First Option: Use Fax to Email Software
Fax to email software has been used for several years by businesses and individuals looking for a way to manage digital faxes. You still can find very good applications for this purpose and they work just fine, but with the arrival of email fax services, many people have stopped using software. Part of the reason why this happened is because sometimes programs require a learning curve and machine requirements.
Second Option: Using an Email Fax Service
This second alternative to fax through Internet is the one that millions of people are using now (myself included!). Fax services are companies that let you send and receive faxes as digital files through email. They work with multiple file types (so far the service with highest compatibility is MyFax with 142 supported files) and are compatible with all free email addresses, including Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo.
Each service gives you a virtual fax number that you can use to receive faxes in your inbox. You have the option of choosing between a local and a toll-free number.
Fax over Internet services allow you to get started 100% free by using a 30-day free trial. Using a free account is the perfect way to learn all about these services and witness their speed and quality (and send fax for free of course!). Below I have added links to the best free trials right now on the Web.
Third Option: Use a Free Fax Site
There are sites such as MyFax Free, FaxZero or GotfreeFax that let you send a couple of pages per day if what you need is to send occasional faxing. This option is not recommended for businesses because these companies often include ads and don’t give you an alternative to receive fax over Internet in your computer.