By David Thompson · Published March 15, 2025 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 10 min read
Quick Answer: mFax is a mobile faxing platform built by Octagon Lab that lets you send and receive faxes from your smartphone — no fax machine, no phone line required. Over 5 million users rely on it for fast, reliable faxing. Try mFax free at mFax.to — send your first fax in under 2 minutes.
mFax is one of the most downloaded fax apps on the App Store and Google Play. But with so many online fax services competing for attention, it helps to know exactly what you're getting before you commit.
This guide covers everything about mFax: what it is, how it works, what it costs, who it's best for, and how it stacks up against alternatives. Whether you need to fax a single document today or want a full business faxing solution, you'll find the answer here.
What Is mFax?
mFax is a mobile-first faxing platform developed by Octagon Lab. It lets anyone send and receive faxes directly from an iPhone, Android phone, or web browser — without a fax machine, a dedicated phone line, or any special hardware.
The core idea is simple: take a photo of your document (or upload a PDF), enter the recipient's fax number, and send. mFax handles the rest — converting your document into a fax signal, transmitting it over the telephone network, and delivering a confirmation receipt when it arrives.
mFax operates at the intersection of two worlds. For individuals, it replaces the expensive, inconvenient trip to a UPS Store or Staples to send a single fax. For businesses, it replaces the physical fax machine entirely, adding HIPAA compliance, team accounts, and virtual fax numbers.
Company Background
mFax is a product of Octagon Lab, a mobile software company focused on document and communication tools. The mFax app has been available on iOS and Android since the mid-2010s and has grown to serve over 5 million users worldwide.
The mFax Product Line
mFax isn't a single product — it's a platform with three distinct offerings depending on your needs.
mFax App (Consumer)
The mFax mobile app is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. It's designed for individuals who need to fax occasionally — tax forms, medical records, signed contracts, insurance paperwork.
Key facts:
- 5 million+ users worldwide
- 4.8-star rating on the App Store
- 98% delivery success rate with confirmed receipts
- 2 million+ faxes delivered
- Pay-per-fax or subscription model — no commitment required
mFax Business
mFax Business is a cloud fax platform for teams and organizations. Accessed at app.mfax.to, it adds everything a business needs on top of the consumer app: virtual fax numbers, HIPAA compliance, team accounts, a web dashboard, and delivery audit trails.
Free Utilities
mFax also offers free browser-based document tools at mFax.to — no account needed:
| Tool | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Fax Cover Sheet Generator | Create professional cover sheets instantly |
| Document Converter | Convert Word, images, and other files to PDF |
| Merge PDF | Combine multiple PDFs into one file |
| Optimize PDF | Compress large PDFs to reduce file size |
mFax Features
Consumer App Features
The mFax app packs the essentials for quick, reliable faxing from your phone:
Document Scanner
Use your phone camera to photograph paper documents. The app automatically straightens, crops, and enhances the image so it faxes cleanly without needing a separate scanner.
PDF & File Support
Upload PDFs, Word documents, images (JPG, PNG), and other common formats directly from your phone's storage, cloud apps, or email attachments.
Delivery Confirmation
Every sent fax generates a delivery receipt with a timestamp, page count, and transmission status. You'll know exactly when — and whether — your fax arrived.
Fax History
Your sent and received faxes are stored in-app so you can reference, resend, or forward them without re-uploading documents.
International Faxing
mFax supports faxing to over 50 countries. Enter the country code before the fax number, and mFax handles the international routing. See our international faxing guide for country-specific dialing formats.
Multiple Send Methods
Send directly from the app, share a document from another app to mFax, or use your phone's share sheet. Receive faxes as PDFs delivered to the app or your email inbox.
mFax Business Features
mFax Business adds the infrastructure that organizations need:
- Virtual fax number — a dedicated fax number not tied to any physical line, which clients and partners can reach you on. Learn more in our virtual fax number guide.
- HIPAA compliance — encryption in transit and at rest, a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA), and access controls that meet HIPAA requirements for handling Protected Health Information.
- Team accounts — multiple users under a single organization account, each with their own login and permissions.
- Web dashboard — send and receive faxes from any browser at app.mfax.to, not just from the mobile app.
- Audit logs — a complete record of every fax sent, received, viewed, and downloaded — essential for compliance and dispute resolution.
- Push notifications — instant alerts when a fax arrives or a delivery succeeds or fails.
mFax Pricing
Consumer App Pricing
The mFax consumer app uses a pay-per-fax model for occasional senders — you only pay when you send. Subscription plans are also available for users who fax regularly, offering lower per-page costs and added features.
This makes mFax cost-effective compared to store faxing: UPS charges $1.89 per page for domestic faxes, while mFax's per-page rate is significantly lower, with no trip to the store required.
No Commitment Required
Unlike many online fax services that require a monthly subscription, mFax lets you pay per fax with no monthly fee. This makes it ideal for anyone who faxes occasionally — once a month or less.
mFax Business Pricing
mFax Business uses usage-based pricing — pay per seat plus pages, with no fixed tiers. Every plan includes a virtual fax number, HIPAA compliance, and team features:
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| mFax Business | From $9/mo | Teams of any size — build your own plan, pay per seat + pages, no fixed tiers |
Pricing starts at about $9/mo (billed annually): $3 per seat/month plus $4 per 100 pages/month, with 20% off annual billing. The plan is fully customizable — use the live calculator to choose the exact number of seats (1–35) and pages (200–5,000) you need, and pay only for what you use, with no rigid fixed tiers. Every plan includes a virtual fax number, a signed BAA, encryption, web/mobile/desktop apps, API access, and the mFax web dashboard — no per-tier gating.
How to Send a Fax with mFax
Sending a fax with mFax takes under 2 minutes. Here's the complete process:
Download the mFax app
Install mFax from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). For business users, log in at app.mfax.to instead. The app is free to download.
Upload or scan your document
Tap the send button and choose your document source: photograph a paper document with your camera, upload a PDF or image from your phone, or import from a cloud storage app. The built-in scanner handles perspective correction automatically.
Enter the recipient's fax number
Type the destination fax number including the area code. For international faxes, add a "+" followed by the country code. For US faxes, a standard 10-digit number works. See our fax number format guide if you're unsure of the correct format.
Add a cover sheet (optional)
mFax lets you add a cover page with sender details, recipient information, and a brief message. This is standard practice for professional and medical faxes. You can also use our free fax cover sheet generator to create one separately.
Send and confirm delivery
Tap Send. mFax transmits the fax immediately and shows you a real-time delivery status. When the fax arrives, you receive a delivery confirmation with a timestamp and page count. Failed transmissions trigger automatic retries.
For platform-specific instructions, see our step-by-step guides for faxing from iPhone and faxing from Android.
Is mFax HIPAA Compliant?
Yes — with mFax Business. Healthcare providers, insurers, and any organization handling Protected Health Information (PHI) need a fax service that meets HIPAA's technical safeguards. mFax Business delivers:
- TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit — documents are encrypted between your device and mFax's servers
- AES-256 encryption at rest — stored faxes are encrypted in the cloud
- Signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) — legally required under HIPAA when a vendor handles PHI on your behalf
- Role-based access controls — limit which team members can view sensitive faxes
- Audit logging — a complete, tamper-evident record of every document interaction
The consumer mFax app does not include a BAA. Healthcare organizations must use mFax Business to meet HIPAA requirements.
For a complete breakdown of what HIPAA compliance means for faxing, read our HIPAA compliant fax guide.
mFax vs. Alternatives
How does mFax compare to the leading online fax services?
| Service | Best For | Starting Price | HIPAA | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mFax | Mobile-first, individuals & SMBs | Pay-per-fax / From $9/mo | Yes (Business) | Excellent |
| eFax | Large enterprise | $18.95/mo | Yes (Corporate) | Good |
| Fax.Plus | Budget teams | $6.99/mo | Yes (paid) | Good |
| RingCentral Fax | Existing RingCentral users | Bundled | Yes | Good |
| Dropbox Fax | Cloud storage users | $9.99/mo | No | Limited |
| GotFreeFax | One-off free faxes | Free (limited) | No | No |
Where mFax wins: Mobile experience. No other major fax service matches mFax's camera-based document scanner and streamlined send flow on iOS and Android. The pay-per-fax model also makes mFax uniquely accessible for infrequent senders who don't want a monthly subscription.
Where alternatives win: eFax has deeper enterprise integrations and a longer track record with Fortune 500 companies. Fax.Plus is cheaper for teams that send moderate volume. RingCentral is better if you're already using their phone system.
For a detailed head-to-head, see our mFax vs. eFax comparison and our best online fax services roundup.
mFax Reviews: What Users Say
mFax holds a 4.8-star rating on the App Store across millions of reviews — one of the highest-rated fax apps in either store. Users consistently cite the clean interface, fast delivery, and the ability to fax directly from a photo taken on their phone.
Healthcare administrators and legal professionals frequently highlight the HIPAA compliance and audit trail features as differentiators. Individual users appreciate the pay-per-fax model — no monthly charge for a service they use once or twice a year.
Pros
- Setup takes under 5 minutes
- Clean, intuitive mobile interface
- Reliable delivery with instant confirmation
- Pay-per-fax model — no wasted subscription
- Excellent camera scanner built in
- HIPAA compliance available for healthcare
Cons
- Business plans don't publish per-page overage rates publicly
- No desktop app — browser only for business dashboard
- Free utilities require separate session from the main app
5 Million Users and Growing
mFax has been downloaded over 5 million times and has delivered more than 2 million faxes. The 98% delivery success rate — confirmed by delivery receipts — is among the highest in the industry.
Who Should Use mFax?
mFax is the right choice in these situations:
Use the mFax app (consumer) if you:
- Need to send a fax from your phone today, with no commitment
- Are tired of paying $2–5 per page at UPS or Staples
- Want a reliable way to fax tax forms, medical records, or contracts
- Need to receive a fax and don't have a machine
Use mFax Business if you:
- Handle PHI and need HIPAA compliance with a signed BAA
- Want a dedicated virtual fax number for your business
- Need team accounts with role-based access
- Want to send and receive faxes from a web dashboard
- Are looking to replace your office fax machine
Skip mFax if you:
- Process thousands of faxes per day and need deep ERP integration (consider OpenText or Retarus instead)
- Are already on RingCentral or a unified communications platform with built-in fax
Frequently Asked Questions
Does mFax require a monthly subscription?
No. The mFax consumer app uses a pay-per-fax model — you only pay when you send. mFax Business uses usage-based pricing from about $9/mo for teams that need a dedicated fax number and HIPAA compliance.
Can I receive faxes with mFax?
Yes. mFax supports both sending and receiving. To receive faxes, you need a virtual fax number (included with mFax Business, or available as an add-on for consumer accounts). Incoming faxes arrive as PDFs in the app or via email.
Does mFax work for international faxing?
Yes. mFax supports faxing to over 50 countries. Include the country code when entering the fax number (e.g., +44 for the UK). International rates apply. See our complete international faxing guide for country-specific details.
Can I fax documents that aren't PDFs?
Yes. mFax accepts PDFs, JPGs, PNGs, Word documents, and other common formats. The app automatically converts non-PDF files before sending. If you need to convert a file first, use the free document converter at mFax.to.
How do I know if my fax was received?
Every sent fax generates a delivery receipt showing the timestamp, page count, and transmission status (delivered, failed, or pending). Failed faxes trigger automatic retries before reporting a failure.
Send Your First Fax with mFax
mFax has earned its place as one of the most trusted mobile fax services in the world — 5 million users, a 4.8-star rating, and a 98% delivery success rate don't happen by accident. The combination of a no-commitment pay-per-fax model, a best-in-class mobile scanner, and full HIPAA compliance for business users makes it the right choice for the widest range of faxing needs.
For personal faxing, download the mFax app — upload a document or snap a photo, enter the fax number, and send in under 2 minutes. No machine. No store. No monthly fee.
For business teams, mFax Business gives you a virtual fax number, HIPAA compliance, team accounts, and a web dashboard — starting at about $9/mo. Build your own plan with a live calculator: pick the exact seats and pages you need and pay only for what you use, with no rigid fixed tiers.
For a broader look at the fax service landscape, check our guide to the best online fax services in 2026.