LatestCrunchs.com
So I bet you’re thinking – FAX? Really? Well despite the prominence of e-mail and cloud technology, many businesses are still attached to the fax machine and continue to use it for delivering key documents to external parties. Given this is meant to be a tech blog, it just wouldn’t be fair if I neglected the ‘old school’ technology which can still be used online, so let me introduce you to a few of my favourite sites which will help you send your fax for free!
1. FaxZero
Faxzero is one of the more basic online services available which is why it is also a limited one. Firstly, you cannot receive faxes nor can you send them from your smart phone. In saying that, if your fax message contains less than 3 pages and you won’t be sending more than 5 faxes a day, you’re all good.
What type of documents can you fax?
Most of the common ones really such as .doc, .pdf .docx and they need to be under 20MB.
How does FaxZero work and does it work internationally?
This is where FaxZero might annoy those that reside outside the U.S and Canada as it is free for them. International users can still use it but there is a fee.
The FaxZero process is simple – once you have confirmed the fax, you will be allocated a URL which will provide you with a private fax status. It is very important that you save this URL as it will not be provided again. This URL will confirm whether your fax was successfully delivered or not.
2. Gujarat4U Sends Your Fax For Free Anywhere
While Gujarat4U may look like the tackiest website you have seen on the other side of year 2000, it does work! All you need to do is insert your fax message in the box provided (sorry, you cannot attach a file) and then throw in the properly formatted fax number and your email credentials….and there she goes!
I know there are limitations given the message will need to be plain text but it helps you send your fax for free and there are no geographical limitations.
3. HelloFax
HelloFax is an impressive service which allows you to send your fax for free to international numbers with the only prerequisite being that you need a Google Drive or Hotmail account. If you fax a document it is stored as a copy in your Google Drive or SkyDrive account.
HelloFax allows you to send image files, .doc files and PDF documents and you’ll receive 5 free fax pages upon signing up. The one thing which appealed to me was the ability to sign documents through your browser. The downside is that HelloFax requires a monthly fee to receive fax messages (I knew there would be a catch)
4. MyFax
If you fax regularly outside of the U.S and Canada, MyFax is a viable option as it allows you to send faxes to 40 different countries. Firstly, you are allowed to send two 10-page faxes once a day (providing the file size is less than 10MB).
MyFax allows you to not online send .pdf .doc .xls but also Powerpoint files and image files. In terms of the process, once you submit your fax, a confirmation message is sent to your email with a link to click in order to authorize the delivery of the message. There is the option of obtaining your own free toll-free fax number (30 day trial period) which allows you to send up to 100 faxes and receive 200 faxes at no cost.
5. iFax
iFax is an iPhone app which works requires a mention, unfortunately it does come with a price tag, but only because it makes life easy on the go. There is a pricing strucure as you pay per fax and in 5 page increments. There are 3 pricing structures depending on which group you fall into – Group A starts at 0.99c (up to 5 pages), Group B is $1.99 for 5 pages and Group C is $2.99 for the same number of pages.
The app works well and has a number of key features such as DropBox and Box integration, Document scanner technology, customizable cove pager template and PDF integration. I will tell you upfront that iFax does not come with a free online fax number so you can expect to pay $12.99 per month and this cost will vary depending on which Group you reside in. So while this isn’t a cost friendly option, it is handy to have the option of doing it all from your smartphone but the question is, are you prepared to pay for it?
This is great information! It’s ironic that I have actually been looking for an online fax solution and I think this is going to help me decide. And even though the iPhone app costs, you are always going to pay for convenience. That’s why the McDouble costs $1 instead of the $.10 it really costs to make it at home!
Keep up the good work and thanks for the post!
Michael Perrenoud recently posted…5 Tips To Increase Your Focus
Very ironic – thanks Michael. I was a bit skeptical about writing a post on faxing but clearly it still has a place in business so why consume your time finding a machine or buying one when there are efficient solutions. I’m a fan of iFax despite the cost.