How-to
Bring Your Own Phone Plans in Canada: How BYOD Works
Keep your phone, cut your bill. How to check your phone is ready, how to move your number, and what BYOD plans cost.
A bring-your-own-phone (BYOD) plan is a plan without a phone. You keep the phone you have, or buy one outright, and put a new SIM or eSIM in it. It works if your phone is unlocked, has a clean IMEI and supports Canadian networks. BYOD plans are often the lowest-cost way to get a lot of data, because you are not paying off a phone inside the bill.
Our BYOD options
- Prepaid BYOD: our prepaid plans start at $22 per 30 days, no credit check.
- Postpaid BYOD: our postpaid plans have 20 GB for $45 a month and 100 GB on 5G+ for $75 a month (with auto-pay).
- Need a phone first? Buy a refurbished unlocked phone and save $25 on an eligible one when you add a prepaid plan.
Check your phone in 4 steps
- Is it unlocked? On iPhone: Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock should say "No SIM restrictions". On Android, try a friend's SIM from another carrier. More in what an unlocked phone is.
- Is the IMEI clean? Dial *#06# to get the IMEI, then run our free IMEI check. A phone reported lost, stolen or unpaid can be blocked on every Canadian network.
- Does it support Canadian networks? Phones sold in Canada or the US almost always do. Some imported models miss LTE or 5G bands, so check the exact model number.
- SIM or eSIM? Most iPhones from the XS and XR onward and most recent Galaxy and Pixel phones support eSIM. The iPhone Air and US iPhone 14 and newer are eSIM only.
Unlocked and blacklisted are different. An unlocked phone with a blacklisted IMEI still will not connect. Always check both before you buy a used phone from a stranger.
How to move your phone to a new plan
- Do not cancel your old plan. Your number moves when the new provider ports it. Cancelling first can lose the number.
- Have your old account number ready. The new provider needs it, plus your phone number, to request the transfer.
- Pick a plan. Prepaid plans for no credit check, postpaid plans for more data.
- Activate the SIM or eSIM. eSIM can be set up in minutes. A physical SIM arrives by mail.
- Wait for the port. Most phone number transfers finish within a few hours. Your old account closes when the transfer goes through.
Full walkthrough: how to switch providers and keep your number.
BYOD vs getting a phone with the plan
| Bring your own phone | Phone on financing | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | None if you already own it | Taxes upfront, $0 down on the phone |
| Monthly bill | Plan only | Plan plus the phone payment |
| Credit check | Not on prepaid | Yes |
| Commitment | None on prepaid, month to month on postpaid | 24 months for the phone |
| Phone | Any unlocked phone, new or refurbished | New iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel |
| Leaving early | Just stop or switch | Pay off the rest of the phone |
Want a new phone without paying it all at once? See phones on 0% financing and read how 0% financing works. Prices by phone: the cheapest phones on financing.
Best phones to bring
Any phone that still gets security updates. These are unlocked and IMEI checked:
iPhone 15
From $569.99New: $1,099.00Shop pre-owned →
Samsung Galaxy S24
From $499.99New: $859.00Shop pre-owned →
Google Pixel 9a
From $469.99Shop pre-owned →
Not sure which? Read the best phones in Canada or the best phones under $300.
Questions people ask
What does BYOD mean for a phone plan?
Bring your own device. You use a phone you already own, and the plan covers only service. No phone payment is built into the bill.
Is BYOD cheaper?
Usually, because the bill has no phone payment in it. Our BYOD postpaid plans start at $45 a month and prepaid at $22 per 30 days.
Can I bring a phone from another carrier?
Yes, if it is unlocked. Canadian carriers must unlock phones for free, and phones sold in Canada since December 1, 2017 are sold unlocked.
Can I bring a refurbished or used phone?
Yes. Make sure it is unlocked, has a clean IMEI and is signed out of the last owner's account. Every phone we sell is.
Will I keep my phone number?
Yes. Ask the new provider to port it, and do not cancel your old plan first.
Does my phone need to be 5G?
No. 4G LTE phones work on every Canadian network. You only need 5G to use 5G speeds.
Can I bring an American phone?
Most US phones work in Canada if they are unlocked. Check the bands for your exact model, and note that US iPhone 14 and newer models are eSIM only.
How long does activation take?
eSIM can work the same day. A port of your number usually finishes within a few hours.
Rules: the CRTC Wireless Code. Our plan prices checked October 23, 2026, before tax.
Ready to bring your phone? Start with our prepaid plans or postpaid plans.
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