50 recipients in a single transmission!
You also get both toll-free and local fax numbers. No need to worry about international faxing anymore!
All plans provide unlimited online storage and unlimited authorized e-mail addresses, as well as the capability to download and print received faxes.
However, we’d like to see a desktop or mobile app and editing tools in the future, as there are none now.
3. Pricing
SRfax has separate subscription plans for businesses and healthcare providers. It has the most tier options to choose from, compared to other online fax services. The Standard Plans alone have 6 tiers, starting at $3.29 monthly with 25 pages. Other options include:
- $6.95 you can send 200 pages
- $9.95 for 500 pages
- $15.95 for 800 pages
- $29.95 for 1,500 pages
- $45.95 with 2,500 pages
The Healthcare Plans go a dollar above for the same pages, with the exceptions of:
- the 2,500-page plan costs $49.95
- the 5,000-page plan costs $92.95
- the 10,000-page plan costs $185
- the 20,000-page plan costs $395
All of this is if paid on a monthly basis.
Security
SRfax is a HIPAA-compliant and BAA-ready digital fax service. It is also heavily protected thanks to 2048-bit SSL certification, 2048-bit RSA public keys, and PGP encryptions in place. There’s an encrypted session ID cookie in place for each user to cipher your communication while you’re logged in to the system.
SRfax also offers extra authentication measures such as Single Sign-on and two-factor authentication via email, text, or third-party apps. You can activate these on the dashboard under Advanced Security.
Verdict
Being a HIPAA-compliant solution with helpful features like unlimited storage and international faxing, SRfax is the best online fax service for healthcare workers.
However, it could offer better services if it had a mobile app as well as a digital signature for healthcare providers.
8. HelloFax
HelloFax is an excellent and cost-efficient online fax machine. It has a built-in editor, cloud storage access, and team collaboration features, not to mention great online faxing capabilities. It’s easy to use and can send faxes internationally.
• User-friendly Online Portal
• Integration to cloud storages
• International faxing
Alongside other digital workflow programs, Hellosign developed HelloFax to assist businesses to close deals and send faxes through an online fax machine. Among its 80,000 satisfied customers are Dropbox, StackExchange, Instacart, and General Assembly.
1. Ease of Use
HelloFax portal is straightforward. The main page effectively highlights the main feature as well as separate minor functions into different tabs. However, forwarding fax should be a bit easier. The ‘Next’ button is hard to see and the process itself is separated into three steps.
2. Features
What HelloFax lacks in pages is compensated by its features. It has functions like email-to-fax, send to multiple recipients, and import existing fax numbers. You can add as many e-mail addresses as you want to be notified whenever one is received.
The free version and all paid plans can also send faxes internationally.
HelloFax lets you sign and edit your faxes too! You can draw, type, add a text box, or add your photo as your digital signature. Another unique feature is it can be integrated into a wide range of cloud storage making team collaboration and file access easier.
Sadly, there is no mobile app.
3. Pricing
HelloFax is a cost-efficient option for sending secure fax internationally. The subscription tiers include:
- Home Office – 300 pages with 5 senders, $9.99 monthly
- Professional – 500 pages with 10 senders, $19.99 monthly
- Small Business – 1000 pages with 20 senders, $39.99 monthly
Security
HelloSign has multiple protection measures for all its solutions. Rest assured that your data is located in a SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type I, and ISO 27001 certified centers, guaranteeing your security.
Additionally, HelloSign can sign a BAA with you and its security protocols support HIPAA compliance.
Verdict
HelloFax performed fairly against its rivals for the price it charged. It provides all the necessary functions to efficiently send and receive faxes. All the features for the three paid plans are mostly the same, varying only on the number of pages and sender per plan.
However, HelloFax doesn’t have a mobile app, which is a real let down.
9. Nextiva vFax
Nextiva vFax is one of the cheapest online fax services available. Its low cost yet high number of pages make it a great solution for small businesses. Send and receive files efficiently as well as customize them through its online portal. The best part – its free trial offers 500 pages!
• Stable Online Portal
• Affordable subscriptions
• Free trial with 500 pages
Reviews about Nextiva vFax are quite mixed. It is extremely affordable and has a great free trial, but many complain it’s limited and slow.
Where’s the truth?
Let’s see:
1. Ease of Use
The online portal is clean and adjustable. The dashboard is simple and all of its icons are labeled, making it easier to understand how each feature works. You also won’t have any trouble navigating the settings. Almost everything is customizable.
2. Features
Nextiva vFax offers extensive settings for the user profile, notifications, billings, filters, and more. Click the dropdown bars and select the configuration you prefer.
Using one unique email, multiple people can use the portal. Up to five additional e-mail addresses can receive notifications. You can also receive fax confirmations through SMS.
However, the portal’s workflow is bumpy. You need to complete five steps before your fax can proceed. As Nextiva vFax doesn’t support fax blasting, it limits your sending to a maximum of 6 faxes at a time.
3. Pricing
The Essential Plan costs $4.95 per month in an annual billing with 500 pages monthly. This amount is four times higher compared to what other online fax services offer at the same amount. The Professional tier is at $17.95 ($12.95 in the annual plan) with 1000 pages per month. For the HIPAA-compliant plan, you’ll have to ask for a quote.
Sign up for a free trial and enjoy its full potential for a month, free of charge with consumable 500 pages.
Security
Nextiva vFax has a separate HIPAA-compliant plan. However, even if you don’t choose this one, you can still rest assured that all your data is stored in extremely secured centers. The information itself is encrypted.
Just beware of phishing and other fraudulent schemes outside the portal, as you will get your login details through email.
Verdict
Nextiva vFax is an affordable digital fax service perfect for solo-entrepreneurs and small businesses. It offers customizable settings, good value, and a reliable way to fax documents online.
However, aside from common internet faxing services, it doesn’t offer other high-end features. It doesn’t have a desktop or mobile app, no e-signature or international faxing.
10. Biscom 123
Biscom 123 is an email-to-fax solution. Its mother company is Biscom, which immediately sets expectations. The solution’s user-friendly email integration and straightforward efaxing make it the best online fax machine for beginners.
• No credit card free trial
• Multiple users access
• Fax logs & User control
Biscom, the developer behind this tool, has been a reliable communication solutions provider since 1986. Known for their award-winning FAXCOM Server and FAXCOM Anywhere, they developed a compact version of these two into a single service – Biscom 123 – to offer an excellent digital fax service packaged for professionals.
1. Ease of Use
The web portal is simple to understand. All functions are mainly for managing your account and billing details. The rest are for viewing fax logs and managing account users.
Faxing through Biscom 123 is easy too. Just compose an email, attach the file, enter the recipient’s fax number, type a message as a cover page and you’re done.
2. Features
Multiple users can access your Biscom 123 account. You can search the portal for specific fax you’ve sent or received. With email-to-fax function, Biscom 123 is a good internet fax service for beginners who are used to emails. Biscom 123 offers you a fax number, even in the free trial.
Yet, Biscom 123 has no high-end features despite being expensive. You can’t use the portal to send or receive faxes. Its mobile app has limited features. You can’t even directly forward files using it. You can add e-signatures but that’s not really outstanding.
3. Pricing
Biscom 123 only has two plans. The Individual Tier costs $7.99 monthly with 30 pages and the Small Group Tier costs $14.99 monthly with 300 pages. The latter can accommodate up to 5 users.
Biscom free trial offers you 30 pages for 30 days. It doesn’t require your billing details.
Security
Biscom pride themselves with their transit security solutions and internet protocols. Additionally, as it’s built over the platform of AXCOM Server and FAXCOM Anywhere, it has the same security measures that these two have – from data, network, and user security to compliance.
Verdict
Biscom 123 is a hit and miss. If you only want a free fax service online and your own number, Biscom 123 is a good option. You don’t even have to unsubscribe when your trial is over, as it doesn’t ask for your credit card unless you upgrade.
Yet, Biscom 123 is expensive for the small number of pages it provides. You also can’t choose your own number and can’t send faxes internationally.
11. GotFreeFax
GotFreeFax offers daily free fax services without the complications of creating an account and setting up payment details. GotFreeFax lets you send fax free of charge in the US and more than 200 countries worldwide. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! It has top-notch features and no ads!
• Free faxing all-year-round
• Free fax cover page, No ads
• Large amount of daily fax capacity
As the name implies, GotFreeFax provides free online faxing every day. While its paid services are pay-per-use. This is uncommon but it offers quite a few advantages.
Read on and see how these work.
1. Ease of Use
A modern and fancy layout isn’t everything. Despite its dated interface, GotFreeFax efficiently provides everything you need to fill on a single page. Prices for paid plans are also on the same page, making it easier to navigate. Plus, you’ll receive email confirmations of whether the transaction is successful or not.
2. Features
GotFreeFax is an all-year-round free online fax service. It doesn’t require an account and billing information.
You can send a maximum of 2 faxes per day with 10 files each utmost. All with free cover pages and no ads. But if you exceeded this or in need of an encrypted transmission, it has affordable pay-per-use premium plans.
Sending your faxes is easy and quick. After answering the form, click the link in the email you received to proceed. You can also monitor the fax status. It only took less than a minute when we tried it.
One significant drawback is that it can’t receive faxes. Unlike other online faxing services, GotFreeFax, even its paid plans, can only be used to transmit the fax. It doesn’t offer fax numbers to its users.
3. Pricing
GotFreeFax also has Premium Pay-Per-Fax services where you will be billed based on the extra pages you’ve used. Here is the price breakdown:
- $0.98 for 10 pages
- $1.98 for 20 pages
- $2.98 for 30 pages
While Business Prepaid offers page credit. Even at the maximum price, it still offers one of the cheapest online faxing services thanks to its one-time payment policy. Additionally, this page credit is consumable and never expires.
- 100-page credit costs $9.95
- 300-page credit costs $19.95
- 1000-page credit costs $49.95
Meanwhile, here’s the list for international rates based on destination.
Security
The encryption and technical support are not available on the GotFreeFax free service. If you’re sending sensitive data, consider getting either a Premium Pay-Per-Fax or Business Prepaid plan. Prices are as provided above.
Verdict
GotFreeFax is the best free online fax service if you’re on a tight budget. Additionally, it’s a great option for individuals who rarely need faxing. It doesn’t require billing details and its user-friendly interface is commendable.
Yet, as much as we love its free fax services, GotFreeFax isn’t for you if you don’t have your own fax number and also need to receive faxes.
What Is Online Faxing?
With how much digital communication is thriving, you would think that fax machines are finally obsolete. Yet, they are not. As much as sending files thru email is convenient, it compromises data security during transmission. Industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services that handle sensitive data cannot take this risk.
But what if you can have the convenience of sending fax online without the threat of data breach? Well, it’s now possible through secure fax online services. You can send, receive, and edit fax through cloud-based platforms. It’s like composing an email with attachments that are transmitted through encrypted methods online.
How Does It Work?
As a hosted service, it doesn’t need a physical fax machine and a server. All you have to do is subscribe to the best fax online service for your needs. Most will provide you a fax number.
Additionally, a digital fax service also lets you send faxes to traditional machines and vice versa.
What Are the Benefits of Online Faxing
Let’s look at how it’s beneficial to you especially compared to a traditional fax machine.
- More secure than emails. It’s harder to intercept faxes – that was the advantage traditional fax machines had over online communication services. Not until online fax services change the game. All cloud faxing services now offer encryptions and robust protection protocols. Most of these services are also HIPAA-compliant, ensuring the data security of ePHI sensitive virtual fax.
- Fast & easy. Online fax services work like email attachments, so we all more or less know how to use them.
- Cost-efficient. Using a digital fax service is cheaper. There is no hardware to maintain and no need for papers and inks.
- Fax anytime, anywhere. Given all online fax services are cloud-based, you can access it whenever you need it. You can send through your e-mail, the web portal, mobile apps, and directly from the software you’re working on. Moreover, most online faxing services have access to a wide range of cloud storage making it easy to store and retrieve your virtual fax.
- Larger file types & more recipients. Most cloud faxing services support a wide variety of file formats. It’s also easier to add recipients as you can just browse through your address book.
- Variety of fax numbers. With online fax services, you can choose your own fax number. You can get local, toll-free, or even one from a different country. Switching is also simple even if you have existing fax numbers – most services will import it for you.
But which option is superior? Just follow our guidelines below and you’ll be able to establish what the best efax service for you is.
How To Choose the Best Online Fax Service
Every online fax service on the list has its share of strengths and weaknesses. It’s understandable if you’re having a hard time choosing.
Worry not, we wrote a guide to help:
- The number of pages monthly. How many faxes do you send and receive per month? Every virtual fax service offers different numbers of pages for different prices.
- Determine the most important feature. They are the main reason to pick a certain service.
- Nice-to-have features. List down all the functions you want to have and you can avail as long as it’s within your budget.
- Identify features you don’t need. It’s always great to have a feature-rich service but if the only difference it offers is features you won’t ever use, cross out it from your list. Why pay for a feature you won’t ever use?
- Price. The best online fax services all have different pricing, so try to see which fits your budget.
Voila! You’re now ready to make your choice.
Data Security Disclaimer
Data privacy is vital. As recently highlighted by Gizmodo, online faxing may not be as private as you think it is. Due to mistakes, hundreds of faxes are exposed to the public, as these are stored in commercial cloud servers. Make sure that your chosen online fax service has a strict security policy. If you send electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), you are required to ensure the safety of it during transit. You must only pick a HIPAA-compliant fax service online that will sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with you.
Wrap Up
Faxing is still useful. Yet, as shown in our online fax services reviews, it doesn’t mean you have to continue using traditional machines. With a cloud fax service, you can enjoy all the benefits of traditional methods, combined with a modern solution.
Found one or two you think is the best online fax service for you? Sign up for a free trial and give it a spin!
FAQs
How safe are online fax services?
It’s safer than sending emails. All online fax services in our list have encryptions, user authentications, and other internet safety protocols in place. Most of them are also HIPAA-compliant, meaning they have the necessary capabilities to transmit sensitive data like health records without the risk of a data breach.
Is there a free online fax service?
Yes. GotFreeFax offers free online faxing. Another option is Biscom 123. As it doesn’t require a credit card for its free trial, you’re assured that you won’t be charged for whatever reason. Additionally, you’ll get a fax number so you can also receive faxes, a feature that GotFreeFax doesn’t offer.
What is the best online fax service?
Fax.Plus is the best efax service, judging by multiple online fax reviews. It has a web portal, a mobile app with digital signature features, and is an affordable HIPAA-compliant electronic fax service. Moreover, it can fax documents internationally.
What is the cheapest eFax service?
SRfax has the lowest starting price among all online faxing services. Although, when the number of pages is accounted for, Nextiva provides the highest number of pages for the lowest price possible.
Deyan is an avid enthusiast and self-proclaimed fan of the Windows operating system. His passion for discovering new functionalities and hidden gems within Windows drives his insatiable curiosity and fuels his desire to share his findings with others. As an avid writer, Deyan frequently shares his expertise through articles that provide tips and tricks to optimize the Windows experience.