These are the best Canadian phone plans

Canada doesn’t have the best options for mobile coverage, but good luck getting by without a speedy phone plan. Unfortunately, Canadians won’t find the same unlimited data deals or shockingly low prices available south of the border or across the pond. With that in mind, you still need a mobile plan in the Great White North. Here’s a look at the best cell phone plans in Canada.

So how do you choose? We have big, seemingly reliable brands like Rogers and Bell and smaller discount brands offering what seem like decent savings. Is there a catch? Does a big name mean better service? Let’s find out.

The best cell phone plans in Canada:

We’ve gone through the current offerings from major providers available across the country, and we think we’ve landed on the best Canadian phone plans you might want from each one.

Many companies offer plan customization, including family plans and service bundles, so don’t treat this as a complete and unabridged breakdown of offerings.

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of Canada’s best cell phone plans regularly as new ones launch.

1. Bell

When it comes to finding the best cell phone plans in Canada, we have to level with you — Bell plans aren’t great ways to save money. In fact, they’re among the most expensive, but at least you can bundle your mobile service with internet, TV, and more to save money.

Bell continuously revamps its lineup, launching and ending plans almost monthly. The most affordable option now goes by the name Lite, offering 10GB of max-speed network access, but you’re limited to 4G LTE. It starts at just CA$55 per month, or you can move up a step to Essential for CA$85 per month. It boosts your access to 25GB with 5G access and adds hotspot to the mix.

For those of you who need more, the Ultimate 45 plan is the only Canada-specific option. You get 45GB at maximum speeds with HD streaming and hotspot access. The plan also provides unlimited international texting, and you can even get a 24-month Crave Mobile subscription at no extra cost. For the internationally minded, there’s Ultimate 60 and Ultimate 100, which offer 60GB or 100GB, respectively, with access in the United States.

See also: Bell Mobility buyer’s guide

Keep in mind that these prices are only available to those who bring their device to the network. If you get a phone from the carrier along with the new plan, you’ll have to dish out an extra CA$20 per month for each of the three unlimited plans.

For those looking for something cheaper with data all to themselves, Bell has 5GB Non-shared and 15GB Non-shared options. It gets you unlimited calls and texts in Canada for CA$30 per month.

2. Rogers

Call it the curse of the major Canadian providers: Rogers plans won’t save you much either. They’ll save you money if you also have Rogers internet or TV, though. You can also share data on family plans, which might be worth factoring into your decision-making.

A family plan is also a great way to counteract the Canadian provider curse, as Rogers will give you CA$15 off for each additional line you add.

See also: Rogers Wireless buyer’s guide

Rogers offers all of its unlimited plans under the Infinite umbrella, and they support Canada’s most extensive nationwide 5G network. It decided to get cute with the names rather than adding numbers, meaning you can choose Essential, Extra, Lite, Advanced, or Premium. They’re not much different from the previous four tiers — Lite offers 10GB, Essential ups it to 25GB, Extra raises it to 40GB, and so on. The Lite plan starts at CA$55, and plans increase to CA$85 once you move to a higher tier.

You’ll also get a few streaming perks when you sign up for Rogers. Right now, some plans include six months of Apple Music at no extra cost and plans above 40GB include six months of Disney Plus, too.

3. Fido

Fido plans are the way to go for everyday smartphone use. They offer talk and text or talk, text, and data at very reasonable prices. If you want a way to avoid the Canadian provider curse, Fido might be the way to go.

See also: Fido buyer’s guide

Like Rogers, Fido has recently revamped its plans, and it now offers a build-your-own approach to phone service. You can choose from Data and Text, Talk and Text, and Talk, Text, and Data plans, and kick things off by selecting your data cap. All plans include unlimited texts, and you can get up to 15GB of data for as much as CA$65 per month. The introductory 2GB plan will run you CA$37.50 per month.

Need a new device? For a few extra bucks or more per month, you can get a significant discount on a slew of smartphones that Fido has on offer. Fido also has different promotions running throughout the year that are worth exploring.

Fido is also currently waiving long-distance and SMS charges to Ukraine and roaming fees for customers in Ukraine in order to contact loved ones.

4. Telus

Telus tends to rank alongside Bell and Rogers, though its presence is slightly smaller in Eastern Canada. As such, it has those big-name rates, unfortunately.

For CA$70 per month, you get unlimited nationwide calling and texting, along with “unlimited” data up to 25GB. You can boost that data between your collection of devices starting at CA$80 per month for a pool of 50GB. If that’s not quite enough, Telus can hook you up with 60GB of data for CA$90 per month. Better yet, Telus plans now include 5G access at up to 1Gbps speeds

Telus has recently moved away from its Simple Share options to split your data with family members. However, it now offers per-line discounts that can drop your bill by as much as CA$15 per month when you hit four lines.

See also: Telus buyer’s guide

Check out family plans for savings, or, if you need a new phone, upgrade to a two-year contract to get a free or discounted device.

5. Freedom Mobile

Freedom plans are known for being very cheap. Formerly known as Wind, Freedom has limited coverage, but the company is refreshingly candid about its shortcomings. It recognizes it’s not perfect but seeks to offer an affordable alternative to Canadians.

The cheapest cell phone plan Freedom offers Canadians gets you 500MB of data, unlimited texts, and 100 minutes of talk for CA$15 per month. You can get similar plans with more data for more money, but there are plans if you want unlimited calling, too.

See also: Freedom Mobile buyer’s guide

You can also check out the Freedom Big Gig Unlimited plans that start from CA$50 per month. Unlimited plans start at 20GB of Freedom data with an extra 1GB of Freedom Nationwide data that you can increase as you expand your plan. All plans also offer unlimited talk and text.

The prices may have gone up a little bit recently, but Freedom is still cheaper than just about anything else in Canada.

6. Koodo

Koodo cell phone plans are another way to save money without sacrificing data or coverage. If calling isn’t too important to you, you can get Koodo plans for as little as CA$15 per month. For CA$55 per month right now, you can sign up for a pretty solid standard plan with unlimited calling across the country, unlimited texting, and 8GB of data.

See also: Koodo Mobile buyer’s guide

Koodo also offers “shock-free data” on all its data plans. That means you can’t go over your data limit and rack up overage fees. Instead, your data shuts off automatically when you reach your limit. You do get a heads-up before that happens, though, and Koodo will offer you the chance to buy more data. It may not be a game-changer, but shock-free data can avoid some nasty surprises when your bill reaches your inbox at the end of the month.

Koodo is also emphasizing its Tab on each of its plans too. It allows you to put a certain amount of money on your plan towards your next new device, up to $492 per year.

And the winner is…

There’s no easy calculation to tell you which of these is the best cell phone plan in Canada because these companies offer some seriously different levels of service.

Freedom wins the bargain basement award for its ultra-affordable plans. Freedom Mobile is also the least likely to work everywhere you go or to have as fast of an internet connection — but maybe that’s still worth it to you.

Then there’s the question of service bundles, family plans, and savings on new devices, which can complicate your choice. That doesn’t mean we can’t make a few overarching judgments.

Overall winners: Fido and Koodo Mobile

It’s tough to beat CA$50 for a basic plan with more than decent data, calling, and texting offerings. That’s a considerable discount from what you’d get from the more prominent providers, and Fido and Koodo rely on those very same cell towers. For my money, the shock-free data pushes Koodo just an inch ahead. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your particular needs, so carefully look over each provider’s pros and cons.