Primus and Bell are related but very different internet providers. Bell runs its own Fibe network and, in the Topicks.ca database, sells home fibre plans in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, with speeds up to 8 Gbps symmetrical and promotional pricing that steps up after the bill credit ends. Primus is part of the Bell family but independently operated, and sells service over the Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Cogeco networks, with fibre plans in Ontario and Quebec and cable plans in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, all at regular monthly rates with no contract. The two ISPs overlap in Ontario and Quebec, so this page compares them on plans, pricing, download and upload speeds, coverage, contract terms, equipment, and support.
Plans and pricing
Primus offers 7 plans: 4 fibre plans in Ontario and Quebec ($55 to $70/month) and 3 cable plans in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan ($55 to $130/month), all at regular rates with no contract. Bell offers 18 home fibre plans: 5 in Quebec on no contract ($70 to $100/month), 5 in Ontario on 24-month terms ($75 to $130/month), and 8 in Atlantic Canada on no contract ($75 to $100/month). Every Bell price is a promotional rate built on a monthly bill credit, with the regular price shown struck through.
In Ontario and Quebec, Primus is cheaper than Bell at every shared tier, even against Bell's promotional prices. At 150/150 Mbps, Primus charges $55/month versus $70/month for Bell in Quebec and $75/month in Ontario. At 500/500 Mbps, Primus is $60/month versus $75/month in Quebec and $90/month in Ontario, a $30/month or $360/year saving in Ontario. At the gigabit tier, Primus 1000/750 Mbps is $70/month, while Bell Gigabit Fibe 1.5 (1500/940 Mbps) is $80/month in Quebec and $95/month in Ontario, so Bell gives more download speed for $10 to $25/month more. Above 1 Gbps, Bell has the field to itself with 3 Gbps and 8 Gbps symmetrical plans that Primus does not offer. The gap also widens after Bell's bill credit ends: Bell Ontario regular prices are $90, $105, and $110/month for the 150, 500, and 1.5 Gbps plans, while Primus prices are regular rates to begin with.
Network and coverage
Bell serves six provinces and Primus serves five, with Ontario and Quebec as the shared markets. Bell sells fibre internet over its own Fibe network in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Primus sells service over the Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Cogeco networks, with fibre plans in Ontario and Quebec and cable plans in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan; the network used varies by address. Residents of Atlantic Canada can choose Bell but not Primus, and residents of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan can choose Primus but not Bell.
Both ISPs offer fibre with fast upload in Ontario and Quebec. Primus fibre is symmetrical on its 150 and 500 Mbps plans and reaches 750 Mbps upload on its gigabit plan. Bell is symmetrical on every Fibe plan except Gigabit Fibe 1.5 (1500/940 Mbps), and its 3 Gbps and 8 Gbps plans go far beyond anything Primus sells. In Atlantic Canada, Bell tops out at 3 Gbps in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador and 1.5 Gbps in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Primus cable in the West tops out at 200 Mbps upload. In Ontario and Quebec, the practical question is whether Primus fibre reaches your address.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Primus | Bell |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (ON and QC) | $55/mo (150/150 Mbps Fibre) | $70/mo (150/150 Mbps, QC); $75/mo (150/150 Mbps, ON) |
| 500 Mbps tier | $60/mo for 500/500 Mbps (ON, QC) | $75/mo (QC); $90/mo (ON) for 500/500 Mbps |
| Gigabit-tier price | $70/mo for 1000/750 Mbps (ON, QC) | $80/mo (QC); $95/mo (ON) for 1500/940 Mbps |
| Top residential speed | 1,000/750 Mbps (Fibre, ON, QC) | 8,000/8,000 Mbps (ON, QC) |
| Upload speeds | Up to 750 Mbps (Fibre, ON, QC); up to 200 Mbps on western cable | Up to 8,000 Mbps; symmetrical on all plans except Gigabit Fibe 1.5 (940 Mbps) |
| Data cap | Unlimited (all plans) | Unlimited (all Fibe plans) |
| Pricing structure | Regular monthly rates, no promotional reversion | Promotional bill credit for 2 years (ON, QC, NB, NL) or 1 year (NS, PEI), then regular price |
| Price lock guarantee | No stated price guarantee | Price guaranteed for 2 years on all ON plans |
| Contract options | No contract (all plans) | 24 months (ON); no contract (QC and Atlantic) |
| Installation fee | Not specified; free activation on select plans | $0 self-install; $0 pro install if self-install unavailable; $150 if self-install declined |
| Equipment | Wi-Fi 6 equipment (select plans) | Wi-Fi 7 (ON, QC); Wi-Fi 6E (Atlantic) |
| Termination fee | Not specified | Not specified |
| Provinces served | 5 (ON, QC, AB, BC, SK) | 6 (ON, QC, NB, NL, NS, PEI) |
| Underlying network(s) | Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Cogeco (varies by address) | Bell Fibe (own network) |
| Bundles | Not offered | Yes (with Bell Mobility and Bell TV) |
| Sign-up perk | Free activation (select plans) | 25,000 Aeroplan points (ON); 10,000 Aeroplan points when ordering online (QC) |
| Customer support | Phone, live chat, self-support, Self-Help app, network status page, English and French | Phone, online chat, MyBell app, retail stores, online self-serve portal, English and French |
| Customer rating (Topicks.ca) | 5.0 / 5 | 2.4 / 5 |
Contract and pricing details
Primus sells every plan on a no-contract basis, with no stated price guarantee and no promotional pricing listed; the listed prices are regular monthly rates. In Ontario and Quebec, fibre plans are 150/150 Mbps at $55/month, 500/500 Mbps at $60/month, and 1000/750 Mbps at $70/month (the same price in both provinces). In Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, cable plans are 75/50 Mbps at $55/month, 500/200 Mbps at $90/month, and 1000/200 Mbps at $130/month. Available plans may vary based on your address, so confirm pricing and eligibility directly with Primus.
Bell contract terms and pricing differ by province. In Ontario, all Fibe plans are on 24-month terms with a $15/month bill credit for 2 years ($30/month on Gigabit Fibe 8.0) and a price guarantee for 2 years: Fibe 150 ($75/mo, was $90), Fibe 500 ($90/mo, was $105), Gigabit Fibe 1.5 ($95/mo, was $110), Gigabit Fibe 3.0 ($100/mo, was $115), and Gigabit Fibe 8.0 ($130/mo, was $160). In Quebec, all Fibe plans are no contract with a 2-year bill credit: Fibe 150 ($70/mo, was $75), Fibe 500 ($75/mo, was $80), Gigabit Fibe 1.5 ($80/mo, was $90), Gigabit Fibe 3.0 ($85/mo, was $100), and Gigabit Fibe 8.0 ($100/mo, was $130). In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, plans are no contract at a promotional rate for 24 months: Fibe 150 ($75/mo, then $95), Fibe 500 ($85/mo, then $105), Gigabit Fibe 1.5 ($95/mo, then $115), and Gigabit Fibe 3.0 ($100/mo, then $120). In Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, plans are no contract with a $25/month credit for 1 year: Fibe 500 ($85/mo, was $110) and Gigabit Fibe 1.5 ($90/mo, was $115). Bell's termination fee is not specified in available plan data; confirm it directly with Bell.
Equipment and installation
Primus includes Wi-Fi 6 equipment and free activation on select plans; the plans that qualify are not specified in available plan data. Installation fees and equipment rental or purchase terms are also not specified. Confirm equipment, activation, and installation terms directly with Primus before signing up.
Bell includes Wi-Fi 7 equipment on all Fibe plans in Ontario and Quebec, and Wi-Fi 6E equipment on its Atlantic Canada plans. Bell offers self-installation at no charge. If self-installation is not available at your address, professional installation is also provided at no charge. However, if you decline self-installation when it is offered to you, a $150 professional installation fee applies. Additional equipment rental or purchase terms should be confirmed directly with Bell.
Perks and add-ons
Primus offers free activation and Wi-Fi 6 equipment on select plans. Primus does not list bundle discounts, TV, streaming perks, loyalty perks, or student pricing in available plan data. Unlimited data is included on every plan.
Bell Ontario Fibe plans include 25,000 Aeroplan points as a sign-up incentive, plus a price guarantee for 2 years. Quebec Fibe plans include 10,000 Aeroplan points when ordering online. Bundling with Bell Mobility or Bell TV can provide additional monthly savings. Unlimited data is included on every Fibe plan.
Customer support
Both ISPs offer phone and chat support in English and French, plus an app for managing your account. Bell adds retail stores and authorized dealers for in-person help, while Primus publishes a public network status page. Primus holds a 5.0/5 customer rating on Topicks.ca versus 2.4/5 for Bell, a wide gap in reviewer satisfaction.
Who should choose which?
- You want the lowest price in Ontario or Quebec: Primus fibre is $55/month for 150/150 Mbps, $60/month for 500/500 Mbps, and $70/month for 1000/750 Mbps, below Bell at every shared tier
- You want a price that does not jump later: Primus lists regular rates, while Bell's prices rely on a bill credit that ends after 1 or 2 years
- You are in Ontario and do not want a contract: Bell Ontario plans are 24-month terms, while every Primus plan is no contract
- You live in Alberta, British Columbia, or Saskatchewan: Primus has cable plans there, and Bell does not list plans in those provinces
- Customer satisfaction matters: Primus holds 5.0/5 on Topicks.ca versus 2.4/5 for Bell
- You need speeds above 1 Gbps: Bell offers 3 Gbps and 8 Gbps symmetrical plans in Ontario and Quebec
- You live in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island: Bell has fibre plans there, and Primus does not
- You want Wi-Fi 7 equipment included on every plan in Ontario and Quebec
- You want a locked price: all Bell Ontario plans include a price guarantee for 2 years
- You collect Aeroplan points: 25,000 points on Ontario plans and 10,000 on Quebec plans ordered online
- You want to bundle internet with Bell Mobility or Bell TV, or prefer in-store support
Primus wins on price, contract flexibility, and customer rating. In Ontario and Quebec, Primus fibre undercuts Bell at the 150, 500, and gigabit tiers by $10 to $30/month, with no contract, no promotional reversion, and a 5.0/5 Topicks.ca rating. It also serves Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, where Bell does not list plans.
Bell wins on top-end speed, equipment, perks, and Atlantic coverage. It offers 3 Gbps and 8 Gbps symmetrical tiers, Wi-Fi 7 in Ontario and Quebec, Aeroplan points, a price guarantee for 2 years on Ontario plans, bundles with Bell Mobility and Bell TV, and fibre plans in four Atlantic provinces.
The deciding factor is province first: in Atlantic Canada only Bell is an option, and in the West only Primus is. In Ontario and Quebec, households that need 1 Gbps or less get more for their money with Primus fibre, if it is available at their address, while those who want multi-gig speeds, Wi-Fi 7, or a Bell bundle should look at Bell.
View the Bell internet coverage map, Rogers internet coverage map, Shaw internet coverage map, and Cogeco internet coverage map on Topicks.ca to check which networks serve your area.
