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Running an agile team effectively is nearly impossible without the right software. 

But agile project management tools can make your life much easier. It’s the best way to collaborate with your team, manage changing tasks, and keep track of various projects at scale. 

In addition to the managerial perks of agile project management software, your entire team will benefit as well. These tools will make it easier for everyone to work efficiently, communicate, and meet deadlines. 

Recognizing you need to invest in agile project management software is only half of the battle. Finding the right software for your business and team is a different story entirely—which is why I created this guide.

After extensive research and testing, I narrowed down the top five agile project management tools available on the market today.  

The Top 5 Options For Agile Project Management Tools

1. Forecast
2. Monday
3. Mavenlink
4. Jira
5. VivifyScrum

How to Choose the Best Agile Project Management Tools For You

There are certain factors that must be evaluated as you’re shopping around and assessing different tools. By following the buying guide I’ve outlined below, you’ll know exactly what to look for and what’s important in an agile project management solution. 

Agile Framework Preferences

The very first thing you need to consider is the agile framework you plan to use. For those of you who are already familiar with the concepts of agile management, you probably have a preferred methodology.

Do you want to use Scrum or Kanban? Lean? Crystal? Are you using agile framework variations such as Scrumban?

Depending on the answer, you’ll be able to find an agile tool that specializes in your preferred framework. It’s worth noting that not every agile project management software supports all agile management frameworks. So make sure the options you’re considering offer the methodology you need to implement. 

Collaboration Features

Team collaboration is a crucial component of agile management. You want to make sure the software you’re considering comes out-of-the-box with collaboration tools. 

Most solutions should come standard with features like team tagging, comments, file sharing, and other basic tools. Some software will have more advanced features, depending on your project type, industry, and team needs. 

Team Size

Just because an agile project management tool offers collaboration features, don’t assume that the tool will be robust enough for your specific team.

There are solutions on the market made for small teams with a handful of users. Those won’t be ideal for businesses that have multiple teams, hundreds of users, and multiple projects across several departments. 

It should be relatively easy to determine if the tool in question is built to scale. If not, you can always express those concerns with the sales team during a free trial or demo. 

Project Type

The complexity of your projects will also play a significant factor in choosing the best software for your team. 

For example, software development teams and internal IT departments typically have more advanced needs since these projects have a higher level of complexity. In these cases, you should avoid beginner tools and look for industry-specific solutions tailored toward your project needs. 

On the flip side, managers and teams who are just starting out with agile project management should be seeking basic solutions to manage simple projects. 

Reporting

The best agile project management software will provide you with detailed reports and advanced analytics about your projects. 

You can use these dashboards as a way to learn more about your team’s productivity, find out if the project will be completed on time, and if you’re staying on budget. As a project manager, this information is crucial to the big-picture operation of your business. 

Usability

The usability of an agile management tool is often overlooked during the evaluation process. But it’s definitely something that needs to be taken into consideration.

What is your technical experience? How tech-savvy is your team?

If you choose a rigid solution that’s tough to use, it can do more harm than good. So you need to find a balance between a tool that’s robust enough to handle your project complexity while still easy for your team to navigate. This is another reason why you should always take advantage of free trials and demos as you’re narrowing down different options. 

The Different Types of Agile Project Management Tools

Not every agile project management tool is the same. Before we dive into the reviews and recommendations, I want to quickly explain the different options. 

The easiest way to segment these tools is based on the agile frameworks that they offer. It’s also worth noting that some solutions will fall into more than one of these categories below.

Scrum

Scrum is one of the most popular agile frameworks because it can be used for such a wide range of projects. Over the years, Scrum has gained popularity because of its simplicity, easy implementation process, and proven productivity boost. 

With Scrum, the project manager will work closely with the team in terms of identifying and prioritizing functionality in the backlog. This backlog will contain whatever tasks must be accomplished to deliver the final product. 

Kanban

Kanban is the most popular visual workflow management methodology. Kanban boards make it easier for agile teams to manage various tasks in the project life cycle. 

Similar to Scrum, Kanban is built to help teams collaborate with high efficiency. 

The basic principles of Kanban include visual workflow automation, limited WIP (work in progress), and enhanced workflows. This process helps promote continuous collaboration and ongoing learning for agile teams. 

Lean

It’s common for software development teams to leverage the lean agile methodology. This iterative framework is highly flexible and doesn’t have rigid rules or guidelines. 

The main principles of lean management include team empowerment, enhanced learning, eliminating waste, delivering tasks as soon as possible, making decisions as late as possible, and seeing the big picture. 

Individuals and small teams will have more decision-making authority, as opposed to a hierarchical flow. Lean management also helps ensure that the entire team is productive for the longest amount of time. 

Crystal

The Crystal agile methodology is another popular software development framework. It’s lightweight and typically comprised of a family of agile processes. These include Crystal Orange, Crystal Clear, Crystal Yellow, and others.

Each individual framework has its own unique rules and characteristics based on factors like project priority, team size, and more. 

Crystal puts emphasis on the interaction between the processes and people involved in a project. Some of the key principles of Crystal include simplicity, teamwork, collaboration, and the ability to improve processes. It promotes high user engagement while removing distractions and bureaucracies. 

Other Types of Agile Project Management

There are lots of other agile frameworks out there. When you consider the variations and combinations of some, this number is in the dozens. 

Other popular types include LeSS (large scale Scrum), SAFe (scaled agile framework), feature driven development (FDD), extreme programming (XP), dynamic systems development method (DSDM), Scrumban, adaptive software development (ASD), agile-agile hybrid, and FAST agile. The list goes on and on. 

#1 – Forecast Review — The Best Collaboration Features

Forecast is an all-in-one project management and resource management solution. It’s built for project-driven companies that want to empower teams, automate operations, and unite all projects into a single tool. 

With Forecast, you can automate tasks for project planning, resource allocation, and more. The software is powered by AI technology to help simplify monotonous tasks. 

Here are some of the top reasons and why Forecast ranks so high on my list:

• Keep the big picture in mind with real-time operational visibility
• Analyze decisions and financial health of projects
• Admins can set different permission levels for each user (clients, collaborators, etc.)
• Simple and organized backlog of project tasks
• Easy to plan sprints and track progress
• Automatically get notified about key updates in your workflow
• Continuous and fast delivery of products and tasks

Overall, Forecast has everything agile teams need to improve communication. Create and assign task cards, file sharing, dependencies, subtasks, comments, and priority lists are just a handful of examples.

It’s a popular choice for agencies, consultants, and software teams. Forecast also has solutions for project accounting and business intelligence. The software seamlessly integrates with other popular tools that your team is using.

Forecast’s AI will learn from your previous projects and suggest the number of hours that should be allocated to similar tasks. 

Plans start at $29 per seat per month (with a minimum of 10 seats). Try it free for 14 days; no credit card required. 

#2 – Monday Review — The Best For Agile Beginners

Monday.com has quickly become one of the most popular agile project management tools on the market today. It’s trusted by 100,000+ organizations worldwide, including some big names like Coca-Cola, Adobe, Hulu, and the Discovery Channel.

This is a great choice if you’re new to agile management and need a solution for basic projects.

It’s one of the easiest ways to plan, track, and deliver team projects from a single workspace. Here are some of the other reasons why I like Monday so much:

• Deploy in minutes with hundreds of customizable templates
• Integrates with tools like Slack, HubSpot, G Suite, LinkedIn, Teams, and more
• Automate repetitive tasks to save time and avoid human error
• Visual data with Kanban boards, timelines, maps, calendars, and more
• 24/7 customer support with a 10-minute average response time
• Track the progress of your projects and make data-driven decisions
• Set project goals and empower stakeholders

Monday.com makes it easy for teams to collaborate. You’ll benefit from features like file sharing, task assignments, task priorities, visual boards, and other ways to see what everyone is doing at a glance. 

It’s a popular choice for remote work, marketing, creative teams, HR, sales, and more. While Monday does have tools for software development, IT, and construction projects, it’s definitely better for simple projects.

Plans start at just $8 per seat per month (with a minimum of three seats). You can try Monday.com free for 14 days with an unlimited number of users; no credit card required. 

#3 – Mavenlink Review — Best For Agile Management at Scale

Mavenlink is another all-in-one solution for project management and resource management. It’s a modern way for teams to collaborate from anywhere, which is perfect for remote work.

In addition to improving your team’s productivity on the operational end, Mavenlink provides deep insights into the financial performance of your projects and business as well.

Some of the top features, benefits, and noteworthy highlights of Mavenlink include:

• Rich insights for data-driven business decisions in real-time
• Flexible way to manage resources and project tasks
• Real-time automation tools
• See all projects at a glance with complete project portfolio view
• Easy to assess the health and status of specific projects or portfolio of projects
• Reusable templates to replicate success
• Consistently deliver projects on-time
• Improve project performance
• Extend workspace with popular integrations (Salesforce, Xero, Slack, HubSpot, etc.)

Mavenlink is great for larger teams that need to manage projects across multiple departments. This works fine if you’re just using it for a handful of projects. But it works just as well if you have a project portfolio of 500+.

For small teams and enterprises alike, Mavenlink has a plan for everyone. Rates aren’t available online, so you’ll need to contact their sales team for more information. 

Try Mavenlink free for ten days.

#4 – Jira Review — Best Agile Project Management Tool For Development Teams

Jira by Atlassian is a bit unique compared to some of the other tools on our list. This agile project management software is built specifically for software development projects.

With Jira, software teams of all sizes can plan, track, and release exceptional products.

Let’s take a closer look at Jira’s top highlights for agile management:

• Plan sprints, create user stories, and distribute tasks for software teams
• Prioritize complete team’s work in context with full visibility for everyone
• Real-time visual data reporting
• Choose a pre-built workflow or create your own custom solutions
• Integrate with hundred of developer tools out of the box
• Connect software team’s work to your product roadmap
• Scrum boards, Kanban boards, roadmaps and agile reporting

Jira is arguably the safest project management tool on the market today in terms of data encryption and compliance. It integrates with 3,000+ apps in the Atlassian marketplace as well.

Software teams, look no further—Jira is the best option agile project management tool for you. 

The tool is free for up to ten users. Paid plans start at just $7 per user per month. Try it free for seven days.  

#5 – VivifyScrum Review — Best All-in-One Agile Management Tool

VivifyScrum is a versatile agile management solution. It’s trusted by small teams and large organizations alike.

Regardless of your team size and project complexity, this tool can help manage everything from a single platform. 

Here are some of the top reasons why you should consider VivifyScrum:

• Unlimited Scrum boards, unlimited Kanban boards, and unlimited items
• Custom boards with built-in team collaboration tools
• Built-in features for invoicing clients and tracking payments
• Time tracking and team management features
• Create custom workflows with agile boards
• Reporting and analytics with burndown charts, Scrum metrics, and more

The software comes with mobile apps, API access, file storage, unlimited integrations, unlimited active sprints, and so much more.

VivifyScrum starts at $10 per month for small teams. Contact the sales team for more information on Enterprise pricing. Regardless of your team size and project management needs, you can try VivifyScrum free for 14 days. 

Summary

The only way to effectively manage an agile team is with the right project management tool. Which agile project management software is the best?

It depends on what you’re looking for. Factors like project type, team size, and other considerations must be evaluated for you to make an informed decision.

Follow my methodology and recommendations described in this guide to find the best agile project management tools for your unique situation.

The post Best Agile Project Management Tools appeared first on Neil Patel.

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Merchant services exist to help businesses process credit card payments. You might know them by the name “credit card processors.” 

Regardless of what you call them, choosing the best merchant service isn’t easy. The “best” one is the one that is right for your specific business, and each of the following services offers particular features that may work for one company, but not for yours. 

That’s why, in this guide, I’m catering to each type of business and finding the right merchant service for your needs. 

The Top 6 Merchant Services:

1. Square
2. Flagship Merchant Services
3. Helcim
4. Payment Depot
5. Fattmerchant
6. Stripe 

How to Choose The Best Merchant Services For You 

Before we get into the best merchant services, we need to understand the criteria used to make these decisions. Keep all of the following factors in mind as you read through the reviews. 

Processing Rates/Monthly Fees

It’s all about the money, and credit card processing is not as simple as you think. You have to weigh the pros and cons with each gateway; otherwise, you can end up paying way more than you planned. 

We need to look at the processing rates first. To get a lower processing rate, you usually have to pay a higher monthly fee. If you’re processing payments at high volume, it’s worth it for you to pay the higher fee because your volume will make up for it. 

On the other side, if you’re not processing a lot of payments, having a higher transaction fee won’t hurt you as much as a high monthly fee would. 

Flat-rate processing is a simple solution for small businesses, but interchange pricing is generally more affordable. 

Services 

You want to look at what the payment processor offers in addition to credit card processing. Do they offer free POS systems, hardware, mobile payments, integrations, etc? Some merchant services even offer consulting, customer loyalty features, and invoicing tools. 

Sometimes the “extra benefits” you get from a merchant service provider can outweigh some of the negatives. 

The Type of Merchant Service Account 

There are two primary types of accounts, one is an aggregator (or middleman), and one is an ISO (or independent sales organization). Let’s compare the two and see why it’s important to understand the difference.

Aggregators 

These are middlemen working in between the business and the bank, offering an easy payment processing solution for businesses. Square is an example of this, and while they make it easier, they usually have higher fees and transaction costs. 

ISOs 

Payment Depot is an example of an ISO, and while they usually have a more strict acceptance policy, they offer lower rates and user-friendly software compared to a direct processor. 

Integration

One of the most important factors to consider is, “how will this integrate with my current systems”? 

Your payment processor should never get in the way or cause your conversion rates to decrease; it should complement your current process or even enhance it. Make sure you choose something that will easily integrate into your business without requiring too many changes or adjustments. 

The Different Types of Merchant Services

After much research and careful consideration, these are my top six merchant services for both in-person and online sales. 

#1. Square – The Best For Transparent Pricing/Fees

Pros:

• No monthly fee
• Transparent processing
• Free card reader
• Great added features

Cons:

• No ACH payment processing
• Higher fees than desired

Square is popular for its credit card processing and POS systems, but it offers much more. It hosts features such as the “Card on File” feature, allowing users to store customer card information that works great for repeat customers trying to accumulate loyalty points and rewards of that nature. 

The processor also doesn’t have a monthly fee, and while Square’s features might not be as advanced as some of the other payment processors we’re talking about, for a POS without a monthly fee, you can’t beat the value. 

The one thing that stands out most to me is the transaction costs and how they vary whether you’re doing business in person or online.

For in-person sales, expect to pay 2.6% and $0.10 per transaction. For online transactions, it’ll cost you 2.9% and $0.30 per transaction. There are other instances, such as:

• Virtual terminal transactions
• Card-on-file transactions
• And card-not-present transactions

These will cost 3.5% and $0.15 per transaction. 

Based on these numbers, Square is not the most affordable flat-rate processor, but the transparency makes it easier for you to understand what the rates are and how they’ll impact your processing based on volume and price. 

#2. Flagship Merchant Services – The Best For Great Customer Service

Pros:

• Dedicated account manager
• Free account setup
• Free card terminal (with fees)

Cons:

• Confusing ownership
• Little information regarding price

Flagship Merchant Services cut the tape in 2001 and was acquired by iPayment in 2012. Now, they primarily resell iPayment, so keep that in mind. 

This company was one of the first to offer free account setup without any application or fees and real month-to-month contracts. They operate tens of thousands of merchants, and they have a strong reputation. 

Since they’re not a direct processor, most of their merchant accounts are set up through iPayment. iPayment uses First Data as their processor, and it can get confusing trying to figure out who is processing what through what service.

For retailers, Flagship does offer a free credit card terminal, but you’re responsible for paying account fees and insurance on that terminal to keep it up and running. 

For ecommerce, they offer either Authorize.net for processing and integration of an online cart onto your site. 

One thing that was a little frustrating about Flagship is trying to find information on their rates. If you go to their website, you’ll see that you need to fill out a form to get any info about what they charge. 

I’d like to see more transparency, but you may end up with a more catered package deal with this strategy. 

My favorite feature is that you get a single line of contact with the company when you purchase a gateway; they act as account managers. If you ever have a problem, you contact that specific person, and this isn’t a feature I’ve ever seen with any other merchant service.

#3. Helcim – The Best For Small Business 

Pros:

• Limited fees
• Fees based on volume
• Free online store software

Cons:

• Limited integrations
• $199 for the card reader

If you’re a small business owner, Helcim might appeal to you. With this service, you’re able to process credit and debit cards online and in person. You can also do some of the following: 

• Set up recurring payments
• Send invoices
• Collect payments

With a Helcim card reader, you can accept all major cards, including Amex plus Google Pay, Apple Pay, and JCB. 

Helcim charges $20 per month with transaction fees based on volume. They don’t have any contracts or cancellation fees, and they’ll wave your monthly fee if you don’t process any payments. 

Overall, Helcim is affordable but much more for in-person payments than they are online. Here’s a quick breakdown of their pricing structure: 

• Monthly Volume: $0 – $25,000
• In-Person: 0.3% + 8 cents (+ interchange)
• Online: 0.5% + 25 cents (+ interchange)

• Monthly Volume: $25,001 – $50,000
• In-Person: 0.25% + 7 cents (+ interchange)
• Online: 0.45% + 20 cents (+ interchange)

• Monthly Volume: $50,001 – $100,000
• In-Person: 0.2% + 7 cents (+ interchange)
• Online: 0.4% + 20 cents (+ interchange)

• Monthly Volume: $100,001 – $250,000
• In-Person: 0.18% + 6 cents (+ interchange)
• Online: 0.35% + 15 cents (+ interchange) 

Helcim offers nice features for those of you looking to integrate this payment gateway into your online store. You can add a checkout to your site for invoicing and customer registration while also accepting recurring subscriptions. 

#4. Payment Depot – The Best For Established Businesses

Pros:

• No contract processing
• Competitive rates
• Easy to integrate online

Cons:

• Best for high-volume business
• Application process

Payment Depot uses a membership pricing model, making it simpler to understand but can sometimes result in you paying higher fees. Thankfully, Payment Depot’s rates are pretty competitive, and they include interchange-plus pricing for both online, in-person, and mobile payments. 

This strategy actually makes Payment Depot one of the most affordable payment processors for established businesses that are doing a certain amount of volume. 

Payment Depot accepts all major cards and contactless Apple Pay and Google Pay as well. You get next-day funding and integration with POS systems as well as ecommerce platforms such as: 

• Shopify
• Revel
• QuickBooks
• PrestaShop
• BigComemrce
• WooCommerce

And more…

I don’t think this is one of the best merchant services for small businesses because of how they structure their pricing. The transaction fees go down as you pay a higher monthly fee, and they seemingly force you to increase your plan because of strict processing limits. 

Here’s a breakdown of their pricing: 

Basic Plan

• Fee: $49
• Transaction Fee: $0.15
• Monthly Limit: $25,000

Popular Plan

• Fee: $79
• Transaction Fee: $0.10
• Monthly Limit: $75,000

Premier

• Fee: $99
• Transaction Fee: $0.07
• Monthly Limit: $150,000

Unlimited

• Fee: $199
• Transaction Fee: $0.05
• Monthly Limit: Unlimited 

So, as you can see – if you’re doing high volume, it would make the most sense to upgrade to the most expensive plan for the lowest transaction fees. 

#5. Fattmerchant – Best For Subscription-Based Businesses

Pros:

• Simple pricing
• Omni software
• A solid choice for subscription businesses

Cons:

• Higher monthly fees
• Transaction fees are relatively standard

Fattmerchant is set up a lot like many of the payment processors. As you increase your monthly fee, your transaction fees go down. They offer Omni, which is where you’ll do your invoicing, payments, and reporting. The service is incredibly user-friendly, great for beginners, and it comes included with your monthly fee. 

While Fattmerchant is a great choice for budget-conscious business owners, it’s also a great option for subscription-based businesses. If you’re selling monthly coaching packages, agency services, or counseling, you’ll benefit from Fattmerchant’s structure. 

The processor accepts all major cards, including ACH, invoicing, Text2Pay, and more. Same day funding is available, and you get a free iOS and Android POS app and Bluetooth card readers that you can use on the go. 

They have two pricing plans:

• Fee: $99
• Annual Limit: $500,000
• Card-Present Fee: $0.08 + Interchange
• Card-Not-Present: $0.15 + Interchange
• ACH Transaction Fee: $0.25

• Fee: $199
• Annual Limit: $5,000,000
• Card-Present Fee: $0.06 + Interchange
• Card-Not-Present: $0.12 + Interchange
• ACH Transaction Fee: $0.25

Fattmerchant has a higher monthly fee than some others, but the company says that is how they keep their transaction fees down. 

#6. Stripe – Best For Online Payment Processing 

Pros:

• Allows you to grow
• Reasonable pricing
• Great solution for online businesses

Cons:

• Complicated setup
• May require developers

If your business runs entirely online, Stripe is your best choice. It’s made specifically for ecommerce and internet business, and tons of startups and Fortune 500 companies trust Stripe. 

The company offers sophisticated software and APIs that allow online store owners to customize their checkout experience. You can use the pre-built integrations to connect a Stripe checkout right away and then customize it as you go along. 

That’s one of the main reasons why I love Stripe; it’s a payment processor that grows with you and allows you to change it as your business needs change. 

With all of these features and moving parts comes complications. It’s not the easiest to set up, and if you plan on utilizing the many benefits of Stripe, you’ll likely need a developer to handle it for you. 

Stripe offers a “pay as you go” strategy without monthly fees and transparent transaction fees across the board. 

• Online: 2.9% and $0.30
• In-Person: 2.7% and $0.05
• International: Add 1% per transaction
• ACH Direct: 0.8% maxed at $5.00 per transaction
• ACH Credit: $1.00 per transaction

You can use all major credit and debit cards plus ACH, WeChat Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and much more. Expect to wait two business days for deposits or pay a one percent fee to get instant deposits. 

Stripe integrates with WordPress, Magento, Squarespace, 3DCart, Zoho, Big Cartel, and more. 

So, by this point, you should know which of these merchant services is right for you. They all have their pros and cons, and you should choose according to the type of business you own.

Square is an overall solid solution for all businesses, but the transaction fees are a bit high, and scalability is lacking. 

I’m also a big fan of Helcim because they allow you to grow with your processor by increasing the monthly payment as your volume needs increase. 

Regardless of which choice you make, keep the important factors in mind and choose carefully, so you don’t regret your decision down the road. 

The post Best Merchant Services appeared first on Neil Patel.

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Think back to the last time you saw one of those giant, clunky fax machines sitting around. 

It’s probably been a while, right? While that old-school hardware is undoubtedly outdated, faxing isn’t dead by any means. 

It’s actually very much alive. But thankfully, we have better technology. 

The best online fax services make sending secure communications via fax a breeze for individuals and businesses of all sizes with no ugly, expensive, or finicky hardware required. 

However, there are dozens of providers to choose from, which is why making the right choice is often more challenging than actually using the service. So to help make your decision easier, I narrowed it down to my top six recommendations—and reviewed them. 

The top 6 options for online fax services

1. mFax – best online fax services for multiple users
2. RingCentral Fax – best all-in-one online fax service
3. HelloFax – best for cloud-storage integrations
4. SRFax – most secure online faxing service
5. FaxBurner – best mobile online faxing service
6. Biscom 123 – most affordable online faxing service

How to choose the best online fax service for you 

There are dozens of online fax service providers to choose from. This makes it challenging to know which one’s perfect for your business, especially if you’re not quite sure what to look for. 

All of the options on this list are excellent. However, they may not work for everyone.

So, don’t forget to use the following factors as you go through the decision-making process to help you narrow things down and find the perfect fit.  

Number of users

As a business, you probably need multiple user accounts. Different services have different pricing plans, so it’s essential to consider the number of accounts you need. 

Some options may limit the number of users with no way around it. Others may offer extra user accounts with an additional monthly fee. So, this plays a massive role in how much you can expect to pay every month. 

With that said, most smaller businesses won’t have problems with account limitations. 

But large corporations with multiple departments who need faxing capabilities may run into problems with low-limit plans. 

Cloud-storage integrations

Most businesses rely on cloud storage tools. Whether you depend on Microsoft 365 or Google’s G Suite, your employees probably use these tools daily to create and archive documents. 

So, it’s important to consider these integrations if you and your team need to store documents you send or receive via online fax. 

This can help streamline your document management processes. 

Page limits

Most providers charge an extra fee if you go over the number of pages your plan includes. So, you need to consider your business’s needs when it comes to monthly fax volume. 

A lot of providers place low limits on this to encourage you to upgrade to a better plan. 

So it’s critical to choose a plan that offers enough pages per month along with a fair page overage fee (just in case). However, online fax services with unlimited plans are a better option for businesses that expect to send and receive high volumes every month.

Document archiving

If you’re using an online fax service to send and automatically digitize documents, it should come with document archiving as well. This can significantly streamline and automate your document management processes. 

Some online fax services provide online databases so users can easily store faxed documents. However, some don’t, and others don’t provide archiving features at all. Without this, you have to print, scan, and store everything by hand. 

Which… can be an incredibly time-consuming process. 

So, pay close attention to this as you decide, especially if it’s something you need now or may need in the future. 

Industry-specific use

There are lots of different all-purpose online fax services out there. However, sometimes particular providers are more suited to specific industries. 

Healthcare is an excellent example of this because you’re dealing with sensitive information and legal regulations regarding how you handle it. So, you need a service that’s secure and compliant with those requirements. 

However, healthcare isn’t the only industry like this. As such, it’s critical to consider your industry’s requirements and regulations before making your final decision. 

The different types of online fax services 

Not all online fax services are the same. 

So, before we dive into the reviews, let’s talk about the different types of online fax services so you know exactly what to look for as you go through the process. 

Web or cloud-based services

The most common online fax services are cloud or browser-based. All you have to do to get started is create an account, and you’re ready to go. 

Web-based fax services are known for high-quality faxes as well as ease of use. 

And they often offer a wide range of cloud-based integrations with platforms like G Suite and Dropbox, making life easier if you want to archive your communications on the cloud. 

Mobile fax services

Mobile fax services allow users to fax directly from their smartphones. Essentially, mobile faxing is as convenient and as easy as snapping a photo. 

Plus, you don’t have to wait until you’re at your computer or rely on team members sitting in front of a desktop to send and receive communications. 

Some providers may also support desktop or web-based use, while others are exclusively mobile. 

So, keep this in mind as you decide which provider is best for you and your team. 

#1 –  mFax Review – Best online fax services for multiple users

mFax is one of the most flexible and adaptable online fax services for businesses with numerous team members. Their flexible monthly plans allow up to 50 individuals to use the service. 

Operating as cloud software, there’s no need to install or download any programs. And you can easily access the mFax interface from any web browser on any device. 

With an easy-to-use interface and intuitive setup, it’s an excellent option for those looking to get started with their first online fax service.

mFax comes with various features and benefits, including:

• Automatic cloud storage for sent and received faxes
• Works from any device
• Send and receive faxes from email
• Multi-layered encryption for documents in transit and rest
• Plans for small businesses and large enterprises
• Easy to create and manage users and set account-level permissions
• Print to Fax driver allows you to send a fax from a desktop to print

mFax also has a beta version of international outbound fax for 24 countries. So, you’re not limited to one particular country. 

Plans start at $7 per month for one user, making it super affordable for businesses of all sizes. Plus, you can try mFax for free or sign up for a product demo to learn more about it. 

#2 – RingCentral Fax Review – Best all-in-one online fax service

RingCentral Fax is another popular online fax service. With a solid feature list, flexible user numbers, and robust security suite, it’s my #1 all-in-one online fax service recommendation. 

Their unique fax scheduling feature makes it easy to send faxes for future delivery. This is particularly useful if you need to send international faxes to users in other timezones or have employees who don’t work standard operating hours. 

On top of that, you also get access to a ton of powerful features and benefits, including:

• Groups of up to 50 email addresses to send faxes in one message
• Choose from toll-free or local fax numbers
• IOS and Android mobile applications
• Up to 200 faxes in an online account
• Create an electronic signature and add it to documents
• View received and sent faxes online via a web browser
• Securely transmit faxes over an encrypted internet connection
• Send and receive faxes from any device
• Block faxes without a caller ID

RingCentral Fax is a great all-around option for small and large businesses who won’t mind the slightly limited online fax storage (you can always store them elsewhere). 

Plans start at $17.99 a month, and there’s an unlimited plan for just $24.99 a month. 

#3 – HelloFax Review – Best online fax services for cloud-storage integration 

HelloFax is the best online fax service for integrated cloud storage. 

The service seamlessly syncs with G Suite, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. Users can also access their faxes directly on the HelloFax’s service from any web browser on any device. 

Plus, it’s super easy to use. Faxes arrive directly to inboxes as a PDF where they are easily viewable, downloadable, and shareable. 

There’s also unlimited storage for businesses that prefer not to use other cloud storage providers for their faxes. 

With HelloFax, you can: 

• Send up to five pages for free by signing up
• Quickly fax to previously entered fax numbers 
• Additional faxes that go over the monthly limit are just 5 cents per page
• Send faxes by email
• Add and remove users at no extra cost
• Send faxes to multiple recipients
• Receive faxes with a paid plan 
• Sign in using your Google credentials

Despite having cloud integration with multiple platforms, HelloFax still offers unlimited storage, which is excellent for businesses planning on sending or receiving high-volume communications.

There’s a free plan for up to 5 faxes per month, so you can try it free before you invest. However, most businesses need more than that, and you’ll need to upgrade once you reach that limit. 

But their paid plans are affordable, starting at $9.99 per month.

#4 – SRFax Review – Most secure online fax services

SRFax is a great option for businesses that have high-security concerns. Transferring information over the internet always comes with the risk of interception. 

And for specific industries like healthcare, security is even more paramount. 

Healthcare providers rely on faxing to transfer sensitive patient data. So, the fax services they use must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 

SRFax provides multiple layers of data encryption while maintaining a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent choice for high-security industries. 

In addition to HIPAA compliant fax services, SRFax has multiple tiers and plans suited to all security levels and sizes of businesses. 

They also offer a variety of features and benefits to make your life easier, including:

• 2048-bit SSL Certification, 2048-bit RSA public keys, and PGP encryption
• 24-hour customer support hotline 
• Plans come with unlimited authorized email addresses
• Automatically download incoming faxes
• Send faxes through an email account 
• Intuitive dashboard for viewing existing faxes, sending faxes, and changing settings
• Send faxes through the online dashboard

For any company that prioritizes high-level security, SRFax is an excellent choice. 

Pricing is affordable, with monthly plans starting at $3.29 per month. Or you can sign up for a non-healthcare specific 60-day trial to test it out before you commit. 

#5 – FaxBurner Review – Best mobile online faxing service

FaxBurner stands out from other online fax services for its well-designed, user-friendly IOS and Android apps. With FaxBurner, sending faxes is as easy as taking a picture, and you can receive them straight into your inbox. 

Set up is quick and easy. Plus, the platform gives users a temporary fax number that expires after 24 hours without upgrading to a paid plan. 

On top of that, you also get various features and benefits, including:

• No unprofessional looking ads or watermarks on free faxes
• Digitally document signatures
• Create cover letters within the app
• Integration with cloud storage apps like DropBox
• Email to fax option 
• Phone scanning capabilities

For users who need the convenience and flexibility of a mobile-first fax application, FaxBurner is my number top recommendation. 

Free packages provide up to 25 inbound faxes and five outbound faxes a month. And their paid plans start at just $12.95 a month, making it incredibly affordable for most users. 

#6 – Biscom 123 Review — Most affordable online faxing services

If your business is just looking to send the occasional fax, Biscom 123 is an incredibly affordable option. As a leading telecommunications enterprise, Biscom makes online faxing simple for both businesses and individuals with a straightforward interface. 

You can also try it free for 30 days to see if it’s a good fit for your business, with no credit card required. However, it doesn’t maintain archival records of your communications. So, keep that in mind. 

Depending on your faxing needs, Biscom 123 offers various plans that allow you to send up to 300 pages with support for multiple team members. 

Plus, you can also:

• Easily add up to four users in addition to the primary account holder
• Send email faxes in just a few clicks
• Fax from Android and IOS mobile applications
• Integrate with Google Drive
• Send multiple file formats and rich text formats for text faxes
• Saves inbound PDF files in your email inbox
• No limitation on file size or number of documents

Pricing starts at $7.99 per month. This entry-level plan includes 30 pages per month with a charge of 7 cents per additional page. So, it certainly won’t break the bank. 

Summary

mFax and RingCentral are my top choices for most users. They’re incredibly affordable and accessible for most businesses. Plus, they come with a ton of features to make your life easier. 

However, that doesn’t mean they’re suitable for everyone in every situation. 

So, don’t forget to consider the factors we talked about and take advantage of free trials as you go through the process of picking the best online fax services for you and your team. 

What company do you use to send online faxes?

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