Public Mobile plans: prices, US roaming, and how they compare with Koodo and Freedom

What Public Mobile plans were listed on 10 November 2026?

Public Mobile is a prepaid, SIM-only brand owned by TELUS; TELUS describes it in its annual report as a prepaid provider selling SIM-only service online and in shops, and Public Mobile SIMs are handed out in TELUS Stores. Plans are subscriptions: you pay every 30 days, the plan auto-renews, and you can change it in the app.

These were the Public Mobile plans on its plans page when we read it, filtered for Ontario. All include unlimited Canada-wide talk and text and 2 percent back in Public Points, a rewards balance you can spend on your bill.

The three Canada-US-Mexico plans also include 1,000 international minutes a month, which a footnote calls a limited-time offer. Public Mobile's footnotes give 4G plans speeds of up to 100 Mbps and 5G plans up to 250 Mbps, and slow data to a maximum of 512 kbps once the high-speed allowance runs out.

One promotion is worth flagging. A footnote describes a promo-code offer for new online activations between 15 October and 11 November 2026: $5 off for 24 months on plans with a regular price of $30, $7 off on $35 plans and $10 off on $45 plans. The page did not make clear whether the prices above already include that discount, so check at checkout.

This is desk research from Public Mobile's own pages. We have not bought or tested a Public Mobile plan.

Public Mobile roaming: what works outside Canada?

There are two routes. The simplest is a Canada-US-Mexico plan, which Public Mobile labels as working in all three countries. The plans page did not say how much of the allowance can be used in the US or Mexico, or what usage limit applies, and we could not find that on an official Public Mobile page. Read the plan's terms before you rely on it for a long stay.

The other route is a US roaming add-on on a Canada-wide plan. On 10 November 2026 these were:

• Unlimited US talk and text: $15.
• Unlimited US talk, text and 5GB data for 15 days: $30.
• Unlimited US talk, text and 5GB data for 30 days: $40.

We did not find any Public Mobile international roaming option outside the US and Mexico on the plans page. For Europe, Asia or anywhere else, plan on a travel eSIM.

Where can I buy a Public Mobile SIM card?

Public Mobile's SIM pickup page has a store map; for Milton, Ontario it listed 30 locations, mostly TELUS Stores and Mobile Klinik shops. You can also have a SIM posted to you. A footnote on the plans page puts the regular price of a physical SIM at $15 and an eSIM at $5.

Public Mobile eSIM: can you activate it in minutes?

Yes. Public Mobile says you can subscribe in minutes with eSIM using the Public Mobile app on an eSIM-enabled phone, with no physical card needed. If you already have a physical SIM, you activate it through the same app.

Public Mobile vs Koodo: which is cheaper?

Both brands belong to TELUS (see our TELUS guide), so the difference is price and service model. Koodo Prepaid on 10 November 2026 charged $35 per 30 days for 30GB with Automatic Top-up, while Public Mobile charged $30 for 35GB and $35 for 50GB at 5G. On data per dollar, Public Mobile is cheaper.

Koodo's advantages are roaming and support. Koodo Prepaid sells US roaming add-ons from $15, and Koodo's monthly plans get Easy Roam ($16 a day in the US, $18 elsewhere) and Travel Passes for Europe, Asia and more; Public Mobile has nothing equivalent outside North America. Our Koodo page has the full tables.

Public Mobile vs Freedom Mobile

Freedom Mobile, a separate operator, listed Total Freedom plans on 10 November 2026 that compare directly with Public Mobile's three-country plans:

Freedom's prices include its digital discount, and it says data continues at reduced speed after the allowance, under a fair usage policy. Data allowances match, but Freedom adds roaming data in more than 120 other countries at the same price. If you travel beyond North America, Freedom has the edge; if you stay in Canada, Public Mobile's cheaper Canada-only plans and the TELUS network may suit you better. See our Freedom Mobile guide.

Is Public Mobile a good choice for visitors to Canada?

It can be, if your phone takes an eSIM and you are staying a month or more. The $30 35GB plan with a $5 eSIM is cheap for a month. For a shorter visit, compare it with a travel eSIM: our verified Canada prices, read in August 2026 in US dollars, were Nomad at $17 for 10GB over 30 days and Airalo at $18 for 10GB over 7 days. Our cheap SIM card guide for Canada compares the local prepaid brands side by side, and the Canada SIM card hub covers the networks.