Choosing The Right Internet Fax Service
I spend a lot of time reviewing internet fax services, so people
like to ask me which online fax service is best. They want to
know if they should select eFax, MyFax, CallWave, or one of the
many other options. The simple answer is: it depends.
There's not a "best fax service" in general; it depends on what
you're looking for. Here are some factors to consider:
1. How frequently do you fax? This is the most important thing
to consider when choosing an internet fax service. Some services
charge you by the page while others give you a monthly allotment
of fax pages. If you are a heavy faxer you should consider
paying a higher monthly fee in return for getting several
hundred pages of faxes (fax out and fax in) each month for free.
If you are an occasional faxer you should consider services with
low monthly fees and per-page rates.
2. Do you need a toll-free number? Most fax services give you
the option of using a toll free fax number. You can include this
number on your business card to convey a since of
professionalism. But some people would prefer a local fax
number. Ironically, it's sometimes harder to find an internet
fax service that offers local numbers in your area than one that
offers free toll free numbers. This is an important distinction
that I discuss at Fax.info.
3. How do you want to receive your faxes? My preferred method is
to receive a .pdf attachment in my email. But some fax services
require you to download proprietary software to view your faxes.
You should also consider if you want to be able to access your
faxes online. Some services offer online storage and retrieval;
others don't.
4. Do you need just one fax number? If you work in an office
environment you might need to select an online fax service that
offers multiple fax numbers for your company.
These are just four of the important considerations to think
about when choosing an internet fax service. Good luck!