What to compare beyond the spec sheet
- How long the maker promises software and security updates.
- Battery life as tested, not the capacity.
- The screen: panel type, brightness outdoors and refresh rate.
- The camera you will actually use, judged on sample photos in your kind of light.
- What owners report going wrong after a few months.
- The warranty and who repairs it in your city.
Buying a phone in Canada
Phones in Canada are bought from Best Buy, Canada Computers, Memory Express, Amazon.ca and the makers' own stores, and often from the carriers. What differs there:
- Compare the big three carriers with their smaller sub-brands, which often use the same network at a lower price.
- Phones bought on a financing plan are tied to the contract until paid off; check unlocking rules.
- Coverage differs by province and between city and rural areas. Check the coverage map for your area.
Compare in one step
Type two to six phones into compare⁄io, say how you use a phone and your budget in dollars, and it researches each with a live web search, fills a sourced table, and gives the problems owners report a card of their own. For more on what matters, see how to compare two phones side by side.
Phone comparisons already researched
Questions people ask
What is the best website to compare phones in Canada?
For raw specification sheets, a spec database such as GSMArena. For which phone to buy given your budget and how you use it, with sources and follow-up questions, compare⁄io. Many people use both.
Can I compare more than two phones?
Yes. compare⁄io compares up to three at once on the free plan and six on Pro.
Does it use prices in Canada?
Name the model as it is sold there and mention Canada in the box under the items. The search is a live web search, so it looks for local information, but check the shop's price before you pay.