Best Prepaid Plans Compared
Talk & Text Only (No Data)
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Minutes | Texts | Network | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Mobile | $15 | Unlimited (Canada) | Unlimited | Telus | National |
| Lucky Mobile | $18 | Unlimited (Canada) | Unlimited | Bell | National |
| Chatr | $20 | Unlimited (Canada) | Unlimited | Rogers | National |
| PhoneBox | $16 | Unlimited (Canada) | Unlimited | Rogers/Telus | National |
| 7-Eleven SpeakOut | $10 (100 min) | 100 min | Pay per text | Rogers | National |
Light Data (1–5 GB)
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Data | Minutes | Network | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Mobile | $25 | 2 GB | Unlimited | Telus | Light users |
| Fizz | $26 | 2 GB | Unlimited | Videotron (QC/ON) | Quebec/Ontario |
| Lucky Mobile | $25 | 2 GB | Unlimited | Bell | National light use |
| Chatr | $29 | 2 GB | Unlimited | Rogers | Urban areas |
| PhoneBox | $25 | 3 GB | Unlimited | Rogers/Telus | Newcomers |
| Public Mobile | $29 | 5 GB | Unlimited | Telus | Best value light data |
| Fizz | $30 | 5 GB | Unlimited | Videotron | Quebec/Ontario |
Medium Data (10–20 GB)
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Data | Minutes | Network | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Mobile | $34 | 20 GB | Unlimited | Telus | Best overall value |
| Fizz | $35 | 15 GB | Unlimited | Videotron | Quebec/Ontario |
| Lucky Mobile | $40 | 15 GB | Unlimited | Bell | National coverage |
| Koodo (prepaid) | $40 | 20 GB | Unlimited | Telus | Telus network preference |
| Chatr | $40 | 15 GB | Unlimited | Rogers | Urban focus |
| Freedom Mobile | $35 | 10 GB | Unlimited | Freedom (Shaw) | Urban areas (ON, BC, AB) |
Heavy Data (20+ GB)
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Data | Minutes | Network | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Mobile | $39 | 30 GB | Unlimited | Telus | High data, best price |
| Fizz | $42 | 30 GB | Unlimited | Videotron | Quebec/Ontario |
| Freedom Mobile | $50 | Unlimited (speed-reduced after 50GB) | Unlimited | Freedom | Unlimited needs |
| Koodo (prepaid) | $50 | 40 GB | Unlimited | Telus | Heavy data |
| Lucky Mobile | $50 | 30 GB | Unlimited | Bell | National heavy use |
Provider Comparison
| Feature | Public Mobile | Fizz | Lucky Mobile | Chatr | Freedom Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Telus | Videotron | Bell | Rogers | Shaw/Rogers |
| Network | Telus (national) | Videotron (QC/ON) | Bell (national) | Rogers (national) | Freedom (ON/BC/AB) |
| Coverage | ✅ Excellent | Good (QC/ON only) | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Excellent | Limited (urban) |
| Data rollover | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Loyalty rewards | ✅ ($1–$2/mo off over time) | ✅ (rewards program) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| eSIM support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Bring your own phone | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Phone financing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Customer support | Online/community only | Online/chat | Online/chat, phone | Online/chat, phone | Phone, in-store |
| International calling | Add-on available | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Some plans include |
| Best for | Best overall value | Quebec/Ontario, rollover | National coverage on a budget | Rogers network preference | Unlimited data needs |
How Much Canadians Can Save Switching to Prepaid
| Current Plan | Current Cost | Best Prepaid Alternative | Prepaid Cost | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big 3 — 20 GB postpaid | $75/mo | Public Mobile 20 GB | $34/mo | $492/year |
| Big 3 — 50 GB postpaid | $90/mo | Public Mobile 30 GB | $39/mo | $612/year |
| Big 3 — 10 GB postpaid | $60/mo | Public Mobile 5 GB + bonus | $29/mo | $372/year |
| Flanker — 20 GB | $50/mo | Public Mobile 20 GB | $34/mo | $192/year |
| Talk & text only (postpaid) | $35/mo | Public Mobile talk & text | $15/mo | $240/year |
Best Plans for Specific Needs
| Need | Best Provider | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan possible | Public Mobile | Talk & text | $15/mo |
| Best value with data | Public Mobile | 20 GB | $34/mo |
| Quebec/Ontario (data rollover) | Fizz | 15 GB | $35/mo |
| Newcomers to Canada | PhoneBox | 5 GB (no credit check) | $30/mo |
| Seniors (basic use) | Public Mobile | 2 GB | $25/mo |
| Students | Fizz or Public Mobile | 5–10 GB | $29–$34/mo |
| Unlimited data | Freedom Mobile | Unlimited | $50/mo |
| Best national coverage | Lucky Mobile (Bell) | 15 GB | $40/mo |
| Travel/international calling | PhoneBox | Plans with international | $30+/mo |
| Temporary (visitors) | PhoneBox or Lucky Mobile | 1–5 GB prepaid | $25–$35/mo |
Tips for Choosing a Prepaid Plan
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Check coverage in your area | Use provider coverage maps; rural areas may have gaps on Freedom |
| Bring your own phone | Save $200–$500+ by using an unlocked phone |
| Monitor your data usage | Check settings > cellular data; most people use 5–15 GB/month |
| Stack loyalty rewards | Public Mobile’s loyalty program saves $1–$2/month over time |
| Watch for promotions | Black Friday, holidays, and back-to-school often have limited-time deals |
| Consider multi-line discounts | Some providers offer family discounts |
| Use Wi-Fi aggressively | Download content on Wi-Fi to reduce data usage |