Public Mobile and Koodo Mobile are both Telus-owned sub-brands running on the same Telus national network. Public Mobile is a self-serve, online-only carrier built for cost-conscious shoppers who want straightforward prepaid pricing with no contracts and no in-store overhead. Koodo Mobile offers a broader mix of prepaid and postpaid plans alongside more support options and extras like rollover data and a Pick 1 Free Perk. Because both carriers share the Telus infrastructure, network coverage is identical -- the differences between them come down to plan structure, pricing, perks, roaming options, and the level of support each carrier provides.
Plans and pricing
Public Mobile offers 8 prepaid-only plans ranging from $22 to $50 per month, all with no contracts and no device financing. Every plan includes unlimited international messaging, and from the $24 tier upward, 2% back in Public Points. Koodo offers a wider range spanning prepaid base plans, postpaid perk plans, and annual options, with pricing starting at $15 per month. Below are representative plans from each carrier across comparable data tiers.
Public Mobile stands out across the board: its $22/month base plan now includes 1GB of data, its $35/month tier offers a 50GB Canada-only 5G plan. At $40/month, the 70GB CAN/US/Mex plan is the entry point for North American roaming and delivers significantly more data than Koodo's comparable tier, which does not offer cross-border roaming until $55/month. At $30/month, Public Mobile's 35GB 4G plan offers solid value against Koodo's prepaid 4G options in the same range. However, Koodo includes rollover data and a Pick 1 Free Perk on its postpaid plans, which Public Mobile does not offer. Koodo also reaches lower on the price ladder with starter options from $15/month, including annual prepaid plans at $100 and $159 per year. Quebec residents will find province-specific pricing on select Koodo tiers.
5G and network coverage
Because Public Mobile and Koodo Mobile both operate on the Telus network, their coverage is identical. Coverage data is based on registered tower locations from the ISED tower registry and Statistics Canada 2021 census boundaries, updated March 2026. The Telus network reaches 93.0% of Canadians on 4G and 76.3% on 5G, with particular strength in western Canada. Customers in Alberta and BC benefit from Telus's dominant presence in those provinces, and the Telus network also provides service in northern territories not covered by Rogers or Bell.
Coverage is a non-factor when choosing between these two carriers. Both Public Mobile and Koodo access the exact same Telus towers, spectrum, and network infrastructure. Signal quality, rural reach, and 5G availability at any given address will be the same on both carriers. The Telus network leads in western Canada and provides northern territory coverage that Rogers does not match. The decision between Public Mobile and Koodo comes down entirely to plans, pricing, and support -- not the network.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $22/mo | $15/mo |
| Plan types | Prepaid only | Prepaid + postpaid |
| Cheapest 5G plan | $35/mo (50GB, Canada) | $45/mo (20GB) |
| Top data tier | 150GB - $50/mo | 100GB - $60/mo |
| Canada-US-Mexico included | From $40/mo (70GB) | $55/mo (60GB) |
| International long-distance minutes | 1,000 mins (5G plans) | No |
| Rollover data | No | Yes (select plans) |
| Bonus data with auto top-up | No | Yes (select prepaid plans) |
| Pick 1 Free Perk | No | Yes (select postpaid plans) |
| Annual plan option | No | Yes ($100 and $159/year) |
| Rewards program | 2% back in Public Points | No |
| 4G population coverage | 93.0% (Telus network) | 93.0% (Telus network) |
| 5G population coverage | 76.3% (Telus network) | 76.3% (Telus network) |
| Total towers (parent network) | 16,007 | 16,007 |
| Device financing | No - BYOD only | Yes (24 months) |
| Price lock guarantee | No | No |
| US roaming - talk & text bundle | $15 (unlimited talk & text) | No bundle available |
| US roaming - data pass | $30 (15-day, 5GB) / $40 (30-day, 5GB) | $35 (7-day pass) |
| Europe roaming passes | No pass available | 14-day $50, 30-day $60 |
| International roaming (beyond US) | No pass available | Multiple destinations |
| In-store support | No | Yes |
| Phone support | No | Yes (callback) |
| Sub-brands | No sub-brands | No sub-brands |
| Customer rating | 4.5/5 | 2.8/5 |
Roaming rates compared
Roaming is where these two carriers diverge sharply in structure. Public Mobile does not use a daily rate model for the US -- instead it offers fixed-price US roaming bundles: an unlimited talk and text bundle for $15, and two data-included options covering 15 or 30 days. Koodo uses a daily rate of $16/day for the USA, plus a 7-day pass at $35. For destinations outside the United States, Koodo holds a clear advantage with regional passes for Europe, Caribbean, Mexico, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. Public Mobile does not publish international roaming passes beyond the US bundles listed below.
United States
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No daily rate | $16/day |
| Talk & text bundle | $15 (unlimited talk & text) | No talk & text bundle |
| 7-day pass | No 7-day pass | $35 |
| 15-day data pass | $30 (unlimited talk, text & 5GB data) | No 15-day pass |
| 30-day data pass | $40 (unlimited talk, text & 5GB data) | No 30-day pass |
Europe
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No pass available | $18/day |
| 14-day pass | No pass available | $50 |
| 30-day pass | No pass available | $60 |
Caribbean and Mexico
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No pass available | $18/day |
| 7-day pass | No pass available | $49 |
Asia
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No pass available | $18/day |
| 14-day pass | No pass available | $70 |
Latin America and other international destinations
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No pass available | $18/day |
| 7-day pass | No pass available | $60 |
Australia and New Zealand
| Option | Public Mobile | Koodo Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No pass available | $18/day |
| 7-day pass | No pass available | $50 |
For US travel, Public Mobile offers strong value for stays of 15 or 30 days with its fixed-price data bundles, and the $15 talk-and-text bundle is a practical option for short US trips with no need for data. Koodo wins for stays of 7 days or less with its $35 7-day US pass. For any destination outside the United States -- Europe, Asia, Caribbean, Latin America, or Australia -- Koodo is the only option, as Public Mobile has no published international roaming passes for those regions.
Device financing
Public Mobile does not offer device financing or sell phones directly. All customers must bring their own unlocked device (BYOD). Koodo Mobile offers a 24-month Payment Program that spreads the cost of a new phone across monthly installments on a single bill. Once the 24-month term ends, the device cost is fully paid off, or customers can begin a new financing term with an upgraded device. Customers who need a new phone as part of switching should factor this into their decision, as Public Mobile requires a device purchased separately.
Perks and add-ons
Public Mobile offers 2% back in Public Points on most plans, redeemable for bill credits or plan upgrades. The $22/month base plan includes 1GB of data on 4G. The $35/month tier offers a 50GB Canada-only 5G plan. From $40/month, all plans include CAN/US/Mex calling and data -- starting with 70GB at $40/month and 150GB at $50/month -- along with 1,000 international long-distance minutes and unlimited international messaging. The self-serve model keeps costs low and plans are managed entirely online or through the app. Public Mobile is a Telus subsidiary with no sub-brands of its own.
Koodo Mobile includes rollover data on select postpaid plans, carrying unused data into the next month. The Pick 1 Free Perk on select postpaid tiers lets customers choose an add-on benefit. Annual prepaid plans at $100 and $159 per year offer meaningful savings for light users. Auto-pay discounts of up to $10/month apply on select postpaid plans, and bonus data is available on select prepaid plans when automatic top-up is enabled. Koodo offers 24-month device financing for customers who need a new phone. Koodo has no sub-brands of its own.
Customer support
Despite its online-only, no-phone-support model, Public Mobile scores significantly higher on customer satisfaction at 4.5/5 versus Koodo's 2.8/5 on Topicks.ca. Public Mobile customers manage everything through the self-serve portal and app, with online chat and a community forum available when needed. Koodo offers more formal support channels including phone callback and in-store assistance, but scores lower in overall customer satisfaction. Both carriers lean on self-serve tools as the primary support method.
Who should choose which?
- You want the most data for your dollar at the mid-to-upper tiers -- 150GB for $50/month and 70GB for $40/month with North American roaming included are unmatched at those prices
- You want Canada-US-Mexico calling and data included from $40/month on 5G with 70GB included
- You want 1,000 international long-distance minutes included on your 5G plan at no extra cost
- You earn rewards and want 2% back in Public Points on your monthly bill
- You are comfortable managing your account entirely online or through an app
- You travel to the US and want a fixed-price 15-day or 30-day data bundle rather than a daily rate
- You already have an unlocked phone and do not need device financing
- You want the lowest possible starting price, including starter plans from $15/month or annual plans at $100 or $159/year
- You want rollover data so unused monthly data carries into the next month
- You want a Pick 1 Free Perk included with a postpaid plan
- You need device financing to spread the cost of a new phone over 24 months
- You travel internationally outside the US and need roaming passes for Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, or other destinations
- You want bonus data when you enable automatic top-up on a prepaid plan
- You prefer phone callback support or in-store assistance if something goes wrong
Public Mobile wins on data volume, North American plan value, and customer satisfaction -- its CAN/US/Mex 5G plans start from $40/month with 70GB included, and the $50/month 150GB plan offers more data than any Koodo postpaid tier at the same price. Koodo wins on plan flexibility, international roaming, device financing, and entry-level pricing, with postpaid perks like rollover data and Pick 1 Free Perk, annual prepaid options, and roaming passes for destinations that Public Mobile does not cover.
The deciding factors are whether you need a new phone, how often you travel outside Canada and the United States, and whether you value raw data volume or postpaid flexibility. Because both carriers run on the same Telus network, signal quality at your address will not differ between them.
