These are the companies I researched for online fax service:
- Faxdigits
- Faxzero
- MyFax
- CallWave (I use to have this company and they were great, but pricing has increase since I used them before.
- K7net
- Efax
- echosign
- Srfax
- Onesuite
- RingCentral
- Trustfax
After doing much research I narrowed down my research to three companies.
- Trustfax
- Echosign
- Onesuite
Here were the items I researched:
- Set-up fee
- Monthly fee
- Incoming cost
- Outgoing cost
- Storage (for how long)
- Required to download a software to use fax service
- Customized coversheet / Did the company have thier name on the cover sheet?
- Digital signature
- Deactivation for non-use
- Requires a contract
- Can cancel at any time
- Change of your fax number if you up or down grade your plan
- Would you service cancel if you did not use their service for 30 day or have a zero balance.
I'm able to email my contract, but wanted a fax that I wouldn't have to sit at the combo printer/fax machine or shut off my recorder/voicemail waiting for an incoming fax. A couple years ago we used CallWave before when we had dial up and it was a true treasure. We used CallWave as an internet answering machine plus a fax in one low monthly fee. They increase their fax fee, so they were out of the running since others were lower and had other options.
Here's what I was looking for: I can email documents from my computer, so I really don't need a stand-alone fax. If I do, I can use my printer/fax combo for outgoing faxes. What I did need was a stand along fax for incoming faxes and avoid paying the $24 per month extra line fee with the phone company. So finding a company that had a low monthly fee and low incoming fax fees were what I was looking for. In addition, I didn't want a company who had their name on the cover sheet. One company was out of business (K7.net) and another I dropped promptly since they had poor online chatting. I figured if they didn't take care of my chatting how would they be for support.
Onesuite had a low month fee of $1 for Basic and $2.95 for their Plus plan. The would only allow 100 pages to be sent under the plan and they required their software to be loaded on your computer in addition to a "sorta" customized cover sheet.
Echosign was a close 2nd choice. I liked the fact of the digital signature. Their monthly fee was Free or $14.95, so for the price it was a no.
TrustFax was the perfect choice for me. They offer 25-hour support which is a huge bonus especially when we can work with clients everywhere. They offer so many choices of plans that you can truly find one that will work for you - they offer annual or monthly plans. I liked the fact that I didn't have to download "their" software and their cover sheet doesn't have thier name on it. I chose the Power Local $29.95 plan that offers 50 FREE pages per year out going and 150 bonus incomming with 20 MB of monthly storage and a local number. As mentioned above, the incomming was important to me. You can upgraded the Power Local to a toll free number for I believe $5 more per year. I chose the 30 trial which will roll over to the $29.95 in 30 days, which works out to $2.49 per month and can be upgraded anytime thru my account.
I want to thank Deb with Greenleaf Accounting here in the VAF's for the recommendation of Trustfax. Today I emailed asking her for her referral code, so she could get credit. If you choose to try Trustfax, please use think of me as your referral source.
Thank you!