Short answer: all three are legitimate long-term homes for a newcomer. Public Mobile usually wins on data value and online setup, Chatr wins if you want Rogers coverage prepaid with in-store help, Fido fits once you’re settled and want a monthly plan. None of them puts a Canadian number in your hands before you fly, which is the step newcomers most often get wrong.
These three brands sit one step below the big carrier names they belong to. Chatr and Fido live on the Rogers network. Public Mobile lives on the Telus network. That’s the first thing to understand, because coverage arguments between them are mostly arguments about Rogers versus Telus in the specific city you’re moving to, and in major Canadian cities both are strong.
The comparison
| Chatr | Public Mobile | Fido | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | Rogers | Telus | Rogers |
| Model | Prepaid | Prepaid, app and online first | Monthly plans, plus prepaid |
| Credit check | No, prepaid | No, prepaid | Typically yes for monthly |
| Where you set it up | In store or online | Online, supports $0 eSIM activation | Store presence in malls |
| Newcomer fit | Simple start, cash friendly | Best data per dollar, self-serve | Better once you’re settled |
Chatr, the simple prepaid start
Chatr is Rogers’ budget prepaid brand. No credit check, no contract, easy to walk into a store and leave with a working line, which matters if you prefer a human when something goes wrong in a new country. You give up some plan sophistication for that simplicity.
Public Mobile, the value pick
Public Mobile is Telus’ prepaid brand and runs almost entirely online, with $0 eSIM activation and, as of 2026, the strongest data-per-dollar in Canadian prepaid. There’s no store to visit, which cuts both ways: cheaper plans, but you’re your own support desk. Comfortable-online newcomers tend to land here and stay.
Fido, the settle-in option
Fido is Rogers’ mainstream flanker, built around monthly plans with a real storefront presence. Monthly plans typically involve a credit check, which is the newcomer catch: you may not have a Canadian credit history yet. It’s a better second stop than first stop, once you have an address, a bank account, and a few months of history.
The step all three miss
Every option above starts working after you’re in Canada. But the paperwork of moving starts earlier: banks let you pre-register with a Canadian number, schools and employers ask for one on forms, rental applications want one, and verification codes need somewhere to land. That’s the gap CanadianSIM covers. It issues a real Canadian number on the Rogers network before you leave home, as an eSIM or a delivered physical SIM, active the moment you land, with the $80 activation fee waived on pre-arrival orders and no contract locking you in. Plenty of customers run that number for the arrival window and then evaluate the long-term brands above once they’re settled; since the CRTC banned switching fees in June 2026, moving later costs nothing. Students should also read our student SIM roundup.
FAQ
Which is best for a newcomer, Chatr, Public Mobile or Fido? Public Mobile for data value and online setup, Chatr for prepaid simplicity with in-store help on the Rogers network, Fido once you’re settled and can pass a credit check for a monthly plan.
Do Chatr, Public Mobile or Fido require a credit check? Prepaid lines from Chatr and Public Mobile don’t. Fido’s monthly plans typically do, which is why many newcomers start prepaid.
Can I get any of these before arriving in Canada? Public Mobile’s online setup is the closest, but the practical pre-arrival route is a provider built for it. CanadianSIM ships a real Canadian number before your flight so your paperwork and verification codes work from day one.