Faxing has been a mainstay of business communication for decades. While analog faxing dominated for years, digital faxing has quickly become the modern solution for businesses looking to streamline communication.
Here’s a detailed cost comparison between analog fax vs digital fax.
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Introduction to Analog and Digital Fax
Analog fax technology dates back to the 1960s when the first commercial fax machines were developed. These machines use analog signals transmitted over POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines to send and receive messages. Documents were converted into electrical signals, which the fax machine read and reproduced on paper. While reliable for its time, analog faxing has limitations. It requires dedicated phone lines, produces tons of paper waste, and needs toner and ink to work, making it costly and environmentally unfriendly.
In the 2000s, digital fax began to replace traditional fax machines. Digital faxing, or online faxing, uses the internet to send and receive faxes electronically, converting faxed documents into digital data. This eliminates the need for a phone line and paper-based processes, making it faster, more affordable, and more efficient. Digital faxing supports the email-to-fax function and allows businesses to send and receive documents from any device with internet access.
Read Further: Traditional Faxing vs Digital Faxing – Which is Better?
Cost Comparison of Analog Fax and Digital Fax
The differences in costs are significant when comparing analog fax and digital fax. Below is a side-by-side comparison of typical expenses:
| Analog Fax | Digital Fax | |
| Initial Setup Cost | $150-$500 for fax machine | Free or minimal for online fax service (web-based) |
| Monthly Service Fee | $20-$50 for dedicated phone line | $5-$30 for a digital faxing subscription |
| Toner & Ink | $50-$200 per year | None (digital fax is paperless) |
| Paper Costs | $50-$150 per year | None (no paper required) |
| Maintenance & Repairs | $50-$300 per year for fax machine upkeep | None (included subscription or option for low-cost support) |
| Long-distance Faxing | $0.10–$0.50 per page | None (no long-distance fees) |
| Electricity | $10-$30 per year | None (no fax machine running) |
| Additional Fax Pages | Not applicable | $0.05–$0.20 per page (for excess usage) |
| Total Annual Costs | $500-$1,500+ per year | $60-$400 per year |
Analog Fax Costs Breakdown
Depending on your usage, analog faxing costs $500 to $1,500 annually. Businesses that send or receive large volumes of faxes can expect to pay more.
Here’s a breakdown of analog fax expenses:
| Expense | Estimated Cost |
| Dedicated Phone Line | $20-$50 per month |
| Fax Machine Purchase | $150 – $500 (one-time), depending on machine type |
| Toner & Ink | $50 – $200 per year, depending on print volume and machine type |
| Paper costs | $50 – $150 per year, depending on fax volume |
| Maintenance & Repairs | $50 – $300 per year |
| Long-distance Faxing | $0.10-$0.50 per page |
| Electricity Costs | $10-$30 per year |
Analog fax machines vary depending on their features and specifications. A mid-range machine ideal for small offices, such as the Brother IntelliFax 2840, costs $239.00, while an all-in-one system from Xerox that offers print, copy, scan, and fax costs $499.99.
Traditional fax machines also require maintenance and repair, so you must budget for service calls, replacement parts, and troubleshooting. They must also remain powered on to receive faxes, so they’ll incur electricity costs.
You also need a dedicated phone line running on POTS technology to send and receive faxes. With telco companies retiring copper lines, POTS lines are becoming more expensive. POTS plans also charge separately for long-distance faxing, so if you frequently send international or long-distance faxes, expect your bill to pile up.
Lastly, analog faxing is paper-intensive. You need to account for the cost of paper and the toner and ink used for printing incoming and outgoing faxes.
Digital Fax Costs Breakdown
Digital faxing eliminates the need for a dedicated phone line, paper, toner, and maintenance, resulting in a more cost-effective fax solution. Here’s a cost breakdown of digital fax.
| Expense | Estimated cost |
| Subscription fee | $5-$30 per month |
| Additional Pages | $0.05 – $0.20 per page |
| Fax Number | Often included for free |
| Software/Apps | Free |
| Maintenance & Support | Free |
| Paper & Ink Costs | $0 |
| Electricity costs | $0 |
Depending on your plan and usage, expect to pay $60 to $400 per year for digital faxing. It costs significantly less because it eliminates many of the expensive items needed for analog faxing.
You don’t need to invest in a fax machine since you can use your computer, smartphone, or tablet instead. Most online fax providers offer mobile apps and an intuitive web app that lets you transform any internet-connected device into a digital fax machine.
You’re not required to subscribe to a dedicated analog fax line. Most digital fax service providers offer a free dedicated local or toll-free digital fax line, with extra fax numbers costing as low as $5 per month. You can also port any existing fax number for a one-time fee.
The paper and toner costs are the biggest savings from switching to digital faxing. Since you no longer use an analog fax machine, you don’t have to print faxes, eliminating the need for paper and ink. You also save on electricity costs for maintaining a fax machine at all times.
Why Digital Fax Is the Smart Choice
Digital faxing offers significant savings compared to traditional analog faxing, especially for businesses looking to reduce overhead costs, streamline operations, and eliminate the need for physical hardware.
It also offers a more environmentally friendly solution since you’re reducing paper and electricity consumption. Furthermore, you can easily scale your faxing needs by simply adding users instead of purchasing another fax machine.
Digital fax is also secure and compliant with industry regulations, ensuring you protect sensitive communication without violating any law.
Experience the Benefits of Digital Faxing With iFax
iFax offers an intuitive platform and a seamless digital faxing experience so you can easily transition from analog to digital fax. Faxes are encrypted with advanced encryption protocols and delivered instantaneously.
You can also enjoy added features like fax broadcasting, fax OCR, and fax scheduling. iFax is available for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, enabling you to send faxes from any device.
Start a free trial or schedule your free demo today.
