Students need many things during their time at university, but the most important thing is a reliable phone plan. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find cell phone plans in Canada that are both reliable And affordable. That’s where we come in.
We’ve been monitoring the cell phone market since 2008 and have learned to evaluate great deals that can save you money. Each year, we round up the best back-to-school deals and cell phone plans for college students, focusing on the options that help students stay connected and successful without breaking the bank.
The best cell phone plan for students in Canada is from Rogers, who are offering a limited-time back-to-school deal where you can get 100GB for just $49/month. We also have great options from Bell, Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile, and Koodo so you can find the option that best suits your needs.
This is how we selected the best mobile phone plans for students
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Price & Value
We’ve made sure you get the most for your money without sacrificing the essentials to stay connected. -
High-speed data
We checked that the amount of guaranteed “premium” data was appropriate for the price of the plan and alerted you if you were being overcharged for data you probably didn’t need. -
Coverage and network reliability
We evaluated each provider’s nationwide 4G LTE and 5G coverage to predict your quality of service no matter where you are on campus (or off). -
Plan extras and discounts
We’ve included perks like free Netflix, a powerful hotspot, or anything else that makes dorm life more bearable.
You can read more about our detailed methodology below.
Best Student Phone Plans in Canada for 2024
Best Student
Phone plans
Rogers | Unlimited 100GB Student Plan | $49/month
Why we like it:
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5G coverage in the country’s most reliable nationwide network -
Dozens of affordable phone financing options -
6 free months of Disney+
Canada’s best student plan – with 100GB of 5G data for just $49/month – is back for another semester.
Rogers has offered this plan for several years and we continue to call it the best student plan in the country. Customers with a valid student ID get a huge chunk of superfast 5G, reliable coverage, and unlimited talk and text.
Most people don’t need that much data. In fact, the average Canadian only uses about 6GB of data per month. Fortunately, Rogers offers a smaller option for students: half the data for $5 less per month.
Bell offers a nearly identical plan with 100GB of full-speed 5G data for $49/month, plus similar benefits like unlimited talk and text speeds and 24 free months of Crave Mobile.
We say “almost” identical because there are two important differences. The first is a positive for Bell: The carrier offers 5G+ in select urban areas, so you can get high-speed service even in crowded spaces like an arena. The other is a positive for Rogers: In a 2023 Umlaut report, Bell’s service lagged behind Rogers’.
If you’re looking for 5G+ or more extensive streaming, Bell is the best option. However, if you’re looking for more reliable overall coverage, we recommend Rogers, which is why we named it the best student plan in Canada.
Public Mobile | Unlimited calls across Canada + SMS + 50GB | $34/month
Why we like it:
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Cheap 5G data on the Telus network -
Monthly reward points -
Free eSIM
Public Mobile’s Premium plan offers students affordable high-speed service and low monthly rates.
We haven’t hidden our excitement about this plan. Since Public Mobile started offering 5G, we’ve consistently ranked it among the best phone plans in Canada. What’s good for the public is good for students: For $34/month, you get high-speed coverage on the nationwide Telus network, a free eSIM upon activation, and access to the Public Points rewards program, which lets you earn points that can be used to reduce your monthly costs.
Lucky Mobile | Unlimited calling plan across Canada | $27/month
Why we like it:
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Affordable 4G coverage in the nationwide Bell network -
Data bonus for students -
Several cheap phones available
This Bell MVNO offers solid 4G coverage and a 10GB data bonus for current students.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get on the big networks. Need proof? Then this student deal from Lucky, which operates on Bell’s nationwide 4G LTE network, is for you. For a limited time, students who activate the plan will receive a data bonus that equates to 35GB of data per month. Sure, the Rogers, Bell and Public plans mentioned above offer more monthly data, but most Canadians don’t need such large amounts. 35GB is more than enough for streaming, gaming and keeping up with your classes. (The latter is optional.)
Cheapest Student
Telephone plan
Koodo Mobile | Unlimited calling plan across Canada | $22/month
Why we like it:
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Cheap 4G data on the Telus network -
1 GB Auto-Pay Bonus -
No contract
Koodo allows students to keep costs low while gaining additional data.
There are cheaper plans in Canada, but this Koodo plan makes the most sense for students. You get 4G speeds, unlimited calls and texts, and a 1GB data bonus for every month you use Koodo’s auto-recharge. That’s a total of 5GB per month, which is just under the average Canadians use. If you’re someone who does most of their streaming and browsing over WiFi, this should be more than enough to get you through the semester.
How WhistleOut selects the best mobile phone plans for students
WhistleOut evaluates telephone tariffs based on the following criteria:
- Price & Value: Not all cheap plans are “bad” and not all expensive plans are worth the money. We look at everything a plan includes and compare it to other plans from the same provider and similar plans from competitors in the market to see if the value matches the price.
- High-speed data: Also called “premium” data. This is the amount of data you get at full 4G/5G speed before it can or will slow down. In general, the more guaranteed high-speed data the plan includes, the better your experience – but there’s also usually a limit to how much you actually need. We make sure you don’t overpay for data you leave unused.
- Coverage and network reliability: The breadth of each carrier’s 4G LTE and 5G networks will determine your reception and service. With 5G in particular, some carriers offer far better coverage than others, which impacts how their phone plans perform in different parts of the country.
- Plan extras and perks: In addition to the basic services (telephony, SMS and data), some tariffs offer free services such as hotspot quotas, cloud storage, entertainment subscriptions or service discounts.
Our mobile experts used proprietary data and real customer feedback to identify the best cell phone deals for students. We considered plan-specific elements, including discounts, premium data allowances and mobile hotspot allocations. After real-world testing and extensive research, including customer feedback, we chose the deals we believe will meet the needs of most students.
Check out our guide to choosing a phone plan to compare mobile phone providers or plans and find the one that best suits your specific needs.
