Best Online Fax Service (2024): Nextiva vs RingCentral vs eFax vs MyFax vs MetroFax & More

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Still stuck in the pre-digital dark ages when it comes to faxing? Need to sign and send a contract but got rid of your fax machine years ago? Us too! Despite our reliance on email and voice communication, there’s still a demand for paper transactions. l

Online faxing services can provide this document exchange while taking advantage of the speed of technological data transmission. While sending online faxes is easy (and less expensive than using a physical fax machine), choosing a company that meets your needs can be difficult. Below we take a look at some of the most popular services and how they can best serve your faxing needs.

Article Overview

What Are The Advantages Of Online vs Traditional Faxing?

Even in our modern digital age, faxing is still a necessity for many business communications. But digital faxing is just as reliable as traditional faxing – it uses the same technologies (ultimately sends the fax through a phone line after processing), and uses the speed and all the capabilities of the web to bring you consistent service.

Traditional vs Online Faxing: Top 5 Differences

The five main differences between traditional faxing and online faxing (which is conducted via email) are:

  1. Simplicity – If you know how to use your email, you’ll have no trouble using an email-based fax system.
  2. Reliability – Email faxing systems are always online – they’re never busy or out of paper.
  3. Affordability – Email faxing services are very affordable, with plans starting at $4.95 a month.
  4. Mobility – You can use email fax services from any location that has Internet access – whether you’re at home, at work or on the road.
  5. Eco-Friendly – Since online fax services do not require paper or new bulky equipment, they offer a greener option and create more sustainable business practices.

Check out this video by our top pick, RingCentral, which does an excellent job illustrating how online (and mobile) faxing actually works.

What Should I Consider When Choosing An Online Fax Service?

The things you’ll want to look for when choosing your fax provider include pricing, fax quantity supported, international faxing capabilities, and customer support, among other things. We start off with our top 3, below that you’ll find our comparison table where you can eyeball dozens of features by provider side-by-side to help you decide which service best meets your needs.

Winner: RingCentral Review

RingCentral logo

Visit Website | Call: 855-492-8844

After reviewing a number of the most popular fax services, we found RingCentral to be the best of the best for online faxing service. RingCentral offers a good value for the price at $12.99 per month and an allotment of 750 incoming or outgoing faxed pages.

Ring Central offers both international faxing and 24-hour customer support. Pair this great value with their 30-day free trial plan and you simply cannot go wrong! If you don’t like it, you can cancel with no contractual obligation.

Pros

Cons

  • Good value for features you get
  • Allows for 30 email addresses for faxing
  • Easy setup and user-friendly (no setup fee)
  • Average number of faxes per month (750 total)
  • 24-hour customer support via live chat, phone and email
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • Digital signatures
  • International faxing available
  • Integrates with software (Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
  • Allows for scheduled fax delivery
  • High security encryption
  • No phone support for starter level price plan
  • Some consumer complaints about customer service quality

Pricing

  • 30-day free trial
  • $12.99 per month: 750 faxes; overage is 5.9¢ per page
  • $17.99 per month: 1,500 faxes; overage is 4.9¢ per page
  • $49.99 per month: 2,500 faxes; overage is 3.9¢ per page
  • $39.99 per month; unlimited faxes (starting price; call for more details)
  • $4.99 each per month: additional fax number
  • $30 one-time fee for additional 800 and vanity numbers

Runner-Up: MetroFax Review

MetroFax Logo

Visit Website | Call: 888-321-3121

MetroFax comes in at number two for our best online fax services. With a comparable price and number of faxes allotted each month to our number one pick, RingCentral, MetroFax comes out ahead with a low $.03 per page overage charge.

So, what kept them out of the top spot? Their features don’t match what you get with RingCentral, namely three potentially important capabilities — scheduling faxes ahead of time, digital signatures and the limitation of only five email addresses allowed for faxing. But if these options don’t matter to you, take a close look at Metro Fax — and try them out with their 30-day free trial!

Pros

Cons

  • Affordable monthly pricing
  • Low overage fee at $.03 per page
  • Intuitive interface and easy setup (no setup fee)
  • Flexible number of faxes per month (up to 500, whether incoming or outgoing)
  • International faxing capability
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • High security encryption
  • Good integration with apps/software
  • 24/7 Customer Support
  • Only allows for 5 email addresses for faxing
  • No digital signature capability
  • Can’t schedule fax delivery ahead of time

Pricing

  • 30-day free trial
  • $7.95 per month: total of 500 faxes per month (any combination of incoming or outgoing)
  • $12.95 per month: total of 1,000 faxes per month (any combination of incoming or outgoing)
  • $35.95 per month: total of 2,500 faxes per month (any combination of incoming or outgoing)

3rd Place: Nextiva Review

Nextiva logo

Visit Website | Call: 855-614-4984

Nextiva is the most affordable online fax solution making it a great option for those looking for basic online fax service. With no setup fee and 500 incoming and outgoing faxes for less than $5 per month (if you sign up for the annual plan), Nextiva is great value for those not seeking international faxing and 24-7 customer support. But, if you are new to online faxing, you may find the limited customer support to be an issue.

Pros

Cons

  • Least expensive plan we found (if you pay annually)
  • Easy setup and user-friendly (no setup fee)
  • Large number of faxes per month (500 total)
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • Overage per page ($.03) is lowest we found
  • Known for great fax quality
  • Allows for scheduled fax delivery
  • High 256 SSL security encryption
  • Only allows for one email address for faxing
  • No international faxing capability
  • No digital signatures
  • Doesn’t offer 24/7 customer service

Pricing

Pricing starts at $10 per month per user.

Comparison Table

This table compares the top online fax services with their features and pricing side-by-side. If you click on a link under the company name in the header (or footer), you will be taken to that company’s homepage to explore further. You’ll find a list of terminologies below the table that further explains the left-column definitions.

Provider 1st Place: RingCentral 2nd Place: MetroFax 3rd Place: Nextiva eFax Fax.com MyFax RapidFax
Provider 1st Place: RingCentral 2nd Place: MetroFax 3rd Place: Nextiva eFax Fax.com MyFax RapidFax
Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website Visit Website
Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review
Lowest Price Plan $7.99/Month $7.95/Month $8.95/Month $16.95/Month $9.99/Month $9.17/Month (w/annual plan) $13.99/Month
Set-Up Fee $0 $0 $0 $0-$25 $9.99 $0 $0
Free Trial 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days None 30 Days 30 Days
Number of Faxes
Included Per Month
500 total (in or out) 500 total (in or out) 500 total (in or out) 150 (in or out) 300 (in or out) 200 in
100 out
300 (in or out)
Cost For Additional Pages Sent (Overage Fee) $0.06 $0.03 $0.03 $0.10 $0.12 $0.10 $0.08
Cost For Additional Pages Received (Overage Fee) $0.06 $0.03 $0.03 $0.10 $0.12 $0.10 $0.08
Monthly Cost For Fax Storage Free Free Free Free Free Free Free
Fax Storage Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit
Fax Storage Duration No Limit 365 Days No Limit No Limit 30 Days No Limit 30 Days
Toll Free Fax Numbers Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Local Fax Numbers Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Send Fax Via Email Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Send Fax to Multiple Recipients Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
International Faxing Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Auto-Resend Feature Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Scheduled Fax Delivery Checkmark Checkmark
Mobile Alerts Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
24 Hour Customer Support Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Digital Signatures Checkmark Checkmark
SSL Encryption Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Mobile Faxing Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Software Integration Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark Checkmark
Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review

Terminologies

Terminology in the online fax world is not as confusing as it can be in other industries. However, it is important to understand exactly what you are getting from each of the services listed. Below we will define some of the more popular features.

  • Cost for Additional Pages sent / received (Overage Fee): Depending upon the particular faxing plan you choose from a designated provider you will receive a maximum number of faxes that you can send or receive for the monthly price you pay. If you send or receive more than the designated fax number you will be charged an overage fee per page at the fee listed.
  • Fax Storage Limit / Duration: The storage limit is the number of faxes that the online fax service is able to store in your account for future access. The designated duration is the length of time that the service is able to store these faxes for you, after this time they will be deleted.
  • Toll Free Fax Numbers: Toll free fax numbers are often preferred by big businesses because they provide clients with the ability to fax information to them free of charge. Clients are generally more likely to fax to a toll-free number.
  • Local Fax Numbers: Local fax numbers are preferred for the same reason local phone numbers are – they make your business look like it is within the community it supports. This is of course more important if your business has local clients.
  • Send Fax Via Email: No clunky fax machine that takes up office space is necessary. For this and other reasons, e-mail faxing is the most popular method of faxing these days.
  • Send Fax to Multiple Recipients: On occasion, you will find that you need to send documents to multiple recipients – such as in an insurance claim. Online fax services that have this capability allow you to send a single fax to multiple recipients and save time.
  • Auto-Resend Feature: Your fax service will continue automatically to send faxes until they are received (within reason), since older, traditional fax machines may have to be turned on during business hours to receive faxes. This is also helpful when fax numbers are busy.
  • Schedule Fax Delivery: You can schedule your fax delivery at a time of your choosing. This is particularly helpful when sending faxes to companies with business hours outside your time zone.
  • Mobile Alerts: Mobile alerts can keep you apprised of your faxing activity, so you know instantly when important faxes were successfully received.

Other What About eFax, Fax.com, MyFax, & RapidFax?

We’ve reviewed some other popular online fax providers for you. Click one of the links below to jump to a service and find out if it has an offering that’s a unique fit to your business needs.

eFax | Fax.com | MyFax | RapidFax

eFax Review

eFax logo

Visit Website

eFax has grown to become one of the largest online fax companies around; however, at $16.95 a month, it’s the most expensive service reviewed here. eFax justifies this price premium by offering state of the art features including a smartphone app, digitized signature capabilities and large file sharing. eFax is an excellent service — if you have the budget for it!

Pros

Cons

  • Large file sharing capability
  • Supports digital signatures
  • International faxing capability
  • 24/7 customer service
  • High 128 SSL level security encryption
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • Most expensive monthly price we reviewed
  • Setup fee of $25 for higher plan
  • Costly overage fee of $.10 per page
  • Only allows for 5 email addresses for faxing
  • Lower number of faxes allotted per month than most (150 in and 150 out)
  • Can’t schedule fax delivery ahead of time
  • Very limited integration with apps/software

Pricing

eFax offers a 30-day free trial and 2 months free with an annual subscription.

  • $16.95 per month: 150 faxes in and 150 out
  • $19.95 per month: 200 faxes in and 200 out

Fax.Com Review

Fax.Com logo

Visit Website

Fax.com is a basic online faxing service that is $9.99 a month for 300 faxes, but their overage rates (when you exceed your plan page count) of $0.12 per page is among the highest we have seen. Mobile alerts, fax scheduling, and 24-7 customer support are not available with this plan.

Pros

Cons

  • Allows unlimited email addresses for faxing
  • Good number of faxes per month (300 in & 300 out)
  • International faxing capability
  • High level security encryption
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • Higher end of price range with monthly cost at $9.99 and fewer features than more affordable services (and only one pricing plan)
  • Highest overage we reviewed at $.12 per page
  • Setup fee of $9.99
  • No digital signature capability
  • Can’t schedule fax delivery ahead of time
  • No 24/7 customer support
  • No free trial offer

Pricing

  • $9.99 per month: 300 faxes
  • $9.99 setup fee
  • $9.99 per additional fax number

MyFax Review

MyFax nobo

Visit Website

MyFax is a reasonably priced online fax service with a solid customer service reputation. If you are looking for a reliable and well-supported service, then you may want to consider the MyFax service. International faxing and easy computer integration are just two of the added benefits of this online fax service.

Pros

Cons

  • User-friendly and easy setup (no setup fee)
  • International faxing capability
  • 24/7 customer service (excellent ratings by consumers)
  • Good integration support with apps/software
  • Can fax from iPhone and Android
  • High security encryption
  • Higher end of price range at $10 per month and fewer features than more affordable plans
  • Overage is on high side at $.10 per page
  • Only allows for 5 email addresses for faxing
  • You only get 100 outbound faxes but 200 inbound (with lowest plan)
  • No digital signature capability
  • Can’t schedule fax delivery ahead of time
  • Some users report unreliable faxing service and outages

Pricing

  • 30-day free trial
  • $10 per month: 200 faxes in and 100 out
  • $20 per month: 200 faxes in and 200 out
  • $40 per month: 400 faxes in and 400 out

eFax RapidFax Review

RapidFax nobo

Visit Website

RapidFax (now owned by eFax) was one of the first online faxing companies. If you are looking for the most recent “technological advances” such as mobile notification and fax scheduling, then RapidFax might not be the best fit, but it does offer international fax capabilities and other great faxing capabilities at a good price.

Pros

Cons

  • Easy to use interface and setup (no setup fee)
  • Unlimited email addresses for faxing
  • Good number of faxes per month (300 in & 300 out)
  • International faxing capability
  • High security encryption
  • On high side of pricing per month at $9.95 with fewer features than more affordable services
  • Overage fee of $.08 per page is on the high-end of pricing
  • Doesn’t support digital signatures
  • Can’t schedule fax delivery ahead of time
  • No ability to fax from mobile devices
  • Limited integration with apps/software
  • Limited customer support hours

Pricing

  • 30-day free trial
  • $9.95 per month: 300 faxes in and 300 out

Deciding Which Online Fax Company Is Right For You

Deciding which is the best online fax service for you involves considering just a handful of features. The first thing you should do is outline your budget. Unlike a number of other services, there is not a considerable price gap between online fax services.

However, there is a difference in the number of faxed pages received for each pricing plan. So after setting your budget, you should determine what type of volume you will need per month. If you are a high volume company, then you should consider going with a service that offers the most faxed pages for the plan price. It is also important to consider, however, that there is a price per page for faxing overages (i.e. additional faxes beyond your chosen plan’s quota).

If you are a large volume company that is likely to go over budget on faxes per month, then you should consider the value of a monthly pricing plan and the faxed pages limitation in addition to the cost per page for additional pages faxed. Larger companies will also want to think about the ability to send and receive from more than one email address.

Multinational companies will likely need a fax company that supports international service.

Lastly, it is important to consider any additional features that you may require from online faxing such as fax storage quota and retention duration (some offer unlimited) and 24/7 customer support (especially if your office works outside standard business hours).

Next: 800 Phone Numbers And E-Signing Documents

Did you know that in addition to faxing online, you can also e-sign documents? No need to print, sign, scan and email (or heaven forbid drive and drop off in person). Read our reviews of the top e-signature providers.

You might also be surprised to learn how inexpensive it is to get a toll-free 800 number for your business. This can not only make it easier for prospective customers to get in touch (free is better right?), but can also make your business look more professional and give it a national (vs city-based) presence.

Which “traditional” to “online” conversion is your business struggling with most? Let us know in the comments!

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The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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