The Best SIM Cards for Travel to Canada
For starters, prepaid SIM Cards in Canada are very expensive and Post-Paid SIM Cards often require multi-year contracts and registration to a Canadian address. So getting a cheap SIM Card for traveling is tough. There are only three major carriers in Canada: Bell, Telus and Rogers. There is no competition and very few differences between them. That’s why we are also researching other international roaming Data SIM Cards for another article after this one, but will include a list of cities with Public Wi-Fi and other hotspot networks that are good alternatives to buying a SIM Card in Canada. If you are visiting Canada soon, I recommend checking out our Travel Basics Guide because I include links for car/ride sharing and Facebook groups specifically for backpackers.
When I say prepaid SIM Cards in Canada are expensive, I mean getting large amounts of Data is expensive. To travelers, unlimited Canada Voice & Text, or even Canada & USA voice & text is pretty useless without a data package. In Asia and Europe, large amounts of data is a lot cheaper and often packaged specifically for tourists visiting for 7 to 21 days. But Canada has very few of these offers, so I apologize if the best options for value and price are underwhelming.
SIM Cards Available in Canada
- Jump To Best Value
- Jump To Best Price
- Jump To Monster Data
- Jump To Roam from the United States
- Public Wi-Fi Network
The problem in Canada is geography, the population is spread out across a giant area with only a handful of large cities like Vancouver, Toronto & Montreal… But chances are you aren’t visiting Canada for the world’s worst monument-steam clock in Vancouver, or the CN tower. Traveling Canada is about seeing the beautiful natural landscape that stretches to three different oceans and six times zones. Covering that much land with wireless networks is expensive, how expensive? Telus and Bell share each other’s cell towers rather than building their own. If I sound disgruntled, it’s because I’ve had to live with this all my life. Coverage can be an issue because some places in Canada are just too remote.
Where to Buy a SIM Card?
SIM Cards in Canada are sold at the main carrier stores: Telus, Bell or Rogers. It’s pretty easy to find one of these three stores in the big cities. Top up vouchers and other SIM Cards like PhoneBox, Lucky Mobile or Public Mobile are also sold at mall kiosks like Wireless Wave, K-Mobile and even 7 Eleven.
A lot of SIM Cards can now be purchased online and sent directly to a Canadian address like a hotel, hostel or friends. We now carry Public Mobile SIM Cards in our Tallypack Shop and ship both internationally or to any hotel or address in Canada for pick-up on arrival. We are looking to expand our offerings to other countries in the near future.
Canada SIM Card Requirements
You need an unlocked phone to access these networks!
Prepaid SIM Cards in Canada are unregistered, meaning you only need to provide your name and an email and no ID card like a passport or driver’s licence.
Best Value SIM Cards
Top Choice: Public Mobile – 4.5 GB Data SIM Card
- Check Compatibility: Click here
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes, Our Store. We ship internationally and activate the SIM the day before your Date of Arrival.
- Available Locations: Online with Canadian Credit Card, Walmart, Wow! Boutique & K-Mobile with Vouchers
- Top Ups: With Canadian Credit Card or Vouchers
- Note: Only 3 G Speeds
SIM Price $10 CAD +
- $20 CAD for 250 MB of Data for 30 days at 3G
- $25 CAD for 500 MB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days
- $35 CAD for 1 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & int. Text for 30 days
- $40 CAD for 4.5 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days
- $50 CAD for 8 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days
Canadian SIM Cards are more expensive than the other countries we’ve listed to date. But the most annoying part is how only 2 GB can cost up to $50 per month on a prepaid phone for 4G/LTE. Public Mobile is a discount brand of Telus which has great coverage in Canada and offers more data at the slower 3G speeds. The feature plan offer of 4 GB with voice & text, all in for $40 plus the $10 SIM Card is probably the best value in the market with guaranteed coverage across Canada, including within the amazing National Parks in the Rockies, to Niagara Falls in the great lakes.
We now offer a full-service with Public Mobile and Lucky Mobile SIM Cards as an Official Dealer. No need for a Canadian credit card, we ship you the SIM card with the plan of your choice before your trip and activate it the day before your arrival in Canada. We sell in USD at the current exchange rate. If you need to extend the SIM card beyond the initial 30 days, simply pick up a top up voucher at shops like Walmart, Wow! Mobile boutique or K-Mobile.
Runner Up: Chatr Mobile
- Check Compatibility: Click Here
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes
- Available Locations: Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Rogers Stores, Wireless Wave, T-booth Wireless
- Top Ups: Yes, Online with Credit Card or Voucher
- Note: Only 3G speeds for Data
SIM Price $10 CAD + A Plan
- $35 CAD for 1 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & int. Text for 30 days at 3G
- $40 CAD for 4.5 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days at 3G
- $45 CAD for 6 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days at 3G
- $50 CAD for 8 GB of Data, Ultd. Canada Voice & Int. Text for 30 days at 3G
Chatr Mobile is very similar to Public Mobile except that it’s Rogers discount brand and lower data amounts aren’t available on the cheaper monthly plans. Otherwise, the Nation-wide prepaid plans include Canada-wide calling, international text messaging and a decent amount of data at 3G speeds. There are also “Talk & Text plans” without data that I haven’t listed here because they aren’t Canada-wide which isn’t very good for travellers. So be sure to select the “Nation-wide plans”.
Best Price SIM Cards
Top Choice: Bell – Prepaid $5 Plan + $2 Daily Data Add-on
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes
- Available Locations: Stores Across Canada
- Top Ups: Yes, App via credit card & Vouchers
- Note: For travelers with minimalist data use or prefer the most flexibility
SIM Price $10 + A Base Plan + Data Add-on
- Base Plan $5 CAD for 10 mins of voice for 30 days
- + Add-on of $2/ 20 MB Data for 24 Hours
- + Add-on of $25.00 CAD for 500 MB of Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $30.00 CAD for 1 GB of Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $50.00 CAD for 2 GB of Data for 30 Days
Bell prepaid isn’t cheap for a lot of data, but you can pick up a flexible SIM Card for $15 and then pay for a $2 data add-ons good for 24 hours in case you really need it. With the Wi-Fi networks below, this is one of the cheapest options in Canada for having some internet access on the go or for emergencies.
Runner Up: Petro-Canada Mobile
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes
- Available Locations: Petro-Canada Stores Across Canada
- Top Ups: Yes, Online with a Credit Card or Vouchers sold in Stores
- Note:
SIM Price $10 + A Plan + Add-on
- Base Plan $15 CAD for 25 mins of Voice & Unltd. Canada-Wide Text for 30 days
- + Add-on of $10 CAD for 100 MB Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $15.00 CAD for 500 MB of Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $25.00 CAD for 1 GB of Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $35.00 CAD for 2 GB of Data for 30 Days
- + Add-on of $45.00 CAD for 3 GB of Data for 30 Days
I’ve been asked a few times recently why I didn’t include Petro-Canada or 7-Eleven Speakout in my list. Petro-Canada has prepaid SIM Cards where you can build your own plans. However they aren’t cheap for large amounts of Data. For example, $10 SIM Card + $15 Base Plan + $10 for 100 MB of Data = $35 CAD in total for 25 mins of calling, unlimited text only in Canada and 100 MB of data. Not great.
If you are looking for data, spend $45 CAD and go with either Public Mobile or Chatr for more value.
Petro-Canada also has an “Anytime Plan” that charges based on what you use at $0.15/text, $0.30/min and $0.15/MB of Data. If you don’t need a lot but still wish to stay connected, this is a viable option.
Monster Data SIM Cards
Top Choice: PhoneBox – 6GB Prepaid SIM Card
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes, Official Online Store
- Available Locations: Stores: Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Banff, Toronto, Montreal & Halifax
- Top Ups: Yes, online
- Note: Rent a Hotspot device for tablet or cell phones!
SIM Price
- $45 CAD for Ultd. Canada voice & text + 1 GB of Data for 30 days.
- $65 CAD for Ultd. Canada voice & text + 3 GB of Data for 30 days.
- $85 CAD for Ultd. Canada voice & text + 6 GB of Data for 30 days.
Data-Only/Hotspot Rental
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: $45 CAD for 3 GB for 7 days
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: $75 CAD for 7 GB for 7 days
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: $100 CAD for 10 GB for 7 days
- Data-Only: $55 for 3 GB for 30 days
- Data-Only: $55 for 5 GB for 30 days
I reached out to GoPhoneBox recently, they will be coming out with new shorter duration SIMs for 7 days, 10 days etc… So I will update those offers on launch.
Runner Up: Freedom Mobile 20 GB Prepaid SIM Card
- Check Compatibility: Click Here
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes. but 3 GB bonus signing up in store
- Available Locations: Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton & Vancouver
- Top Ups: Yes, online
- Coverage: Only in Cities
- Note: Roaming data is for anywhere outside of the Freedom Mobile network, basically outside any of the cities with stores will use roaming data.
- Wi-Fi Hotspots: Yes
SIM Price
- $50 CAD for 10 GB Data, ultd. text & 250 MB roaming data
- $70 CAD for 15 GB Data, ultd. text & 500 MB roaming data
- $90 CAD for 20 GB Data, ultd. text & 1 GB roaming data
Roam From the United States
Top Choice: T-Mobile via Vision Global Wi-Fi – US Carrier
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes, Vision Global Wi-Fi
- Available Locations: Online, T-Mobile Shops in the US.
- Top Ups: Yes
- Note: US SIM Card requires a US address, used to roam in Canada. Great for travelers going to the USA first, then hoping over the border to Canada.
SIM Price
- $25.99 USD for 5 GB of Data + Ultd voice & Ultd text in Canada, USA & Mexico for 7 days
- $29.99 USD for 5 GB of Data + Ultd voice & Ultd text in Canada, USA & Mexico for 10 days
- $35.99 USD for 5 GB of Data + Ultd voice & Ultd text in Canada, USA & Mexico for 14 days
T-Mobile is a US Carrier that has GSM SIM Cards for travelers. If you planning to travel between the US and Canada, like Vancouver – Seattle, Toronto – New York City on the same trip, I recommend these SIM Cards for short trips.
The SIM Cards have unlimited data in the US and 5 GB in Canada. Because it’s technically a US SIM Card, you data usage is supposed to be primarily in the US but the short term SIM Cards simply don’t last long enough (14 day max) for the service to truly judge where you are using it the most. So you can get away with using it only in Canada!
Runner Up: AT&T Prepaid 6 GB Roaming SIM Card – US Carrier
- Check Compatibility: Click Here
- Pre-purchase Online: Yes
- Available Locations: AT&T Shops in the USA, Online
- Top Ups: Yes
- Note: This USA SIM Card requires a US address, used to roam in Canada. Great for travelers going to the USA first, then hoping over the border to Canada.
SIM Price $0.99 USD + A Plan
- $45 USD ($60.00 CAD) for 6 GB of data, Ultd. Voice & Ultd. Text in Mexico, USA & Canada for 30 days
Wi-Fi Hotspots Across Canada
Free Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly popular in Canada, with cities offering good quality Wi-Fi blanketed over the entire downtown core.
Public Wi-Fi Cities
- Vancouver, BC
- Montreal, QC,
- Fredericton, NB
- Moncton, NB
- Quebec City, QC
- Toronto, ON
- Saskatoon, SK
Runner Up: Good Old Tim Hortons
Tim Horton’s is Canada’s number 1 breakfast fast-food chain and coffee shop country wide. It’s Canada’s starbucks or Robin’s Donuts.
If a town in Canada doesn’t have a Tim Hortons, it’s not a town. But it also sets the precedent that most private businesses in Canada will offer free Wi-Fi to guests. Luckily there is a map to find Wi-Fi anywhere in Canada! Connect for the cost of one cup of coffee!
- Wi-Fi PC: Canada Free Wi-Fi Map
- Find a Tim Hortons: Click Here
Disclaimer: Based on it’s popularity we have newly partnered with GoPhoneBox and thus make a small commission off plans at no additional cost to you. We also offer Public Mobile SIMs in our Tallypack Shop.
Before you Buy Canadian SIM Cards
Three things to check before picking up a SIM Card in Canada
- Your Phone Compatibility – WillMyPhoneWork.Net
- Check the coverage, city or nationwide?
- Canadian SIM or US Roaming SIM Card? Will you be visiting the USA first?
More Info for Travel to Canada
For your pre-trip downtime, check out our List of Recommended Books, Movies and Podcasts all featuring Canada! Lastly, I recommend picking up a Prepaid SIM Card for your own hotspot device or mobile phone. You can order in advance on our Tallypack Store and have delivered to your hotel upon your arrival!
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