10 Best Wi-Fi Hotspot Rentals for Travel to Canada
It’s 2019, we all want to stay connected online to our friends and family while we travel. Sharing our experiences in real time, handling important business emails or sending a cute snapchat pic, whatever you need. The first option for most people is to pick up a SIM card for Canada, we even sell them in our Tallypack Store. But there is another option, a much cheaper option for larger groups and family trips. Consider renting a Wi-Fi Hotspot device that gives up to 10 devices a continuous internet connection anywhere in Canada.
This article, we look into what exactly is a Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Egg, Mi-Fi, Mobile Hotspot device… It has so many names, so what are the advantages? How much do they cost to buy outright and how do I use it? Then we list the top 10 Wi-Fi hotspot rentals for Travel to Canada.
What is a Wi-Fi Hotspot
A Wi-fi Hotspot, or Mobile Hotspot, or Wi-Fi Egg is like having a little portable router in your pocket. Instead of putting a sim card in your phone, you can put one in the hotspot device and give Wi-Fi to up to 10 devices at once. It’s just a data sharing device. Most phones these days have “tethering” or “hotspot” features to share internet across devices. The difference is that a hotspot device was made to be on all the time, always sharing data to all the users. A phone’s signal is weaker and the battery life doesn’t last all day like you need it to.
Many of the Hotspots on this list come with their own SIM Cards inside the devices that are compatible with networks in most countries. But you can also simply buy your own hotspot and pick up a local SIM card when you arrive. As long as the internet provider has tethering allowed on the SIM, you, your partner, children and parents can connect all at once.
I use a Huawei rocket stick similar to this hotspot device for my website, to connect online from my laptop anywhere. As a traveler who works online, it’s extremely handy. Instead of having to rely on Starbucks, McDonalds or random Airport Wifi, I simply pick up a local sim card and insert it into my device. I can connect my laptop, Camera, GoPro and Laptop to the Wi-Fi.
Advantages of a Wi-Fi Hotspot
The obvious question is “Why not just use a SIM card?”, to that I would say: Use a SIM card. If you are traveling alone, picking up a SIM card for your phone is enough. A hotspot device is overkill for most individuals or even couples.
Where a mobile hotspot comes in handy is with large groups of 4 or more people. Say you are going on a camping trip to the Canadian Rockies and Lake Louise with the kids and don’t want them on their phone the entire time. With a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can give them access to the Wi-Fi anytime, without having to pick up a SIM card for each person… You can also disable it too, so the kids can actually enjoy time in nature. The same can be said for pesky husbands and wives that can’t put their phones down and disconnect.
A SIM Card for Canada or the US can run between $40-$80/person for 14-30 days. A single SIM card can be used in a hotspot device for the whole family if you bring your own device. A rental costs anywhere from $6-12 CAD/day, as low as $4 USD/day!
It’s not for everyone, but you can save hundreds of dollars with your friends or on a family trip and stay connected online. Many travelers pick up a device for Japan, I don’t know why since it’s easy to get a tourist SIM card in Japan, but these rentals aren’t nearly as popular in Canada or the United States which is crazy because family RV camping is so popular here. These little devices are perfect for your family vacation.
Pick up a Hotspot Device
1. Rocket Stick
I use the Huawei Rocket Stick, shown in Amazon below. It’s a small device that plugs into a laptop directly and shares Wi-Fi to other devices. No battery, no cords. To use it, purchase a sim card in each new country, or a roaming SIM for multiple countries and insert it. The SIM cards you buy are the same for any mobile phone. I paid $150 CAD for the Huawei device, but it’s available on Amazon for $60 USD ($80 CAD) on Amazon.2. Subscription & Device Rental
Other devices worth looking at are the all-in-one devices like the SkyRoam Hotspot that only works with a Skyroam Subscription, but saves you the hassle of picking up a SIM card for each country since it’s built in to the device. check out SkyRoam on our list below for more details.3. Mobile Hotspot Device
The last type is the Mobile Hotspot Device, a true mobile device with it’s own screen and battery included inside. These ones can cost up to $150 USD but the one below is on for $93 USD ($125 CAD). Simply pick up, put in a SIM card with tethering (ask the providers) and pay for the SIM card like you would for any mobile phone.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Pick up Only
- Locations: Montreal Airport Terminal 1, Phonebox Vancouver, Phonebox Toronto
- No. Devices Supported: 10
- Battery Life: 8 Hours
- Deposit: $100 CAD
- Data Speed: 4G/LTE
- Top Ups: $15 CAD for 1 GB before rental expires
Rates & Data
- $35 CAD ($USD) for 2 GB of Data for 30 Days
- $45 CAD ($USD) for 6 GB of Data for 30 Days
- $55 CAD ($USD) for 12 GB of Data for 30 Days
- $65 CAD ($USD) for 15 GB of Data for 30 Days
- Currency: $CAD
Comments
GoPhoneBox is a Vancouver based company that provides a 7 day mobile hotspot rental. They also offer Canada SIM Cards with international text messaging or data only if you have an ipad.
The big benefit of GoPhoneBox is the price at 3 GB of data for 7 days, that’s only $6.50 CAD ($4.95 USD) per day. The downside is the upfront deposit of $100 CAD ($76 USD) that you get back when you return the wi-fi device. The other drawback is the flexibility of the rental. It’s 7 days, no more, no less.
GoPhoneBox is also very aggressive on lost or late rentals. They charge $100 CAD for a lost device (they keep your deposit) but also $20 for a lost case, another $20 for a lost charging cable & $20 per day if you don’t return the device in time… You get the idea. Don’t lose it and return it on time to one of the three locations.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 10
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: $158.06 CAD
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $5.00/Day CAD ($USD) for 200 MB/Day
- $8.00/Day CAD ($USD) for 500 MB/Day
- $11.00/Day CAD ($USD) for 1 GB/Day
- $23.00/Day CAD ($USD) for 3 GB/Day
- Currency: $CAD
Comments
Roam Mobile’s Wi-Fi Hotspot rental is one of the cheapest options for having a little bit of data for a group of people. For 7 days, you can expect to pay only $46 CAD +tax for your rental that offers 200 MB of data every day. That’s 1.4 GB for the week. The downside to this good price is the deposit. They charge a whopping $158 CAD deposit for the device, you get it back when you return the device. Still. Nobody likes deposits.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Canada or the USA.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 4-6 Hours
- Deposit: $150 USD
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $11 USD/Day for 1 GB of Data/Day
- Option for Canada & USA Rentals at $15 USD/Day
- Currency: USD
Comments
The actual device is a rectangle, not a cube, which is much easier to carry. But otherwise WifiCube has a decent offer for Wi-Fi hotspot rentals and always has ongoing promotions. They primarily serve Canadians & Americans traveling around the world but you can easily have the device shipped to your hotel on arrival. Their rental includes a prepaid envelope to return the product, dropped off at any UPS store.
It’s not the best price compared to others on this list, nor does it offer the most amount of data. But for a group of 2-5, 1 GB of data per day should be plenty for basic internet use. The deposit is quite hefty but you’ll get it back when you return the device.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Europe, USA or Mexico
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- 9.90/Day Euro ($USD) for Unlimited Data
- Insurance: 16.90 Euro
- Used in Canada, USA & Mexico
- Currency: EURO
Comments
MyWebspot is based out of Paris, France. Their Wi-Fi Hotspot rentals are perfect for a tourist visiting Canada and the USA on the same trip. The hotspot includes all three North American countries: USA, Canada & Mexico. Of course, this comes at a premium price. The 9.90 Euro per day is on the higher end for a rental like this.
The nice thing is that the insurance is a flat fee of 16.90 Euro, regardless of the length of your rental. There is no initial deposit either! For a 7 day trip to Canada, expect to pay 86 Euro ($97.47 USD) or $129 CAD.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Rental Rates
- $20 USD for 1-7 Days
- $35 USD for 8-14 Days
- $59 USD for 15-28 Days
- $65 USD for 29-42 Days
- $75 USD for 43-56 Days
- Option to add more countries
- Currency: USD
Data Rates
- $75 USD for 1 GB of Data
- $140 USD for 2 GB of Data
- $195 USD for 3 GB of Data
- $250 USD for 4 GB of Data
- $360 USD for 6 GB of Data
- $590 USD for 10 GB of Data
Comments
Wireless Traveler does things a little differently. Instead of a daily rate, they charge one fee for the length of the device rental and another fee for the amount of data. For example, you can rent a device for $20 USD for 7 Days + $75 USD for 1 GB of Data. All in for $95 USD. That’s quite expensive for such little data.
But, let’s say you want to rent the device for 30 days. $65 USD for the device +$75 USD for 1 GB of data. All in for $145 USD. That’s not too bad, averaging $4.80/Day. Wireless Traveler gives you the option to customize by adding multiple countries and tailoring your rental to your needs. That being said, almost $600 USD for 10 GB is an outrageous price.
Unlimited Rates Rental
The Unlimited Data rental has some limitations. You can’t stream video or use Wi-Fi calling (VOIP) with this rental. No WhatsApp calls, no Facetime, no Instagram. It’s just for email and limited web browsing. For many young travelers, that’s a BIG downside. But I’ll include the info regardless.
- $79 USD for 1-7 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $99 USD for 8-14 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $150 USD for 15-28 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $175 USD for 29-42 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
- $225 USD for 43-56 Days with Unlimited Data (low speed)
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location. Free Pick up in Paris, France.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $8.90 Euro/Day for 500 MB of Data/Day
- Valid in multiple countries
- Insurance: 14.9 Euro
- Pick Up & Delivery: 15 Euro
- Currency: Euro
Comments
Travelwifi is based out of Paris, France. They offer a travel anywhere rental with 500 MB/ Day. Their rentals for France and Europe are way better priced, for Canada it’s quite expensive.
All in for 7 days would be 92.2 Euro ($104.55 USD) or $138.31 CAD. It’s the best option for travelers coming from France since they can skip the pick up and delivery fee, but for the rest of us there are better options.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 16 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: Upgrade to Solis Smart Wifi Device $1.95/Day
Daily Rates & Data
- $9.95 USD/Day for Unlimited Data/Day
- Insurance: $19.95 USD
- Pick Up & Delivery Fee: Up to $20 USD
- Currency: USD
Comments
Sky Roam has two offers. The first is the standard rental at $9.95 per day. This is one of the more expensive options for Wifi Hotspot Rentals. A 7 day trip, with insurance, and shipping for delivery and return is $108 USD or $141.89 CAD. It’s more expensive than other options with Unlimited Data.
The advantages is that the Sky Roam rental is very robust. The upgraded device which is even more expensive comes with 16 hours of battery life and a powerbank to recharge your cellphone. It’s also valid for 130 countries without having to change devices. Sky Roam is like the Cadillac of Wifi Devices.
They also have a subscription model for those who buy their device. It’s $149.99 to buy the Wifi Hotspot outright. The subscription is a Pay-what-you-use model with 1 GB at $9 USD per month. If you travel for work, you can buy the device and cross borders seamlessly. No matter where you go it’s $9 per 1 GB.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Delivered to your designated location in Europe Only. Free Pick Up and Delivery in Madrid & Barcelona.
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Deposit: None
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $8.90 Euro/Day for 500 MB of Data/Day
- Valid in multiple countries
- Pick Up & Delivery: 7-15 Euro
- Currency: Euro
Comments
WifiVox is based out of Madrid and Barcelona, they don’t ship outside of Europe. But if you happen to be going to Canada from Spain or Portugal, it’s a great deal! There is no insurance, no deposit.
All in for 7 days would be 78.93 Euro ($83.84 USD) or $110.90 CAD, this includes the Pick up & Delivery fee to anywhere in Europe. It’s the best option for travelers coming from Europe and even cheaper for travelers coming from Madrid or Barcelona, but unreasonable for Americans and other travelers.
Basic Information
- Pick up & Delivery: Stores across Vancouver, BC Canada
- Locations: Online Only
- No. Devices Supported: 5
- Battery Life: 15 Hours
- Deposit: $150 CAD
- Data Speed: 3G, 4G, LTE
- Top Ups: None
Daily Rates & Data
- $12 CAD/Day for Unlimited Data/Day
- Valid in multiple countries
- Insurance: None
- Pick Up & Delivery: Local Vancouver Stores are free pick up and delivery, but hotels or another address can be up to $20 CAD.
- Currency: CAD
Comments
Pocket Wifi is based out of Richmond BC, just a short drive from downtown Vancouver. They offer wifi hotspot rentals to over 100 countries. Luckily, sending a device in the mail doesn’t require much direct customer service because their website is riddled with improper English. They are our last spot on this list because they offer unlimited internet access for up to 5 devices and are perfectly located in Vancouver, BC, a popular spot for tourism. If you pick up and drop off the device at a local store on their list, you can skip the additional costs. However at $12 CAD/day, the rental is one of the most expensive on our list.
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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