Getting your first Canadian phone plan
Last reviewed: October 19, 2026
Disclosure: Some links may earn us a commission. How we make money. A commission does not change which options we list or how we describe them.
Prepaid or postpaid?
- Prepaid: you top up before you use the service. If you don't top up, service may pause. Prepaid usually doesn't need a credit check, which helps if you have no Canadian credit history.
- Postpaid: you get a monthly bill for what you used. Carriers usually run a credit check.
Official source: CRTC, Postpaid versus prepaid services (as of Oct 19, 2026)
Your rights under the Wireless Code
The CRTC's Wireless Code protects everyone with a mobile plan in Canada. It includes:
- No cancellation fees after 2 years, even if you agreed to a longer term
- Caps on extra data and data roaming charges, so a single bill can't explode. The account holder is the only one who can approve going over, unless they authorize someone else.
- Unlocked phones: your provider must unlock your phone for free when you ask, and newly bought phones must come unlocked
- A 15-day trial period: return the phone without penalty if you're unhappy and haven't used more than half your monthly allowance. People with disabilities get 30 days and can use up to the full allowance.
- Plain-language contracts, and for postpaid plans a short Critical Information Summary
- Prepaid: a minimum 7-day grace period to top up and keep your balance
On postpaid plans, the CRTC says you have the right to limit data overage charges to $50 a month and data roaming charges to $100 a month for your whole account (CRTC, Postpaid versus prepaid (as of Oct 19, 2026)).
If your provider breaks these rules, contact the provider first. If that doesn't fix it, complain to the CCTS.
Official sources: CRTC, Protected by the Wireless Code (as of Oct 19, 2026) · Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS)
Newcomer options from carriers
From each provider's own page, checked October 19, 2026. Prices change often, so we only show a price when the provider's newcomer page prints one.
| Brand | Type | What the provider says | Provider page |
|---|---|---|---|
| chatr (Rogers' prepaid brand) | Prepaid | "No credit checks. No term contracts. No commitment." | rogers.com/newcomers |
| Lucky Mobile (Bell's prepaid brand) | Prepaid | Bell's prepaid page sends new customers to Lucky Mobile and Bell plans "with no credit check, long-term contract or data overages" | bell.ca prepaid |
| Rogers | Postpaid | Rogers says you can "choose your plan, reserve your SIM, and secure your Canadian phone number all before you arrive" (as of Oct 19, 2026) | rogers.com/newcomers |
| TELUS | Postpaid | Newcomer "Welcome plans starting at $65/mo." (as of Oct 19, 2026) | telus.com |
| Koodo | Postpaid / BYOD | Newcomer page. No plan price on the page we checked | koodomobile.com |
| Bell | Postpaid / BYOD | In-market plans, not newcomer-specific. Check current prices on Bell's plan page. | bell.ca |
Disclosure: Some links may earn us a commission. How we make money. A commission does not change which options we list or how we describe them.
Tips
- Bring your passport plus your status document (permit, PR card, or confirmation of permanent residence).
- If you brought an unlocked phone, a bring-your-own-phone plan or a prepaid SIM is usually the fastest start.
- Test calls and data the same day, and keep your receipt for the 15-day trial.
- Read the Critical Information Summary before you sign a postpaid contract.