Brad and I spent 4 months exploring all of Canada in our campervan, and it was AMAZING, from the epic road trips, stunning national parks, and famous attractions (I'm looking at you Niagara Falls), there was SO much to see and do in this epic country.
BUT, one of the minor downfalls?
Just how darn expensive the data was out there! It was actually on our trip to Canada that I first discovered eSIMS, and I'm so happy I did, because living in campervan, it was imperative we had internet to navigate our way across the country, and continue to work online!
So below I take you through the best eSIMS for Canada, including the ones I've used!
Standard SIM cards have been around for years now, and changing to local SIMS have always been a popular option for travelers when heading abroad.
However this can end up being quite a costly decision, especially given local costs and the time spent finding a good one (or paying substantially more is using roaming on your current SIM from your own country).
This has led to the development of the eSIM, which is a digital version of the traditional SIM Card.
With an eSIM, everything is stored digitally inside your phone, meaning you don’t need to worry about losing the small chips when not in use, nor having to open up your phone to change them.
As well as being more physically practical, it also makes things much smoother when traveling abroad. Since you can buy and prepare everything online before you leave, this means that when you arrive in a new country you can immediately connect to a local network just by clicking a button.
Very easy we must say!
iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS, XS Max, XR
iPhone SE (2020, 2022)
Apple watch series 3, 4, 5 and 6
Apple watch SE
All iPads with 4G connectivity that have come out since 2018 support eSIM:
iPad Pro 11″ (model A2068, from 2020)
iPad Pro 12.9″ (model A2069, from 2020)
iPad Air (model A2123, from 2019)
iPad (model A2198, from 2019)
iPad Mini (model A2124, from 2019)
Galaxy S22, S22+ 5G, S22 Ultra 5G
Galaxy S21, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra 5G
Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra
Galaxy Note 20, 20+, 20 Ultra
Galaxy Fold, Fold 2, Fold 3
Galaxy Z Flip, Flip 3
Samsung Watch (through Samsung wearable application)
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G or 5G is not compatible with eSIM.
Google Pixel 2 (only phones bought with Google Fi service), 2 XL
Google Pixel 3 (not including phones bought in Australia, Taiwan or Japan. Phones bought with US or Canadian carriers other than Spring and Google Fi don't work with eSIM), 3a (not including phones bought in Japan or with Verizon service), 3a XL, 3 XL
Google Pixel
Google Pixel 4, 4a, 4 XL
Google Pixel 5, 51
Google Pixel 6, 6 plus
Huawei P40, Huawei P40 Pro, Huawei Mate 40 Pro (The Huawei P40+ is not compatible with an eSIM)
Oppo Find X5, X5 Pro, X3 Pro
Oppo Reno 5A, Reno 6 Pro 5G
Sony Xperia 10 IV, 10 III Lite
Honor Magic 4 Pro
Fairphone 4
Motorola Razr 2019
Nuu Mobile X5
Gemini PDA
Rakuten Mini
Microsoft Surface Duo
All in all, the majority of mobile phones can support an eSIM, which gives you access to a large variety of benefits when compared with using a traditional SIM Card.
You may even be able to manage multiple eSIMS at the same time, which is great if heading on longer, multi-region trips.
If your current phone isn’t on this list, then most likely it will not be compatible with an eSIM.
This is always an option, and previously had been the main way for users to connect to the internet abroad whilst still using their same SIM Card.
Also known as Roaming, it can end up becoming costly very quickly if you tend to use a lot of data.
You could spend over $15-25 a day if you’re not careful, and especially so if watching films or using your phone for other bandwidth-heavy activities.
It’s also important to know that your home network may not be able to guarantee a consistent, high-speed connection when abroad.
Many times your plan can drop down to 3G, and may even lose signal in some of the lesser-connected regions.
If you do end up using your phone's regular SIM a lot when abroad, you might even get capped by your provider which incurs extra costs or a slower internet speed. Whenever I use O2 abroad, I am capped at around 25 GB and they will throttle my speed if I’m using it a lot.
They will also charge me more if I hotspot my connection to another device.
In a crowded eSIM market, how can a company truly stand out? Firsty has the answer: free global data!
That’s right, Firsty believes everyone should have access to global data without the hassle of switching eSIMs or purchasing expensive data bundles every time you enter a new location.
Firsty seamlessly connects you to every mobile provider worldwide as soon as you touch down.
Firsty offers two unique plans: "Free" and "Fast."
Free Plan: Provides basic global data connection at no cost.
Fast Plan: Offers high-speed data at local rates, which can be up to 60 times cheaper than traditional international bundles.
Plus, it's only €1 per day.
And here's the kicker—you don’t even need a credit card to get started.
Remember to use code **DBTF5** to get an extra 5% off!
Right now, Firsty is available in 70 countries, with plans to expand even further.
First on our list of Canadian eSIMS we have Maya Mobile, who are one of our personal favorites.
Operating in over 190 countries across the globe, Maya offers some of the best value eSIMS along with a whole host of different benefits.
This includes having a stable 4G/5G connection around the majority of Canada, meaning you can easily enjoy seeing the sights whilst staying connected.
They offer a variety of eSIMS depending on the duration of your trip and what you need, and their cheapest plan costs $3.00 and gives you 1 GB for a maximum of 5 days.
Their MAX Travel eSIM is their most expensive option, which costs $112.00 and lasts for 30 days. The best part of this plan is that it includes unlimited data, which can also be hotspotted too (ideal for those who will work on their laptop or who want to share data with friends and family on the trip).
Maya also offer a Money Back Guarantee on all of their eSIMS, which means you’ll be fully covered in case it fails or is incompatible with your device.
Next we have Holafly, who are another global powerhouse for eSIMS and also offer some great value eSIMS in Canada.
This is one of the few companies that include unlimited data with all of their plans, making it easier to both compare options as well as knowing you will always be getting the best value possible.
Holafly also allows for hotspotting and tethering with other devices when in Canada, however there is a daily limit of 500 MB to be aware of.
As mentioned all of their plans include unlimited data, so where they do vary is in terms of the duration of the eSIM. For example their cheapest plan costs $27.00 and lasts for 5 Days.
Those who will be traveling for longer throughout Canada will prefer their 20 Day plan, which costs $54.00.
One of the biggest benefits of going with Holafly is that they provide Regional Plans which will also cover you in the USA and Mexico. Their maximum length is the 90 Day plan, which gives you unlimited data throughout all three countries for $214.00.
Airalo is another awesome eSIM provider who has to make our list for the best eSIMS in Canada. They are also a highly experienced company who operate in over 200 countries across the planet.
One of the biggest benefits of choosing Airalo is the fact that you’ll have access to their easy-to-use and useful app, where you can track data usage as well as top-up with any new plans with just a quick click.
Their cheapest plan costs $4.50, and includes 1 GB for a duration of 7 Days. Their maximum plan for Canada costs $38.00, which includes 20 GB and lasts for 30 Days.
Airalo is also another company who provides regional plans for North America, which is perfect for travelers heading on a longer trip throughout these countries. This includes not just Canada, but also the USA and Mexico (all with high speed connections).
Their longest plan runs for 30 Days and includes 10 GB, and has a cost of $46.00. It’s also good to know that Airalo provides Global Plans too, which covers you in 124 countries (including Canada).
Lastly we now have BNESIM, who are another popular eSIM provider currently used in over 200 countries across the globe.
They are one of the more flexible eSIM providers that we have come across, offering data plans for daily or monthly users, or even a pay as you go plan too.
BNESIM also allows you to hotspot and tether your data, which is a major plus for those who will work remotely or want to hotspot to other devices.
All of their plans are rolling monthly subscriptions, which you can choose to deactivate at any time.
If just traveling around Canada, then their cheapest option is $3.30 which gives you 1 GB for 30 Days. Data heavy users can pay $41.03 for 20 GB, which also lasts for a duration of 30 Days.
BNESIM also provides a North American Plan, which for $94.39 gives you 20 GB for 30 Days (in Canada, USA and Mexico).
They also have a Global Plan which covers you in over 100 countries, which costs $141.58 and gives you 20 GB for 30 Days.
And that’s all for our guide on the best eSIMS to use when traveling to Canada.
eSIMS really are a vital tool when traveling abroad. Gone are the days where you needed to spend lots on roaming costs and deal with lagging connections, where you can now have both a cheap and rapid local connection wherever you travel in Canada.
You can also find a variety of plans which will suit your own particular browsing needs, where data heavy users can also find options which allow for hotspotting to their other devices.
In this guide we’ve covered why using an eSIM is much better than a traditional SIM card, as well as 5 of the best eSIM companies you can use when in Canada.
Which eSIM do you think you’re getting for your next trip?
Do you have a particular brand that we haven’t included?
Comment below and let us know your thoughts!
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