How to Get a Fax Number on Your Phone
Need a number people can fax? Here is how a personal online fax number works, how to set one up on your phone, and what to check before paying.
You can get a fax number on your phone without adding a landline or buying a fax machine. A fax app assigns you a real number, and documents sent to it arrive in the app as digital files.
The main thing to know is that receiving is usually a paid service. Sending one or two pages for free is common. Keeping a dedicated number ready for incoming faxes costs the provider money, so it is normally attached to a subscription.
How to get a fax number on your phone
Install a fax app
Choose an app that explicitly says it includes receiving and a personal fax number. A send-only app is not enough.
Choose receiving
Open the receiving or personal-number section. Review the available plan before you subscribe.
Claim your number
Follow the app's setup flow. Once the number appears, save it somewhere you can find even when the app is closed.
Send a test fax
Ask a colleague or another service to send one ordinary page. Confirm that the file and notification arrive.
In #Fax, the receiving plan includes a personal fax number for incoming documents on iPhone and iPad. The Android listing also supports sending and receiving. Availability and prices can differ by country and store, so check the exact offer shown on your phone.
Is this your regular phone number?
No. Your mobile number handles calls and text messages. Your fax number is a separate number connected to the fax service.
That separation is useful. You can give the fax number to a clinic, accountant, insurer, client, or government office without publishing your personal mobile number. When someone sends a fax, the service converts it into a file and places it in your inbox.
What to check before choosing a number
- Receiving is included. Some free plans let you send but do not give you an inbound number.
- The number stays assigned. Find out what happens if the subscription expires or you cancel it.
- Incoming pages have limits. A plan may count both sent and received pages toward one monthly allowance.
- Notifications work. Turn them on, but do not depend on a notification as your only record.
- You can export documents. You should be able to save an important fax outside the app when needed.
- The country or area code works for you. Available fax numbers depend on the service and your location.
Can you get a fax number for free?
Sometimes a service advertises a trial, but a permanent receiving number is rarely free forever. Read the plan screen carefully. “Free fax app” may mean the download is free, or that a few outgoing pages are free. It does not automatically mean a free personal number.
On the US App Store, #Fax currently lists separate send-only plans and send-and-receive plans that include a personal fax number. That distinction matters when you compare prices.
Source check, July 11, 2026: the official #Fax App Store listing says its send-and-receive subscription includes a personal fax number. Store pricing and availability can change.
Keep the number before you publish it everywhere
If the number will go on business cards, forms, or a website, first check whether the service supports keeping or porting it. A number tied to a short subscription may be fine for a one-time records request. A business number needs a more deliberate choice.
For occasional personal use, start small. Claim the number, test it, and give it only to the person or office that needs to send you something.
