How to Send a Fax Online
You don't need a fax machine, a phone line, or any special software. This guide walks you through sending a fax online in under 5 minutes.
Quick Answer
To send a fax online with Best Fax: (1) go to bestfax.com, (2) enter your name and email, (3) enter the recipient's fax number (validated in real time), (4) upload your document — PDF, Word, Excel, images, and more, (5) optionally add a cover page with AI-enhanced text, (6) preview the complete fax, (7) pay $4.95 one-time or $10/month, and (8) receive delivery confirmation by email. The whole process takes 2-5 minutes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Go to bestfax.com
Open your web browser on any device — computer, phone, or tablet — and navigate to bestfax.com. No app download or software installation is needed. The site works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and all modern browsers.
Enter your name and email
Enter your first name, last name, and email address. No password is needed — Best Fax creates a seamless account for you automatically. Company name is optional. This takes about 30 seconds.
Enter the recipient's fax number
Type the fax number with area code (e.g., 212-555-1234 for US/Canada). Best Fax validates the number in real time — if it detects a mobile, VoIP, or invalid number, you'll see a warning before proceeding.
Upload your document
Drag and drop or browse to upload your file. Best Fax accepts PDF, Word (DOC, DOCX), Excel (XLS, XLSX), PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX), images (JPG, PNG, TIFF), and more. Upload up to 10 files totaling 50MB. Password-protected PDFs are detected and rejected early.
Add a cover page (optional)
Toggle on the cover page option. Choose from 4 templates (standard, professional, modern, classic), add your subject and message, and set a priority indicator (Urgent, Please Reply, For Review, or Please Comment). Use the 'Enhance with AI' button to generate polished professional text automatically.
Review, pay, and send
Preview your complete fax — including cover page — to verify everything looks right. Pay $4.95 for a one-time fax or subscribe at $10/month for unlimited. Payments accepted via credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal. Best Fax transmits your document and confirms delivery by email.
What You'll Need
A device with a web browser (computer, phone, or tablet), an internet connection, and the document you want to fax in digital format. If your document is on paper, you can photograph it with your phone camera and upload the image — Best Fax converts it to fax format automatically. You'll also need the recipient's fax number with area code. Supported file formats include PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images (JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF), RTF, TXT, CSV, and ODT.
How Long Does It Take?
The entire process takes 2-5 minutes from opening your browser to receiving delivery confirmation. Entering your details takes about 30 seconds. Document upload is instant for most file sizes. The actual fax transmission typically completes in 1-3 minutes after payment. You'll receive an email notification when delivery is confirmed — or an explanation if the fax couldn't be delivered.
Tips for Successful Faxing
Make sure the fax number is correct, including the area code — a wrong digit means your fax goes to the wrong person or fails entirely. Best Fax validates numbers in real time, so pay attention to any warnings about mobile or VoIP numbers. Use PDF format when possible for the clearest results. If photographing a paper document with your phone, ensure good lighting, a flat surface, and shoot straight-on rather than at an angle. You can upload up to 10 files per fax, and they'll be merged into a single transmission.
What If Your Fax Fails?
If a fax can't be delivered on the first attempt (busy signal, no answer, temporary connection issue), Best Fax automatically retries up to 6 times with increasing delays and intelligent protocol fallback (T.38 to G.711). Most temporary failures resolve within the retry window. If the fax ultimately can't be delivered — for example, the number is disconnected, is a mobile phone, or is not a fax machine — you'll receive an email explaining the reason. Permanent failures like mobile/VoIP numbers are detected early to avoid unnecessary retries.
Faxing from Different Devices
The process is the same whether you're on a computer, phone, or tablet. On a computer, you can drag and drop documents directly into the browser. On a phone, you can upload files from cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox) or use the file picker to take a photo of a paper document. The interface adapts to your screen size — desktop users get a full stepper with labels, while mobile users get an icon-based stepper and fullscreen views. Subscribers can access the same fax history from any device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free way to send a fax online?
Best Fax offers a single-fax option at $4.95 with no subscription. For regular faxing, the $10/month plan includes unlimited sending with a dedicated fax number. There is no completely free option, but $4.95 for a one-time fax is less than most alternatives.
Can I fax a PDF?
Yes. PDF is the most commonly faxed format and produces the clearest results. You can also fax Word documents, Excel files, PowerPoint presentations, images, and many other formats. Best Fax converts everything to fax format automatically.
How do I know my fax was delivered?
Best Fax sends you an email confirmation when the recipient's fax machine acknowledges receipt. The confirmation includes a timestamp. If the fax can't be delivered after retries, you'll receive an email explaining the reason.
Do I need a fax number to send a fax?
No. You only need a fax number to receive faxes. To send, you just need the recipient's fax number. The $10/month subscription includes a dedicated number if you also need to receive faxes.
Can I send a fax from my phone?
Yes. Best Fax works in any mobile browser — Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and others. You can upload files from cloud storage or use the file picker to capture a photo of a paper document.
What if I enter the wrong fax number?
Best Fax validates fax numbers in real time and warns you if the number appears to be a mobile phone, VoIP line, or invalid number. If you send to a wrong but valid fax number, the fax goes to whoever has that number. Always double-check before sending.
Can I send multiple pages in one fax?
Yes. Upload up to 10 files (50MB total, 100 page limit) and they'll all be merged into one fax transmission. You can add a cover page on top of your document pages.
Related Resources
Start sending faxes now
Fax Number Format Guide →How to format fax numbers correctly
Fax Cover Sheet Templates →Professional cover page templates
Fax from iPhone →Send faxes from your iPhone
Fax from Computer →Send faxes from your PC or Mac
Fax for Small Business →Business fax plans from $10/month
Ready to send your first fax?
Follow the steps above and send a fax in under 5 minutes. No fax machine required.