Fax services, like so many other things, inhabit the computer. Internet fax services offer the same functions as fax machines do, but faxing by computer requires an Internet connection, and the URL of an Internet fax provider.

An Internet fax service uses the same process to send and receive faxes but it happens on a web interface or with your own email program. The advantage of using a fax service instead of sending a document by regular email is security. Some documents need viewing only by the recipient. A fax service provides a guarantee that prying eyes will not have access to anything that was not intended for their viewing. One of the best services as rated by in-depth, independent research firm, Next Advisor, is the email fax services of Metrofax. Metrofax gives the consumer a free trial, and an easy to use interface that fits any size business from a mom and pop operation to a corporation. Next Advisor’s testing of Metrofax demonstrated its faxes had the most clarity, and had some of the fastest sending times.

Based in the Pacific Northwest in the United States, Metrofax developed a simple, flexible communication service. Its philosophy of building long-term relationships with business customers no matter what their size explains the thousands of worldwide customers using their service. The service has an array of pricing options, too, with some packages starting as low as $7.95 for 500 pages per month. There is no contract to sign, either. If a month happens to run the number of fax pages over 500, then it is just three cents a page for the overage. No activation fees or no termination fees means a business only pays for what it uses.