How to Avoid Roaming Charges in the US from Canada
By the TAOX team · Updated November 2026
Canada's big carriers charge about $13–$16 CAD a day to use your plan in the US. For a week-long trip that's $91–$112 CAD. Here are the cheaper ways to stay connected, and how to set up your phone so you don't pay for a roaming day by accident.
What Canadian carriers charge in the US
| Carrier | Daily US roaming | Elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| Bell (Roam Better) | $13 CAD / day | $16 CAD / day |
| Rogers (Roam Like Home) | $16 CAD / day | $18 CAD / day |
| Telus (Easy Roam) | $16 CAD / day | $18 CAD / day |
Daily rates published by the carriers, November 2026. Carriers change them often and some older guides list lower prices, so check your carrier's app before you go.
How the daily charge works
You pay only on the days you use your Canadian line in the US. On Rogers, for example, a roaming day starts when you make or answer a call, send a text, check voicemail or use data, including apps refreshing in the background. Incoming texts and calls you don't answer don't count. Bell and Telus work in a similar way.
That's why the charge is easy to trigger by accident: an app syncing in the background on day one is enough. Some carriers also sell multi-day US passes (around $40 CAD for 7 days), which cost less per day for longer trips.
Your options, compared
Costs below are for a 7-day trip using about 1 GB of data a day.
| Option | Cost for 7 days | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily roaming | $91–$112 CAD | A day or two, when you need your Canadian number for calls | Adds up fast; any call or sent text starts a day |
| Multi-day US pass | Around $40 CAD | One trip of about a week | Fixed number of days; data limits vary |
| Canada-US plan | Part of your monthly bill | Frequent US trips | You pay for US coverage every month, even at home; some plans cap roaming |
| US prepaid SIM | Often $25–$50 USD for a month | Long stays | A US number instead of yours; activation can need a US address |
| Travel eSIM | About $8–$14 USD with TAOX | Occasional trips; trips to several countries | Needs an unlocked phone that supports eSIM; data only |
| Wi-Fi only | Free | Short trips where you'll rarely leave the hotel | No maps or messages once you step outside |
TAOX sells a travel eSIM, one of the options above. We've tried to be fair to the others: the best choice depends on how often you travel.
How much data will you use?
| How you use your phone | Data per day |
|---|---|
| Light: messages, maps, a few searches | 0.3–0.5 GB |
| Moderate: plus social media and photo uploads | About 1 GB |
| Heavy: video, music streaming, hotspot for a laptop | 2 GB or more |
With TAOX, $10 USD buys about 5–9 GB in the US, depending on the network your phone joins. Download maps and playlists on Wi-Fi before you leave, and you'll use noticeably less.
How to set up your phone before you cross the border
- Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be unlocked. Most iPhones from the XS and XR on, and recent Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, support eSIM. Phones sold in Canada since December 2017 are unlocked; if yours is older, your carrier must unlock it for free.
- Install the travel eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi. It takes a few minutes. Your Canadian SIM stays in the phone.
- iPhone: go to Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Service). Set Cellular Data to the travel eSIM and turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching. Open the travel eSIM and turn Data Roaming on; open your Canadian line and turn Data Roaming off.
- Android: go to Settings › Network & internet › SIMs (names vary by phone). Choose the travel eSIM for mobile data and turn roaming on for it; turn roaming off for your Canadian SIM.
- Calls and texts: leave your Canadian line on so texts still reach you, but don't send texts or answer calls on it unless you're happy to pay for the day. Use WhatsApp, FaceTime or your carrier's Wi-Fi Calling instead. Rogers, for example, suggests Wi-Fi Calling to return calls without starting a roaming day.
- Back home: switch mobile data back to your Canadian line. The eSIM can stay on your phone for the next trip.
Questions
Will I be charged for receiving a text in the US?
On Rogers, incoming texts and unanswered calls don't start the daily roaming charge, but sending a text, answering or making a call, checking voicemail or using data does. Other carriers have similar rules, so check yours before you go.
Can I keep using WhatsApp and iMessage with a travel eSIM?
Yes. They run over mobile data, so they work on the travel eSIM, and your contacts still see your usual number.
Is a Canada-US plan cheaper than a travel eSIM?
If you're in the US every month, usually yes. If you go once or twice a year, paying for data only on the trips you take is usually cheaper than paying for US coverage every month.
Do I need an unlocked phone?
Yes, for a travel eSIM or a US SIM. Phones sold in Canada since December 2017 must be sold unlocked, and carriers must unlock older phones for free when you ask.
Can I use a travel eSIM in Canada too?
Usually, but it's rarely the cheapest way to use data at home. With TAOX, $10 buys about 2–3 GB in Canada: it's made for trips abroad.
Going to several countries on one trip? Read what a trip through Laos and Vietnam taught our founder about travel eSIMs.