eFax (electronic fax) is a way to send and receive faxes over the internet without a fax machine or dedicated phone line. You get a virtual fax number, and faxes are delivered to your email or a web portal as PDF attachments.

True free eFax services are rare. The eFax.com service offers a 7-day free trial but requires a paid plan ($18.99/month) afterward. Alternatives like mFax offer pay-per-fax pricing with no monthly commitment, which is cheaper for occasional use.

You subscribe, receive a virtual fax number, and send faxes by attaching a document in an app or email. To receive, senders dial your number — the eFax server converts the fax signal to a PDF and delivers it to your inbox.

Yes. Reputable eFax services use TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit and 256-bit AES encryption for stored faxes. They are generally safer than traditional fax machines because documents go to a private inbox rather than sitting on a shared machine tray.

What is the difference between eFax and a regular fax?

Traditional fax uses physical machines and analog phone lines. eFax uses the internet and a virtual fax number. eFax is more portable, cheaper to run, handles multiple simultaneous faxes, and stores everything digitally. The recipient sees the same document either way.

What Is eFax — Explained Simply

eFax is internet-based faxing — send and receive faxes from any device without a fax machine or phone line. Learn exactly how eFax works, how it differs from traditional faxing, and whether the eFax.com service is worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is eFax?: eFax (electronic fax) is a way to send and receive faxes over the internet without a fax machine or dedicated phone line. You get a virtual fax number, and faxes are delivered to your email or a web portal as PDF attachments.
Is eFax free?: True free eFax services are rare. The eFax.com service offers a 7-day free trial but requires a paid plan ($18.99/month) afterward. Alternatives like mFax offer pay-per-fax pricing with no monthly commitment, which is cheaper for occasional use.
How does eFax work?: You subscribe, receive a virtual fax number, and send faxes by attaching a document in an app or email. To receive, senders dial your number — the eFax server converts the fax signal to a PDF and delivers it to your inbox.
Is eFax safe to use?: Yes. Reputable eFax services use TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit and 256-bit AES encryption for stored faxes. They are generally safer than traditional fax machines because documents go to a private inbox rather than sitting on a shared machine tray.
What is the difference between eFax and a regular fax?: Traditional fax uses physical machines and analog phone lines. eFax uses the internet and a virtual fax number. eFax is more portable, cheaper to run, handles multiple simultaneous faxes, and stores everything digitally. The recipient sees the same document either way.