How Do SmartFax and SRFax Compare?
SmartFax and SRFax are both known for their value. Both offer low priced plans and good, basic service. For a closer look at how the two compare side-by-side, we took a more in-depth look at what they each offer:
Value: Both offer good prices, although SRFax offers more options, with a Lite plan, Ultra Lite plan, and three different business plans (from small to large). Its Lite plan is $9.95 per month to send and receive up to 500 pages, or roughly two cents per page. That comes in lower than many services. Its overage rate of six cents per page is also lower than the typical overage rates of 10 cents per page. SRFax also offers a 60-day free trial period.
SmartFax keeps it simple, with only one plan for $6.95 per month to send and receive up to 250 combined pages. Its overage rates are also very low, at 8 cents per page. SmartFax offers a 30-day free trial period.
Features: SRFax is compatible with all mobile devices, but it does not offer a mobile app. However it does offer a few handy features, including a “never busy” service that allows you to receive multiple faxes simultaneously without giving clients a busy signal, the ability to send from email or the web, PGP encryption for added security, and HIPAA compliance.
SmartFax again keeps things very simple when it comes to features. It offers a blocked/allowed phone call list so you aren’t charged for faxes from numbers you label as blocked, although that service is only Mac-compatible. Customers can also have faxes delivered to email.
Sending and receiving: SmartFax allows you to attach up to five documents per fax. You can send each fax to one recipient at a time. Its text quality is fine, but picture quality on sent and received faxes is poor. Faxes are stored free for 30 days, after which there’s a charge of five cents per fax per month. SmartFax does allow you to send a fax from an unlimited number of email addresses, but you can only receive a fax on two email addresses, making it better suited to small businesses or sole proprietors.
SRFax also allows you to attach up to five documents per fax, and allows you send a single fax to up to 50 recipients at a time. You can also schedule faxes for later delivery. Its text and picture quality are both good on sent and received faxes. SRFax will store an unlimited number of faxes for free for a year. Up to nine email addresses can send faxes, and an unlimited number of email addresses can receive them.
Neither service allows you to preview a fax before it is sent.
Fax number options: Both services offer only a limited about of local fax numbers; SmartFax offers them in 25 states, and SRFax offers them in 13 states, plus 40 cities in Canada. Both offer (866), (877), and (888) toll-free numbers for no extra fee. SmartFax does not port numbers, while SRFax will port a number into your account for $25 if you are in their service area.
Bottom line: if you’re a small business looking for the most basic package and you don’t want to pay for bells and whistles, SmartFax is an excellent choice. If, however, you need more choices as far as plans go, or need features like encryption, SRFax offers more plans and features.
