One of Canada’s largest mobile carriers, Virgin Mobile Canada offers a wide variety of plans, devices, and accessories.
So what does Virgin Mobile have to offer? How do they compare to the competition?
We have these answers and more here.
Never miss an amazing deal again + get our bonus 250+ page eBook for FREE. Join 50,000 other Canadians who receive our weekly newsletter – learn more.
Virgin Mobile Canada details
Despite their name, Virgin Mobile isn’t owned by Virgin. They are owned by Bell, and operate as their discount carrier.
Virgin offers a wide range of cellular products and plans to suit many people’s needs.
What you need to get started
Virgin Mobile offers both prepaid and contract cell phones plans, with a wide variety of available devices.
In order to sign up for any plan, you’ll need to provide a few things:
- address,
- date of birth, and
- a credit card number.
You’ll need this information as Virgin Mobile will do a credit check on you. It’s also best if your address matches the address associated with your credit card.
Virgin Mobile phones and tablets
What kinds of devices does Virgin offer? Almost any mobile device you could want is available, whether you want the latest smartphone, or are ok saving a few bucks and going with something older.
Here’s a sampling of what they have to offer for phones. You can see Virgin Mobile phones here.
If a tablet that can use cellular data is what you’re after, there’s a much smaller selection but many top devices are available for purchase.
And of course, they also sell a full line of accessories for devices you purchase, including cases, screen protectors, headphones, and even smart home devices.
Have your own device? You can buy a SIM card and use your own device and get a cheaper plan.
And if you already have an account with Virgin, you can upgrade your phone. Check and see if there’s a promo you can take advantage of. Just note that there may be an outstanding balance to pay when you get a new device, depending on how long you’ve had the old one.
Pros and cons of Virgin Mobile Canada
There are both pros and cons to being with Virgin Mobile.
3 benefits of Virgin Mobile
What are some things to like about Virgin Mobile? Here are some of the upsides.
1. Large choice of phones
Whether you’re looking for the latest and greatest smartphone, or whether you’re looking to save some money by getting a device that’s a few years out of date, Virgin Mobile phones have you covered.
2. Wide choice of Virgin Mobile plans
Need a full service phone and data plan, or just one with the basic essentials? Virgin Mobile has a plan for you. There are basic plans with no data, all the way up to 20 GB of data included. There are also various international plan add-ons you can get as well.
3. Plenty of free extras
Lots of benefits await with Virgin Mobile’s Member Benefits.
From shopping deals to VIP experiences, there are lots of little extras here that can make your experience with Virgin a little better.
Here are some of the current offers available to Virgin members.
4. Coast-to-coast-to-coast coverage
Virgin Mobile has exceptional coverage, all across Canada.
And it’s not just in the provinces either. They have extensive coverage in all 3 territories as well.
Here’s their current coverage map, as of January 12, 2021.
To check for coverage in your area, this page will let you enter in your address and see what Virgin Mobile provides.
2 downsides of Virgin Mobile
On the flip side, here are 2 things to keep in mind with Virgin.
1. Credit check required for new plans
Unfortunately, you will be subjected to a credit check with Virgin Mobile. So if you have poor credit, you may not be able to get a phone from Virgin Mobile.
2. Not the lowest rates you can get
As you’ll see farther below, Virgin doesn’t have the lowest rates out there. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a plan for a little less from another provider.
Virgin Mobile Canada phone plans
So what does Virgin have to offer for plans?
Here is a sampling of what’s available.
Virgin Mobile prepaid plans
For their standard monthly plans, here are 3 options available if you get a device from Virgin Mobile. Note that these prices do not include any extras for a subsidized device.
All of these plans include voicemail, call waiting, and unlimited text and picture messaging.
Note: Plans are subject to change. All information current as of January 12, 2021.
| Plan Monthly Amount | Details |
|---|---|
| $25 | * Minutes: Unlimited * Data: Pay Per Use Data |
| $50 | * Minutes: Unlimited * Data: 8 GB |
| $75 | * Minutes: Unlimited * Data: 20 GB |
How much you want to pay per month depends on what you want for data, as they all offer unlimited minutes.
So whether you use no data at all, or like to stream videos while on the go, there’s a data plan to fit you.
You can see all of their current options here.
Virgin Mobile internet and data plans
Virgin also offers data-only plans. There are 2 options available:
- 2 GB Data – $20 per month
- 4 GB Data – $40 per month
Those are the only options. If you want more data, you’ll need to get a full phone plan.
Virgin Mobile family plans
Unfortunately, Virgin Mobile doesn’t offer any family plans. If this is something you’re looking for, you’ll have to find another carrier.
Virgin Mobile alternatives
There are alternatives to Virgin Mobile in the Canadian mobile market.
Here are some of Virgin Mobile’s top competitors.
Fido
Owned by Rogers, Fido is their discount carrier, similar to Bell and Virgin Mobile.
Fido provides extensive coverage across Canada, and offers plenty of plans and devices to choose from.
Koodo
Koodo is the discount carrier for Telus.
Similar to Virgin and Fido, Koodo is available across the country.
Freedom
The other discount carrier we’ll include is Freedom.
While they do have coverage from coast to coast, you can only get a Freedom mobile in select areas in Canada.
Because Freedom doesn’t operate their own cell network across Canada, their plans have 2 levels of data usage – when you’re in the Freedom network and when you’re not (our comparison only includes if you’re in the Freedom network).
Cell phone company comparison
So how do Virgin Mobile plans compare to these other companies?
Here’s how they compare, based on their lowest priced plan, the highest, and one in between.
| Carrier | Basic Plan Details | Price | Mid Tier Plan Details | Price | High End Plan Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin | * Unlimited calling * Pay per use data |
$25 | * Unlimited calling * 8 GB of data |
$50 | * Unlimited calling * 20 GB of data |
$75 |
| Koodo | * Unlimited calling * Pay per use data |
$25 | * Unlimited calling * 8 GB of data |
$50 | * Unlimited calling * 20 GB of data |
$75 |
| Fido | * Unlimited calling * Pay per use data |
$25 | * Unlimited calling * 8 GB of data |
$50 | * Unlimited calling * 20 GB of data |
$75 |
| Freedom | * 100 mins * 250 MB data |
$20 | * Unlimited calling * 3 GB data |
$40 | * Unlimited calling * 16 GB of data |
$60 |
For Virgin, Koodo, and Fido, all of their plans are identical. The only difference between these 3 carriers are going to be what you pay for a phone itself.
Freedom does have plans that are a little bit less. However, Freedom isn’t available to most Canadians. And one thing to note – if you are outside the Freedom network, what you have available for data is quite limited.
Based on the mid-tier offering, here is how they compare for price:
And what they offer for data.
With Freedom, you are saving $10 per month, but it comes at a cost of more than half the data. Whether the lower prices Freedom charges are worth it is up to you.
Virgin, Fido, and Koodo all offer the same package.
Best credit cards for paying your Virgin Mobile phone bill
So what credit cards should you use to pay for your phone bill?
Here are our top credit cards for not only earning rewards, but that also include rare mobile device insurance.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Earn Rate On Recurring Bills | Annual Fee, Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite | *  $20 GeniusCash + 10% cash back for the first 3 months, first year free (terms) |
4% cash back | * $120, first year free * $60K personal/$100K household income requirement |
Apply Now |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite | * $150 GeniusCash + Up to 70,000 bonus points, first year free (terms) |
1 point per $1 spent | * $120, first year free * $60K personal/$100K household income requirement |
Apply Now |
| Brim Mastercard | None | 1% cash back | * $0 * $15K personal income requirement |
Apply Now |
| National Bank myCredit Mastercard | None | 1% cash back | * $0 * No income requirements |
Apply Now |
1. Best credit card for paying your mobile phone bill
GC: $20
Our top recommended credit card for paying a mobile phone bill is the
Why this card? It has top earn rates on recurring bill payments, and it also includes mobile device insurance.
As for earn rates, you’ll get:
- 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bills,
- 2% cash back on gas and transit, and
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
On top of including mobile device coverage, you’ll get another 10 types of complimentary insurance.
It’s for an annual fee of $120, currently waived for the first year.
2. Best for earning flexible rewards
GC: $150
It doesn’t have a special earn rate on recurring bill payments, but the
For rewards, you’ll earn:
- 5 points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, gas, and transit, and
- 1 point per $1 spent on everything else.
With a BMO Rewards worth 0.67 cents when redeemed for travel, you’re looking at a return of up to 3.35%.
It also has 2 unique perks. The first is the annual $50 lifestyle credit. Every year after your card’s anniversary, you’ll be reimbursed $50 on your first purchase that is greater than $50.
The other unique perk is that you’ll earn 10% bonus rewards when you add an authorized user to the account.
This card has an annual fee of $120, that’s waived for the first year.
3. Best no annual fee credit card with mobile device insurance
Every card offered by Brim Financial includes mobile device coverage, and has a high flat cash back earn rate on purchases. Here we’ll spotlight the
You’ll earn 1% cash back on every purchase you make. Shop with Brim’s 150+ retail partners, and you can earn anywhere from 3% to up to 40% on your purchases.
Plus, it has no foreign transaction fees, the holy grail of waived fees, saving you 2.5% on any purchase that isn’t made in Canadian dollars.
4. No fee, no income requirements credit card with mobile device coverage
The last card we’ll highlight is the
With this cash back credit card, you’ll earn:
- 1% cash back on recurring bills and restaurants
- 0.5% cash back on all purchases
And unlike the other cards here, there are no minimum income requirements to meet to get a credit card with mobile device coverage.
Want to see the best credit cards for paying bills? Here are the best of the best in this category.
4 credit cards compared
How do these 4 credit cards compare to each other? Here’s the stack up in a few categories.
Average rate of return
First, here’s how they compare based on average rate of return, based on a typical $2,000 monthly spend.
The 2 credit cards with annual fees are ahead of the pack. But among the no fee cards, the Brim Mastercard is quite a bit ahead.
Estimated annual rewards earned
How does this translate to annual rewards?
With the exception of the National Bank card, all of these credit cards have top-notch rewards on purchases.
Estimated insurance value
Finally, here’s how they compare on the value of the insurance packages provided, based on a study we completed.
Yet again, the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite is the leader, but the National Bank myCredit is surprisingly not the lowest here. This is because the Brim Mastercard only offers a coverage amount of $500 for mobile device insurance, less than the other cards here.
Want to learn more about how mobile device insurance works? Here’s the details on this unique coverage, and other credit cards that offer it.
The verdict
Virgin Mobile can be a good place to start if you’re in the market for a new phone.
But, do some digging and you may be able to find a carrier with slightly lower monthly plans, if you live in the right area.
Do you have Virgin Mobile? Any experiences to share?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
Who owns Virgin Mobile Canada?
Virgin Mobile is not owned by the Virgin group, but by Bell Canada, who operate Virgin Mobile as their discount carrier.
What is the best credit card for paying your Virgin Mobile phone bill?
Our top credit card for paying your Virgin Mobile phone bill is the Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite, which offers 4% cash back on recurring bill payments, and includes mobile device insurance.
How does Virgin Mobile compare to Koodo and Fido?
Virgin Mobile offers similar phones and plans to both Koodo and Fido.
Does Virgin Mobile have good rates?
Virgin Mobile has good mobile phone rates, but there are some carriers that offer plans for less.
Is a credit check required to get a phone from Virgin Mobile Canada?
Yes, a credit check is required to get a phone from Virgin Mobile.
creditcardGenius is the only tool that compares 126+ features of 229 Canadian credit cards using math-based ratings and rankings that respond to your needs, instantly. Take our quiz and see which of Canada's 229 cards is for you.
GC: 
Comments
Leave a comment
Required fields are marked with *. Your email address will not be published.
Showing 1 comments