Online Fax
Faxing Online Versus Fax Machine
- Greater Accessibility – No location limitations. Fax online from any computer or mobile device with Internet access.
- More Options – Online fax services offer more functionality and features than a fax machine.
- Greater Privacy – Internet faxes go directly to the intended person, not an open, unsecure fax machine area.
- Less Costly – Monthly online fax plans are less expensive than maintaining a fax machine and its supplies.
| Service | Ringcentral | Nextiva | eFax | MyFax | RapidFax | |
| Screenshots |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Our Rating | Our Top Pick | Best Deal | Popular | Good Platform | Good Value | |
| Plan Reviewed | Fax 500 | Single User | eFax Plus | Best Value | Individual | |
| Incoming Faxes | 500 | 500 | 150 | 200 | 300 | |
| Outgoing Faxes | combined | combined | 150 | 100 | combined | |
| First 30 Days Free |  |
|
|
|
|
|
| Customer Support | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 | M-F | |
| Reviews | Small business focused, instant activation, robust tech platform. Read Review |
Most cost effective, very simple to use, reliable and convenient. Read Review |
Pioneer online fax service ideal for small scale internet fax use. Read Review |
Excellent platform, reliable, for personal and small business faxing. Read Review |
Convenient email fax service – send and receive faxes from email. Read Review |
|
| Price | $6.59 / mo | $4.95 / mo | $16.95 / mo | $10 / mo | $9.95 / mo | |
| Overage Cost | 6 cents | 3 cents | 10 cents | 10 cents | 8 cents | |
| Visit Site | ||||||
Understanding Online Fax
Online fax goes by several different names – Internet fax, digital fax, e-fax, cloud faxing, or email fax.
The driving force behind Internet faxing is an online fax service. It has the system platform that enables faxes to be transmitted securely over the Internet from any fax machine, computer, or mobile device.
Online fax providers handle the conversions necessary to convert faxes being sent from analog phone lines to recipients using email fax or Internet fax, and vice versa. The entire process is automated, so faxes remain private and secure. Internet fax services also provide a Web-based control panel for managing your faxes and storing them for future access.
Internet faxing offers a wealth of features well beyond what a fax machine can offer. What’s more, faxing online puts versatility and mobility at your fingertips. But for businesses to truly get the most out of cloud faxing, it’s important to select an online fax service that meets their faxing needs.
Steps to Faxing Online
It typically takes under 10 minutes to get started with online faxing.
1. Sign up for an account and service plan with an Internet fax service.
2. Port (transfer) your current fax number over to the Internet fax provider, or request a new one.
3. Start faxing using the service’s Web-based control panel, any desktop application, a mobile app, or your email.
Online Fax Benefits
1. Low monthly fixed price: Most online fax service plans cost under $10 a month and since it’s a fixed monthly price, you know how much you need to budget each month. Your business likely has a computer and Internet access, so no other investment in equipment, supplies, or maintenance contracts is required. You may opt to invest in a scanner to scan paper documents to fax.
2. Time Saver: With Internet fax, you send a fax right from your desktop or mobile device, and when you receive a fax, you’re notified by e mail, mobile phone text, or pager. There’s no time wasted getting to a fax machine to fax or wait for an incoming fax. Online fax also eliminates typical fax machine problems, like no paper or transmission malfunctions. In addition, faxes transmit faster because the speed of the Internet is quicker than analog telephone lines.
3. Mobile Faxing: Fax from wherever there’s Internet access using either the online fax provider’s secure Web interface or your email account.
4. Simultaneous Faxing: Unlike a fax machine that completes faxing to the first number before moving on to the next, online faxing transmits a fax to multiple recipients all at the same time.
5. Private, Secure Environment: While fax machines are out in the open where anyone passing by can view them, Internet faxes go directly to the intended recipient’s computer or email. In addition, faxes are encrypted throughout the transmission process.
6. Eco-Friendly: Online fax is the green alternative to a fax machine. It lessens our dependence on paper, toner, ink and electricity. Because creating, editing, sharing and storing faxes is done electronically, faxing over the Internet reduces resources needed for physical faxing and storage space.