faxapp.ca › Resources › Web fax app vs a downloaded fax app
Web fax app vs a downloaded fax app
When people say "fax app" they usually mean one of two things: an app you download from the App Store or Google Play, or a web app that runs in your browser. Both send and receive real faxes, but they behave differently day to day. faxapp.ca compares the two so you can choose based on how you work, not on what shows up first in an app store search.
Get Started NowThe basic difference
A downloaded app is installed on one device. It can use phone features such as the camera directly, and it may work partly offline, but it must be installed and updated on every phone or tablet you use.
A web fax app runs in a browser such as Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox. You sign in at a web address and your faxes live in your account, so the same inbox appears on your laptop at work, your phone on the bus and a tablet at home. FaxToFax.com, which faxapp.ca recommends, is a web app only. There is no FaxToFax download yet, and nothing to install.
Side-by-side comparison
- Installation: downloaded apps need installing on each device; web apps need only a browser.
- Updates: downloaded apps update through the store; web apps update on the provider's side, so everyone uses the same version.
- Devices: downloaded apps are usually phone-first; web apps work on computers, tablets and phones alike.
- Storage: downloaded apps may keep copies of faxes on the device; a web app keeps them in your account unless you download them.
- Camera scanning: downloaded apps may have a built-in scanner; with a web app, you scan with your phone's own tools (such as the Notes or Files scanner on iPhone) and attach the result.
- Work computers: many organisations block software installs, but allow a browser.
Security considerations
With any fax tool, the bigger risk is usually a lost device or a shared login rather than the technology itself. A web app limits what is left on the device: with FaxToFax, received faxes stay in an encrypted browser inbox, sign-in uses your email and a one-time code, two-step verification is available, and accounts sign out automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity by default. An owner can change that to 15 or 60 minutes.
Downloaded apps can be secure too, but check whether they store faxes locally, whether they email copies and what permissions they request.
Which one should you choose?
Choose a web fax app if you use more than one device, if you work on a managed office computer, if several people need access, or if you simply prefer not to install more apps. Choose a downloaded app if you only ever fax from one phone and a specific app feature matters to you.
For most Canadian households, small offices and teams, a browser-based service is the more flexible option.
Try a web fax app in a few minutes
- Open your browser on any device and go to FaxToFax.com.
- Enter your email and the one-time code you receive.
- Pick a local or toll-free Canadian number, or one in the US, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Activate the account and send a test fax with a PDF, PNG or JPG.
- Sign in on a second device and check that your sent fax and its delivery receipt appear there too.
- On a phone, add the site to your home screen for quick access.
Web Fax App vs a Downloaded Fax App: questions
Does FaxToFax have a downloadable app?
No, not yet. FaxToFax runs in any modern browser on a computer, tablet or phone, so there is nothing to download.
Can a web fax app work on my phone?
Yes. Open it in your phone's browser, and add it to your home screen if you want an icon like an app.
Is a web app slower than a downloaded app?
For faxing, the speed mostly depends on the phone network and the recipient's machine, not on whether you use a browser or an app.
Can I use a web fax app on a locked-down work computer?
Usually yes, since it only needs a browser. Check with your IT department if certain websites are restricted.
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