How It Works

What happens to your fax from upload to delivery, and when you are charged

This page explains each stage of a fax, from the form to the result.

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From upload to delivery

1. You fill in the form

   You enter the destination fax number and your email, add your documents or a cover page, and click Preview fax & check price.

2. PayPerFax renders the fax

   Your files are converted to fax format: black and white, 204 × 196 dpi. This usually takes a few seconds. The preview shows each page as it will be sent, the page count, and the price.

3. You pay

   You pay by card or PayPal. A hold is placed for the amount; nothing is charged yet.

4. PayPerFax sends the fax

   The fax goes over the phone network to the destination machine. The confirmation page shows the usual time for your page count. If the line is busy or does not answer, PayPerFax makes up to 3 attempts, a few minutes apart.

5. You get the result

   The confirmation page updates by itself, and an email follows. A delivered fax email includes the date and time, the pages sent, the receiving machine’s ID (CSID), and a PDF copy of what was sent.

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When you are charged

You are charged only when the fax is delivered. Until then, the amount is a hold on your card.

Result	What happens to the hold
Delivered	The hold becomes the charge
Not delivered after 3 attempts	The hold is released; you pay nothing
No final result yet	You are charged only if delivery is confirmed

A fax counts as delivered when the receiving machine answers and accepts all pages. Common reasons for a failure are a busy line, no answer, a call that drops during sending, or a number that is not a fax line.

How long a released hold stays visible on your statement depends on your card issuer. See Pricing & Payment.

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Sending again

If a fax fails, or you need to send it again, use the resubmit link on the confirmation page or in the result email. It opens the form filled in with the same details and documents, for 72 hours after the original fax. See Resending a fax.

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Fax quality

Fax machines use a lower resolution than a screen. The preview and the PDF copy show the fax at that resolution, so they look rougher than your original. See Low-quality confirmations.

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Files

You can send PDF, DOC, DOCX, TIF/TIFF, JPG/JPEG, PNG, and Markdown (.md, at most 100 KB). All files of one fax together can be at most 10 MB. See File Requirements.

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Security and data

• In transit: uploads use HTTPS (TLS). The last leg, over the phone network to the fax machine, is not encrypted; standard fax does not support encryption.
• Stored files: documents and fax images are encrypted at rest and deleted 30 days after the fax. Records of the transaction (date, destination) and of the payment are kept.
• Card details: entered with the payment provider (Stripe). PayPerFax does not see or store your card number.
• No account: there is no login and no password.

Full details: Security Statement and Data Retention Policy.

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Availability

You can send a fax at any time. Support answers through the contact form.

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Next steps

Quick Start

Send a fax in three steps

Step-by-Step Guide

Each screen, with screenshots

Pricing & Payment

Prices, currencies, and the card hold

Troubleshooting

Fixes for common problems