How the calculator works
Financing spreads a phone's cost across your monthly bill. That makes each payment easy to live with, but the total harder to see. The calculator adds up everything you'd pay over the same term for both options.
Option A: finance through your plan
Enter the down payment, the monthly device payment, the monthly plan price and the term in months, which is 24 by default. Total A = down payment + (device payment + plan price) × term.
Option B: buy outright or keep your phone
Enter the phone's price, or 0 if you're keeping the one you have, and the monthly price of a bring-your-own-phone (BYOP) plan. Total B = phone price + BYOP plan price × term.
| Cost | Finance through the plan | Buy outright or keep yours |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront | Down payment | Phone price, or 0 if keeping yours |
| Every month | Device payment + plan price | BYOP plan price |
| Over the term | Down payment + monthly total × term | Phone price + BYOP plan × term |
You'll see both totals, the average cost per month over the term, and the difference between them.
How to read your result
If Option B comes out cheaper, the gap is roughly what you'd pay over the term for the convenience of monthly device payments, or for a plan you might not otherwise pick. If Option A comes out cheaper, a device discount or promotion is probably doing the work. Check that the plan in Option A is one you'd choose anyway.
The calculator doesn't include what your phone could sell for later, repairs or device protection. Taxes aren't included either, so ask how tax applies to the device price.
Tips before you choose
- Compare like with like. Data, calling and roaming should be similar in both options, or the comparison won't be fair.
- Look at the term. A longer term lowers the monthly device payment but ties you to the arrangement for longer.
- Consider keeping your phone. If it still works well, a BYOP plan with a phone price of 0 often gives the lowest total.
- Size your data first. The mobile data calculator helps you pick the right plan size on either side.
Compare phone plans in Québec
Answer four quick questions and partner providers will come back to you with their offers. Ask each one for a financed price and a bring-your-own-phone price. Free, no obligation.
Take the phone plan quiz
