Canadians have more ways than ever to buy mobile data: the Big Three (Rogers, Bell, Telus) still dominate with the broadest coverage and highest speeds, while a growing crop of MVNOs and small national/regional operators compete on price, flexibility and niche coverage (rural, travel, short-term use). If you’re price-sensitive or spend a lot of time in small towns or travelling between Canada and the U.S., a daily “pay-as-you-go” unlimited style plan — like the one Openmobile advertises at roughly $1–$1.50 per day — can be an attractive alternative to traditional monthly plans. Below I explain the practical differences, the tradeoffs, and how to decide which option fits your needs. Reuters+4Open Mobile+4PlanHub.ca+4

Big Three vs MVNOs and newer operators — the simple comparison

  • Coverage & reliability: Rogers, Bell and Telus own most of the national network infrastructure. That means predictable nationwide coverage and generally higher peak speeds in urban and suburban areas. For many users this reliability is worth the premium. PlanHub.ca

  • Price & value: Smaller providers and MVNOs (e.g., Public Mobile, Fizz, Lucky, Freedom, plus regional players) often resell capacity from the Big Three or operate their own limited network slices and undercut them on price. These plans are ideal if you live in an area where the underlying network is strong or if you mainly use Wi-Fi and need only occasional cellular data. Comparison sites show cheap monthly options starting well below typical Big Three unlimited tiers. WhistleOut+1

  • Flexibility: Prepaid and pay-per-day models let you pay only when you need service — perfect for visitors, occasional users, or people who travel seasonally. Monthly unlimited plans work best for heavy daily users who want consistency.

What “unlimited” actually means

The word “unlimited” is marketing shorthand. Regulators and consumer groups have repeatedly flagged deceptive claims where networks advertise unlimited but apply severe throttling after a high-speed allotment or during network congestion. That’s an important risk to understand before you pick any plan. Reuters

Openmobile’s daily plan — the headline and the fine print

Openmobile positions itself as a low-cost, rural-focused 5G operator offering very inexpensive daily packages. On their plans page they list short-term (daily) options with prices around the $1/day mark for “unlimited” usage, with speed caps (for example: 1 GB/day or a reduced speed after a daily threshold) stated in the plan details. That means the plan model is: pay a small daily fee, get usable high-speed data up to a point, then continue at reduced speed for the rest of the day. For people who need intermittent high bandwidth (maps, email, short video) but not continuous streaming at full HD for hours, this is compelling. Open Mobile+1

Pros of Openmobile’s $1.5/day approach

  1. Extreme cost efficiency — If you only need cellular data occasionally, daily plans can be the cheapest route by a large margin.

  2. No monthly commitment — Perfect for travelers, temp residents, or people who want a backup line for emergencies.

  3. Good for short bursts — Tasks like navigation, ticketing, messaging and light browsing work fine under daily packages where you get a reasonable high-speed bucket. Open Mobile

Cons / caveats to watch for

  1. Throttling & speed caps — “Unlimited” may still mean “reduced speed after X MB/GB” or deprioritization during congestion; this impacts video calls, HD streaming, and cloud backups. Always read the fine print. Reuters

  2. Coverage holes — Smaller or rural-focused carriers may advertise rural coverage, but occasional dead zones or weaker indoor penetration remain more likely than with a Big Three plan. If rural coverage is mission-critical, check coverage maps and real user reports. Open Mobile

  3. Roaming and international use — If you travel to the U.S. or abroad frequently, compare whether the daily plan includes cross-border use or if you’ll need add-ons. Some plans include Canada/US roaming by default; others charge extra. Public Mobile

Who should consider a $1.50/day unlimited plan?

  • Travelers visiting Canada for a few days — daily plans avoid monthly bills and long activations.

  • Backups and second lines — keep a cheap SIM for emergencies, events, or outdoor trips.

  • Light users who mostly rely on Wi-Fi but need occasional mobile access for maps, social posts, or messaging.

  • People in specific rural areas where Openmobile’s coverage is demonstrably strong — the operator promotes rural 5G coverage as a selling point. Open Mobile+1

If you’re a heavy data user — look elsewhere

If you watch lots of streaming, game online, or tether multiple devices, monthly plans from larger carriers or MVNOs with generous high-speed allowances will usually be better value. Comparison aggregators show that for continuous heavy use, $40–$80/month plans (and family plans that reduce per-line cost) can outperform daily-rate math once you’re using data frequently. PlanHub.ca+1

Practical checklist before you buy

  1. Read the fine print — what exact speed after the cap, and is there data deprioritization? Reuters

  2. Check coverage maps in places you actually go (work, home, travel routes). Open Mobile

  3. Test with a short commitment — try a single day or weekend to validate speed and coverage.

  4. Compare cross-border rules if you travel to the U.S.; some cheap plans include Canada-US roaming, others don’t. Public Mobile

Final verdict

Canada’s mobile market has choices for every usage pattern. If your usage is occasional, budget is a top priority, or you need a short-term solution while travelling, Openmobile’s ~$1–$1.50/day daily unlimited model can be a smart, economical pick — provided you accept likely throttling and verify coverage in your key locations. For daily heavy users, families, or anyone who needs ironclad nationwide performance, a monthly plan from a major carrier or a generous MVNO package will still be the safer choice.