How can I send a fax from my computer?

I have a document on my computer that I need to fax to someone. But I don't have a fax machine, and really don't want to figure out how to configure my fax modem. Is there a reliable way to fax a document over the Internet?

Dave's Answer:

I asked my long-time friend Kevin Savetz to help me with this question, and he offered up a splendidly useful answer that also includes pointers to a couple of fax-related services he offers too...

There are many services that let you send faxes from your computer, without having to hook up a fax machine or a fax modem. For occasional faxing, I suggest FaxZero. Using the simple form, you can type your and the recipient's information, upload a Microsoft Word file or Adobe Acrobat file, and your fax will be sent in just a few minutes.

Shorter faxes -- up to 3 pages -- can be sent for free, if you don't mind an advertisement on the cover page. If you need to send a longer fax or don't want the cover page ad, you can pay $1.99 to send your fax (which is still a bargain). There's no subscription fee or monthly service charge, it's a one-shot deal.

Typical Computer-Based Fax Cover Sheet

If you need to send or receive faxes on a more regular basis, other services are probably better choices. Many Internet fax services let you send and receive hundreds of pages for $10 to $15 per month. FaxPrices.com is a price comparison site that compares more than 100 faxing services. What I like about FaxPrices is that it shows exact pricing based on the number of faxes you expect to send and receive. Light users -- someone sending 10 and receiving 20 pages each month, for instance -- can pay less than $5 per month, according to FaxPrices.com. Someone who needs to transmit 500 pages each month has a dozen options for under $30.

There's one more useful site to check out: the Internet Fax FAQ, which describes dozens of faxing services, sorted into categories such as Faxing From Web and E-mail, and Services For Receiving Faxes Only. Each service includes ratings from customers, so you can choose a service with a good track record.

An Internet fax service is, in many ways, more convenient than a fax modem or a regular fax machine. For one thing, you can receive faxes at any time without dedicating a phone line to your fax machine. Also, many Internet fax services will give you a toll-free number for incoming faxes, which the people faxing you will appreciate. You can send a fax from your laptop, from any Internet connection, without having to stand around waiting for the office fax machine.

Subscribe!

Never miss another Q&A article! Click to subscribe:

Comments

I never would have asked that question but I desperately needed to know the answer. Nice!

Posted by: Brian Stephenson at December 28, 2006 1:59 PM

Useful as FaxZero may be, it only allows to send faxes to the USA and Canada so it is somewhat limited, particularly for the 99% of us who don't live there or work there...

Posted by: Christopher Rose at December 29, 2006 7:58 AM

Get A Mac..
All mac's can fax all doc's as well as make a PDF so you can Email it. Just select file, print and in the print box select fax. your address book will open and choose you friend's info and hit fax. I do this all day long in Quickbook's to send bill's out.

Posted by: Dustin Lakin at January 1, 2007 10:56 PM

Thanks for the tip about Faxzero! I have been fighting with my computer for a couple hours trying to figure out how to send one measly fax (I don't have a need to send faxes often), and in my search on the internet about how to send a fax from my computer I found your tip! It saved me another couple of hours of a battle of the wits with my computer! :O)

Posted by: Monica at February 17, 2007 10:19 AM

All I can say is that fax via internet or email saves a lot of time. I use PopFax service for over a year. At PopFax service there is no monthly fee and you do have unlimited reception. PopFax service is cheap it is only 0.07$ per page.

Posted by: lumina at May 30, 2007 1:19 AM

i was torn between popfax and 101fax..but then popfax's no monthly fee covers sending out faxes only. with 101fax's no monthly fee, i can send and receive!

Posted by: K.Z. at October 5, 2007 4:07 AM

i never liked faxzero! too slow and there's not much features.
101Fax is a winner with the pay-per-use service though. goes with a lot of features also.

Posted by: leila at October 18, 2007 8:57 PM

THOUGHT WAS GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME WITH 101FAX,BUT YAH. HAD THE HANG OF IT AFTERWARDS..

Posted by: JaMIL at October 21, 2007 6:44 PM

how to have free internet access
with no landline hooked up?

Posted by: flumox at February 15, 2008 5:23 PM

I tried to send fax using FAX ZERO - paying wiht Paypal for premium fax. USELESS SITE - after logging in to Paypal , teh payment confirmation page asked me to check the info , if correct then hit "Pay Now" button - but the button was nowhere in sight. Lawdy, Lawdy miss Clawdy...............Please take a look at site again and tell me if I missed something, thanks

Posted by: LIZ HOBBY at September 3, 2008 6:42 PM

Thanks For the help

Posted by: Donna at November 17, 2008 9:03 AM

Thanks for the tips Dave. I always thought Fax Zero was ok if you only need to send a fax once in a while - though I've had similar experience as some of the other people have commented. Some have mentioned a couple of other services - and there are a few more options out there for free faxing. Take Drop.io for instance, and don't forget about TPC. You can find more information about free faxing, computer faxing in general, along with internet fax reviews at http://computerfaxing.org.

Posted by: Computer Faxing Guy at March 7, 2009 4:37 PM

i want to send fax from my pc to fax machine within australia for free.how to do it?

Posted by: jagmohan singh at June 13, 2009 6:54 PM

Can someone from a regular telephone. Fax someone with an internet fax server?

Posted by: debra at July 11, 2009 11:14 PM

http://www.GotFreeFax.com is another website that lets user send free fax online to the US and Canada. User can either upload a PDF/Word file or enter text to fax. Plus, it does not add Ads to user's fax, which makes it suitable for faxing formal documents.

Posted by: James at July 22, 2009 9:51 AM

While trying to send a fax using my Lexmark printer which has BVRP FaxTools software and my EMachines notebook computer over my ATT DSL home line I keep getting a warning box that pops up and asks for a Identifier number fo send the fax, what is it and where do I find it?

Posted by: Robert Vogel at August 25, 2009 5:44 AM

i want to send a fax from my computer

Posted by: hussein at September 30, 2009 12:27 PM

I have to send one fax - and I do not live in US or Canada. Anyone know how to send Faxes from foreign contries to US or other contries?

Posted by: Rune at January 24, 2010 3:42 AM

I understand there are services out there but one would think in this day and age there is a software to convert a file to go to a fax machine over the web. I have too many faxes to send and services are costly. Any software out there? I have been searching.

Posted by: Andy at February 15, 2010 2:07 PM

This is some great information, however faxzero.com is a great option for sending and occasional fax. For those of us who need a serious faxing solution for small businesses and such, internet faxing services such as RingCentral, MyFax or Nextiva fax are great options and very cheap as well despite the professional solutions they offer.

Posted by: joe smith at July 12, 2010 2:24 PM

Hi,

Ive been trying to find a good fax service for Qatar or anywhere in the Middle East. All the ones Ive been able to find are based in the US and Canada and charge $0.50 a page. I have a small start up company, and will be sending in excess of 1000 pages per month. If anyone knows a solution for my problem I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

Posted by: Mohammed at September 21, 2010 1:20 PM

How I love the Internet! Typed in my question and voila just like magic, there's my answer. And what's more I've read enough about Dave Taylor to know he's very worthy of listening to, so thanks!

Posted by: Jackie at November 1, 2010 3:40 PM

how easy is it to send a fax?

Posted by: Osbert at November 3, 2011 1:01 PM

http://home.efax.com/s/r/efaxprint

THIS WAS THE LINK I USED TO SIGN UP FOR A FREE FAX ACCOUNT. Thanks for sending me on the the way to finding it.

Posted by: Kathy at November 22, 2011 5:46 PM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!