Best international phone plans: Roaming options for Canadian travellers

If you’re travelling from Canada, you might consider international phone plans to ensure you can use your phone abroad. This blog covers the best international phone plans for Canadian travellers from popular local providers like Bell, Telus, and Rogers. We’ll explore prices, coverage, extras, and even alternative ways to stay connected.

If you’re looking to avoid the extra roaming charges nightmare, keep a lookout for Holafly Plans – a monthly eSIM subscription plan with unlimited data plans in over 160 destinations. 

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Best international roaming plans Canada carriers offer

Getting an all-inclusive monthly plan is a good idea if you tend to travel internationally. While these plans tend to be pricey, they make sense in the long run, especially for frequent travellers. Canada’s major mobile providers, Rogers, Telus, and Bell, offer international phone plans and passes to help you use your phone abroad. 

Below, we cover each of these providers and their roaming options for Canadian tourists.

Bell international plans and passes

Bell international roaming covers travel through daily rates and fixed-duration passes. Bell international plans come as a roaming feature you add to your account rather than a separate monthly subscription, and you can use either on your Bell eSIM or a physical SIM card.

Roam Better 

Bell offers data roaming features with its main international phone plan, Roam Better. Once you add this to your account, you’ll be covered for all future trips to the U.S. and over 200 international destinations in regions such as Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. 

Roam Better costs $13 CAD per day in the United States and $16 CAD per day in over 200 other destinations. You get unlimited talk, unlimited text, and the data from your existing plan. Data runs at full speed up to 5 GB each day, then drops to 512 Kbps until midnight Eastern Time, when the allowance resets.

Bell charges you for a maximum of 20 days per billing period in the US, and a separate maximum of 20 days per billing period across all other destinations. Once you hit either cap, you keep the service at no further charge for the rest of that billing period.

Travellers searching for a Bell overseas plan will find no standalone monthly product, since Bell handles overseas coverage through Roam Better and its travel passes instead.

Bell Travel Passes

Bell also sells fixed-duration passes that override the Roam Better daily fee while active. Each one uses the data from your existing rate plan and adds unlimited talk and text within your destination and back to Canada.

• U.S. 3-day, $30 CAD
• U.S. 14-day, $60 CAD
• U.S. 30-day, $80 CAD
• Europe 7-day, $70 CAD
• Europe 14-day, $75 CAD
• Europe 30-day, $90 CAD
• Asia 14-day, $75 CAD
• Asia 30-day, $90 CAD
• Caribbean and Mexico 14-day, $70 CAD
• International 14-day, $100 CAD
• International 30-day, $120 CAD

Rates shown are for Ontario. Bell prices vary by region.

Rogers international phone plan options

Rogers international roaming runs on Roam Like Home, available to both Rogers eSIM and physical SIM card customers on eligible monthly plans. You can pay a daily rate for the days you use your phone, or buy a Travel Pass that covers a fixed block of days for one price.

To check whether you’re enrolled, text TRAVEL to 222 before you leave.

Roam Like Home daily rates

Rogers charges two separate daily rates, and they don’t overlap.

The US rate is $16 CAD per day and covers all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The international rate is $18 CAD per day across 180+ destinations, and it excludes the US, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. A traveller with a US stopover on the way to Europe pays both rates on any day they use their phone in both places.

Either rate gives you unlimited talk and text plus the data already included in your monthly plan. You’re only charged on days you make or answer a call, send a text, or use data.

Rogers Travel Passes

Travel Passes replace the daily fee for a set number of days. You can buy one up to 60 days before your trip, adjust the start date, or cancel if plans change. Each pass draws on the data, talk, and text from your existing plan rather than adding a separate allowance.

• U.S. 3-day – $25 CAD
• U.S. 7-day – $50 CAD
• U.S. 14-day – $60 CAD
• U.S. 30-day – $80 CAD
• International 3-day – $45 CAD
• International 7-day – $75 CAD
• International 14-day – $100 CAD
• International 30-day – $120 CAD

The International passes cover the same 180+ destinations as the daily rate, including the US, which makes them a better fit than the daily rate for multi-continent trips.

Cruise and land passes

Rogers also sells passes that combine ship and shore coverage, useful if your trip mixes a cruise with time on land.

• US, Mexico and Caribbean plus cruises, 3-day – $50 CAD
• US, Mexico and Caribbean plus cruises, 7-day – $100 CAD
• US, Mexico and Caribbean plus cruises, 10-day – $140 CAD
• US, Mexico and Caribbean plus cruises, 14-day – $190 CAD
• US, international and cruises, 10-day – $160 CAD

On cruise ships, data runs at the fastest available speed up to 1 GB per 24 hours, then drops to reduced speeds. The Caribbean passes cover Mexico and 31 Caribbean islands.

Telus international phone plan options

Telus international roaming works through Easy Roam, which you can use as a daily rate or as a fixed-duration Travel Pass. To check whether Easy Roam is on your account, text ROAM to 7626.

Easy Roam daily rates

Easy Roam costs $16 CAD per day in the United States and $18 CAD per day across 200+ international destinations. Both rates use the data, talk, and text from your existing monthly plan. Calls to Canada and to numbers within the country you’re visiting are included, and incoming texts don’t trigger the daily fee.

The rate applies until 11:59 PM in the time zone you’re travelling in, so a late-night arrival can cost you a full day’s fee for a few minutes of use.

Easy Roam Travel Passes

Passes remove the daily charge for a set period. Each one activates when you arrive and must be used within 30 days of being added to your account, or 45 days for the 30-day passes.

USA 3-day – $25 CAD
USA 7-day – $40 CAD
USA 14-day – $60 CAD
Global 14-day – $100 CAD
Global 30-day – $125 CAD

Telus also runs regional passes covering the Caribbean and Mexico, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Australia and New Zealand.

Roaming included with 5G+ Complete plans

Travellers on a Telus 5G+ Complete plan get Easy Roam from $5 CAD per day rather than the standard rate. The 5G+ Complete Explore tier goes further and includes data, talk, and text across Canada and in 68 international destinations at no daily charge, which suits anyone crossing a border several times a year.

Freedom Mobile international phone plan options

Freedom Mobile handles roaming differently from Bell, Rogers, and Telus. Instead of a daily fee added to your bill while you travel, Freedom builds a roaming data allowance into the monthly plan price through a feature called Roam Beyond.

Every Total Freedom plan includes unlimited talk and text in Canada and 120+ global destinations, plus a set amount of roaming data in 120+ Roam Beyond destinations. The allowance scales with the plan:

• $35 CAD per month – 1 GB of Roam Beyond data
• $40 CAD per month – 1 GB of Roam Beyond data
• $45 CAD per month – 5 GB of Roam Beyond data
• $50 CAD per month – 10 GB of Roam Beyond data
• $60 CAD per month – 10 GB of Roam Beyond data
• $70 CAD per month – 20 GB of Roam Beyond data

Prices shown include Freedom’s Digital Discount. Canadian plan data differs depending on whether you bring your own phone or finance one through Freedom.

Roam Beyond passes

If your plan’s roaming allowance runs short, Freedom sells 30-day add-on passes valid across the same 120+ destinations. Each includes unlimited calls to Canada and to local numbers in your destination, unlimited incoming calls, and unlimited global texting.

• 5 GB – $30 CAD
• 10 GB – $50 CAD

Once the pass data is used up, pay-per-use charges apply. Roam Beyond also requires VoLTE roaming support on your device in destinations without 3G coverage.

Freedom operates regionally rather than nationally, so availability depends on where in Canada you live.

Where do Canadian international roaming plans work?

Each Canadian carrier has its own set of agreements with foreign network providers, and roaming services often include certain zones where they work.

Understanding where each of these international roaming plans for Canada works is key to avoiding high roaming charges or standard pay-per-use rates. Roaming charges can quickly add up if your travel pass or prepaid plan isn’t valid in that specific region.

To prevent this, we offer detailed and informative blogs on roaming options for specific destinations. Check out the table below for current information on international roaming plans in your next destination. 

• Europe (Central & Western): Roaming in Europe, roaming in Portugal, roaming in France, roaming in Italy, roaming in Spain, roaming in the UK
• North America: Roaming in the USA, roaming in New York, roaming in Mexico
• South America: Roaming in Peru
• Asia: Roaming in Japan
• Southeast Asia: Roaming in Malaysia, roaming in Thailand, roaming in Singapore, roaming in Indonesia
• Middle East: Roaming in Saudi Arabia, roaming in Egypt, roaming in Morocco 
• Oceania: Roaming in Australia, roaming in New Zealand

Alternatives to Canadian carrier plans

If carrier roaming doesn’t suit your trip, the international cell phone plans Canada travellers rely on now include travel eSIMs, local SIM cards, and public WiFi.

Prepaid travel eSIMs

A far more modern and popular solution for travellers is a travel eSIM. Providers like Holafly offer unlimited data roaming in their single-destination eSIM plans in over 200 destinations, regional eSIMs, and even a monthly eSIM subscription for more frequent travelers – Holafly Plans. You can activate a digital eSIM instantly, keep your own number, and avoid standard roaming rates or extra fees. All you need is an eSIM-compatible phone. 

For frequent travellers, a travel eSIM ranks among the best international cell phone plans Canada residents can buy without changing carriers.

Match your eSIM to your vacation

Choose a plan lasting between 1 and 90 days so you never pay for days or data you don't use.

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Local SIM cards 

While buying a local SIM card can save money on data consumption and unlimited texting, it also means swapping numbers, unlocking your cell phone, and managing multiple plans across countries. Not ideal for longer trips.

Public WiFi 

Public WiFi connections in airports or cafés can help you stay connected for free, but they’re often slow, insecure, and unstable, which is risky for video streaming, phone calls, or sensitive data.

How to choose the right international phone plan

Choosing the right international phone plan depends on your travel style, budget, and connectivity needs. Consider factors like data usage, global destinations, and whether you need unlimited data to stay connected on the go.

To help you decide, the table below provides a clear summary of all major Canadian carrier roaming options so you can compare and choose wisely.

Enjoy unlimited data for less with a Holafly eSIM

After comparing the options above, the right plan depends on how you travel. For single trips, a Holafly eSIM gives you unlimited data, 5G speeds, and 24/7 customer support for your destination. For frequent travellers, Holafly Plans covers 160+ destinations with unlimited data and unlimited hotspot on a single monthly subscription.

That’s not all. At Holafly, we make travel easy by including 1 GB of Always On backup data with every eSIM purchase at no extra cost. No hidden fees, just a ‘thank you’ for staying with us.

Your Always On backup data appears as soon as your eSIM is activated and refreshes every month. From long-haul layovers to unexpected stops in a country your plan doesn’t cover, simply keep your eSIM installed and stay connected across 150+ global destinations

Peace of mind before you fly

Set up your eSIM before travel and get unlimited data on arrival.

Buy Holafly Plans

FAQs about international phone plans

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Mahnoor Bangush

SEO Content Writer

Born and raised in Queens, New York, I'm a Psychology graduate with a passion for writing that I've been nurturing since 2019. Over the years, I've enjoyed creating meaningful content across various niches, including sports, hospitality, and career development. At Holafly, I focus on crafting useful and inspiring pieces to make your adventures more effortless. One of the best perks of this role? Creating travel content always seems to inspire my next vacation destination!

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