Does Verizon work in Canada?

How does Verizon’s roaming work in Canada?

Verizon roaming in Canada works through automatic daily passes or built-in plan benefits, which let your phone connect to a local network to give you talk, text, and data. The specifics of your roaming experience, though, will depend on the Verizon plan you use.

Before you leave your home country, you should ensure that data roaming is toggled “on” in your phone’s cellular settings to be able to connect to the Canadian tower as soon as you arrive. After crossing the border and turning on your phone, you may receive a text message from Verizon detailing your rates and roaming status. 

Note: If you use roaming excessively, Verizon may restrict your service. The terms generally require that your service be primarily used in the US. If more than 50% of your talk, text, or data usage in 60 days is in countries outside the US, services in those countries may be removed or limited.

How does Verizon coverage in Canada work?

When you cross the border, your phone automatically connects to one of Canada’s three major carriers — Bell, Rogers, or TELUS — through roaming agreements because Verizon doesn’t have its own towers in Canada. All three operate extensive 4G LTE networks covering 96-99% of the Canadian population, and each has rolled out 5G in major cities and surrounding areas. In practice, you can expect reliable coverage in virtually any city or town. The signal may thin out in very remote or northern areas, but that applies to Canadians on their local network, too.

Which Verizon plans include Canada?

The way you can use Verizon in Canada depends on your plan. All unlimited plans include Canada with no additional costs, while other plans require TravelPass or a monthly add-on. Here’s how the options compare:

Unlimited plans

All three of Verizon’s current unlimited plans (Ultimate, Plus, and Unlimited Welcome) include free talk, text, and high-speed data in Canada and Mexico. You’ll get 2 GB of high-speed data per day before speeds drop to 3G.

TravelPass

If you’re on an older plan, a shared data plan, or a prepaid option, Canada roaming runs through TravelPass. The standard rate is US$12 per day for most destinations, but Mexico and Canada get a reduced rate of US$6 per day. You’re only charged on days you actually make a call, send a text, or use data. Calls and texts to the US and within Canada are unlimited, and you get 5 GB of high-speed data per day before speeds drop to 3G. Without TravelPass, you’ll be charged at pay-as-you-go rates. 

International Monthly Plan

For stays longer than two weeks, the International Monthly Plan may save you money compared to the US$6/day TravelPass rate. At US$100 per month, it includes unlimited texts, 250 minutes, and 20 GB of high-speed data (3G data speeds after that). You can sign up for a single month or set it to auto-renew. 

Pay as you go

With pay as you go, you’re charged for every minute, text, and megabyte individually. It’s usually the most expensive option because costs stack up fast, and usage is hard to track. At US$2.05 per megabyte, streaming a single song could cost over US$10!

How much does Verizon cost in Canada?

The specific Verizon options and corresponding international plans’ prices are listed in the table below.

How to set up your Verizon phone for Canada

Whether your plan already covers Canada or you need to add TravelPass, the setup process is straightforward. Follow these two steps before your trip.

Step 1: Check your plan

If you’re on any Verizon Unlimited plan, Canada is already included. Skip to Step 2.

If your plan doesn’t include Canada roaming, add TravelPass before your trip. You can do this in two ways:

• Text the word TRAVEL to 4004.

• Open the My Verizon app, go to “Account” then “International.”

Not sure what your plan covers? Verizon offers an international trip planner where you check your specific plan and device after logging in to the Verizon account.

Step 2: Turn on data roaming

Regardless of your plan, you’ll need to enable data roaming so your phone can connect to Canadian networks:

• iPhone: Go to “Settings” > “Cellular” > “Cellular data options” and toggle “Data roaming” on.

• Samsung: Go to “Settings” > “Connections” > “Mobile networks” and toggle “Data roaming” on.

• Other Android phones (e.g., Pixel): Go to “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Mobile network” and toggle “Data roaming” on.

💡 Pro tip: When calling the US or Canada while in the country, dial +1 followed by the 10-digit phone number. For calls to other countries, press and hold “+” and then enter the country code and number.

Verizon roaming vs. a Saily eSIM in Canada

For travelers on older, shared, or prepaid Verizon plans, a Saily eSIM for Canada can cut costs significantly compared to TravelPass or pay-as-you-go rates.

Not familiar with eSIMs? An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a small chip built right into your device. It works like a traditional SIM card, connecting you to mobile networks, but without a plastic card or a swapping tray.

If you’re wondering how to buy a prepaid SIM card for Canada, you can pick them up at airports and retail stores. But an eSIM is simpler. Just download an eSIM app, pick a data plan, and install it before you leave. It connects to local networks the moment you arrive, and no physical card is needed.

Saily eSIMs offer many benefits, including:

• Instant activation within minutes. No waiting for shipping or taking a trip to the store is needed.

• No roaming charges. You pay for a local data plan upfront and avoid surprise fees.

• Dual SIM flexibility. Your phone’s built-in dual SIM capabilities allow you to keep your normal SIM active for calls and texts while using Saily for mobile data.

• Stronger security. Swapping to a physical travel SIM means pulling out your home SIM, and a lost or stolen card could give someone access to your accounts and mobile services. And what about eSIMs? Are eSIMs safe? Because an eSIM is built into the device, it can’t be physically removed, which cuts those risks significantly. Keep your phone locked, use two-factor authentication, and avoid suspicious links to stay even more protected.

• Extra protection from Nord Security. Saily was created by the team behind NordVPN, and every eSIM comes with web protection that blocks malicious sites and phishing, a built-in ad blocker, and a virtual location changer.