Staples Fax Service: Price, Hours, and a Cheaper Alternative
Staples charges $1.50/page to send a fax. A 3-page fax costs $4.50 plus gas, plus time. Here's the complete price breakdown for Staples, FedEx, UPS, and why your phone is cheaper.
If you searched "Staples fax" or "fax near me," you're probably trying to figure out where to go and how much it'll cost. This article gives you the complete price breakdown — Staples, FedEx Office, UPS Store, Walgreens, and the library — and then does the math on whether driving anywhere makes sense in 2026.
Staples fax pricing (2026)
Staples fax rates
Domestic US fax: $1.50 per page (first page), $1.00 per additional page
International fax: $2.00 per page
Receive a fax: $1.00–$2.00 per page
Available during: store hours only (typically 8am–9pm weekdays)
The math on a typical fax: a 3-page document to a US fax number at Staples costs $3.50 ($1.50 first page + $1.00 × 2 additional pages). Add the gas, the parking, and the 20–30 minutes of your time, and the real cost is considerably higher.
Complete retail fax price comparison (2026)
| Location | Domestic (per page) | International (per page) | Hours | 3-page fax total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staples | $1.50 (first), $1.00 (add'l) | $2.00 | Store hours | $3.50 |
| FedEx Office | $1.89 (first), $1.00 (add'l) | $2.50 | Most 24hrs | $3.89 |
| UPS Store | $1.50–$2.00 | $3.00–$5.00 | Store hours | $3.50–$6.00 |
| Walgreens | Varies by location | N/A at most | Store hours | $3.00–$5.00 |
| Public library | Often $1.00–$2.00 | Rarely available | Library hours | $2.00–$4.00 |
| SupaFAX (from phone) | Flat $1.99 total | $1.99 total | 24/7 anywhere | $1.99 |
The real cost calculation
The price per page doesn't tell the full story. Here's the actual cost of going to Staples vs sending from your phone:
When Staples (or a fax store) still makes sense
There are legitimate reasons to go to a physical location for faxing:
- Your phone is broken or out of battery
- You need a printed receipt with a physical store stamp for legal purposes
- You're faxing a document you don't trust to handle digitally
- You're in a location with no cell service or internet access
For most of these scenarios, even then, a mobile fax app sent over Wi-Fi covers you. The physical store option has become genuinely rare to need.
FedEx Office fax: hours and pricing
FedEx Office is notable because many locations are open 24 hours. If you need to fax at 2am, FedEx Office is often your only physical option. Pricing is comparable to Staples but slightly higher: $1.89 for the first page, $1.00 per additional page domestic. International pages start at $2.50.
FedEx Office also offers a "Ship and Get" app that handles printing and shipping — but not faxing from your phone. For that, you still need to go in person.
UPS Store fax: pricing and quirks
UPS Store pricing varies by franchise location more than Staples or FedEx Office. Some locations charge as little as $1.50/page domestic; others charge $2.00. International pages at UPS Store can reach $5.00 per page — significantly more expensive than other options.
Call ahead to confirm pricing if you're considering UPS Store for an international fax.
Library fax: the cheapest in-person option
Many public libraries still offer fax service, often for $1.00–$2.00 per page with some libraries offering free faxing for library card holders. Hours are limited to library open hours, and availability varies significantly by location.
If you're near a library with fax service and have a library card, this is your cheapest in-person option. Still more expensive and less convenient than a mobile app, but worth knowing about.
Bottom line
Staples, FedEx Office, UPS Store, and the library all charge per page for a service you can do from your phone for a flat $1.99. The only scenario where driving somewhere makes sense is if you don't have a smartphone or don't have internet access. For everyone else: open SupaFAX, scan your document, and send. Done in 90 seconds, cheaper than a cup of coffee.
Walgreens fax: does it still exist?
Walgreens used to offer in-store fax service broadly, but availability has declined significantly. Many locations have discontinued fax service entirely. If you're counting on Walgreens, call ahead first — the fax machine may be gone.
The "fax near me" search: what you're really looking for
If you searched "fax near me," you're probably trying to solve an urgent problem: you need to fax something today and you don't know how to do it from your phone. Here's the fastest path: download SupaFAX, photograph your document, enter the fax number, and pay $1.99. That's it. No driving, no waiting in line, no finding parking.
The trip to Staples is a 2026 solution to a 1996 problem. Your phone solved this.
Ready to send a fax from your phone?
Download SupaFAX — available on iOS and Android. Send your first fax for $1.99. No subscription, no account required.