Fido is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) of Rogers, running on the same network. As a flanker brand of the Canadian carrier, Fido supports a handful of affordably priced plans as an alternative to Rogers' more premium-priced offerings. Fido offers three data-supported plans with Canada-wide calling and no contracts on a BYOD term.
Recently, I spent a month testing Fido's services and sought out the best phone plans supplied by the carrier. What I found was a small balance of affordability and usability. Fido fits into the niche of being cheaper than the Big Three. The carrier provides 4G LTE plans with standardized inclusions as well as add-ons for hotspot access.
Here's a quick breakdown of what I consider to be Fido's best plans.
- The best Fido plan is the 50GB Talk & Text plan, given its sizable data bucket for everyday users, nationwide calls and texts, and robust coverage in Canada.
- The 20GB Talk & Text plan is the best budget-friendly plan for a single line, with just enough data to support a lighter workflow, navigation tools, and social media.
- Fido's Talk & Text plan is a cheap alternative for someone who only needs Canada-wide talk and text without any data.
Read on for our full lineup of the best Fido plans, and learn which one is best to meet your needs.
Our picks for the best Fido plans
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Best overall plan 50GB Talk & Text → 50GB of 4G LTE data → Unlimited Canada-wide talk and text |
View at Fido |
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| Best cheap plan 20GB Talk & Text plan → Unlimited Canada-wide talk and text → Leverages Rogers' nationwide coverage |
View at Fido |
BEST Fido PLANS
1. Best unlimited plan: 50GB Talk & Text
View DetailsFido's 50GB Talk & Text plan strikes a nice balance between affordability and plan inclusions. With this plan, you get a sizeable 50GB of 4G LTE data to use each month with Canada-wide talk and text communications all for $55/month.
Reasons to buy
- 50GB of data
- Unlimited Canada-wide talk and text
- Leverages Rogers' nationwide coverage
Reasons to avoid
- Limited to 4G LTE
- Hotspot access is an additional cost
Why it's the best Fido plan
- 50GB of 4G LTE data is enough to support social media browsing, email access, and some light streaming during your commutes or while passing the time while off Wi-fi.
- Fido throws in Canada-wide talk and text so you can communicate with friends, family, or anyone else in Canada. The plan also includes 500 international texts per month.
The bottom line
The 50GB Talk and Text plan served as the basis of my recent review of Fido's services. Over the course of a month, I put Fido through the wringer and found that the 50GB Talk and Text plan offered the best mix of data allotment while keeping the monthly cost affordable, especially when compared against Rogers, Bell or Telus.
2. Best cheap plan: 20GB Talk & Text
View DetailsAs of the time of writing, Fido's 20GB Talk and Text plan is the best plan to go with if you want to keep costs down. Sure, the carrier does offer a strict Talk and Text plan. But for a difference of $15/month, I'd recommend the 20GB Talk & Text plan as it'll keep you connected when off of Wi-Fi.
Reasons to buy
- Affordable monthly cost
- Unlimited Canada-wide talk and text
- Leverages Rogers' nationwide coverage
Reasons to avoid
- 20GB is limiting for data-heavy users
- Supports only 4G LTE
Why it’s the best best cheap plan from Fido
- Fido's 20GB Talk and Text plan provides just enough data that you can stay connected for navigation services while driving, keeping up with emails, or listening to Spotify while out walking.
- You get the same unlimited Canada-wide talk and text perks as the more expensive plans with 500 international texts.
The bottom line
In today's day and age, 20GB of data might not feel like enough. The 20GB Talk and Text plan isn't designed to power a traditional workflow while at a coffee shop, nor to power any major streaming sessions. With this in mind, if you're using minimal data each day, this is a wonderful substitution for the more expensive phone plans in Canada.
Why pick a Fido family plan?
Image: Fido
Fido offers coast-to-coast coverage in Canada, providing services to 97% of Canadians. The carrier runs on Rogers' national network, though it only sports 4G LTE services. Fido can be commonly found in major cities and densely populated areas. Running on Rogers' network, customers can expect reliable call performance and solid 4G LTE services, even in more rural sectors in Canada. This is especially true across Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.
From personal experience, Fido is fully functional in the bustling streets of Toronto, even underground in the subway system. Call quality didn't diminish when navigating between skyscrapers or while at the densely populated Eaton Centre. If there's one thing I can commend Fido, and subsequently Rogers, it is that the network is very reliable.
Our experience with Fido
Read his full Fido review.
Fido Plan Alternatives
Fido is one of the many flanker brands in Canada. As an alternative to the Big Three, Fido supports more affordable options, but isn't the only carrier to do so. If you're in the market for a new phone plan and want to avoid steeper costs, you can look at other MVNOs like Fizz Mobile, Lucky Mobile, or Koodo.
In some cases, you'll find even cheaper plans than Fido offers. You can even find alternatives that offer 5G services, exceeding Fido’s 4G LTE speeds.
Check out some of the standout alternatives to Fido below, or have a look at our Koodo review for more details on what's available.
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Koodo Mobile
$149 Prepaid 360 Day Plan
$149.00
Per 360 Day Top-up
+ $10 Upfront
|
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Public Mobile
$40 Unlimited Canada-US Talk + Text + 60GB
$40.00
+ $5 Upfront
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Fizz
Unlimited Minutes & Text Messaging + 25GB Data
$23.00/mth
+ $5 Upfront
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HOW TO EVALUATE
A Fido PLAN
Fido offers a small handful of plans to choose from with varying prices and data allotments. If you're considering signing up with Fido, ask these questions to make sure you find the best plan for your budget and needs.
What to look for
- How much data do I need? Fido supports three core data plans with varying data pools. Before purchasing a plan with the carrier, determine how much data you typically use each month. If you only lightly use data (like for emails or social media), you can opt for a cheaper plan. If you stream or hotspot occasionally, you may require more data.
- Are plan perks more important than price?
Unfortunately, Fido's plan perks are pretty sparse. The carrier gate keeps hotspot access behind a $5/month paywall. There are no service-based discounts or additions thrown in with your plan. Typically, Fido offers 3% cash back value with a Rogers Red credit card. So, if you're okay to forgo plan perks, Fido's reliable service offers a lot of value.
What to avoid
- Overpaying for the sake of data
- According to the CRTC, the average Canadian uses just over 10GB of wireless data per month. You know better than anyone if you're a heavy data user or not, so it's worth not going for the most expensive plan with the most data if you won't end up using it.
- You can also take a look at our Mobile Data Usage guide to get a better idea of how much data you might be comfortable with each month.
How we picked the best unlimited plans
Each of our plan picks is underpinned by extensive first-hand testing and review of Fido's features and performance. Our team evaluates phone plans based on the following criteria:
- Price & value: Not all cheap plans are “bad,” and not all expensive plans are worth it. We look at everything a plan includes and compare it both to other plans from the same carrier, as well as similar plans from competitors in the market, to determine whether the value is consistent with the price.
- High-speed data: Also called “premium” data, this is how much data you get at full 4G/5G speeds before they can or will slow down. The more guaranteed high-speed data the plan includes, the better experience you’ll generally have—but there’s also usually a limit to how much you actually need, and we recommend that you not overpay for data that you won't use.
- Coverage & network reliability: The breadth of each carrier’s 4G LTE and 5G networks determines your reception and service. Particularly in the case of 5G, some carriers offer far more robust coverage than others, which affects how their phone plans perform in different parts of the country.
- Plan extras & perks: In addition to the basics—talk, text, and data—some plans throw in freebies like hotspot allowances, cloud storage, entertainment subscriptions, or service discounts.
Our mobile experts have been customers of Fido who have tested the network extensively. In addition to running speed tests, tethering to the hotspot, and analyzing coverage reliability, we also leveraged proprietary data and real-world customer feedback to evaluate plan options, cost, and inclusions. We considered plan-specific elements, including perks, premium data allowances, and mobile hotspot allocations. After our hands-on testing and extensive research, we picked the best plans we feel meet the needs of most people.
Visit our guide to choosing a phone plan to dive deeper into how we evaluate plans and carriers, and how to pick the right plan for yourself or your family.
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