How to fax from Android with no subscription

An Android phone can send documents to a fax number through an online fax service. You supply the document and the recipient's number; the service handles transmission. You do not need a fax machine or a dedicated phone line.

For occasional use, a pay-per-page service lets you pay for each fax without taking on a monthly subscription. Cheapfax charges 50¢ per page to send documents to fax numbers in the United States and Canada. It supports sending only, not receiving.

The steps below explain how to prepare a document, check its readability, and send it from an Android phone using Cheapfax. They also cover pricing, delivery status, and what happens if transmission fails.

Why subscriptions are a bad fit for occasional faxing

A monthly fax plan can make sense if sending documents is part of your daily routine. If you fax twice a year, it's a recurring bill for a very occasional errand.

The free-trial route gives you one more job: remembering to cancel. Send the form, get on with your week, and it's easy to forget the plan until a charge shows up on your card.

You may also be paying for things you never needed: an inbound fax number, an inbox, or a monthly page allowance when you only have one form to send.

With pay per page, the cost follows the task. Send your pages, and there's nothing to cancel afterward. That's how Cheapfax works. It's a send-only service, so you'll need another option if you also want to receive faxes.

Before you start

• An Android phone with Cheapfax installed from Google Play.

• An email address or a Google account to sign in.

• The document: paper, a PDF, or photos on your phone.

• The recipient's fax number. Cheapfax sends to the United States and Canada only.

• A payment method on Google Play.

Give the document one last check for missing signatures, dates, and blank fields. A perfectly delivered fax won't help if the office sends you back to fill in page two.

How to send a fax from Android, step by step

1. Open the app and sign in

Open Cheapfax. Create an account with your email, or tap the Google option. The app shows a short welcome the first time. After that you land on the home screen.

2. Start a new fax

Tap New fax. You'll see three ways to add your document:

• Scan with camera

• Choose from Files

• Choose from Photos

3. Add your pages

To scan paper, lay the page flat on a dark surface in good light. Hold the phone above it. The scanner finds the edges of the page and crops it. Scan each page in order. The fax keeps that order.

Think of this as taking a photo the recipient has to read, not just recognize. Keep your phone's shadow off the text and flatten any folds that could obscure a word or number.

To send a file, choose a PDF from the phone or from a cloud folder. Cheapfax takes PDF, JPEG, PNG and HEIC files.

To send photos, choose one or more pictures from your gallery. Each photo becomes a page.

You can also start from another app. Open a PDF there, tap Share, and choose Cheapfax. The document opens straight in the compose screen.

Scans and photos get cleaned up for faxing. Shadows and gray paper turn white. Faint writing gets darker. Faxes are black and white. The cleanup keeps the text readable. Picked PDFs are sent as they are.

4. Check the page count and preview

The compose screen shows your page count. Compare it with the original: all three pages of a form should be there, including the easy-to-miss signature page.

Then open the preview. It shows your pages in black and white, the way the recipient's machine will print them. If a page looks faded or blurry, rescan it before you pay.

5. Add a cover sheet if you want one

Sending to a shared office fax? A cover sheet can help make clear who the document is for. Turn on Add cover sheet and type a subject and a short message. Cheapfax adds it as the first page. It's optional and counts as one paid page, so include it when it's useful or the recipient requests one.

6. Enter the fax number

Type the recipient's fax number, or pick one from your address book. The app checks the number as you type. It only accepts valid US and Canadian numbers.

Compare the number with the recipient's instructions before sending. A valid fax number can still be the wrong fax number, and a sent fax can't be pulled back.

7. Pay and send

The compose screen shows the price before you pay: your page count multiplied by 50¢. One page costs 50¢; six pages cost $3.00. Remember to count the cover sheet if you added one.

Tap Send, then confirm the purchase through Google Play to send your fax.

You pay for exactly the pages you send. Nothing is left over as spare credits.

What it costs

The price is 50¢ per page. There's no subscription, no monthly fee, no minimum and no maximum page count.

The amount on the screen is the amount charged.

Sent it? Here's what happens next

You don't have to guess whether the document made it through. After you tap Send, a status screen tracks the fax until it finishes.

Most faxes go through in a few minutes. The speed depends on the line at the other end. A busy or unanswered line can add time. Cheapfax tries the number up to three times.

If the fax is delivered, you get a receipt. You can turn on notifications to hear when it finishes. You can also open the fax later from your history.

If the fax fails, the pages go back to your balance as credits. This happens automatically. Send again whenever you're ready.

Documents upload over an encrypted connection. They stay private to your account. Files and receipts are deleted from the servers 30 days after you send.

Cheapfax is not a HIPAA-compliant service. If you work for a covered entity, ask whoever handles compliance before you fax patient information.

Other no-subscription options and their tradeoffs

Cheapfax isn't the only way to fax without a plan.

Free web fax services send a fax at no cost. They usually come with limits. Common ones are a cap on pages per fax, a cap on faxes per day, and ads. Many add a cover page with their own branding. The recipient sees it. That may be fine for a casual note. It's less fine for a business document. Read the terms before you upload anything private.

Shipping and office stores are another option if you'd like someone to help in person. The tradeoff is a trip to the store, plus the fax charge. Each location sets its own price, usually per page, so ask about availability and cost before you head out.

Paid monthly services make sense if you fax often or need to receive faxes. Cheapfax only sends.

If you already have access to a fax machine and a phone line, that works too. For an occasional form, though, buying the hardware is a lot of setup for a small task.

The right pick depends on how often you fax and what you're sending. For a few pages once in a while, paying per page is hard to beat.

Common questions

Is there really no subscription?

Yes. Cheapfax charges per page through Google Play. There's no monthly plan, no trial that turns into a charge, and nothing that auto-renews.

Can I receive faxes on my Android phone?

No. Cheapfax only sends. It has no inbound fax number and no inbox.

What if my fax fails?

The pages are returned to your balance as credits, automatically. You don't need to contact anyone.

Can I send a fax outside the United States?

Cheapfax sends to fax numbers in the United States and Canada only.

How long are my documents kept?

Files and receipts are deleted 30 days after you send.

Send your first fax

‘Please fax’ doesn't have to turn into a trip across town or a monthly bill. Install Cheapfax from Google Play, sign in with email or Google, and add your pages. Preview the document, check the number and price, then send.

50¢ per page. No subscription to remember tomorrow.