For many people, the idea of faxing is a thing of the past, but in fact, online faxing services are very much still part of business operations. In fact, the service has revolutionised the way individuals and businesses communicate securely and efficiently.
Unlike traditional fax machines, these digital solutions enable users to send and receive faxes through email, mobile apps or web platforms, offering convenience and cost-effectiveness.
With advanced features such as cloud storage integration, encryption and multi-device access, online faxing caters to modern-day demands while maintaining the reliability of fax communication. Indeed, these features set online faxing apart from simple scanning processes.
From freelancers to large enterprises, these services provide an efficient, safe and effective way to handle documents without the hassle of paper or outdated hardware.
Advantages of Using Online Fax Services
There are plenty you advantages to using online fax services, whether it’s compared to traditional faxing, scanning or other similar services.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Traditional fax machines require dedicated phone lines, paper, ink and maintenance. Online fax services, however, eliminate these costs by operating over the internet. Many services also offer flexible pricing, often based on the number of pages sent or received, with no need for expensive equipment which is always a bonus.
- Convenience and Accessibility: Online fax services allow users to send and receive faxes from anywhere, using their computer, smartphone or tablet. This flexibility makes it easier to manage business communications remotely without needing to be in the office like in the old days.
- Security: Modern online fax services use encryption technology to secure your sensitive information, which is particularly important for industries like healthcare, law and finance. Traditional faxes, while sometimes secure, are more vulnerable to interception or misdelivery.
- Environmentally Friendly: By reducing the need for paper, ink and physical space for machines, online faxing is a more sustainable option. This aligns with growing environmental awareness among businesses and consumers alike.
- Integration with Other Tools: Many online fax services integrate seamlessly with cloud storage, email and customer management systems. This creates a more efficient workflow, as faxes can be automatically stored and managed digitally, streamlining document management.
- No Need for a Dedicated Fax Machine: With online faxing, there’s no need for a physical machine. This reduces the office space needed for bulky equipment and eliminates the hassle of dealing with paper jams, maintenance or technical issues.
Top 12 Online Fax Services
While many people still use traditional, old-school fax machines, online fax services have actually been around for a lot longer than many people think. Here are the top 12 online fax services today.
1. eFax
Founded in California in 1997, eFax is one of the pioneers in online fax services. Catering to both businesses and individuals, the company was initially part of J2 Global, and now, it’s got one of the largest databases of local fax numbers in the world.
eFax is a feature-rich platform that supports both sending and receiving faxes via either email or mobile app, depending on your personal preference.
2. Dropbox Fax
Originally launched as HelloFax, the service ended up being integrated with Dropbox and became known by its current name, Dropbox Fax. This allowed for extended services, including enhanced document sharing and faxing capabilities.
Users can send faxes directly from cloud storage which, for many, makes it preferable to alternatives – especially for those who already use Dropbox. Its seamless integration is, arguably, its best feature.
Dropbox Fax was founded by Joseph Walla in San Francisco in 2010.
3. Fax Zero
Founded by Kevin Savetz in 2006, FaxZero is a free online fax service that is ideal for people who only need occasional faxing. The service is capped at a certain number of pages, so if you need to do a lot of faxing, it probably wouldn’t be the right choice for you.
However, if you just need to send a fax once every now and the and don’t feel like paying for a subscription to a service you aren’t going to use regularly, FaxZero is a great option.
4. iFax
iFax, founded in 2008, is focused on providing a user-friendly online faxing service that is not only easy to use but also perfect for mobile-friendly. In addition, this service is appropriate for HIPAA-compliant faxing making it ideal for industries like healthcare.
With a strong emphasis on encryption and general security, iFax is a secure faxing service. Another feature that makes it attractive is its flexible pricing model.
5. Nextiva vFax
Nextiva vFax is an Arizona-based company, founded by Tomas Gorny in 2006, Nexiva vFax is part of Nextiva’s unified communications suite.
It offers reliable faxing services along with scalable solutions that are appropriate for businesses of all sizes. vFax is particularly well known for its competitive pricing and excellent customer service.
6. Biscom 123
Biscom 123, a subsidiary of Biscom, was founded by Bill Ho in 1986. Ho is the current CEO, and over the years, the company has become an industry leader in secure document delivery.
Designed for small-scale fixing, Biscom123 simplifies the faxing process and integrates it with email. Furthermore, the reputation of its parent company in secure communications adds to its appeal as a safe option.
7. SRFax
A Canadian online faxing service, SRFax was launched in 2004 and is recognised in particular for it focus on privacy and compliance with healthcare regulations, especially HIPAA. For this reason, it’s become especially popular among healthcare providers due to its ability to provide a secure and reliable service in an industry in which privacy is of the utmost importance.
SRFax offers users plans that are specifically tailored to their needs. The company also has a number of affordable options that make it ideal for low-income users and startups.
8. MetroFax
Acquired by J2 Global, MetroFax started off as an independent online faxing service before its acquisition in 2013.
The company offers services that are suitable for both small and large organisations. It’s known for its affordability, as it provides flexible solutions to clients with a variety of different needs, both professional and personal.
MetroFax supports both mobile app and email faxing, and it can be easily and seamlessly integrated with business workflows.
9. RingCentral
Founded in Belmont, California, RingCentral is actually a border communication suite that includes an online faxing service. The company was launched in 1999 by Vlad Shmunis, and it offers cloud-based faxing options along with some more advanced features like integration with Dropbox and Google Drive.
This makes it ideal for companies (and even individuals) hoping to unify communications solutions alongside faxing.
10. Fax.Plus
One of the younger additions to our list, Fax.Plus is a Swiss startup that was founded by Ali Ghasemzadeh in 2016.
The company has created a combination of a modern-designed service that provides users with effective and powerful faxing capabilities. Boasting cross-platform compatibility as well as a super user-friendly interface, Fax.Plus is versatile.
Along with its standard offerings, the company offers features like integration with popular cloud services as well as digital signatures.
11. WiseFax
WiseFax is a Slovenian-based startup that offers a slightly different online faxing service to most competitors in the industry.
The company’s pay-as-you-go model is ideal for users who don’t fax frequently, and due to this, its focus is on simplicity and efficiency.
WiseFax offers users the ability to send faxes from anywhere and from various devices without having to get involved in a subscription.
12. Retarus Cloud Fax
Retarus Cloud Fax is a German-based online faxing company that was founded in Munich. It’s ideal for businesses of all sizes and it provides companies with a secure and scalable online faxing solution.
Integrating quickly and easily with existing applications, Retarus provides users with global coverage, and it also adheres to several advanced compliance standards including GDPR and HIPA.
Furthermore, Retarus supports multi-channel faxing by means of email, web or traditional fax machines.
