Thursday, 8 October 2026
talkwithtech

Why your cheapest Canadian prepaid $19 plans just disappeared

Chatr and Lucky Mobile drop their cheapest prepaid plans, nudging budget buyers toward higher starting prices.

Talk With Tech Newsroom
A person holding a smartphone with a prepaid plan ad in the background
  1. 01What changed for Chatr customers
  2. 02Lucky Mobile’s new baseline
  3. 03Why these moves matter now
  4. 04Impact on everyday users
  5. 05What happens next
  6. 06Quick answers

The short version

  • Chatr and Lucky Mobile eliminated their $19 prepaid options this week, narrowing options under $25 per month.
  • Chatr now offers a $22/500MB plan that includes data only with auto-pay; without auto-pay there’s no data. The old $21/1GB option was removed.
  • Lucky Mobile ended its $21/1GB offer for new customers and introduced a 500MB base data with a 500MB auto top-up bonus.
  • The shifts follow Public Mobile’s plan changes and Bell’s higher BYOP prices, signaling carrier recalibration ahead of the holiday season.
Quick read · 1 min

Chatr and Lucky Mobile trimmed their cheapest prepaid plans in Canada this week. Chatr replaced its $21/1GB option with a $22/500MB plan that only provides data when auto-pay is on. Lucky Mobile ended its $21/1GB offer for new customers and now starts at $21 for 1GB, plus a 500MB auto top-up bonus with the new 500MB base data. The changes narrow the field for ultra-cheap options and come after broader price shifting among carriers. If you’re budget-conscious, you’ll likely face higher upfront costs for data unless you score a promo or switch providers. Expect more promos around Black Friday as carriers test new price points.

Budget-friendly wireless options in Canada got thinner this week as two Rogers- and Bell-backed brands removed their cheapest prepaid plans. Chatr and Lucky Mobile both pulled the $19 deals, shifting the starting price and the data you get for your money.

If you’re trying to keep monthly phone bills down, here’s how the changes play out in practical terms.

01

What changed for Chatr customers

Chatr replaced its $21/1GB option with a $22/500MB plan that only includes data if you opt into auto-pay. If you don’t enable auto-pay, the plan becomes talk-and-text only with no data. The earlier limited-time $19/500MB plan has also disappeared.

Chatr’s updated lineup now looks like this:

  • $22/500MB
  • $25/6GB
  • $30/20GB
  • $35/35GB

Auto-pay bonuses still apply on some plans, and annual options remain available (for example, 400 Canada-wide minutes for $100 a year and 40GB for $159).

A storefront with a wireless carrier sign and plan brochures
02

Lucky Mobile’s new baseline

Lucky Mobile has ended its $21/1GB offer for new customers. The new setup adds 500MB of base data plus a 500MB auto top-up bonus. The previous $19/500MB option is gone. The current lineup is:

  • $21/1GB (new customers only, ends today)
  • $25/5GB
  • $30/15GB
  • $35/30GB

For shoppers who only need a tiny amount of data, the removal of the $19 plan means the first data tier starts higher, with Lucky at $25 for 5GB and Chatr at $22/500MB with auto-pay.

03

Why these moves matter now

Budget-friendly plans are seeing price bumps as carriers reposition ahead of the holiday season. These changes come after Public Mobile overhauled its offerings and Bell raised Bring-Your-Own-Phone prices, nudging overall entry points higher and narrowing the most affordable options for many households.

Graphic showing budget plan tiers and prices
04

Impact on everyday users

For light data users or someone opening a first line, you’ll likely see higher starting costs for data. If you can live with small data amounts or rely on Wi-Fi, you may still find a cheaper route by comparing promotions or considering other carriers. Auto-pay savings can still matter, but they may not fully offset the higher base prices.

Current customers will be affected based on their plan and whether they use auto-pay. If you don’t need data or can manage with less, you might consider switching providers or waiting for promotions around Black Friday.

Related on Talk With Tech

05

What happens next

Analysts expect more price-point tests from carriers as the holiday season approaches. If you’re trying to save, check whether auto-pay truly reduces costs in the long run and look for bundles or promos that aren’t tied to these two brands.

06

Quick answers

Why did the $19 plans disappear?

Both Chatr and Lucky Mobile removed their $19 prepaid options this week, so there are no longer any $19 prepaid plans from those brands.

Where do prices start now?

Chatr starts at $22 for 500MB with auto-pay; Lucky starts at $21 for new customers but without the $19 option. Realistically, many new customers will see the first data tier at $25 for 5GB on Lucky or $22/500MB on Chatr with auto-pay.

You're reading the quick version.

Keep reading