Traveling to Canada is an exciting experience, but staying connected with your loved ones and navigating the country can be a challenge. A Canada SIM card can help make your trip more convenient and enjoyable.
If you have no idea about SIM cards in Canada for travelers then this essential guide will help you find out where and how to buy Canadian SIM cards, their prices, and details on data plans.
In this article
Good to know:
$1 CAD = $0.73 USD, $1 USD = $1.37 CAD (as of November 2023)
Four of the major mobile network carriers in Canada offer the best SIM card plans for tourists: Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Telus Mobility, and Freedom Mobile.
Insight: Rogers Wireless is one of the operators that have reliable nationwide coverage so you can use 4G network smoothly. However, plans tend to be rather expensive. Its plans lack very high data options so it is not the best choice for heavy data tourists.
Insight: Bell has strong coverage and robust data speed across Canada. Plans are affordable and service reliability is also very high.
Insight: Telus Mobility is suited for most tourists to Canada. It offers competitive data plans for tourists in Canada, which offer great experiences in Internet-related activities. Plans offered by Telus deliver good value for the price.
Insight: Freedom plans are suitable for light to moderate data users traveling within its operating regions. They offer entry-level connectivity at low monthly budgets.
Note: Plan details and prices are subject to change. The above prices are updated in November 2023.
► Our recommendations:
There are four ways to buy a tourist SIM card for Canada trip: buying before departure, buying at airports, buying online and buying in the cities.
You can buy prepaid Canadian eSIM online from trusted providers like Gigago. Your eSIM will be activated online via a mobile app or QR code, which saves your time when you reach Canada.
Pros: No need to visit SIM stores/ wait for delivery, time-saving, immediate Internet connectivity as soon as you arrive in Canada.
Cons: eSIM-compatible phones required. Your data plan cannot be changed if you need more data.
Tourists may get a suitable SIM card at kiosks or official stores of mobile operators, which are situated at Canadian airports such as Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Quebec, and so on.
Pros: Convenient to get online upon arrival.
Cons: Limited package options, more pricey than stores outside airports.
Another option to purchase a physical Canada SIM card is ordering online and having it delivered to your house before trip. After that, the activation and plan selection may be conducted online.
Pros: Convenient, no need for a Canadian address.
Cons: Delivery delays may happen, additional delivery fees.
It is easy to find prepaid physical Canada SIM card at mobile phone stores across cities in Canada. You can also visit carrier stores of Telus, Bell, Rogers in malls or some convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Dollarama.
Pros: Widely available, diverse options, reasonable prices
Cons: Need to find and then get to the stores.
► Recommendation:
Depending on your priorities, the finest option to buy Canadian SIM cards would be:
Definitely!
A local SIM card is one of the most popular and affordable ways to stay connected and it gives you the most rapid data connection.
This table will help you understand why a Canadian SIM card is the best choice to get online when traveling in this beautiful country.
| Criteria | SIM Card | Pocket Wifi | International Roaming |
| Availability | – Diverse operators – Reliable coverage | Battery life concerns | Coverage depends on home provider |
| Convenience | – Easy purchase – Immediate use – Mobile data anywhere | Rental headaches | Roaming charges |
| Price | Reasonable | Daily rental | Expensive |
| Device | Any unlocked phone | Additional rental device | Your own phone |
| Privacy | Private connection | Device controls your data | Carrier tracks your usage |
From the above table, we can see that a local SIM card is worth it for the convenience, availability, and privacy. The cost is also very affordable for the data you need. A Canadian SIM makes it easy to stay in touch and use apps freely while traveling.
Important Notes:
When buying a SIM card in Italy, you will need to bring a valid photo ID or your passport. The SIM card will be registered to your name and passport number. Here are the steps involved:
If you want to avoid the registration process, consider ordering an eSIM card for traveling to Italy online. This can save time and simplify the setup process.
Canadian SIM cards may be categorized according to their forms:
Based on their function, there are two types:
Here we delve into the two options including physical SIM and eSIM.
A physical prepaid Canada SIM (also called mini SIM, micro SIM, nano SIM) is a SIM card that exists in a tangible form and can be installed or removed from your phone. Tourists visiting Canada can select a data-only SIM card or voice + data SIM card depending on their needs.
eSIM is a chip that is directly embedded into a phone. Unlike a physical tourist SIM card, you cannot insert or remove a real SIM card when switching operators or plans. eSIM is online and also has two types (data-only plan and data + voice plan).
The following table will help you understand more about these two types of Canada SIM cards for tourists:
| SIM Type | Physical prepaid Canada SIM | Prepaid Canada eSIM |
| Pros | – Widely available, all operators in Canada – Affordable | – Can be bought online at anytime – Simple online activation – No risk of SIM loss or physical damage |
| Cons | – High risk of loss – Unlocked phones required – Need to buy or wait for delivery before use | – Only for eSIM – compatible smartphones – Unlocked phones required |
► Our recommendation: When visiting Canada, your SIM card should be:
Tourists to Canada can get Internet access via various options such as international roaming, pocket WiFi rental, free Wifi, and physical Canada SIM card. Nevertheless, eSIM for Canada offers outstanding advantages over these options:
We can see that a prepaid Canada eSIM is the best alternative to a physical SIM card for getting online. It is convenient, cost-effective, widely available, and secure than any other option.
If you are finding a trusted eSIM provider, Gigago should be a top choice thanks to its attractive eSIM plans. Unlike other providers, Gigago offers both data-only plans and data and voice plans for tourists visiting Canada.
For Canada, Gigago offers multiple data plan options for Canada, starting from a 5-day plan with 1GB per day for $14 with $18.50 . They also have 7-day, 15-day, and 30-day plans ranging from 1GB to 20GB of total data, or 1GB to 2GB per day, with prices from $14 up to $141.50.
Getting Canada eSIM plans by Gigago is the best option for tourists seeking a cost-effective and hassle-free Internet connection during their trip in Canada.
The duration a tourist SIM card remains active in Canada depends on several key factors:
In essence, a tourist SIM card in Canada can last from 30 days to a year, depending on the expiration terms and how promptly you top it up. Always review the specific conditions from your SIM card provider to know the exact duration.
Now that you have selected the best operator and data plans for your trip to Canada. It is time to explore how to use Canadian prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs. Here is how:
Firstly, you need to get a Canadian prepaid physical SIM. Then follow these essential steps:
To use a prepaid eSIM in Canada, you need to:
In Canada, you can easily buy a prepaid tourist SIM card at stores located at international airports, malls, convenience stores, etc. Also, you can buy an eSIM online before traveling to Canada.
Yes! You need to bring your passport as ID proof to register your prepaid SIM card.
There are four main network carriers in Canada: Telus, Bell, Rogers, and Freedom. Their SIM card plans are rather expensive so you can buy physical SIM card or eSIM at cheaper rates from trusted third-party providers like Gigago.
To sum up, using a Canada SIM card is the most affordable and convenient option among a variety of ways to stay in touch in Canada. The four main operators which are Rogers, Telus, Bell, and Freedom offer wide availability and diverse data plans. Don’t forget to select the Canada SIM card that fits your priorities and preferences.
. Data roaming in Canada is one of the ways to get online, and it is quite expensive. But do not worry! In this article, we will share everything about roaming services in Canada and other alternatives that you can use to be always connected while exploring this stunning country.
As one of Canada’s largest carriers, Rogers Wireless a variety of attractive SIM cards and eSIM plans for tourists. This guide will find out how tourists can buy and set up Rogers SIM cards and eSIM for reliable data, call, and text service during trips around Canada.
For tourists looking to visit Canada, Freedom Mobile SIM cards and eSIM are a handy solution for staying in touch. In this article, we will explore how visitors can get and activate Freedom SIM cards and eSIM for secure cellular data, call, and message services during their trips around this stunning country.
The portable Wifi hotspot fits in your pocket for unlimited browsing, texting, maps, and much more wherever you go in Canada.
Bell Mobility is one of Canada’s leading mobile network carriers due to its extensive coverage across the nation.
Telus Mobility offers one of Canada’s largest 4G/LTE networks and provides prepaid SIM cards and eSIM plans tailored specifically for tourists.