1. The real price, not the advertised price
Compare the total price for a normal month of use, not just the price per call. Add up the plan, taxes (GST and QST in Québec), the 9-1-1 municipal tax if any, number fees, paid add-ons and porting fees. A free service paid for by ads may suit occasional use, but read what it asks in return: ads, minute limits, a number reclaimed after a period of inactivity.
- How many minutes and texts are included, and to which destinations?
- What happens when you reach the limit: blocking, per-minute charges or an automatic move to a pricier plan?
- Is the advertised price monthly or yearly? Is there a commitment?
- Are picture messages (MMS), voicemail transcription or call forwarding included or extra?
2. The number itself
Check that the app gives you a real ten-digit Canadian number, with the area code you want, and not just a handle usable inside the app. Ask what happens to the number if you stop using it for a few weeks, and whether you can keep it when you change plans. Above all, check that you can port the number to another provider if you leave: a number you can't take with you ties you to the service.
3. 9-1-1
An app that lets you call ordinary phone numbers in Canada must, under the rules of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), give access to 9-1-1 and tell you about its limits. A serious service shows you a clear 9-1-1 notice, asks for the address where you use the service and lets you change it easily. Be wary of a service that doesn't mention it at all, or that blocks 9-1-1 when your credit runs out.
4. Privacy
A second number is often meant to protect your privacy. It would be a shame if the app did the opposite. Read the privacy policy looking for precise answers:
- Who is the person in charge of the protection of personal information, and how do you reach them?
- Where are your texts, voicemails and call records stored, and for how long?
- Are ads personalized by default? Can you say no?
- Do artificial intelligence features read your messages? With your separate consent, or by default?
- Can you delete your account yourself, and what is actually erased?
5. French and support
In Québec, you have the right to be served in French. Check that the app, its messages, invoices, terms and customer service are available in French, and not just half translated. Also look at how to reach support: form, email, a stated response time, and a written complaints process. A provider that explains how to go to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) when a complaint isn't resolved shows that it knows its obligations.
6. Everyday use
- Does it work on several devices at once: phone, tablet, computer?
- Do incoming calls ring reliably when the app is closed?
- Can you set quiet hours, block a number, customize voicemail?
- Are verification codes sent by text received? Some platforms refuse internet phone numbers; test with the services that matter to you.
- Does the app show your minute and text usage clearly?
7. What happens the day you leave
People choose a service thinking about the first day, rarely the last. Yet that is where the differences show. Before you subscribe, look in the terms for how to cancel (in the app, by email, by phone), whether the subscription stays active until the end of the paid period, and how refunds work. Also check what becomes of your number: can you port it elsewhere, and how quickly? Finally, look at the privacy policy: are your texts, voicemails and records deleted after the account closes, and after how many days?
A simple way to decide
Draw a small table with the criteria that matter to you, for example total price, number porting, 9-1-1, privacy and French, and score each service from 1 to 3 based only on what its terms and privacy policy say. Be wary of vague promises such as "unlimited" with no stated fair-use limit, and of comparisons that don't cite their sources. If an offer pushes you to decide right now, take the time to read instead.
Québec's Office de la protection du consommateur also explains your rights for distance service contracts, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) publishes information about telecommunications services in Canada.
With MIMT
To be transparent, here are our own answers: Essential ($12.99/month) and Premium ($29.99/month) plans with limits shown up front, taxes extra; a real Canadian number, porting to MIMT with no MIMT fee; 9-1-1 notice and address requested before the first call to a phone number, 9-1-1 never blocked; personalized ads and AI off by default; French first. Our comparison page cites its sources, and our plans list every limit.