Looking for OfficeMax Fax? It Merged with Office Depot — Here Is a Cheaper Way to Fax
OfficeMax merged with Office Depot in 2013, but the per-page fax pricing at the store is still expensive. Send the same fax online from home for a flat $3.50–$5.00 instead of $1.49–$2.49+ per page at the store.
OfficeMax (Office Depot)
- •$1.49–$2.49+ per page; 10 pages = $20–$22
- •Charged even if your fax fails to send
- •Must visit in person, public machines
OneFaxNow
- $3.50 for 1–10 pages, $5.00 for 11–50 pages
- Pay only on successful delivery (free retries)
- Fax from your phone 24/7 — scan docs with your camera
What Happened to OfficeMax? The Full Story
If you just searched “fax at OfficeMax,” you are not alone. Millions of Americans still associate the OfficeMax name with office supplies and fax machines. Here is what happened:
Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer founded OfficeMax in Cleveland, Ohio. The first store opened on July 5 in Mayfield Heights, offering office supplies at 10–30% below traditional retailers.
OfficeMax grew to become the third-largest office supply chain in the United States, competing head-to-head with Staples and Office Depot. In 2003, Boise Cascade acquired OfficeMax for $1.3 billion.
OfficeMax and Office Depot announced a merger in February and closed the deal on November 5, 2013. The combined company adopted the Office Depot name and moved headquarters to Boca Raton, Florida.
After the FTC blocked Staples from acquiring the combined company in 2015, Office Depot began aggressively closing stores. OfficeMax locations were either rebranded, given dual “Office Depot OfficeMax” signage, or shut down entirely.
About 830 Office Depot/OfficeMax stores remain in the U.S. — down from 1,912 at the time of the merger (a 55% reduction). In December 2025, Atlas Holdings acquired the parent company for approximately $1 billion, taking it private.
Bottom line: When you search “fax at OfficeMax,” you will be directed to an Office Depot store. The fax machines are still there at most locations, but the experience and pricing may not be what you expect — and there are fewer stores every year.
Should You Fax at OfficeMax (Office Depot) or Use OneFaxNow?
OfficeMax (Office Depot) is fine if:
- You are already inside an Office Depot/OfficeMax store
- You have 1–2 non-sensitive pages to fax
- You do not mind per-page pricing and a public machine
OneFaxNow is usually better if:
- You are sending more than a couple pages
- You care about privacy for your documents
- You are sending medical/PHI and need HIPAA + BAA
- You would rather fax from home or phone in a few minutes
Key takeaway: A 10-page fax costs $20+ at OfficeMax (Office Depot) vs $3.50 with OneFaxNow. A 50-page fax? $75–$90 at the store vs just $5.00 with us — that's over 90% savings.
OfficeMax (Office Depot) Fax Prices vs OneFaxNow
Office Depot/OfficeMax pricing: Local faxes are $1.49–$1.99/page. Domestic long-distance faxes are $1.99–$2.49/page. Prices vary by store location. Sales tax is added on top.
| Pages | OfficeMax Local | OfficeMax Domestic | OneFaxNow | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $4.47–$5.47 | $5.97–$6.97 | $3.50 | 22–50% |
| 5 | $7.45–$8.95 | $9.95–$11.45 | $3.50 | 53–69% |
| 10 | $14.90–$17.90 | $19.90–$22.40 | $3.50 | 76–84% |
| 20 | $29.80–$35.80 | $39.80–$44.80 | $5.00 | 83–89% |
| 50 | $74.50–$89.50 | $99.50–$112.00 | $5.00 | 93–96% |
Warning: Office Depot/OfficeMax generally charges for fax transmissions even when your fax fails to send. With OneFaxNow, you only pay on successful delivery.
OneFaxNow Pricing
- Lite: $3.50 (1–10 pages)
- Standard: $5.00 (11–50 pages)
- Optional HIPAA add-on: +$3 (Lite) / +$5 (Standard)
OfficeMax (Office Depot) Extras
- Cover page: Free (included)
- Receiving faxes: $1.00/page
- Failed transmission: Still charged
- International: $2.99–$4.99/page
Bottom line: If you are sending more than 2–3 pages, OneFaxNow is usually dramatically cheaper than faxing at OfficeMax (Office Depot).
Driving to OfficeMax vs Faxing from Home
OfficeMax (Office Depot)
- 1Search for a nearby Office Depot/OfficeMax that still has fax machines
- 2Drive there, park, possibly wait in line
- 3Use a public machine or ask staff to help
- 4Pay at the counter, keep your paper receipt
- 5Limited by store hours (typically 8 AM–9 PM, shorter on weekends)
OneFaxNow
- 1Open your browser on phone or laptop
- 2Upload PDF/Word/images (or scan with your camera on Android)
- 3Enter fax number (U.S./Canada), optional cover page
- 4Pay with card/Apple Pay/Google Pay
- 5Track delivery in real time; pay only on success
For a more detailed Office Depot and Staples comparison, see our full Staples & Office Depot Fax Alternative page.
Privacy: Public OfficeMax Machine vs Private Online Fax
At OfficeMax (Office Depot)
- •Shared, public machine or handing documents to staff
- •Documents may sit in output trays in a public area
- •No BAA and no HIPAA-compliant pipeline for patient PHI
- •No audit trail beyond a basic paper receipt
With OneFaxNow
- Upload directly from your own device over encrypted (TLS) connections
- Files processed, sent, and automatically deleted:
- Standard mode: minimal retention for delivery + receipts
- HIPAA Mode: stricter handling, automatic PHI deletion with audit logging
- Instant BAA and a HIPAA Audit Dashboard for PHI faxes
If you are faxing medical records or other PHI, the in-store fax at OfficeMax (Office Depot) is typically not enough for HIPAA compliance. OneFaxNow's HIPAA Mode is specifically designed for that use case, with a BAA and detailed audit logs.
Learn about HIPAA FaxOfficeMax (Office Depot) Fax vs OneFaxNow — Full Comparison
| Feature | OfficeMax (Office Depot) | OneFaxNow |
|---|---|---|
| How you fax | In person at an Office Depot/OfficeMax store | Online from any device |
| Pricing model | Per page ($1.49–$2.49+ per domestic page) | Flat: $3.50 (1–10 pages), $5.00 (11–50 pages) |
| Hours | Store hours only, varies by location | 24/7 |
| Location | Must travel to a store (~830 left in the U.S.) | Home, office, anywhere with internet |
| Privacy | Public machines; staff can see documents | Private, encrypted, no public handling |
| HIPAA support | No BAA for walk-in fax customers | Optional HIPAA Mode with BAA, audit logs, secure deletion |
| Tracking | Paper receipt | Real-time online status + email confirmation |
| Retry on busy line | Depends on store/machine | Up to 3 automatic retries; pay only on success |
| If fax fails? | Still charged | No charge — pay only on success |
| Fax from phone? | No — must bring paper documents | Yes — upload files or scan with camera |
| Account required? | No, but in-store process & wait time | No account; quick pay-per-fax checkout |
OfficeMax Fax — Common Questions
Can you still fax at OfficeMax?
OfficeMax merged with Office Depot in 2013. Many former OfficeMax locations now operate under the "Office Depot OfficeMax" dual branding and still offer fax services. However, the store count has dropped from 1,912 in 2013 to about 830 in 2025—a 55% reduction. Call ahead to confirm your local store still has fax service. Alternatively, you can skip the store visit entirely and fax online with OneFaxNow for $3.50–$5.00 flat.
How much does it cost to fax at OfficeMax?
OfficeMax (now Office Depot) charges $1.49–$1.99 per page for local faxes, $1.99–$2.49 per page for domestic long-distance, and $2.99–$4.99 for international faxes. A 10-page domestic fax costs approximately $20–$22 before tax. Prices vary by store location. OneFaxNow charges a flat $3.50 for up to 10 pages—roughly 80% cheaper.
What happened to OfficeMax?
OfficeMax was founded in 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio and grew to become the third-largest office supply chain in the U.S. In 2013, it merged with Office Depot. Since the merger, over 55% of stores have closed. In December 2025, Atlas Holdings acquired the parent company (ODP Corporation) for about $1 billion, taking it private. The OfficeMax brand name is still used on some storefronts as part of dual branding, but it is functionally the same company as Office Depot.
Is OfficeMax the same as Office Depot?
Yes. OfficeMax and Office Depot merged in November 2013. They operate under the same parent company and share identical pricing, services, and store operations. Some stores still carry the OfficeMax name as part of dual branding ("Office Depot OfficeMax"), but they are the same company.
Does OfficeMax charge if my fax fails?
Generally, yes. Office Depot/OfficeMax stores typically charge for fax transmissions regardless of whether the fax is successfully received on the other end. If the line is busy, the number is wrong, or the receiving machine is offline, you may still be charged. With OneFaxNow, you only pay when your fax is successfully delivered. We automatically retry up to 3 times on busy signals at no extra cost.
Is faxing at OfficeMax private enough for medical records?
Generally not for HIPAA compliance. You are using a public machine or handing documents to staff in a shared retail environment. Office Depot/OfficeMax does not offer Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) for walk-in fax customers, and there is no HIPAA-compliant audit trail. If you need to fax medical records, OneFaxNow’s HIPAA Mode provides an instant BAA, encryption, audit logs, and secure document deletion for $6.50 (1–10 pages) or $10.00 (11–50 pages).
What is a cheaper alternative to faxing at OfficeMax?
Online pay-per-fax services like OneFaxNow are usually much cheaper. A 10-page domestic fax costs about $20–$22 at OfficeMax (Office Depot) but only $3.50 with OneFaxNow. A 50-page fax is about $75–$90 at the store versus just $5.00 online—savings of over 90%. Plus, you can fax from your phone or computer 24/7 without driving anywhere.
Do I need an account or subscription to use OneFaxNow?
No. OneFaxNow is strictly pay-per-fax. There is no account, no subscription, and no monthly fees. Upload your documents, enter a U.S. or Canada fax number, and pay only if the fax delivers successfully.
Skip the Trip to OfficeMax — Send Your Fax Online Instead
OfficeMax may now be Office Depot, but you do not need to drive to a store either way. Upload your document, enter the fax number, and send it online in minutes — with flat pricing, real-time tracking, and optional HIPAA for medical faxes.