ups fax services alternatives
Updated September 29, 2021

14 Places That Could Beat UPS Fax Prices

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UPS is a popular provider of fax services, but it’s far from the only game in town. A lot of vendors offer competitive prices for the same service, so you might find a better deal somewhere else.

This article will cover some of the best ways to send a fax. Prices might vary depending on your location, so check offers in your area.

Ratings are based on a variety of factors including pricing, convenience, and additional tools and features.

Physical Stores

FedEx Office

  • FedEx Office: Best for Office Services
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    • Basics: FedEx Office is one of the top office supply and service stores in the United States, with around 2,000 locations. It competes with stores like Office Depot, OfficeMax, and UPS offices that provide some of the same services.
    • Pros: Most FedEx Office locations support printing, scanning, copying, faxing, and more, making it easy to get everything done at once. An online store finder can help you find your closest location. You’ll get a free cover sheet on all fax jobs.
    • Cons: You’ll probably pay a premium compared to online platforms and other competitors. Not all FedEx Office locations offer the same variety of services.

 

FedEx Office, formerly Kinko’s, provides faxes and office services. It’s a great choice if you need to send a fax, make copies, scan, print, shred documents, and more.

With roughly 2,000 locations, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a store in your area.

One perk of FedEx Office is that it provides a free cover sheet on all fax jobs. Prices vary depending on whether you need to fax locally, within the United States, or internationally.

Contact your local branch to get specific prices in your area.

While FedEx Office offers online printing orders, I couldn’t find any support for online faxing, so you’ll need to visit a store to complete your order. Keep FedEx in mind if you ever need to complete a print job online.

You can find a FedEx Office store near you with its location search tool. Enter your ZIP code or city for a list of the closest locations. There’s even a list of services offered at each store to help you identify the best option.

2. OfficeMax and Office Depot

  • OfficeMax and Office Depot: Best for Office Supplies
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    • Basics: OfficeMax and Office Depot recently merged, although each retained its unique branding. These stores provide some of the same options as FedEx Office with a greater focus on office supplies.
    • Pros: OfficeMax has an online search tool that includes filters for services. This makes it easy to find a store that has what you’re looking for.
    • Cons: Physical stores tend to charge higher prices than online vendors, and you’ll have to go into a store, rather than faxing from your phone or computer. Prices are unpredictable, so you should call ahead for details if you’re looking for the best rate.

These stores were once two of the top competitors in the office niche, but they’ve merged into a larger business. Each retained its name and branding, so existing OfficeMax or Office Depot locations should still be there.

Both of these chains have faxes and common office supplies at relatively low prices. Like FedEx Office, they also provide printing services through their websites, although you can’t fax documents online.

The Office Depot website has a find a store function that lets you search for Office Depot and OfficeMax locations. You can filter by services to find a location that offers faxing services.

Each brand had a large presence on its own before the merger, and they combine to have more than 2,000 branches in the United States. Call ahead if you’re concerned about fax prices at locations near you.

3. AAA

  • AAA: Best for Free Faxes
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    • Basics: AAA offers free faxes for members at more than 1,000 locations across the United States. This is one of the only ways to send free faxes at a physical location.
    • Pros: Price is the most obvious benefit of faxing at a AAA office. Its website doesn’t say anything about international faxes, so you should be able to send faxes worldwide at no charge. Most sites that provide free fax services limit availability to the U.S. and Canada.
    • Cons: Faxing at AAA is free for members, but a membership can cost up to $165 per year. This probably isn’t worth it if you’re only planning to use fax services, but it’s a great perk if you’re already a member.

Most people associate AAA with things like roadside assistance, but the organization provides a wide variety of services. Members can fax documents for free at one of AAA’s approximately 1,100 locations across the country.

 

Find branches near you or while you’re traveling through the AAA office locator.

 

In contrast to stores like FedEx and Office Depot, AAA is dedicated to serving members, so you won’t be charged for faxing documents. Instead, the cost of faxing is included in your membership fee, which can vary widely depending on your location and the type of coverage you want.

While 1,100 is a significant number of offices, it’s far fewer than large chains such as Office Depot. But AAA is one of the few places on this list to offer free faxing, so it’s worth going out of your way if you’re a member and need to fax a large number of documents.

Whether a membership is worth it depends on the AAA services you would take advantage of. If you aren’t interested in a AAA membership, it may be easier to go to another store, particularly if you only want to fax a few items.

4. Hotels

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    Hotels: Best for Traveling
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    • Basics: Faxing at a hotel isn’t always practical, but it can be extremely helpful if you need to send documents while traveling. Of course, every hotel’s policy could be different, so check the website for more details to find out whether you’ll have access to a fax.
    • Pros: Some hotels offer free faxes in a business center along with a printer and copier. Some may let you come in to fax documents even if you aren’t a guest.
    • Cons: Free faxes will probably only be available for hotel guests, so this is primarily for people traveling. The equipment available can be completely different from hotel to hotel.

Faxing at a hotel isn’t always convenient, but it may be the best option if you’re traveling. Along with AAA, this is one of a small handful of ways to fax for free.

Many hotels have business centers that provide the necessary tools for simple work-related tasks like printing, copying, and faxing. You should be able to find details on a hotel’s website, so it’s easy to plan ahead if you know you’ll need to fax while traveling.

Some hotels may allow you to fax even if you aren’t a guest. While you’ll probably have to pay a fee, it may still be a better deal than other options near you.

In this case, compare prices among nearby options.

5. Public Libraries

  • public libraries
    Public Libraries: Best for Supporting Your Community
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    • Basics: Some public libraries contain business centers for the community. Prices and equipment vary, and your local library may or may not have what you need.
    • Pros: Libraries aren’t there to make a profit, so you may be able to find free or cheap fax services. You’ll also support public services in your community.
    • Cons: Public library hours can be inconvenient or sparse. Not all libraries offer office or fax services.

People often underestimate the variety of services they can access at their local library.

A surprising number of public libraries let you fax documents for a low cost. However, some don’t have faxes at all, while others will charge more than the competition.

Libraries aren’t for-profit businesses, so you might be able to find a better deal than you would at an office-supply store.

Any money you spend at the library will go back into your community — some people are willing to pay more simply to support public institutions.

There’s no way to predict what a given library will offer, so the easiest way to find out is to call and ask. They may even provide other office services such as printing, copying, or access to computers and the internet. 

6. Apartment Complex Business Centers

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    Apartment Complex Business Centers: Best for Convenience
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    • Basics: Some apartment complexes provide free faxes through a business center. This lets you send faxes for free without leaving your building.
    • Pros: This is another one of few options on this list that offer free faxing. Having a fax near your apartment is convenient.
    • Cons: Relatively few people live in an apartment complex that offers free fax access.

Apartment complexes often provide business centers with the necessary tools for office tasks. This is sometimes included in the cost of rent, so you might not pay anything extra to print, make copies, or send faxes.

Every business center is different, and faxes aren’t as common as things like printers and scanners. Check your building’s business center to make sure it has everything you need.

If you have access to a fax in your apartment complex, it’s probably the easiest way to fax documents on short notice.

Online Options

Faxing websites streamline the process of faxing documents and let you manage fax jobs from home.

Given their convenience, online fax platforms are especially well-suited for freelancers and other people who work from home. Each option has unique features and pricing, so compare options before faxing online.

7. MetroFax

  • MetroFax: Best for Mobile Support
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    • Basics: MetroFax is an online fax service with subscriptions at three price points depending on your needs. You can send faxes online or using the mobile app, available for iOS and Android.
    • Pros: MetroFax is one of a few services on this list with a fully featured app. You can get a significant discount by paying for a full year’s membership, and you can start with a 30-day free trial.
    • Cons: The MetroFax app has somewhat mixed reviews, so you may have trouble sending and managing faxes on your phone. The cheapest plan is still $10, substantially more expensive than some other online platforms.

MetroFax is one of the most popular and reliable online fax services, enabling users to configure jobs via email, the website, or the mobile app. You can set up test jobs to send a preview to your email and make sure it displays correctly.

MetroFax offers three plans: Essential, Best Value, and Professional:

  • At $9.95 per month, Essential offers up to 500 pages (combined sent and received) per month (2 cents per page).
  • Best Value costs $12.95 per month and raises that limit to 1,000 (1.3 cents per page).
  • Professional is $35.95 per month, giving users access to up to 2,500 fax pages per month (1.4 cents per page).

All plans are discounted 20% when you pay for a full year upfront.

Per fax, Best Value is a better deal than both Essential and Professional. All three price points are far more affordable than physical stores like FedEx and Office Depot, which generally charge more than a dollar per page.

You’ll be charged the membership fee regardless of how many faxes you send, so MetroFax and similar monthly subscriptions are good for people with a predictable fax volume.

Only pay for a year if you’re sure you’ll take advantage of the service. Start with a one-month free trial to get 30 days of faxes for free.

8. Fax.com

  • Fax.com: Best for Convenience
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    • Basics: Fax.com makes it easy to sign up and start sending and receiving faxes quickly. It’s been around since 1996, making it one of the oldest continuously active online fax services.
    • Pros: The website is extremely simple, and you won’t need to download an application. You can sign into your account from any device to send, receive, and view faxes.
    • Cons: Fax.com doesn’t have a mobile app, so you’ll need to access the website on a desktop or mobile browser. You’ll pay a $10 setup fee in addition to the monthly subscription. The platform only has one price point, so you can’t scale up or down if you need more or fewer faxes.

Fax.com is another popular online fax service that makes it incredibly simple to sign up and start sending faxes.

It doesn’t offer a mobile app. This makes it less accessible for people who prefer to send faxes through their phone or tablet.

Users can send faxes through Fax.com for $9.99 per month — unlike competitors, the platform only offers one price point. This plan provides just 300 pages per month, significantly less than what MetroFax gives you for the same cost.

You can continue sending faxes for 12 cents per page after exceeding the monthly limit.

There’s also a $9.99 setup fee, effectively bringing the price up to $20 for the first month. Faxes can be stored on the website for up to 30 days.

Fax.com charges extra for faxes outside the U.S. or Canada. International faxes can get expensive quickly, so check the rate before sending long documents.

Fax.com supports a wide variety of international destinations as long as you’re willing to pay the additional charge.

There’s no annual subscription, so you can’t save money for paying up front. Fax.com isn’t a great choice for anyone who needs to send a large volume of documents.

Fax.com offers a 30-day free trial, giving you the opportunity to test out the program before paying $20 for setup and your first month. You can always switch to another service if you experience any issues while using Fax.com.

9. MyFax

  • MyFax: Best for Annual Subscriptions
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    • Basics: MyFax offers three fax subscriptions with different page limits, though all come with the same features. You can send faxes through the website or using the mobile app on iOS or Android.
    • Pros: MyFax’s mobile app adds convenience. Every plan offers the same features, aside from an increased page limit. You can get a year-long subscription for the cost of just 10 months if you pay annually.
    • Cons: The mobile app has just 2.1 stars, indicating common issues for users. Pages beyond the limit in your subscription cost 10 cents each. Sent and received faxes are limited separately, so you can’t combine them.

MyFax is an online fax platform with multiple price points based on your needs. It offers helpful features and prices are competitive with similar services.

In contrast to Fax.com, MyFax doesn’t charge an initial setup fee, and it has a mobile app.

MyFax plans include:

  • Home Office: $10 per month for 100 sent and 200 received pages per month.
  • Small Business: $20 per month for 200 sent and 200 received pages per month.
  • Power: $40 per month for 400 pages sent or received per month.

You can get a one-month free trial, and you’ll get a year for the price of 10 months with an annual subscription.

Each plan is identical aside from the page limit, so upgrading won’t unlock any additional features. Additional faxes cost 10 cents per page within the United States.

MyFax is available for iOS and Android, although the Android version has a review score of just 2.1 stars. You can send and receive faxes through the app, on the website, or using your email.

10. SRFax

  • SRFax: Best for Affordability
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    • Basics: SRFax provides some of the most affordable plans on this list, making it perfect for users with relatively low-volume needs. Subscriptions include faxes sent to the U.S. and Canada; international faxes are available for an additional charge.
    • Pros: The cheapest SRFax subscription is just $3.29 per month, substantially less than competitors. SRFax also offers more robust plans if you need to send or receive a large number of faxes per month.
    • Cons: There’s no mobile app, so you’ll have to manage faxes through the website. You have to subscribe for a full month, so there isn’t a way to pay for just a few pages at a time.

SRFax has some of the most affordable plans on this list, and it’s perfect for people who send only a few pages each month. It also scales well, and higher price points offer substantially more pages.

Plans include:

  • Basic: $3.29 per month or $36 per year for up to 25 pages incoming or outgoing per month. Additional pages cost 10 cents each. (No free trial.)
  • Basic Plus: 60-day free trial, then $6.95 per month or $66 per year for up to 200 pages. Additional pages cost 6 cents each.
  • Standard Lite: 60-day free trial, then $9.95 per month or $95.40 per year for 500 pages per month.  Additional pages cost 6 cents each.
  • Standard: 60-day free trial, then $15.95 per month or $154.20 per year for 800 pages per month. Additional pages cost 5 cents each.
  • Standard Plus: 60-day free trial, then $29.95 per month or $287.40 per year for 1,500 pages per month. Additional pages cost 5 cents each.
  • Standard Professional: 60-day free trial, then $45.95 per month or $463.20 per year for 2,500 pages per month. Additional pages cost 3.5 cents each.

All plans except Basic let you add additional fax numbers for $4.95 each.

SRFax doesn’t have a mobile app, but it does offer helpful features. You can schedule outgoing faxes to up to 50 recipients at a time and even integrate the SRFax API into another application.

International faxes are available for an additional charge.

11. eFax

  • eFax: Best for Support
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    • Basics: eFax has a more expensive baseline than some other platforms, but it provides additional helpful features. It also provides a substantial discount on annual subscriptions.
    • Pros: eFax provides powerful mobile apps on both iOS and Android devices, and every subscription comes with up to 10 fax numbers. Customer support is available 24/7 in case you run into any issues.
    • Cons: The cheapest eFax plan is $15.95 per month, much higher than competitors. All new users have to pay a $10 setup fee before getting started.

eFax is one of the easiest online fax platforms to use, although it’s more expensive than many other sites. A customizable Corporate subscription is available for users who need to send or receive more than 200 faxes per month, or users can choose from:

  • Plus: $15.95 per month or $169.50 per year for 150 sent and 150 received pages per month.
  • Pro: $19.95 per month or $199.50 per year for 200 sent and 200 received pages per month.

All plans come with a $10 setup charge along with the monthly fee and include access to a mobile app for iOS and Android, 24/7 customer support, and up to 10 fax numbers at no additional charge.

Fax pages cost 10 cents per page once you go over your monthly limit, which is comparable to the base rate, which makes eFax relatively scalable if you’re not sure what your fax volume will be each month.

eFax lets you edit and sign faxes without leaving the program, making it easy to add finishing touches to your documents.

12. FaxZero

  • FaxZero: Best for Free Faxes
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    • Basics: FaxZero provides limited support for free faxes, making it one of the most accessible ways to send faxes. You can send more faxes with a higher page limit for $1.99 each.
    • Pros: The free service is perfect for one-time or occasional use. At $1.99 for 25 pages, its paid service is extremely competitive. No subscription required.
    • Cons: FaxZero doesn’t allow you to receive faxes, so you’ll need to look elsewhere for an incoming number. Because free faxes are limited, and you’ll pay per longer fax, this isn’t a good option for high volume.

FaxZero is one of the only websites to offer free faxes, so it’s perfect for one-time jobs.

You can send up to five faxes per day of no more than three pages. All free faxes come with FaxZero branding on the cover page.

Five three-page faxes per day add up to roughly 450 pages per month, making FaxZero surprisingly competitive with premium services. The site also offers supports “almost free” faxes for $1.99 each for up to 25 pages, and they don’t display any FaxZero branding.

FaxZero doesn’t have a subscription option, so you’ll have to pay per fax. The service is a smart choice for one-time or occasional users but probably not competitive for regular users.

FaxZero delivers faxes through email, and there isn’t a mobile app. It doesn’t support incoming faxes.

13. mFax

  • mFax: Best for Scalability
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    • Basics: mFax offers several price points ranging from 250 to 2,500 monthly pages. You can also customize an Enterprise subscription if you need to send and receive more pages.
    • Pros: Users at or above the Business tier can access the mFax API, making the service versatile. Additional pages and fax numbers get more affordable at higher price points.
    • Cons: mFax doesn’t have a mobile app. It charges a $15 fee to port an existing fax number to your new account.

mFax works like other sites on this list in that it has a traditional subscription model with several price points. It doesn’t offer a mobile application on either iOS or Android.

Plans include:

  • Solo: $9 per month or $84 per year for 250 pages per month and one user. Additional pages cost 10 cents each, and additional users cost $5 per month.
  • Team: $25 per month or $240 per year for 500 pages per month and five users. Additional pages cost 8 cents each.
  • Business: $50 per month or $480 per year for 1,000 pages per month and 15 users. Additional pages cost 6 cents each.
  • Infinity: $95 per month or $960 per year for 2,500 pages and 50 users. Additional users cost $2 each, and additional pages cost 4 cents each.
  • Enterprise: Customize a subscription to your business needs.

You can start with a 14-day free trial of any of the four main plans. mFax lets you transfer an existing fax number to a new subscription for a one-time $15 fee.

14. HelloFax

  • HelloFax: Best for Cloud Storage
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    • Basics: HelloFax offers multiple subscriptions that generally align with its competition. Upgrading your plan gives you access to more pages per month as well as more unique senders, and you can manage all users from a single location.
    • Pros: HelloFax integrates seamlessly with a variety of cloud storage applications, making it easy to view, share, and edit faxes within your organization. You can also fax up to five pages for free.
    • Cons: There isn’t a mobile app. While HelloFax claims to offer additional fax numbers, I couldn’t find any pricing information on their website.

HelloFax provides free faxes up to a limit, and it also gives you the option to subscribe for ongoing fax services. Its price points generally match up to the competition, although there isn’t a HelloFax mobile app.

Plans include:

  • Free: Send up to five pages. You can’t receive faxes for free. Additional pages are 99 cents each up to 10 pages, then 20 cents each after that.
  • Home Office: $9.99 per month for 300 sent or received pages per month for up to five users. Additional pages cost 5 cents each.
  • Professional: $19.99 per month for 500 pages per month and up to 10 users. 
  • Small Business: $39.99 per month for 1,000 pages per month and up to 20 users.
  • Enterprise: Customize a subscription to your business needs.

Professional and Small Business users have the option to port an existing fax number rather than getting a new one. You can contact a HelloFax rep to learn more about enterprise options and API access.

One of the most convenient features of HelloFax is the ability to integrate fax documents with cloud storage applications like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. You can even sign into HelloFax by using your Google credentials rather than creating yet another online account.

Still Paying UPS Fax Prices?

If you’re still paying UPS fax prices, it may be worth looking into both in-person and online fax solutions. 

Many of these options offer the same services at a significantly lower cost, particularly online platforms that have less overhead. Each of these services can be a great alternative to sending faxes through UPS.

Author:

Alex McOmie

Alex McOmie is a freelance writer for Money Done Right. He joined the Money Done Right editorial team in summer 2019. Learn more about Alex.

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