Fido vs. Koodo vs. Virgin Plus: Which carrier is best for you?

There are over two dozen Canadian cell phone carriers competing for your attention. Some of them look remarkably similar, with plans, perks, and coverage that appear identical on the surface. That’s certainly the case with mid-level flankers Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus, leading many customers to ask a fair question: which carrier is the best?

Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus aren’t replicas but distinct brands owned and operated by different Big Three networks: Rogers (Fido), Telus (Koodo), and Bell (Virgin Plus). When you dig into the details, you’ll see that Koodo is the best of the bunch, though just barely. Virgin Plus and Fido still have plenty to offer, depending on your particular needs.

Let’s dive into the pros and cons of each carrier to learn their strengths and weaknesses. By the end, you’ll be an expert who can activate a perfectly personalized plan.

Plans and pricing

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If you’ve ever wondered why Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus plans look the same, you’re not alone. The three flanker brands are direct competitors and, as such, often offer similar prices and packages to appeal to their target market of customers: those looking for quality service at a budget-friendly cost.

Where the Big Three’s plans are premium packages, their mid-level flankers offer more affordable options. Often, these cheap plans are actually better than what the Big Three provide. Take Virgin Plus' 20GB plan as an example. Its low price offers more than double the amount the average Canadian uses. Plans from Bell, Rogers, and Telus, meanwhile, offer larger data allotments, most of which go unused, for hundreds more over the course of a calendar year.

That's the key difference between Fido, Koodo, Virgin Plus and the the Big Three: regularity. The Big Three rarely change their plan packages, while Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus consistently offer promotions, sales, and limited-time deals. If you’ve got a keen eye for bargain hunting, that can work to your advantage. Luckily, we’ve done the work for you.

Fido

Operating on Rogers’ nationwide 4G LTE network, Fido offers prepaid and postpaid plans with up to 75GB of monthly data. The best Fido plan right now is the $34 Data, Talk & Text, which offers unlimited talk and text, 20GB of data at 4G speeds, and five free hours of data per month.

We’ve also assembled a list of the best Fido cell phone plans on the market, which tracks the best options the Rogers flanker has to offer.

Koodo

Koodo offers prepaid and postpaid plans providing up to 120GB of data. A Telus-backed flanker, most of Koodo’s plans are supported by the carrier’s 4G network, though they periodically offer plans with 5G speeds. Even more than Fido or Virgin Plus, Koodo frequently switches its plan packages. That means you should act on solid deals from the carrier, as they may not be available the next time you go shopping.

Right now, the best Koodo plan is the $40 Prepaid Base Plan, which offers an enormous chunk of 4G data and unlimited talk and text. There aren’t any phones available to pair with this plan, so you’ll need to BYOD. (We think sticking with a reliable workhorse, rather than picking up the newest shiny object, is always the better call anyway.)

Want to see what else Koodo has to offer? You can find everything you need in our guide to the best Koodo cell phone plans.

Virgin Plus

Virgin Plus offers 5G and 4G LTE prepaid and postpaid plans on the nationwide Bell network. Unlike Fido or Koodo, Virgin offers several unlimited data plans that include up to 75GB of full-speed 5G service. These plans allow you to enjoy the benefits of unlimited data without paying the high price tags of the Big Three’s comparable plans.

The best Virgin Plus plan available right now is the 75GB 5G Data and Unlimited Minutes plan, which offers unlimited data, unlimited Canada-wide minutes, and unlimited international messaging.

You can also track the best Virgin Plus plans in our dedicated guide. If you’re interested in seeing the cheapest options from Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus plans, you can find that below.

Network coverage

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Understanding a carrier’s coverage map is crucial to determining whether it's the right choice for you. Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus all operate on separate networks, though they share some similar characteristics.

Fido coverage

Fido operates on the Rogers 4G LTE network, which covers just 28% of the country’s landmass but reaches 97% of Canadians. Most of that coverage is in the country’s metropolitan areas, though the carrier does offer intermittent service in more rural regions like the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. You can learn more about Fido’s coverage area in our complete guide to the Fido coverage map.

Koodo coverage

Koodo primarily operates on the Telus 4G LTE network, which covers 37% of Canada’s geography and reaches over 99% of Canadian residents. Koodo’s coverage extends to northern pockets of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, providing reliable cell service to the historically underserved rural areas of the country.

Koodo also has access to Telus’ nationwide 5G network, which covers 70% of Canadians, though it has mostly stopped offering 5G plans since its sister brand Public Mobile began offering them in 2023.

Learn more about Koodo’s coverage area in our detailed analysis of the Koodo coverage map.

Virgin Plus coverage

Virgin Plus operates on the 5G and 4G LTE Bell networks, which collectively cover 36% of Canada’s landmass. Bell’s 4G LTE service reaches over 99% of Canadians, while its 5G service reaches over 70%. Telus and Bell’s networks are nearly identical, though Telus’ is slightly larger, meaning Koodo’s coverage area just edges out that of Virgin Plus, with a bit more coverage in those northern rural stretches. You can learn more in our guide to the Virgin Plus coverage map.

Customer service

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Many customers worry that smaller carriers outsource their customer service to unintelligent AI, unresponsive chat agents, and distant call centers. So, how do Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus deal with customer concerns, technical difficulties, and billing issues?

Fido support

Fido customer service is available at a Fido store, over the phone, via a chat agent on Fido.ca, or by using a self-serve option in Fido’s customer portal, MyAccount. You can get a human on the phone by calling on weekdays or weekends, but you might be charged an account handling fee for some transactions.

Koodo support

Koodo customer service doesn’t offer a phone number to call. Instead, the carrier encourages you to use its virtual options: Self Serve (essentially a troubleshooting resource) and Koodo Assist (a chatbot). If those don’t solve your problem, they recommend you schedule a callback to speak with a human representative. 

Virgin Plus support

Virgin Plus customer service is available at a Virgin Plus store, over the phone, via a chat agent on VirginPlus.ca, or by logging into the My Account customer portal. You can get a human on the phone on weekdays and weeknights. Some services, like account activation, may include a one-time fee.

Exclusive benefits

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Fido perks

Bonus data: All Fido Data, Talk, and Text plans include Data Bytes: 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 Roam: Data, Talk, and Text plans allow you to use your plan while roaming in the U.S. and other select countries.

Data Overage Protection: There are no unlimited data plans, but if you hit your data cap, Fido automatically turns off your data rather than penalizing you with overage fees.

Koodo perks

Call Control: All Koodo postpaid plans have Call Control, an optional feature that prompts every incoming caller to enter a randomly generated number before being connected to your line. This stops most robocallers and scammers before their calls ever reach your end.

Shock-Free Data: Koodo helps you head off overage charges by texting you if you’re close to your monthly data limit. If you reach the cap, they'll pause your data completely until the next billing cycle.

Pick Your Perk: Select plans allow you to add a perk to your plan, including premium voicemail, unlimited international SMS, rollover data, speed boost, or unlimited long distance. You can choose a different perk each month or keep the same one long-term.

Happy Stack Bundle: You can pair select Koodo plans with the carrier’s high-speed cable internet and Stream+, a streaming service that includes Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.

Virgin Plus perks

Member Benefits: All Virgin Plus customers can access Member Benefits, with everyday deals and discounts on food, fashion, and entertainment.

Refer-a-Friend: Refer a friend to Virgin Plus and you’ll each earn $25 in bill credits over the course of five months.

Cell phone deals

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If you’re looking for a new phone to pair with your new plan, you’ll want to make sure your next carrier not only provides a solid selection of iPhones and Androids—but also does so at a reasonable price. Here’s what you can expect from Fido, Koodo, and Virgin Plus.

Fido deals

Fido offers customers the latest iPhones and Androids, though many of its cheaper plans don’t include financing. If you need a new phone, you’ll have to pay for it outright. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re in the market for a cheap, basic smartphone; there are plenty of options from the likes of TCL, Alcatel, and Motorola.

By and large, the more you pay for your plan, the more options you’ll have to finance a newer (read: more expensive) phone with Fido. Check out our guide to the best Fido phone deals for the latest and biggest savings.

Koodo deals

Koodo offers a wide selection of phones and the ability to finance top models from Samsung, Apple, and Google for $10-20/month. Some of these deals require a hefty down payment, but usually, the prices are just as they appear—Just be sure to read the fine print. 

We track the best Koodo phone deals every week, with an eye out for the plans that don’t require large upfront payments.

Virgin Plus support

Most Virgin Plus plans include device financing, allowing you to grab the latest iPhones and Androids at discounted rates. As is the case with Fido and Koodo, the more expensive your monthly cell phone plan, the more financing options you have. If you stick with the carrier’s cheaper data plans, you’ll need to pay outright for your next phone.

 Check out our guide to the best Virgin Plus cell phone deals to find the savviest savings. 

Fido vs. Koodo vs. Virgin Plus: Who's the best?

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Thanks to their affordable plan prices, reliable coverage, and great members-only benefits (especially Call Control), Koodo Mobile is the best choice over Fido and Virgin Plus. While we’re impressed with Virgin Plus’ 5G service and customer service, we think Koodo edges them out overall.