Emails have replaced fax machines. It’s now an ancient technology, but you’d be surprised by how many people still use it to send documents around, especially in offices. If you were born in the early 2000s and don’t really know what Fax is, it essentially scans and transfers the contents of a document via audio frequency tones. It then decodes the signal back to a document with text and printed images at the other end. But you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already know about Fax, and if you’re looking for some of the best Android Fax apps, you’ve come to the right place.
It is worth noting that faxing is not free. And while a few apps on this list provide a couple of free faxes, you’ll eventually have to pay a weekly or annual fee to continue faxing.
Exploring the Ease of Faxing with Android Apps
In the digital age, faxing may seem outdated, but it is still very much alive, especially in professional settings. Many businesses rely on faxing for sending sensitive documents securely. With the advent of technology, several Android apps have emerged to make faxing easier and more accessible than ever. These apps provide a user-friendly interface that allows you to send and receive faxes directly from your smartphone.
The integration of cloud storage and the ability to scan documents using your phone's camera have revolutionized the way we handle faxing. Users can send faxes on the go without needing a physical fax machine. This convenience has led to a surge in popularity for faxing apps, making them essential tools for many professionals.
Key Features to Look for in Fax Apps
When choosing a fax app, it’s important to consider several key features that can enhance your faxing experience:
- Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface makes sending and receiving faxes quicker and more efficient.
- Document Scanning: The ability to scan documents using your device’s camera is a must-have feature.
- Cloud Integration: Support for cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox allows for easy document access.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Look for apps that offer flexible pricing plans that suit your faxing needs.
- Customer Support: Reliable customer support can help resolve any issues you encounter.
Top Android Fax Apps Reviewed
Fax.Plus
Fax.Plus is a great fax app on Android for two reasons — it’s extremely simple and easy to use, and it has everything you want from a fax app on Android. As soon as you get started by logging in, the app will ask you to verify your phone for 10 free pages credit, which is nice. You can then go to the Send Fax section, enter the number to which you want to fax, select the documents, and send them in a jiffy.
As for receiving faxes, you will need to get a fax number on the app which will set you around $7 for a basic plan, allowing you to send 200 pages a month. If you exceed that limit, you will be charged an extra of $0.1 per page, which is not bad at all.
Pros and Cons of Fax.Plus
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | The app experience is lacking |
| Send and receive fax | |
| Supports multiple file formats | |
| 10 free credits | |
| Send from Dropbox and Google Drive | |
| Affordable |
Tiny Fax
Tiny Fax is more feature-rich as it can store drafts and show you the status of the fax. It has a built-in scanner that scans and sends documents on the go, alongside importing documents from internal storage. You can both send and receive faxes via the app; however, unlike Easy Fax which lets you choose a number, Tiny Fax automatically allocates a random fax number.
While it doesn’t support as many countries as Easy Fax, it does allow you to send your first fax free of charge. The weekly plan costs $5, monthly costs $15, and yearly costs $40.
Pros and Cons of Tiny Fax
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Limited regional availability |
| Send and receive fax | |
| Great built-in scanner | |
| Supports multiple file formats | |
| One free fax and affordable |
Simple Fax
Simple Fax is another app that gets the job done effectively. It uses a credit-based system to send faxes and supports a comprehensive list of countries. Unique to this app is the ability to earn credits to send faxes by watching videos and checking in daily.
Getting your own fax number will cost around $40 a year or $4 a month, which is quite reasonable. The app also features Fax History, the ability to search faxes, and send a variety of file formats.
Pros and Cons of Simple Fax
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | The UI feels old |
| Send and receive fax | |
| Affordable with free credits | |
| Supports multiple file formats | |
| Comprehensive list of countries |
iFax
iFax stands out with its excellent user interface and feature-rich environment. It offers fax templates, the ability to eSign, annotate, and instantly send back documents, and the ability to attach an existing fax to a new fax. It also supports importing documents from Google Drive, Dropbox, and the web.
The pricing starts at $8.33 a month for 200 pages/month with no dedicated fax number, while the Plus plan costs $17/month for 500 pages and one fax number.
Pros and Cons of iFax
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | None |
| Send and receive fax | |
| Supports multiple file formats | |
| Quite affordable | |
| Excellent user interface |
Snapfax
Much like Genius Fax, Snapfax is a Pay-as-you-fax service. While its user interface is not as refined as others, it effectively gets the job done. The pricing is slightly on the expensive side, with around $5 for 4 pages and receiving faxes at $10 for 50 pages.
Snapfax allows you to add multiple recipients using an Excel document, schedule your faxes, and save drafts, making it a solid choice for users who need flexibility.
Pros and Cons of Snapfax
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Expensive |
| Send and receive fax | Bad user
|