PC Mobile and Virgin Plus both run on the Bell network, so coverage is identical and the choice comes down to plan type, price, and extras. PC Mobile is a prepaid, no-contract carrier that operates on the Bell network and ties every plan to PC Optimum rewards. Virgin Plus is a Bell-owned postpaid, no-contract carrier with a wider plan lineup, device financing, and roaming options. PC Mobile is far cheaper for data: 5G from $25/month, up to 55GB for $34, unlimited Canada-wide talk and text on every plan, and unlimited international messaging from $19. Virgin Plus costs more per gigabyte but adds hotspot on its data plans, a Canada-US-Mexico plan, unlimited international calls to 27 countries on its top tier, US and international roaming passes, 24-month device financing, live chat support, and a higher customer rating on Topicks.ca.
Plans and pricing
PC Mobile offers 4 prepaid no-contract plans from $19 to $34 per month, with a top-up data bonus on every plan (1GB on the $19 plan, and auto top-up bonuses of 1GB to 5GB on the $25, $30, and $34 plans) and 5G access from $25. Virgin Plus offers 10 postpaid no-contract plans from $19 to $55 per month, including Quebec versions of four plans, with most plans currently on promotional pricing. Because PC Mobile sells only prepaid and Virgin Plus sells only postpaid, the cards below compare each carrier's general lineup directly. Both are available in all 10 provinces and 3 territories.
PC Mobile is the cheaper option at every comparable tier. At $19, PC Mobile gives 1GB on 4G with unlimited Canada-wide talk and text, while the Virgin Plus $19 plan has 250MB on 3G and 100 minutes. The cheapest 5G plan with data is $25 at PC Mobile (5GB with the auto top-up bonus) versus $45 at Virgin Plus (20GB), and Virgin Plus charges $30 (promo) for unlimited talk and text with no data at all. At the top end, PC Mobile delivers 55GB on 5G for $34, while Virgin Plus gives 60GB on 5G for $50, so Virgin Plus adds 5GB and hotspot for $16 more per month. Virgin Plus also has a $39 plan with 3GB on 3G. The Virgin Plus $55 US/MX plan has no PC Mobile equivalent: it includes Canada, US, and Mexico data, talk and text plus unlimited international calls to 27 countries. In Quebec, Virgin Plus prices its 20GB, 60GB, and 60GB US/MX plans $5 lower at $40, $45, and $50 (promo), and its unlimited talk and text plan at the same $30 (promo).
5G and network coverage
Coverage data is estimated from the ISED tower registry and Statistics Canada 2021 census boundaries, updated March 2026. PC Mobile and Virgin Plus both run on the Bell network, so their coverage is identical and neither leads. The only network difference is plan access: PC Mobile includes 5G on its $25, $30, and $34 plans, while Virgin Plus includes 5G on every plan except its $19 250MB plan and $39 3GB plan, which run at 3G speeds.
Both carriers reach 92.8% of Canadians on 4G LTE and 76.5% on 5G from the same 9,986 Bell towers, including 3,972 dedicated 5G sites. Bell coverage is strongest in Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces, and its 5G footprint is much smaller in Alberta and BC, which affects both carriers equally. Coverage should not be a deciding factor between these two.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Plan type | Prepaid, no contract | Postpaid, no contract |
| Starting price | $19/mo (1GB top-up bonus, 4G, unlimited talk & text) | $19/mo (250MB, 3G, 100 mins) |
| Plan count | 4 | 10 (incl. 4 Quebec versions) |
| Cheapest 5G plan | $25/mo (4GB + 1GB auto top-up bonus) | $30/mo (no data, promo) |
| Cheapest 5G plan with data | $25/mo (5GB with auto top-up bonus) | $45/mo (20GB, promo) · $40/mo in QC |
| Top-tier domestic plan | $34/mo, 55GB 5G with auto top-up bonus | $50/mo, 60GB 5G + hotspot (promo) · $45/mo in QC |
| Canada-US-Mexico plan | Not available | $55/mo, 60GB 5G (promo) · $50/mo in QC |
| Unlimited Canada-wide talk & text | All plans, from $19/mo | From $30/mo (promo) |
| Unlimited US calling (from Canada) | From $25/mo | Canada-US-Mexico talk on $55 US/MX plan |
| Unlimited long distance calling | From $25/mo | Listed on Quebec 60GB US/MX plan only |
| International messages | Every plan, from $19/mo | From $45/mo (20GB) · $40/mo in QC |
| International calls | Not included | Unlimited to 27 countries on US/MX plan |
| Rewards and bonuses | PC Optimum points + top-up data bonus on every plan | Member Benefits (food, fashion, entertainment discounts) |
| Availability | 10 provinces + 3 territories | 10 provinces + 3 territories |
| 4G population coverage | 92.8% (Bell network) | 92.8% (Bell network) |
| 5G population coverage | 76.5% (Bell network) | 76.5% (Bell network) |
| Total towers | 9,986 (Bell network) | 9,986 (Bell network) |
| Device financing | No - no device sales | 24 months (Sweet Pay) |
| Price lock guarantee | No | Not stated |
| US roaming | No roaming option | $13/day · $60 14-day pass · $70 30-day pass |
| Europe roaming | No roaming option | $70 14-day pass · $80 30-day pass |
| Network | Operates on the Bell network | Owned by Bell (Bell network) |
| Customer rating (Topicks.ca) | 1.0/5 | 1.8/5 |
Roaming rates compared
Virgin Plus is the only one of these two carriers with a roaming product. It offers daily rates ($13/day in the US and $16/day for international destinations) plus 14-day and 30-day passes for the US, Europe, Asia, and other international destinations, and a 14-day pass for the Caribbean and Mexico. Its $55 US/MX plan also builds Canada, US, and Mexico data, talk, and text into the monthly price. PC Mobile has no roaming option for the US or any international destination; its unlimited US calling is a domestic feature for calling US numbers from Canada, not a roaming product.
United States
| Option | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No roaming option | $13/day |
| 14-day pass | No roaming option | $60 |
| 30-day pass | No roaming option | $70 |
Europe
| Option | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No roaming option | $16/day (international) |
| 14-day pass | No roaming option | $70 |
| 30-day pass | No roaming option | $80 |
Caribbean and Mexico
| Option | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No roaming option | $16/day (international) |
| 14-day pass | No roaming option | $70 |
| 30-day pass | No roaming option | No 30-day pass listed |
Asia
| Option | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No roaming option | $16/day (international) |
| 14-day pass | No roaming option | $75 |
| 30-day pass | No roaming option | $80 |
Other international destinations
| Option | PC Mobile | Virgin Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rate | No roaming option | $16/day |
| 14-day pass | No roaming option | $100 |
| 30-day pass | No roaming option | $110 |
Virgin Plus wins every roaming category by default, since PC Mobile offers nothing. Frequent travellers to the US or Mexico can avoid daily charges entirely with the Virgin Plus $55 US/MX plan ($50 in Quebec). Anyone on PC Mobile who travels, even just across the border, will need a separate travel SIM or eSIM.
Device financing
PC Mobile does not sell mobile devices, so there is no device financing; customers need an unlocked phone to switch. Virgin Plus offers 24-month device financing through its Sweet Pay program, spreading the device cost across monthly payments added to the plan, and all of its plans can also be used with your own phone. Confirm current financing eligibility and terms directly with Virgin Plus before purchasing a device.
Perks and add-ons
PC Mobile includes PC Optimum rewards integration across all plans. New customers earn 20,000 PC Optimum points after two months of service. Every top-up earns 5% of the top-up value in PC Optimum points, and an additional 5% is earned when signing up for Auto-Allowance or Allowance paid with a PC Financial Mastercard or PC Money Account. All 4 plans include unlimited international messaging and a top-up data bonus: 1GB on the $19 plan, which also includes unlimited US messages, and auto top-up bonuses of 1GB on the $25 plan and 5GB on the $30 and $34 plans. The $25, $30, and $34 plans add 5G access, unlimited US calling, and unlimited long distance calling. Data service passes of 200MB for $5 and 3GB for $15 are available, each valid for 30 days. PC Mobile supports eSIM.
Virgin Plus includes unlimited international messages, unlimited US messages, hotspot capabilities, and suspicious call detection on its 20GB, 60GB, and 60GB US/MX plans. The 60GB US/MX plan adds Canada, US, and Mexico data, talk, and text plus unlimited international calls to 27 countries. Virgin Plus promotes Member Benefits, which offer discounts on food, fashion, and entertainment, and advertises an $80 online sign-up saving for bring-your-own-phone customers.
Customer support
Both carriers offer phone support, in-store help, and self-serve tools. PC Mobile adds email support, while Virgin Plus adds live chat and an app-based account. Ratings on Topicks.ca are low for both, with Virgin Plus at 1.8/5 ahead of PC Mobile at 1.0/5.
Who should choose which?
- You want the lowest price for data - 55GB on 5G for $34, versus 60GB for $50 at Virgin Plus
- You want 5G with data from $25/month, while the cheapest Virgin Plus 5G data plan is $45 ($40 in Quebec)
- You want unlimited Canada-wide talk and text from $19, versus 100 minutes on the Virgin Plus $19 plan
- You call US numbers from Canada and want unlimited US and long distance calling from $25/month
- You want unlimited international messaging on every plan, including the $19 plan
- You shop at PC-affiliated stores and want PC Optimum points on every top-up, plus the 20,000-point welcome bonus
- You prefer prepaid with no credit commitment and already own an unlocked phone
- You travel and want roaming - US from $13/day or $60 for 14 days, plus Europe, Asia, and international passes
- You want Canada, US, and Mexico data, talk, and text built into your plan for $55/month ($50 in Quebec)
- You call abroad and want unlimited international calls to 27 countries on the US/MX plan
- You want to finance a new phone over 24 months through Sweet Pay
- You need hotspot, which Virgin Plus lists on its 20GB and higher plans
- You want live chat support and a higher Topicks.ca customer rating (1.8/5 versus 1.0/5)
- You live in Quebec, where Virgin Plus prices its 20GB, 60GB, and US/MX plans $5 lower
PC Mobile wins on price, 5G access from $25, unlimited talk and text on every plan, US and long distance calling, international messaging, and PC Optimum rewards, making it the better value for anyone who stays in Canada and brings their own phone. Virgin Plus wins on roaming, its Canada-US-Mexico plan, international calling, device financing, hotspot, and customer rating, making it the stronger fit for travellers and anyone who wants to finance a phone.
Since both run on the same Bell network, coverage is identical. The deciding factors are whether you travel or need device financing, or simply want the most data and calling for the lowest monthly price.
