Netcrawler and Oxio are both independent Canadian internet providers that lease access to networks owned by the major carriers rather than owning last-mile infrastructure themselves. Netcrawler is an Ontario-only provider offering Cable internet over Rogers and Cogeco infrastructure, DSL over Bell lines, and a growing Fibre lineup in select Ontario municipalities, with every plan sold on a month-to-month, no-contract basis. Oxio is a no-contract reseller that runs on three separate underlying networks depending on province: Cogeco in Ontario, Videotron in Quebec, and Rogers in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, with flat-rate pricing and no promotional windows. Ontario is the only province where the two providers directly overlap, since Netcrawler does not operate outside Ontario while Oxio also serves Quebec and Western Canada. This page compares both providers on plans, pricing, speeds, coverage, contract terms, equipment, and support to help you decide which is the better fit in 2026.
Plans and pricing
The two providers take opposite approaches to pricing. Netcrawler applies a 12-month promotional rate to every Cable and DSL plan, which then reverts to a higher regular price after the first year. Oxio sells at a single flat rate with no contract and no promotional period at all, so the price at sign-up is the price you keep paying. Since Netcrawler serves Ontario exclusively, the cards below compare Ontario plans from both providers, which is also where Oxio's Ontario lineup runs over Cogeco cable infrastructure.
Oxio has significantly expanded its Ontario lineup, which now spans 10 plans, adding a very low-cost entry tier and reduced-upload variants at several download speeds alongside its existing full-upload plans. At the full-upload matching tiers, Netcrawler remains cheaper across the board: $43.95/mo versus $52.00/mo at 100 Mbps, $68.95/mo versus $79.00/mo at 500 Mbps, and $74.95/mo versus $85.00/mo at the gigabit tier, with both now reaching the same upload speed at each of those tiers. At the very low end, Oxio undercuts Netcrawler with a 15/2 Mbps plan at $25.00/mo, though this is a much slower connection than Netcrawler's cheapest 40/10 Mbps plan at $36.00/mo. At the closest comparable tier, Oxio's 40/10 Mbps plan is $35.00/mo flat, a dollar cheaper than Netcrawler's $36.00/mo promotional rate, and unlike Netcrawler's price, Oxio's never reverts upward. Oxio also now sells reduced-upload versions of its higher tiers for shoppers who do not need full upload speed, including 100/10 Mbps at $40.00/mo, 500/30 Mbps at $45.00/mo, and 1000/30 Mbps at $55.00/mo, all priced well below Netcrawler's equivalent download speeds. Netcrawler's price advantage at the full-upload tiers narrows after the first year, since its prices revert to a higher regular rate after 12 months (for example $43.95/mo reverting to $52.95/mo), while Oxio's flat rate never changes. Netcrawler also offers a Fibre lineup in select Ontario municipalities reaching up to 1.5 Gbps symmetrical, but pricing for those plans is address-dependent and not available as a fixed figure. Netcrawler's Unlimited 1500 Pro also gives it a cable tier above 1 Gbps that Oxio does not currently offer in Ontario.
Network and coverage
Netcrawler and Oxio only overlap in Ontario. Netcrawler serves Ontario exclusively, across roughly 60 cities and municipalities, running Cable over Cogeco infrastructure on its lower-upload plans and Rogers infrastructure on its higher-upload plans, DSL over Bell lines, and Fibre in select municipalities. Oxio reaches Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan by leasing wholesale access from a different underlying network in each region: Cogeco in Ontario (the same network Netcrawler partly relies on), Videotron in Quebec, and Rogers in the four western provinces. Neither provider operates in Atlantic Canada, the territories, or Saskatchewan's DSL market. Since Oxio's Ontario plans run over Cogeco just like a portion of Netcrawler's Ontario lineup, the two providers are, in that specific case, reselling access to overlapping physical infrastructure at different price points.
Oxio's national footprint is considerably larger, reaching six provinces compared to Netcrawler's Ontario-only presence. Within Ontario specifically, Netcrawler's advantage is technology variety at a single address, since it can offer Cable, DSL, or increasingly Fibre depending on what is already built to a home, whereas Oxio in Ontario is Cable-only over Cogeco. Netcrawler's Fibre tier, topping out at 1.5 Gbps symmetrical, is faster than anything Oxio offers in Ontario, though it is limited to select Ontario municipalities and priced by address rather than at a fixed rate. Oxio's new 1500/200 Mbps plan in Western Canada matches Netcrawler's Fibre on raw download speed while offering less upload. Oxio's fastest plan now reaches 1,500 Mbps download in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, a tier not yet available in Ontario or Quebec, where Oxio still tops out at 1,000 Mbps and 500 Mbps respectively. Ontario and Western Canada remain closely matched on upload at their full-upload tiers, both reaching 200 Mbps upload from 500 Mbps download and above. Oxio's Quebec lineup, which runs on Videotron rather than Cogeco or Rogers, tops out at 500 Mbps download with upload speeds no higher than 50 Mbps, meaningfully behind Ontario and Western Canada at comparable tiers.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Netcrawler | Oxio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (ON) | $36.00/mo (40/10 Mbps Cable) | $25.00/mo (15/2 Mbps Cable, a much slower tier) |
| ~40 Mbps tier price (ON) | $36.00/mo (40/10 Mbps, 12-month promo) | $35.00/mo (40/10 Mbps, flat rate) |
| 100 Mbps tier, full upload (ON) | $43.95/mo (100/100 Mbps) | $52.00/mo (100/100 Mbps) |
| 500 Mbps tier, full upload (ON) | $68.95/mo (500/200 Mbps) | $79.00/mo (500/200 Mbps) |
| Gigabit tier, full upload (ON) | $74.95/mo (1000/200 Mbps) | $85.00/mo (1000/200 Mbps) |
| Reduced-upload budget plans (ON) | Not offered | Yes, $40 to $55/mo at 100 Mbps to gigabit tiers with lower upload |
| Upload speed at matching tiers (ON) | Matches Oxio at every tier (10 to 200 Mbps) | Matches Netcrawler at every tier (10 to 200 Mbps) |
| Price stability | 12-month promo, reverts to higher rate after | Flat rate, no promo, no reversion |
| Top residential speed | 1,500 Mbps symmetrical (Fibre, select ON areas) | 1,500 Mbps down / 200 Mbps up (Cable, BC/AB/MB/SK only) |
| Data cap | Unlimited (all plans) | Unlimited (all plans) |
| Contract options | No contract on every plan, cancel anytime | No contract on every plan, cancel anytime |
| Equipment | Free router and free shipping on all plans | Modem and router included (Oxio-supplied only, no BYO) |
| Self-install | About 5 minutes, technician usually not required | Not confirmed in available data |
| Provinces served | 1 (Ontario only) | 6 (ON, QC, BC, AB, MB, SK) |
| Sign-up guarantee | None confirmed | 60-day money-back satisfaction guarantee |
| Referral program | $40 credit for both parties, second-month anniversary | Not confirmed in available data |
| Bundle discounts | None confirmed | None confirmed |
| Customer rating (Topicks.ca) | 2.5 / 5 (based on 2 reviews) | 4.5 / 5 |
Contract and pricing details
Netcrawler sells every plan, including Fibre, on a month-to-month basis with no contract and no early termination fee. Most Cable and DSL plans carry a 12-month promotional rate that reverts to a higher regular price afterward, for example the Unlimited 40 plan starts at $36.00/mo and reverts to $48.00/mo, the Unlimited 100 Essential plan starts at $43.95/mo and reverts to $52.95/mo, and the Unlimited 1500 Pro plan starts at $81.95/mo and reverts to $96.95/mo. Netcrawler also offers Fibre in select Ontario areas at 100 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1.5 Gbps symmetrical speeds, but pricing is address-dependent and not available as a fixed figure. Check the official Netcrawler Fibre page or use the address checker for current pricing and availability at a specific address.
Oxio operates on a single flat-rate, no-contract pricing model across all 22 plans: every plan is month-to-month and the price listed at sign-up is the ongoing rate, with no introductory period that reverts to a higher amount. Oxio has significantly expanded its Ontario lineup, which now spans 10 plans from $25.00/mo for a 15/2 Mbps entry-level connection up to $85.00/mo for 1000/200 Mbps. Several Ontario download tiers now come in two versions: a lower-priced, reduced-upload variant and a higher-priced, full-upload variant. For example, at 100 Mbps download, Oxio offers 100/10 Mbps for $40.00/mo or 100/100 Mbps for $52.00/mo; at 500 Mbps, it offers 500/30 Mbps for $45.00/mo or 500/200 Mbps for $79.00/mo; and at the gigabit tier, it offers 1000/30 Mbps for $55.00/mo or 1000/200 Mbps for $85.00/mo. Quebec plans run from $50.00/mo for 30/10 Mbps to $75.00/mo for 500/50 Mbps or 200/30 Mbps. Western Canada plans (BC, AB, MB, SK) now run from $49.00/mo for 50/50 Mbps up to $95.00/mo for a new 1500/200 Mbps tier, the fastest plan Oxio offers in any province. At the full-upload tiers, Ontario and Western Canada speeds remain closely matched, both reaching 200 Mbps upload at 500 Mbps and above, while Quebec plans remain capped at 50 Mbps upload or lower even at the 500 Mbps tier. There are no bundling discounts, auto-pay discounts, or multi-year term options with Oxio.
Equipment and installation
Netcrawler includes a Wi-Fi router with every plan and offers free shipping and delivery on equipment. Self-installation is designed to take about 5 minutes and a technician is not required in most cases; Netcrawler notes that some Fibre orders may require a technician visit, particularly at addresses where fibre has not previously been installed, and this is confirmed during the ordering process. There is no early termination fee at any point since all plans are month-to-month.
Oxio includes a modem and router combo as part of the monthly service. Oxio requires use of its supplied equipment: customers cannot bring their own modem or use a modem from a previous provider. Installation fee details are not confirmed in the available Oxio data on Topicks.ca; customers should contact Oxio directly to confirm installation terms and whether self-install is available at their address.
Perks and add-ons
Netcrawler runs a referral program: when an existing customer shares their referral code and someone signs up with it, both the referrer and the new customer receive a $40 credit, applied automatically on the new customer's second-month anniversary. Netcrawler does not currently offer TV or mobile bundles.
Oxio offers a 60-day full money-back satisfaction guarantee on all plans, one of the more generous trial periods available from a Canadian internet provider. Oxio does not offer TV or mobile bundles, auto-pay discounts, or multi-year pricing incentives.
Customer support
Both providers take a digital-first approach with no phone support line, relying instead on chat-based channels. Netcrawler adds WhatsApp to its lineup alongside live chat and email, while Oxio uses SMS alongside online chat. Oxio holds a notably higher rating on Topicks.ca at 4.5/5 compared to Netcrawler's 2.5/5, though Netcrawler's score is based on only 2 reviews so far and should be read with that in mind.
Who should choose which?
- You live in Ontario and want the lowest price at nearly every comparable speed tier, including $43.95/mo for 100 Mbps and $74.95/mo for gigabit cable, both cheaper than Oxio's equivalent Ontario plans
- You want the lowest price for a full-upload plan: Netcrawler is cheaper than Oxio's equivalent full-upload plan at the 100 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and gigabit tiers in Ontario
- You want a cable tier above 1 Gbps or Netcrawler's 1.5 Gbps symmetrical Fibre in select Ontario areas, both faster than anything Oxio currently offers in Ontario
- You want equipment costs handled for you: a free router and free shipping come standard on every plan
- You want a fast, mostly self-serve setup, with self-install typically taking about 5 minutes and no technician needed in most cases
- You want to earn credits by referring friends: Netcrawler pays out $40 to both parties on the new customer's second-month anniversary
- You live outside Ontario, since Oxio also serves Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, while Netcrawler is Ontario-only
- You want price certainty over time: Oxio's flat rate never reverts to a higher price after a promotional period, unlike Netcrawler's 12-month promo structure
- You want the reassurance of a trial period: Oxio's 60-day money-back satisfaction guarantee gives more room to test the service before committing
- Customer satisfaction track record matters to you: Oxio holds a 4.5/5 rating on Topicks.ca, notably higher than Netcrawler's 2.5/5 (based on a small early sample)
- You want the lowest possible price for a given Ontario download speed and don't need full upload: Oxio's reduced-upload variants start at $25.00/mo for 15 Mbps and undercut Netcrawler by a wide margin at the 500 Mbps ($45.00 vs $68.95) and gigabit ($55.00 vs $74.95) tiers
- You want the widest range of price points: Oxio now offers 10 distinct Ontario plans from $25.00 to $85.00/mo, roughly double Netcrawler's Ontario lineup, giving a closer match to a specific budget or speed need
Netcrawler wins on price at every full-upload matching tier, plus top residential speed and included equipment, undercutting Oxio's equivalent full-upload plans at the 100 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and gigabit tiers, offering a 1.5 Gbps Fibre option and a 1500 Mbps cable tier that Oxio does not currently match in Ontario, and including a free router and shipping on every plan. Upload speeds are now essentially tied between the two at every matching tier, since Oxio has upgraded its full-upload Ontario plans to match Netcrawler's speeds. Oxio wins on budget options, geographic reach, price stability, and customer satisfaction, with newly added entry-level and reduced-upload plans starting at $25.00/mo that undercut Netcrawler by a wide margin for shoppers who don't need full upload, a footprint spanning six provinces compared to Netcrawler's Ontario-only presence, a flat rate with no promotional reversion, and a notably higher Topicks.ca rating of 4.5/5 versus 2.5/5. For Ontario residents who need full upload speed and want the lowest matching-tier price for the first 12 months, Netcrawler is the stronger deal. For budget-focused shoppers who don't need high upload, or for anyone outside Ontario who values a flat rate with no revert date and a longer satisfaction guarantee, Oxio is now a considerably more competitive option than before.
View the Rogers internet coverage map, Cogeco internet coverage map, Videotron internet coverage map, and Bell internet coverage map on Topicks.ca for general guidance on the underlying networks both providers rely on, or use the Netcrawler address checker directly for Ontario availability. Always confirm availability at your address directly with Netcrawler or Oxio.
