How to Send a Fax Without a Landline
Traditional fax machines need a phone line. You don't have one — and you shouldn't need one. OneFaxNow sends your fax over the internet from any device. No landline, no fax machine, no account.
Why you don't need a landline to fax anymore
Traditional fax machines transmit documents over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) — the same copper wiring that carries landline phone calls. But landlines are disappearing. Only about 29% of U.S. adults still have one, down from over 90% in 2004. AT&T is actively shutting down copper-based phone service nationwide.
Online fax services bypass the phone network entirely. Your document is uploaded over the internet, converted to fax format on the provider's end, and transmitted to the recipient's fax machine. The recipient sees a normal fax — they can't tell whether it came from a landline fax machine or an online service.
29%
of U.S. adults still have a landline (CDC, 2022)
16%
drop in PSTN subscriptions in just 12 months (2024)
2029
AT&T's target to shut down all copper phone lines
What you need (and what you don't)
What you need
Any device with a browser
Phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop
Your document
PDF, photo, DOCX, or TXT file
Recipient's fax number
U.S. or Canada number
Payment method
Card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay
What you don't need
Landline phone service
Fax machine or all-in-one printer
Phone line adapter or VoIP device
Monthly subscription or account
Special software or drivers
Step-by-step: fax without a landline
Open OneFaxNow in your browser
Go to OneFaxNow.com on any device — your phone, tablet, or computer. No app download required, though mobile apps are available for iOS and Android with a built-in document scanner.
Works on any browser: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge. No plugins or extensions needed.
Upload your document
Tap or click "Choose Files" to upload your document. OneFaxNow accepts:
- PDF — from email, cloud storage, or your files app
- Photo — JPG or PNG from your camera roll or desktop
- DOCX / TXT — Word documents or plain text files
- TIFF — standard fax image format
Upload up to 15 files (50 pages total) per fax. On mobile, you can snap a photo of a paper document and upload it directly.
Enter the fax number and your email
Type the recipient's U.S. or Canada fax number. The form auto-formats as you type — just enter the digits.
Enter your email address to receive a delivery confirmation when the fax goes through.
Optional: toggle "Add Cover Page" to include sender and recipient details and a message on the first page of your fax.
Pay and send
Review your fax details — number, email, page count, and price — then tap "Pay & Send".
Pay with Apple Pay, credit/debit card, or Google Pay. Your payment is authorized but not charged until the fax is delivered successfully.
Pay-on-success guarantee: If the fax fails after 3 automatic retries, the authorization is released and you're never charged.
Track delivery in real time
After payment, you'll see a live status page that updates in real time: Sending → Delivered.
- Watch transmission progress live on any device
- Automatic retries if the line is busy (up to 3 attempts)
- Email confirmation when delivery is complete
Landline fax vs. online fax: what changes
| Feature | Landline Fax | Online Fax |
|---|---|---|
| Phone line required | Yes — active PSTN service | No — uses your internet connection |
| Hardware required | Fax machine or all-in-one printer | None — any device with a browser |
| Cost | $25-40/mo for a landline + paper, ink | $3.50 per fax (OneFaxNow) |
| Available from | Only where the machine is plugged in | Anywhere with internet access |
| HIPAA compliance | Depends on physical security | Built-in encryption, audit logs, instant BAA |
| Recipient experience | Standard fax | Identical — they can't tell the difference |
Common situations where you need to fax without a landline
Working from home
Your office has a fax machine but your home doesn't have a phone line. Upload your document from your laptop or phone and send it in minutes.
One-time urgent fax
A doctor's office, court, or government agency needs a document by fax. You can't wait to find a fax machine — send it from your phone right now.
Printer has fax but no phone line
You bought an all-in-one printer with fax capability, but without a landline it just sits there. Skip the printer's fax feature entirely and use OneFaxNow instead.
Dropped your landline
You cancelled your home phone years ago. Now something needs to be faxed. An online fax service handles it without reinstating your phone service.
Why OneFaxNow for landline-free faxing
No subscription
Pay per fax, not per month. $3.50 for 1-10 pages, $5.00 for 11-50 pages. No recurring charges, no credit packs, no hidden fees.
No account needed
No sign-up, no login, no password to remember. Go straight to uploading your document and sending your fax.
HIPAA available
Sending medical records or PHI? Toggle HIPAA mode for encrypted transmission, auto-deletion, audit logs, and an instant BAA.
Under 5 minutes
Upload, fill in the number, pay, done. Most faxes are delivered within 60 seconds of sending.
Pay only on success
Your card is authorized upfront but only charged after successful delivery. Fax fails? You're never charged.
Simple pricing
Lite
1-10 pages
$3.50
$3.99 via iOS / Android app
HIPAA add-on: +$3
Standard
11-50 pages
$5.00
$5.99 via iOS / Android app
HIPAA add-on: +$5
Pay only on successful delivery. Authorization released on failure.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a landline to send a fax?
No. Traditional fax machines require a landline, but online fax services like OneFaxNow send your fax over the internet. You only need a device with a browser and an internet connection.
Can I fax from my cell phone without a landline?
Yes. Open OneFaxNow.com in your phone's browser or download the app. Upload a document or snap a photo, enter the fax number, and pay. The fax is sent over your cellular data or WiFi connection — no phone line involved.
Is online fax as reliable as landline fax?
Yes. OneFaxNow uses commercial-grade fax infrastructure. If the recipient's line is busy, the system retries automatically up to 3 times. You only pay when the fax is delivered successfully.
Can the recipient tell I faxed from the internet?
No. The fax arrives on the recipient's machine exactly like any other fax. There is no visible difference between a fax sent from a landline machine and one sent from an online service.
How much does it cost to fax without a landline?
OneFaxNow charges $3.50 for 1-10 pages and $5.00 for 11-50 pages (web pricing). No subscription, no account, no monthly fees. You pay only when the fax is delivered successfully.
Can I send a HIPAA-compliant fax without a landline?
Yes. Toggle HIPAA mode before sending to get encrypted transmission, automatic file deletion after delivery, exportable audit logs, and an instant Business Associate Agreement (BAA). HIPAA faxing costs $6.50 for 1-10 pages.
What about using VoIP for faxing?
VoIP services can sometimes handle faxes if they support the T.38 protocol, but reliability varies significantly. Packet loss and jitter cause frequent failures. Online fax services like OneFaxNow are purpose-built for faxing and far more reliable.
Ready to fax without a landline?
Upload your document and send in under 5 minutes. No landline, no fax machine, no account.