Canada: 10 Best eSIMs Compared + Discounts (2023)

Canada – known for its scenery, love for ice hockey & moose that do not mind messing up your car.

Being the second-largest country behind Russia, Canada has a lot to offer.

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park (Alberta) is just stunning – especially if you canoe through it.

If you plan on visiting Vancouver (British Columbia), you better have a slow walk through Stanley Park.

Of course, you have to go to the CN Town if you go to Toronto (Ontario).

And the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City is a must-see.

And this is just a short list of recommendations – there are whole sites out there that have even more suggestions – Canada is just that cool (literally).

But the country is not one of your budget-friendly travel destinations, like countries in Southeast Asia, for example.

In fact, it can be an expensive country – especially domestic flights.

What else, mobile data rates for prepaid customers are close to criminal in Canada – they are one of the highest in the world.

You think mobile data was expensive in the United States? The US is cheap compared to Canada.

But before you share your colorful Canada experiences online, be aware that international roaming can be expensive.

Travel eSIMs can be a much more affordable way to stay connected, especially in Canada.

How much will a travel eSIM for Canada cost?

You can get an eSIM for Canada for as low as 6 USD up to 44 USD from Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad offering between 1 GB and 20 GB of data to be used locally, in the Americas, or globally.

While this may sound a bit pricey but international roaming will be even more expensive.

So yeah, these travel eSIMs can be worth it – especially if you favor convenience.

In this guide, I will go over the travel eSIM options offered by Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad. Let's go.

Original publication: 23rd of September 2022. Last updated: 25th of May 2023.

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Table of Contents

In a Hurry? A Quick Introduction

I will write about ten eSIM options in Canada (and explain why they are included).

But if you want to want to quickly check out what the best eSIMs are for Canada without my analysis and explanations, here is an overview of the eSIMs covered in this guide:

• Canadian mobile operators (four offer eSIMs to prepaid customers – read more in my Canada SIM card buying guide)
• Airalo Tuque Mobile eSIM with five choices between 1 GB and 10 GB (best value for money)
• Alosim Canada eSIM with five choices between 1 GB and 10 GB (priced roughly the same as Airalo with a bit more options)
• Holafly Canada eSIM with two choices between 10 GB and 20 GB (straight to the point eSIM options)
• Nomad Canada eSIM with eight choices between 1 GB and 10 GB (best value for money… too)
• Airalo Discover Global eSIM with five choices between 1 GB and 20 GB (reasonable global coverage (85+ countries) at attractive prices) – read my ongoing Airalo Discover Global eSIM review too!
• AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM through SimOptions with 5G NR access in Canada with one 6 GB option (eSIM with the most 5G NR supported countries (50/123) at a reasonable price but with a short validity)

The eSIM providers are in alphabetical order per grouping (Canada-only, regional & global) – not in order of preference (you would have to read the complete guide to find out which eSIMs I love the most for Canada 😜).

Let's truly get started, shall we?

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eSIMs offered by Canadian Mobile Operators

Suppose you want to get the best service and reception available in Canada.

In that case, it is better to get a SIM card or travel eSIM from the local mobile operators, which in this case would be the Canadian ones.

Not only will you not have to deal with latency, but you also get a higher priority on the network because you are a direct customer of the mobile operator instead of a roamer.

And with most travel eSIMs, you are roaming on the network(s) of the local mobile operator(s).

But that is not always the case – the slow speeds part, that is.

Some mobile operators throttle the speeds of prepaid customers because they want more people to get a postpaid plan.

Unfortunately, travelers cannot get postpaid plans – so one way to avoid throttling is by using a travel eSIM.

Yes – travel eSIMs sometimes have faster speeds than native prepaid customers because of throttling.

So, which Canadian mobile operators offer eSIMs to prepaid customers?

Currently, Telus, Bell Canada, Koodo & Virgin Plus offer eSIMs to prepaid customers.

However, you have these three options for getting an eSIM for your trip to Canada: Airalo (with Tuque Mobile), Alosim, Holafly & Nomad.

One of the main advantages of getting a travel eSIM for Canada is that you can set up the eSIM before arriving in Canada and activate it upon landing (with most eSIMs listed in this guide).

I have to mention that travel eSIMs will be more expensive than local eSIMs and SIM cards, but they are more convenient.

Moreover, I have plenty of experience with the eSIMs from Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad, so I can vouch for them – so can many Phone Travel Wiz readers!

So let's go over what the travel eSIMs offer for Canada!

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Airalo eSIMs for Canada (Tuque Mobile)

If you have read any of my eSIM or SIM card buying guides before, then you know I am a big fan of Airalo.

Not only does Airalo have eSIMs for most countries (200+) of any eSIM platform, but they are also often one of the cheapest while offering fantastic service in terms of speeds and reception.

That is because Airalo usually partners up with the mobile operator with the best coverage, the fastest speeds, both, or even multiple operators.

That way, you get the best bang for your buck 🤑.

Wait… you have no idea who or what Airalo is? I have an in-depth review explaining how Airalo works and all its options, based on four years of using Airalo eSIMs – you can read it now or later (I will briefly introduce Airalo anyway in this guide).

Back to Canada, the Airalo Tuque Mobile uses the Bell Canada, Telus & SaskTel networks.

Tip: I recommend manually selecting the Telus or Koodo networsk instead of Telus for the best network performance (best coverage and fastest speed).

You have five Tuque Mobile eSIM options:

1. Canada/Tuque Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 6 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Canada/Tuque Mobile 2 GB eSIM for 15 days (new), costing 11 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Canada/Tuque Mobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 15 USD
4. Canada/Tuque Mobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 18 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Canada/Tuque Mobile 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17^th of May (2023 data only).

I can already tell you that Airalo has the cheapest eSIM options for Canada in this guide.

Moreover, you will have one of the, if not the best, best network experience with the Airalo Tuque Mobile eSIM compared to some/most other travel eSIMs because of the networks the eSIM uses.

What makes things even more pleasant is that you can top up your eSIM when it is expiring or when you are out of data without the need to purchase a new eSIM.

But you may think that a local SIM card or eSIM will (still) be cheaper than Airalo or any other travel eSIM.

And you are right – that is true in most cases.

But with some countries making getting a prepaid SIM card a hassle, involving long queues, excessive registration requirements, and long activation periods, the (slightly) higher prices for an Airalo eSIM can be worth it.

• Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)

So while you technically could get cheaper plans, the question is whether you can actually get them or not.

Most mobile operators will only sell you (overpriced) tourist SIM cards or the most expensive plans because of “mandatory top-up requirements” (which are often lies to take more of your money anyway).

Anyway, you should be aware that while you can get up to 4G/LTE connection with the Airalo Tuque Mobile eSIM, your speeds will most likely not be faster than someone using a local SIM card.

That is because you are roaming on the Bell Canada, Telus & SaskTel networks instead of being a native customer.

Anyway, the Airalo Tuque Mobile eSIM is an eSIM LOVED by many Phone Travel Wiz readers, and the complaints about it are minimal.

The eSIMs are affordable, the data allowances can be tailored to your needs (1 GB to 10 GB + top-ups are available) & you will have a smooth network experience (in most cases).

I test and use Airalo's eSIMs in every country I go to, so you better check out my Airalo eSIM reviews and see if I have written a review for the eSIM you are interested in.

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Alosim eSIMs for Canada

Alosim is a young eSIM provider covering 130+ countries.

Not only have I only started using its eSIMs, but they have been up and running for more than a year.

For the eSIM industry… that makes Alosim a veteran 🗿.

One thing I like about Alosim is that its eSIMs have 5G NR access in popular destinations.

Unfortunately, that is not the case for Canada yet… but that could change soon 😏.

I include Alosim in my eSIM guides for the Americas because they are reasonably priced.

The Americas, except for Canada, Mexico & the United States, is a difficult region for eSIM providers to enter and to offer reasonably priced eSIMs, I have been told by many eSIM providers.

There is an eSIM provider, Instabridge, charging 515 USD for 5 GB for Honduras… yeah… and they wonder why I do not want promote them 🤡.

Luckily, that is not the case with AloSIM, which uses the Bell Canada network.

You have five Alosim Canada eSIM options:

1. Canada 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 6 USD
2. Canada 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 11 USD
3. Canada 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 15 USD
4. Canada 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 18 USD
5. Canada 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD

Getting an Alosim eSIM is straightforward and so is installing it.

Just note that you have to manually change the Access Point Name (APN) to alosim instead of the default one, as in the screenshot below.

Fortunately, the installation page mentions this too, but it is still something that does not have to be done often with most eSIM providers.

Resulting in you thinking the eSIM does not work, even though it will when you change the settings.

But besides that, Alosim has one of the cheapest eSIM plans for the Americas!

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Holafly eSIMs for Canada

Another eSIM provider I recommend is Holafly, which covers 150+ countries.

In June 2022, Holafly introduced something that no other travel eSIM provider had done by that time (that I am aware of).

You can now get unlimited data plans in all European Union member states, many East- and Southeast Asian countries & a handful of others.

Wait… there is an eSIM provider offering unlimited data plans, and I (you reading this) have never heard of it? Who is Holafly? 🤔

I have an in-depth review explaining how Airalo works and all its options, based on two years of using Holafly eSIMs – you can read it now or later (I will briefly introduce Holafly anyway in this guide).

Unfortunately, unlimited data plans are unavailable in Canada for now, but Holafly informed me it intends to have unlimited data eSIMs for all supported countries (but it will take a while).

What about myself? I have yet to be throttled, it seems. But unlike most travelers, I usually have multiple local SIM cards and travel eSIMs for testing purposes while I travel, so I can spread out my data usage among them. For countries without unlimited data plans, Holafly does not throttle speeds at all.

In Canada, Holafly's eSIM uses the Bell Canada and Telus networks.

You have the following two Canada eSIM options with Holafly:

1. Canada 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 34 USD/34 EUR/27 GBP/49 AUD/44 CAD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Canada 20 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 44 USD/44 EUR/34 GBP/64 AUD/57 CAD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17^th of May (2023 data only).

Yes, these are not the cheapest eSIMs out there.

Do note that the Holafly Canada eSIM cannot be topped up or extended.

So you need to buy another eSIM when you are out of data or the eSIM expires; you have to purchase a new one.

And do not install the eSIM (by scanning the QR code or manually entering the activation code) too early – preferably.

But… you can get 5% off each and any Holafly purchase (so it does not have to be the Canada eSIM) when you use code PHONETRAVELWIZ – fantastic, right 🤩?

I test and use Holafly's eSIMs in every country I go to, so you better check out my Holafly eSIM reviews and see if I have written a review for the eSIM you are interested in.

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Nomad eSIMs for Canada

Another eSIM provider I recommend is Nomad, which provides eSIMs for more than 110 countries.

And no, I am not talking about the (digital) Nomad lifestyle, but Nomad eSIMs! (Check out my Nomad review to learn more about all its options).

Previously, I implied that Nomad eSIMs in the Americas, including the Canada ones, were mediocre.

And they used to be.

But since then, Nomad dropped its prices, switched to a better roaming partner & improved its overall service.

It may have been because I complained… but still 🤫.

In most countries in the Americas, Nomad partners with Truphone – a global connectivity carrier.

For some reason, Truphone is secretive about the local network(s) it uses (and its partners are not allowed to disclose it either).

Nowadays, it is a bit better but only for a handful of countries (not in most of the Americas).

But that is not the biggest issue with Truphone in this region – it is crazy expensive over here.

Nomad has to charge 25 USD for 1 GB of data because Truphone charges them that much (and it used to be only 20 USD until February or March 2023).

Many eSIM providers use Truphone for their eSIMs, and you will see they charge roughly the same…. because Truphone sets the prices.

Luckily, Nomad managed to find a different partner in Canada, allowing for competitively priced eSIMs here (which is why I mention Nomad in this guide – else, I would have omitted it).

In Canada, Nomad's eSIMs use the Bell Canada, Telus & SaskTel networks.

You have the following eight Nomad Canada eSIM options:

1. Canada 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (Rogers), costing 7 USD/6.50 EUR/6 GBP/9.50 CAD
2. Canada 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (Bell / Telus / Rogers), costing 9 USD/8.50 EUR/7.50 GBP/12.50 CAD
3. Canada 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (Rogers), costing 12 USD/11.50 EUR/10 GBP/16.50 CAD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Canada 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (Bell / Telus / Rogers), costing 18 USD/17 EUR/14.50 GBP/24.50 CAD
5. Canada 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (Rogers), costing 19 USD/18 EUR/15.50 GBP/26 CAD
6. Canada 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (Bell / Telus / Rogers), costing 25 USD/23.50 EUR/20.50 GBP/34 CAD
7. Canada 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (Rogers), costing 28 USD/26 EUR/23 GBP/38 CAD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. Canada 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (Bell / Telus / Rogers), costing 45 USD/42 EUR/36.50 GBP/61 CAD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in April based on data up to the 19^th of April.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.70 EUR/2.40 GBP/4.05 CAD off your first eSIM (even on top of (some) ongoing promotions)!

But during certain promotions where you are required to enter a code for a discount (let's say Tuesdays by using code NOMADTUE (web sales only) or public holidays), the discount you get for these special promotions will be more than the 3 USD off with codes ADU123. I suggest using those code instead for extra savings – I will not blame you for it 😏.

Of course, you can also top up your Nomad Canada eSIM on the Nomad site or apps.

But you should not buy your eSIMs way in advance because you have 30 days to activate them before it activates themselves.

So let's say you get a 30-day eSIM – you would have 60 days to take advantage of it before it expires.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of this policy, as many eSIM providers (in this guide) do not have such restrictions.

Although I am happy that Nomad is upfront about this when you buy any of its eSIMs – it is not hidden.

Plus, upon repeated requests, Nomad is slowly adding unlimited data plans to its assortment (currently limited to Asia and Europe, but the Americas will be tackled too eventually 🤩).

And it plans on finding a new partner in the rest of the Americas so that you do not have to pay 25 USD for 1 GB anymore 🗿.

I test and use Nomad's eSIMs in most countries I go to (except for the countries where the prices are still criminal), so you better check out my Nomad eSIM reviews and see if I have written a review for the eSIM you are interested in.

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Best eSIMs for the Americas & the World (including Canada)

So what if you plan to visit a neighboring country of Canada?

Unfortunately, you cannot use your Airalo, Alosim, Holafly, or Nomad eSIMs in any country than Canada.

Luckily, some of the eSIM providers mentioned so far do have eSIMs that can be used throughout most or all of the Americas.

And there are also some global eSIMs with attractive prices that can be useful if you visit the Americas and another continent or region.

I highly recommend these Americas or global eSIMs if you plan to visit multiple American countries to save money!

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Airalo Discover Global eSIM

Airalo was probably the first eSIM provider to introduce a global eSIM, called Discover Global.

This eSIM can be used in 85+ countries, including Canada, often offering up to 4G/LTE reception and speeds (also in Canada).

The Airalo Discover Global eSIM can be used in the following 85+ countries:

You have these five Airalo Discover Global eSIMs:

1. Discover Global 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 9 USD
2. Discover Global 3 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 24 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Discover Global 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Discover Global 10 GB eSIM for 60 days, costing 59 USD
5. Discover Global 20 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 89 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17^th of May (2023 data only).

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AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM (5G NR access in Canada)

SimOptions also sells a global eSIM: AIS eSIM2FLY Global.

And it can be used in a total of 123 countries for 15 days – 50 of them with 5G NR access including Canada.

The AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM can be used in the following countries:

¹ with 5G NR access

If you get this eSIM from SimOptions, which I recommend, you will pay 39.90 USD for it.

The main issue I have with the AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM is that it has a short validity.

Making it hard to call it an actual global eSIM… unless you can somehow visit 123 countries within 15 days 🧐.

Still, it is a relatively affordable global eSIM covering 120+ countries… with 5G NR access!

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Overview of the Best eSIMs for Canada

So, we reviewed some eSIMs that can be used in Canada.

I will give you a quick recap of each and link to their product pages in case you need more info or want to purchase an eSIM already (just remember the activation policies of Holafly, Nomad & SimOptions – do not buy their eSIMs too early):

• Airalo Tuque Mobile eSIM (best value for money)
• Alosim Canada eSIM (priced roughly the same as Airalo with a bit more options)
• Holafly Canada eSIM (straight to the point eSIM options)
• Nomad Canada eSIM (best value for money… too)
• Airalo Discover Global eSIM (reasonable global coverage (85+ countries) at attractive prices)
• AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM through SimOptions with 5G NR access in Canada (eSIM with the most 5G NR supported countries (50/123) at a reasonable price but with a short validity)

Remember to use code the relevant discount codes for (ADU123 (Nomad) or PHONETRAVELWIZ (others)).

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Buying a SIM Card in Canada

Want to just use a SIM card but not your current one because roaming will be criminally expensive?

Consider getting a Canadian SIM card instead – local SIM cards are the cheapest way to stay connected abroad.