Fax numbers for business are bought as part of an online fax plan now, not from the phone company. Every receiving plan in the Fax Line Index includes at least one number that the vendor answers around the clock, delivers to an inbox, and lets the business print on its letterhead. The choice is between a local number, a toll-free 800 fax number that customers can send to at no cost to themselves, and international fax numbers in the countries where the business has suppliers or offices. This page sets out what each costs at the printed prices and how to get a fax number for a business this afternoon.
Business fax numbers included with a plan
Fax.Plus prints Basic at $6.99 a month with 200 free pages, one fax number and one member included. Documo prints $25 a month billed annually with 300 pages, one fax number and one user. WestFax prints $14.99 a month billed monthly with 500 pages and one user licence. MetroFax prints Essential at $11.95 a month with 550 send and receive pages. iFax prints Basic at $12.49 with 200 pages. In each case the number is a local number in an area code the business chooses, it stays with the account as long as the plan runs, and additional numbers and users are priced above the entry plan on the vendor's page. The allowance is the figure to match against the business's monthly inbound and outbound pages.
An 800 fax number, and international fax numbers
A toll-free 800 fax number lets customers and suppliers send to the business without a long-distance charge and looks national on a letterhead. Vendors offer toll-free numbers as an add-on or on higher tiers, and FAXAGE prints a Lite plan structured per line at $3.49 a month with overage priced per minute, which suits a business that wants several numbers with low traffic on each. International fax numbers, a number local to London or Toronto that forwards into the same account, are offered by the larger vendors for businesses whose overseas contacts still fax; the availability by country and the monthly price are on each vendor's page, and eFax prints that its 500 pages a month reach 51 countries for sending.
How to get a fax number for my business
Choose a plan whose page allowance covers the month. Pick an area code, or a toll-free prefix if customers will send to it. Sign up; the number is live in minutes and receives immediately. Set the sender name and the cover sheet in the account. Send a test fax to the new number from another service to confirm it arrives. Put the number on letterhead, the website and forms. If the business already has a fax number that customers know, port it into the plan instead of taking a new one; WestFax prints a $20 one-time fee per number for porting and the porting guide on this site covers the steps. If the business handles health information, choose from the HIPAA class and get the BAA signed first.
Questions people ask about fax numbers for business
Can a small business share one fax number?
Yes. One number receives into an account that several users can read; add users on the vendor's page rather than sharing one login, so the log shows who opened what.
Is an 800 fax number worth it?
If customers and suppliers send from outside your area code and expect a toll-free line, yes. If most inbound faxes come from a handful of local offices, a local number is cheaper.
Can I get a business fax number today?
Yes. Online plans assign the number at sign-up and it receives immediately. Porting an existing number takes longer; see the porting guide.