Cheapest Cell Phone Plans in Canada

You’re down for cost-savings, and we have your back with our research covering the cheapest cell phone plans Canada has to offer. 

Our top choice is an easy win for Public Mobile. Its Public 6 GB prepaid plan costs just $23 per month while offering the unlimited calls you’d expect plus a basic data allowance. 

A few dollars more can get you great value for money with Koodo’s 25 GB plan offering you way more data for just $29.

Ready for a no-frills plan and happy to limit talk time to 120 minutes per month? You’ll get just 100 MB (Not GB) of data with Freedom Mobile’s Freedom Canada-US-Mexico 100 MB plan. But the low price of $5 per month could make it your winning choice. 

For those who will brave the world with a no data phone plan, the Telus Nationwide Talk & Text 15 gives you zero data and just 100 minutes of talk time. It costs $15 per month – but you’ll have the Telus network on your side. 

We’ll discuss each of these choices in greater detail shortly. But first, take a closer look at the plans we selected before you join us in digging into details.

BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Public 6 GB

Best Cheap Cell Phone Plan

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, sk, yt

$23/month

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BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Koodo 25 GB

Great Value Plan

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, sk, yt

$29/month

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BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Freedom Canada – US – Mexico 100 MB

No-Frills Plan

Availability: ab, bc, mb, on

$5/month

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BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Nationwide Talk & Text 15

No Data Plan

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, qc, sk, yt

$15/month

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So, what’s the cheapest cell phone plan in Canada? It depends a lot on how you use your phone. If you’re happy on WiFi and don’t call much, the no-frills option at $5 is going to be your winner. 

But, if you need unlimited talk time for business and personal calls plus a fairly respectable amount of data, you will be opting for Koodo. Simply put, there’s no single choice that will suit absolutely everyone. 

Read on for a more detailed assessment, including the pros and cons of each plan. 

Best Cheap Cell Phone Plan Details

BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Public 6 GB

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, sk, yt

$23/month

Check Now
Our Take

Public Mobile, a brand owned by Teuls, offers its Public 6 GB prepaid plan for $23 monthly. The Public Mobile website boasts 5G access, but this is not available when you choose its lower-cost plans.

Pros
  • As a Telus brand, Public Mobile offers you access to one of the most extensive and stable nationwide networks in Canada.
  • Unlimited voice calls for those who primarily use their phones as phones
  • Prepaid, commitment-free plan 
  • Free SIM or E-SIM and free service activation when you buy online
  • Loyalty points provide $1.15 cash back monthly with bonuses for service activation, service anniversaries and referrals
Cons
  • This plan allows you to access 4G networks only
  • The data allocation is only 6 GB, slightly below the Canadian average usage of 7.9 GB
  • Self-service only. However, the app attracts positive reviews
  • Additional data at $15 per GB is costly

Great Value Plan Details

BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Koodo 25 GB

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, sk, yt

$29/month

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Our Take

Koodo has a nationwide reputation for offering value as a sub-brand belonging to Telus. It’s generally felt that Koodo offers Telus benefits without the high cost of the brand’s flagship products. Koodo’s 25 GB plan at $29 is a good example of this.

Interestingly, though this is a prepaid plan, Koodo is incentivizing a 24-month commitment. 

Pros
  • 25 GB of data for just a few dollars more than our featured Public Mobile plan
  • Unlimited voice calls
  • Reliable coverage and network access using Telus infrastructure
  • Refer friends and family for reduced costs over a 5-month period
  • A two-year price freeze if you sign up for 24 months of automatic monthly top-ups
Cons
  • You will only get 20 GB of data unless you sign up for 24 months of automatic top-ups
  • Typical of a low-cost plan, 5G access is not available. You will use the 4G network

No-Frills Plan Details

BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Freedom Canada – US – Mexico 100 MB

Availability: ab, bc, mb, on

$5/month

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Our Take

Although Freedom Mobile’s postpaid Freedom Canada-US-Mexico 100 MB plan at $5 has severe data limitations, it will be a good choice for those with low mobile data use requirements.

Call time is also limited, but applies to the US and Mexico, adding a perk to an otherwise no-frills package. 

Pros
  • At just $5 per month postpaid, Freedom Mobile offers great cost savings with this plan
  • 5G network access is a pleasant surprise, but with only 100 MB of data to use, it will not have much impact for users
  • As a brand owned by Quebecor, Freedom Mobile has access to strong partner networks from large players, primarily Rogers. Coverage and reliability will be good in most areas
  • Free talk time for US and Mexico calls
Cons
  • Very limited data allocation before you incur additional costs
  • Talk time is limited to 120 minutes – not for chatterboxes

No Data Plan Details

BYOD

Device: Bring Your Own Device

Nationwide Talk & Text 15

Availability: ab, bc, mb, nb, nl, nt, ns, nu, on, pe, qc, sk, yt

$15/month

Check Now
Our Take

The power of the Canada-wide Telus network leads us to suggest the Telus Nationwide Talk & Text 15 prepaid plan at $15 as the best no-data plan out there.

Admittedly, Freedom Mobile offers a tiny amount of data and a little more talk time for less. However, Telus has the advantage in network coverage, and the plan is prepaid.

Pros
  • Arguably the best network coverage Canada has to offer
  • A classic prepaid plan free of contracts, credit checks or commitments
  • No data for a mobile detox in a country where the average user spends over 4 hours a day on their cell phones
  • 250 MB of data free if you sign up for automatic top-ups
Cons
  • You get 5G network access – but no data to benefit from 5G speeds
  • There are only 100 minutes of talk time included in this plan
  • 1 GB of data will cost you $30 and it expires within 30 days

Methodology

NetspeedCanada has no affiliations with any mobile phone provider. We use advanced data aggregation and our proprietary database to compare cell phone plans with user priorities in mind. 

Our conclusions are based on pricing, data allocation, network capabilities and coverage, and any limitations or advantages inherent in the plans we analyze. At the same time, we access public forums to examine questions like service reliability and customer service track record. 

Limitations exist. While every attempt to cover your cell phone plan selection criteria has been made, we advise you to conduct your own research using our online tool. 

Before committing to your selection, be sure to confirm questions like coverage with your shortlisted providers – especially if you live in, or frequently visit, remote areas. 

Cell Phone Carrier Coverage in Canada

Most of the cell phone carrier infrastructure in Canada is owned by the so-called “big three:” Bell, Telus, and Rogers. It’s not as limiting as it sounds, since each of these flagship brands owns subsidiary brands. 

For example, Telus owns Koodo. Freedom Mobile, previously owned by Rogers but now a Quebecor brand, is an exception to the rule. However, it partners with big-three members to provide Canada-wide service. 

In major cities, coverage is relatively complete with almost everyone enjoying carrier network coverage and choices between carrier networks. However, in more remote areas, options may be limited by coverage. 

Regardless of where you live, be sure to check service availability for your area before deciding on a plan. 

What Is the Difference Between Postpaid and Prepaid Plans?

In this article, we’ve featured reviews of low-cost plans for the budget conscious – and most of these are prepaid plans, but there is one exception: the no-frills option from Freedom Mobile. 

It’s here where you must tread lightly for fear of attracting additional costs, and differences between postpaid and prepaid plans account for it. 

When you take a prepaid plan, it only provides the data and calls you’ve paid for in advance. If you run out of data or talk time, you must consciously top up your allocation. 

But postpaid plans are paid for after you use the service, and they don’t generally stop working when you’ve reached your limit. Instead, your bill includes the plan plus any extra data or talk time you used.

There’s usually some form of alert when extra billing kicks in, but you will have to be wide awake to avoid paying more. 

Is Unlimited Data Really Unlimited?

Having looked through our selection of Canada’s cheapest cell phone plans, you may have decided that unlimited data plans, the costliest options, will suit you best. 

However, most people simply don’t need that much data – and even “unlimited” plans aren’t completely limitless. In general, they’ll provide a large amount of super-fast data, for example, 100 GB, and after that, they still offer data, but at much slower speeds. 

According to the Canadian Telecommunications Association, the average Canadian uses just less than 8GB of data per month. Based on this, Koodo’s 25 GB plan at $29 should offer you enough data, even if you’re an above-average data consumer. 

About The Author

Tomas Novosad

Tomas Novosad

Founder/Editor-in-Chief

Tomas, the founder and editor-in-chief of NetSpeed Canada, moved to Vancouver, BC over 10 years ago and was shocked by the high cost of home internet plans. As a problem solver, he researched alternatives and discovered that Canada has many lesser-known internet providers beyond the Big 3. This led to the creation of NetSpeed Canada, a platform where Canadians can enter their address and view all available internet plans.

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