Movistar roaming Canada: How much does it cost and how to activate it?

Are you planning your trip, and you want to know the prices of roaming in Canada from the main Spanish operator? In this post, we will show you the Movistar roaming rates in Canada and tell you about other much cheaper options, such as the digital eSIM for Canada offered by Holafly.

Movistar charges you $12.10 USD for each MB you use in Canada. The carrier doesn’t offer a special rate for that destination.

Most mobile carriers, such as Movistar, offer data roaming, which can be expensive. For Canada, it costs €12.10/MB (~$12.78 USD).

We’ll provide more details about Movistar roaming pricing and how to activate it on the different Movistar branches around the world. We’ll also include some alternatives for staying connected on a budget.

How much does Movistar roaming in Canada cost?

When using Movistar, you’ll get access to pay-as-you-go rates or data packages to stay connected in Canada.

Since Movistar is available in 11 countries, each one will have different pricing for this service, so let’s dive into the pricing for the main countries where Movistar is available.

Pay-as-you-go pricing

Data roaming from Movistar can cost up to €12.10/MB (~$12.78 USD) in Spain, but what about SMS and phone calls? Let’s see the complete rates offered by Movistar Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Travel pass pricing

Pay-as-you pricing can be pretty expensive, as you can easily spend €338.80 (~$358.55 USD) on a five-minute WhatsApp video call, whereas travel passes are more of a budget-friendly alternative.

Still, the main detail is that Movistar doesn’t offer travel passes in all the countries in which they have their branches. Here are some of the available options:

How to activate Movistar roaming

The Movistar data roaming activation varies depending on the country. For example, let’s see how it’s done in Spain:

• Calling 104 and asking  a customer support agent to activate it.
• Using the “Mi Movistar” app and activating the data roaming option on the “Gestiones” menu.
• Requesting the activation from customer support agents on forums or live chat on the Movistar website.

Here’s the activation process for the Movistar countries we’ve previously mentioned:

Movistar pay-as-you-go vs. travel pass: Which one to choose?

If using data roaming in Canada sounds like a good option, even though it’s expensive, here are some key differences between these two Movistar network options so you can choose which one you like best.

• Features: Whether you use roaming packages or pay-as-you-go, not all features are included. Depending on Movistar’s offerings in your location, you might need to pay extra for mobile data, international calls, and SMS.
• Duration: Pay-as-you-go roaming has no limit on data, , whereas travel passes are limited from one day to 30 days, depending on what Movistar offers in your country.
• Pricing: Mobile data is expensive when using pay-as-you-go rates and is only available in Argentina and Spain. Pricing varies from $9.90/10MB to €12.10/MB (~$12.72 USD) for each, meaning you can easily spend over $100 by sending photos on WhatsApp or posting Instagram stories.
• Limitations: Depending on your location, Movistar might not offer its pay-as-you-go service or it can lack roaming packages for international travel, so double-check the availability. 
• Activation: Depending on your location and type of plan, the activation process will vary from immediate activation to contacting Movistar directly. 

Tips for roaming with Movistar in Canada

Similar to Movistar roaming in the USA, based on data research, spending over $100 USD using the pay-as-you-go service can take less than five minutes while watching a YouTube video or hailing an Uber.

Using your cell phone in Canada can be expensive, so here are some tips to help you avoid roaming charges.

• Choose the best available roaming plan: Depending on your location and whether you’re a prepaid or postpaid customer, you’ll be eligible for specific plans, so check which options are available before traveling.
• Turn off data to avoid extra charges: Since you’ll be paying for each MB you consume, it’s better to turn off your mobile data and use it only when needed to lower your spending on roaming.
• Turn off background data: Disable the background data on all your apps when roaming. Plus, turn off the automatic app updates on the Play Store or Apple Store to avoid surprise charges.
• Choose data packages over pay-as-you-go: Unless it’s not available, data packages are a great way to save money, and while you might get pay-as-you-go rates for messages or phone calls, not spending on mobile data is a huge plus.
• Check for data roaming limits: Depending on your location, limits might be applied to the roaming service.

These tips help save some money when using data roaming. Still, there’s an even better money-saving option when traveling, such as an eSIM. It beats Movistar or Vodafone roaming in Canada offers when it comes to pricing and ease of use

Get an eSIM and avoid high-roaming charges

As mentioned before, when using data roaming, spending over $100 in minutes is extremely easy; now, imagine using this service on a seven-day trip.

That’s where other connectivity alternatives are safer and better to use, like the best eSIM for Canada. And while there are other options, such as a pocket WiFi or SIM card for Canada, these aren’t as reliable as using an eSIM.

But which one is the best eSIM to use? Let’s talk about the Holafly eSIM for Canada and what it offers.

Holafly Canada eSIM: Top alternative to avoid roaming charges

Let’s start with the pricing on the Holafly eSIM for Canada. Compared to Movistar roaming, data plans start at $7.90 USD and get as low as $3.21/day on 90-day trips, including unlimited data.

Additionally, Holafly ensures the best possible connectivity with 4G/LTE/5G data speeds using the Rogers Communications local network, which also provides great coverage even in remote areas in Canada.

The unlimited data and high data speeds are the top advantages, but let’s see what other features Holafly offers with its Canada eSIM:

• High-end customer support in 19 languages through different channels
• Easy activation with a QR code on iOS and Android and automatic installation on the newest iOS devices
• Up to 500 MB of data sharing per day at no extra cost
• Android and iOS mobile apps to manage and purchase eSIMs
• Customizable data plans for up to 90 days

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Julio Osuna

English Content Writer

I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.

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