My phone bill used to be $50 a month. Same plan, same carrier, same autopay — I hadn’t touched it in three years. Then a friend mentioned she was paying $20 for 60GB with Public Mobile. I did the math: I had been quietly bleeding $360 a year for absolutely no reason.
Here’s the thing most Canadians don’t realize: Rogers, Fido, Koodo, and Public Mobile are essentially running on two networks. Rogers owns Fido. Telus owns both Koodo and Public Mobile. That means the signal hitting your phone is often identical — what you’re actually paying for is the brand, the perks, and how much the carrier thinks you’ll tolerate.
I spent time digging into the actual current plans, the fine print, and what reviewers and real users are saying in early 2026. Here’s the honest breakdown.
The Real Difference Between These Four Carriers
Before we get into the plans, the ownership structure matters. Rogers and Fido share the same towers — Fido is Rogers’ budget brand. Telus, Koodo, and Public Mobile also share towers — Koodo is Telus’s mid-tier brand, and Public Mobile sits at the bottom of that same stack.
In practice: you’re choosing between the Rogers network and the Telus network, and then deciding how much you want to pay for access to each one. Telus covers 99% of Canada’s population; Rogers covers 97%. The gap shows mostly in rural and remote areas.
Rogers — Best for Frequent US Travellers
Rogers is the premium option. Their flagship BYOD plans run $75/month for 100GB, $85/month for 175GB with Canada-US coverage, and $105/month for 250GB with roaming across 64 countries. Full 5G is included across all plans.
Where Rogers justifies the price is in the add-ons. You can bundle Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ for $22/month on top of your plan — not a bad deal if you were paying for those anyway. US roaming is also genuinely seamless on Rogers in a way that cheaper carriers struggle to match.
Honestly though, if you’re not crossing the border regularly and you don’t need the bundle, you’re paying a significant premium for a brand name. Most people I know on Rogers are there because they signed up years ago and never left.
Best for: People who travel to the US frequently or want streaming services bundled in.
See more below
Rogers Plans: https://www.rogers.com/plans
Fido — Best for Urban Users Who Don’t Need 5G
Fido’s flagship BYOD plan is $40/month for 60GB. That’s a solid price. There’s also a lighter $35/month option for 10 GB that Fido offers to new customers.
The catch: Fido is still 4G LTE only in 2026. Reviewers have been blunt about this — most carriers, including smaller MVNOs, have moved to 5G. For streaming Netflix or scrolling Instagram in a city, you won’t feel the difference. But as 5G becomes the standard, this is a real long-term weakness.
Fido also dropped the price on its 60GB plan in February 2026, alongside Koodo, which signals that both carriers are feeling competitive pressure from Public Mobile’s aggressive pricing.
Best for: Budget-conscious city dwellers who don’t care about 5G and want Rogers’ urban coverage without Rogers’ price.
See more below
Fido Plans: https://www.fido.ca/plans
Koodo — Best Overall for Most Canadians
If I had to pick one carrier for the average Canadian in 2026, it’s Koodo. $40/month for 60GB, Telus’s network (99% coverage, limited 5G), no contracts, and a perks system that lets you add one bonus to your plan — data rollover, a US roaming day pass, or a few other options.
Koodo also runs promos regularly. The third-month-free deal for BYOD customers on plans $25 and up is a recurring one — worth checking before you switch. Customer service is consistently ranked above Fido and Rogers in Canadian reviews.
The honest read: Koodo hits the sweet spot between price and reliability. You’re on Telus towers without Telus pricing, and the perks add genuine value without complicating the plan.
Best for: Most Canadians — the best balance of price, coverage, 5G access, and perks.
See more below
Koodo Plans: https://www.koodomobile.com/en
Public Mobile — Best Pick from Snowroad in 2026
Public Mobile is where things get interesting. In January 2026, they ran a promotion — 60GB for $20/month, a 50% discount off the regular rate. I actually switched during that window. Even at regular pricing, the $35/month 60GB Canada-US plan and $40/month 150GB Canada-US plan are genuinely hard to beat.
I set it up using eSIM, which meant zero activation fees, no one-time registration fee, no physical SIM card cost. The whole thing took about 10 minutes on my phone.
Public Mobile is prepaid, you pay monthly upfront, no credit check required. And because it runs on Telus towers, it has full 5G access, which is remarkable at this price point.
Now, the asterisk that gets buried: Public Mobile does throttle data speeds. You’re on the same towers as Koodo and Telus, but those customers get priority first. In theory, during peak hours in busy areas, you might feel it. In practice, I haven’t noticed any difference since switching. Signal is strong across Metro Vancouver — whether I’m on the SkyTrain, at a cafe, or using my phone as a hotspot for my laptop at home. I use it for texting, YouTube, Reels, and regular hotspot use, and I genuinely have no complaints.
Best for: City users, daily commuters, frequent North American travellers, and anyone who wants the lowest possible bill without sacrificing signal quality.
See more below
Public Mobile Plans: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/plans
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Side-by-Side Comparison
| Carrier | Best BYOD Plan | Price/mo | Network | 5G | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers | 100GB | $65 | Rogers (97%) | ✅ Full | US travellers, bundle seekers |
| Fido | 60GB | $40 ($28 existing) | Rogers (97%) | ❌ 4G LTE only | Budget urban, no 5G needed |
| Koodo | 60GB + perks | $40 | Telus (99%) | ✅ Limited | Most Canadians, best all-round |
| Public Mobile | 60GB | $40 (promos from $20) | Telus (99%) | ✅ Full (throttled) | Lowest bill, city & commute users |
