Virtual FAX services

[Gary Baker]

2017 and we still need faxes! I have had a fax service for 6 years and have just entered the seventh. For the last 6 years I have paid $60 per year for a service that I have used perhaps twice a year.  I always gave in for ease and the fact I had a physical number, but when you looking at the cost per fax it is exorbitant.

Today I received an email that stated my service cost was rising to $160 and they billed me on the same day.... umm no! Not in this lifetime can I justify this!

So, after that preamble. What do you have and use, and what can anyone recommend for me?

I would like to keep the number (biz cards etc...) but I am not stuck to it. What is not stupidly expensive for 2-3 faxes a year with hopefully a ported number?

• Fedex fax services as needed?
• Start a new service? (online search shows range from $4.95 excl tax (so $80pa!) to $15+pm.)  
• Buy a fax card or machine and add that to my telephone line?
• anything else?

Thanks,

[Amy Webber]

We currently use myfax.com at $10 per month or you can get a year for $110.  Every time I get ready to cancel it, I need to use it for someone whose policy requires them to use a fax instead of email.   (I don't have to tell them that my fax service emails it to me anyway!).  I need it just often enough to send or receive items from vendors or local govt's to want the convenience of using it from my home, hotel room, or office.  This is the lowest plan they have and it is easy to use.

I've pondered just using the UPS store where our box is but I like being able to access myfax anytime from any location.

Here is a review link - http://www.toptenreviews.com/business/services/bes...

Best of luck

[Amy Webber]

Due to this thread - I started poking around - this one looks interesting and has a free option for just a few pages.  Might suit me just fine for the occasional fax so I am going to look into it.

FYI - https://app.hellofax.com/info/pricing

[Gary Baker]

@Amy Webber

“HelloFax, the Web site that finally liberates us from the worst gadget on earth.” 

Thanks for your response.  The only gotcha I see is that hello fax only allows you 5 pages of fax(es).  After those you would pay .99c for 10 pgs and  .20c thereafter.  Now can I port my number, is my next search.

Thank you Amy,

Gary

edit: Cannot receive fax on the free service, unfortunately.

[Amy Webber]

Yep - disappointing. I'll probably stay with myfax for now.  How about we both post if we find anything interesting? 

Thanks!

[Cody L.]

Ditch it. And laugh at people that ask what your fax number is. There is 0 reason anyone should ever fax

I don't even allow printers in my office. The only time I ever deal in paper is when I close and my mobile notary comes to have me put ink on trees.

[Jeff B.]

I used TrustFAX.com for years and was very happy with it.  When traveling, the internet access was indispensable.

[Ashish Tiwari]

If you are using fax only couple of times a year, HelloFax is really good as your cost would be $1 a year, but the catch is no dedicated number (can't port in for free plan). Cheapest paid pln would be $120 + Tax.

SRFax ($36 a year) or MetroFax ($80)are better bet as you would be able to retain your fax number. Here are the pricing links.

https://www.srfax.com/pricing/home-fax-to-email-plans/

https://www.metrofax.com/buy-now/fax-numbers

[Matthew Rogers]

I also have been using my fax.com for the last year and it's great. Comes directly to my email as a PDF attachment. $10/month but hassle free.

Sounds like you were actually getting a deal before at $60/year but it wasn't digital..

[Levi T.]

Originally posted by @Cody L.:

Ditch it. And laugh at people that ask what your fax number is. There is 0 reason anyone should ever fax

I don't even allow printers in my office. The only time I ever deal in paper is when I close and my mobile notary comes to have me put ink on trees.

 Yuup

[Sean Walton]

RingCentral includes faxing out for free but I don't think you can receive faxes.

[Christian Wathne]

+1 to RingCentral. I've used their services for a number of years with good results

@Sean Walton, ringcentral does support receiving fax as well as sending. 

[Amy Webber]

@Levi T.

@Cody L.

I agree with the sentiment personally but I have made some serious funds(to me anyway) with clients where this functionality was needed because of some stodgy entity involved (bank, govt office etc) whose policy would only allow them to receive or send information in person, by snail mail, or by fax.  Of those options, the out of date fax function is by far the most convenient. Every time I am tempted to do exactly as you suggest, something like this comes up where having the ability sames me a ton of time.  So I'm keeping the stodgy option available for now 

[Cody L.]

Originally posted by @Amy Webber:

@Levi T.

@Cody L.

I agree with the sentiment personally but I have made some serious funds(to me anyway) with clients where this functionality was needed because of some stodgy entity involved (bank, govt office etc) whose policy would only allow them to receive or send information in person, by snail mail, or by fax.  Of those options, the out of date fax function is by far the most convenient. Every time I am tempted to do exactly as you suggest, something like this comes up where having the ability sames me a ton of time.  So I'm keeping the stodgy option available for now 

 I tell them no.  Actually, and this is true, if they ask me to fax, I give a super believable impression that I don't know what they're talking about.  I say "I'm sorry, a 'facts?  What is that?".  Just trying to do my part to nudge some of these people into the 90s

[Levi T.]

Originally posted by @Cody L.:

Originally posted by @Amy Webber:

@Levi T.

@Cody L.

I agree with the sentiment personally but I have made some serious funds(to me anyway) with clients where this functionality was needed because of some stodgy entity involved (bank, govt office etc) whose policy would only allow them to receive or send information in person, by snail mail, or by fax.  Of those options, the out of date fax function is by far the most convenient. Every time I am tempted to do exactly as you suggest, something like this comes up where having the ability sames me a ton of time.  So I'm keeping the stodgy option available for now 

 I tell them no.  Actually, and this is true, if they ask me to fax, I give a super believable impression that I don't know what they're talking about.  I say "I'm sorry, a 'facts?  What is that?".  Just trying to do my part to nudge some of these people into the 90s

That's funny, I do the same thing more or less.  They asked me do I have a fax machine, my responses is always "no", followed up by if they ever heard of email.  If they want the business, they will sort it out.

If you're going to have a fax machine. You might as well go pick yourself up a pager. 😂

[Amy Webber]

LOL  - Each to their own :) I'll take those deals where the seller wants to use a fax - Best of luck to all!

[Account Closed]

I use Ring Central for both my office business phone, my "direct line" (both forward to my cell through their app), and my fax number.  Texts to the the phone get forwarded to my phone (and I get an email notification).  I also get a conferencing number.  The expensive part was buying an IP Phone.  Connects to my current internet service at home and I can use a wireless headset for conference calls.

It's a little bit more expensive than your $60 per year just for fax, but the features are nice (and you can set business hours to where the phone gets automatically forwarded to voice mail).

[David V. Stephenson]

I agree that faxes should be made obsolete. In the mean time, we can help the U.S. obesity rates by faxing documents so that government workers can get up from their desks and walk to the fax machine.

I got an account at eFax.com which came with a fax number and I can receive 10 pages a month for free. When I need to send a fax I go to FaxZero.com and can send up to 3 pages for free (with logo on cover page which is just fine by me) or one can pay a minimal fee for larger documents.

Hope this helps! Happy Facts-ing

[Gary Baker]

@David V. Stephenson

I gave up my personal fax number.  The vanity of paying $160pa for a fax or two a year to my own virtual fax was stupid. When I run a full time biz from home again then I will do it again. Free is always good and FedEx is local. 

Later

[Austin Hayward]

Unfortunately, when you have to send faxes to the IRS, or when you're a doctor in the medical field - there's only so much you can do. With online faxing these days, it's much more convenient. You can just send a fax from your phone.

I found the cheapest price for a dedicated fax number to send AND receive faxes at $60 per year at ToucanFax.com - if you only send a few faxes a year (and don't need to receive), just sign up for a month at $5 and then cancel before the month is over!