Even though there are more than a dozen different mobile carriers in Canada, Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus compete directly with each other in a way no others do. Phones, prices, and plans between the three carriers are often identical.
The competition is pretty close, but Koodo and Virgin Plus provide the best coverage across Canada. Virgin Plus is also the best for customer service, followed closely by Koodo and Fido. Koodo and Fido have the best extra features though.
WhistleOut helps you compare cell phones, plans, and prices. But what do you do when they all look the same?
Why do Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus Plans look the same?
Rogers, Telus, and Bell, or the Big Three, are Canada's three largest national wireless telecommunications companies. All three have high-speed, nationwide networks, but many of their wireless plans are expensive and designed for families who want to combine services.
Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus are all sub-brands of these three major carriers. Fido is owned by Rogers Wireless, Koodo Mobile is owned by Telus Mobility, and Virgin Plus is owned by Bell Mobility.
The three sub-brands have unique branding aimed at a younger, more independent demographic, offering lots of talk, text, and data for a low price. All three also have better customer service than the parent companies. You won't find family sharing plans or bundling, but their nationwide deals are usually the best balance of low cost and lots of data.
Pricing and value often shift up and down in line with each other. When one changes prices or phone plan details, the other two quickly follow within days. For example, Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus all offer a 10GB plan for the exact same price, $55/month. In addition, each provider’s 4GB plan costs $41.25/month. Check out the table below to compare pricing for each carrier.Pricing for Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus plans
| Data Plans | Fido | Koodo | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250MG | — | $15/month | $15/month |
| 2GB | $37.50/month | $37.50/month | — |
| 3GB | — | $35/month | $35/month |
| 4GB | $41.25/month | $41.25/month | $41.25/month |
| 6GB | $45/month | — | $45/month |
| 10GB | $55/month | $55/month | $55/month |
| 20GB | $60/month | $60/month | $50/month |
| 30GB | $65/month | $65/month | $55/month |
Network coverage, reliability, and customer service
Fido runs on the Rogers wireless network with coverage for 97% of Canadians, and Fido Mobile can offer high-speed LTE almost everywhere in Canada. In remote areas where high-speed fails, your phone will drop down to older GSM and EDGE technologies which are supported by a large variety of phones.
All modern smartphones will work on Fido without issues. According to J.D. Power surveys, the Rogers wireless network ranks average in reliability compared to Telus and Bell. Customer Care satisfaction places Fido above Bell, Rogers, and Telus, but below the competition from Virgin Plus and Koodo.
Bell and Telus share the same LTE network as their sub-brands, Virgin Plus and Koodo. With claimed coverage for over 99% of the population and a nationwide 4G LTE, modern smartphones should have no trouble finding a signal.
Although they share cell towers with Bell, the Telus Mobility network rates the highest in reliability, so Koodo has an edge here. Virgin Plus scores slightly ahead of Koodo when it comes to customer service, but together both carriers score in the top two places annually in overall customer satisfaction.
All three major networks offer 5G connectivity, but only for premium customers at Rogers, Bell, and Telus. Neither Fido, Koodo, nor Virgin Plus currently offers 5G to their customers. Instead, these carriers utilize 4G LTE connectivity. Customers on Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus will probably have to wait until at least 2024 for 5G coverage.
Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus’ network coverage
| Carrier | 4G LTE coverage | Total network coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Fido | 97% of Canadians | 28% of the map |
| Koodo | 99% of Canadians | 37% of the map |
| Virgin Plus | 99% of Canadians | 36% of the map |
Below you’ll find an interactive coverage map for each provider’s parent brand. Choose Rogers to see Fido’s coverage, Telus to see Koodo’s, and Bell to see Virgin Plus’ coverage.
Exclusive benefits
Choosing a mobile carrier gets you more than talk time and data. You also can get free access to public WiFi networks, exclusive contests or discounts, and promotions on new phones.
Fido exclusives
+5 Hours of Data: All Fido Data, Talk, and Text plans include five extra hours of unlimited data to use every month. This data is separate from your plan’s initial data allotment, and you can use it however you’d like. You must also download the Fido My Account app to use the service.
Refer a Friend: Fido's Refer a Friend program allows you to earn money back for recommending Fido's service to your friends.
Fido XTRA: Fido offers a variety of perks, from giveaways to discounts and exclusives on the Fido app. For example, in March, 10 customers will win a year of Fido service for free.
Data Overage Protection: There are no unlimited data plans, but if you hit your data cap, Fido automatically turns off the internet taps. You won't get charged any unexpected overage fees, and adding one-time data packs is a simple phone call away.
Koodo exclusives
$25 + $25 Credit: Refer a friend to activate a new account and you both get a credit of $50. If you're a new subscriber, find a friend who's already on Koodo to take advantage of this offer.
Shock-Free® Data: Get text messages when you're getting close to your data limit. They'll also pause your data if you hit the cap so you never get unexpected overage charges.
Pick Your Perk: Select plans allow you to add a perk to your plan, such as rollover data, unlimited international texting, or premium voicemail. You can choose a different perk each month or keep the same one long-term.
Virgin Plus Member Benefits
My Benefits: All Virgin Plus customers can access Member Benefits, with everyday deals and discounts on food, fashion, and entertainment.
Deals on a new phone
Although Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus all have the same prices and plans for new customers when you BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone), signing up for a 2-year contract can allow you to walk out of the store with a brand new device for as little as $0 down.
Pair financing plans with postpaid smartphone plans, usually starting as low as $45/month. Virgin Plus and Fido sell new smartphones on a 0% financing plan over two years. You can usually upgrade or downgrade to qualifying plans with no additional fee at any time during the two years, but you can't switch to a prepaid plan without first paying off the phone’s balance. Both carriers offer a wide variety of recently released premium, midrange, and low-end smartphone options.
Koodo uses a Tab system for new phone purchases. While it's more friendly toward consumers, it's a bit more complicated. Prices are spread over two years and may cost less in the long run compared to buying the phone outright. However, if you cancel your plan or downgrade during the 24-month term, you may need to pay out the balance on the full retail version of the phone. If you only have a few months left in your contract, waiting may be worth it.
If you buy on a two-year plan, add a calendar reminder for yourself. After two years, you have paid off your new device but may still be paying for that phone. New financing and tab contracts result in a lower bill after two years, However, suppose you are currently on a contract where the carrier subsidizes the price of your phone. In that case, you may still be paying for a phone you’ve already paid off.
If you're with Fido or Virgin Plus, switch immediately to a BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) plan. You'll get the same features and save at least $10/month. If you're on Koodo, your monthly Tab fee will disappear from your bill.
Is Fido, Koodo, or Virgin Plus the best cell phone company?
For coverage and customer service, Koodo and Virgin Plus rate slightly ahead of Fido. Both run on a larger and more reliable network than Fido. All three feature the best customer service in Canada.
When factoring in extra features, Fido and Koodo are the best carriers when it comes to perks offered, such as five hours of extra data with Fido or pick your perk options with Koodo.
If you plan to offset the cost of a new phone over two years, Koodo has the best deal on new cell phones with their Tab plans.
Overall, Koodo is the best cell phone company based on the providers’ reliable 4G LTE network, customer service, extra features, and phone deals.
Regional competition
Saskatchewan, Quebec, and other provinces have strong competition from local wireless carriers. There are often great deals in these regions not found anywhere else.
- SaskTel Cell Phone Plans (Saskatchewan only)
- Videotron Cell Phone Plans (Quebec only)
- Fizz Mobile Cell Phone Plans (Quebec and Ottawa only)
- Freedom Mobile Phone Plans (B.C., Alberta and Ontario only)
- Shaw Mobile Cell Phone Plans (B.C. and Alberta only)
Residents of these provinces may find that a regional carrier with low-cost plans is a good option. Primary coverage by regional carriers may be limited to one or more provinces, but you still get nationwide coverage on partner networks. If you spend most of your time in these primary coverage areas, then you can save a lot every year on feature-rich plans with low monthly rates.
FAQs
Which is the best cell phone provider, Koodo, Fido, or Virgin Plus?
The best cell phone provider is Koodo based on its reliable 4G LTE network, customer service, extra features, and deals on phones. Neither Fido or Virgin Plus can match Koodo’s upside in these areas.
Who has better coverage, Koodo, Fido, or Virgin Plus?
Virgin Plus and Koodo have better coverage than Fido, covering 99% of all Canadians. The providers’ parent companies, Bell and Telus, share many of the same cell towers.
Does Koodo, Fido, or Virgin Plus offer 5G connectivity?
No, neither Koodo, Fido, nor Virgin Plus offer 5G connectivity. Instead, they offer 4G LTE coverage.
What’s the difference between Fido and Koodo?
The difference between Fido and Koodo is that they run on different networks from two of the top telecom companies in the country. Rogers owns Fido, while Telus owns Koodo. Both Fido and Koodo offer similar services and coverage.
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