Cheap VoIP Home Phone Plans in Canada: What Should You Pay?

If you’re paying $40, $50 or even $60+ per month for home phone service, Canadian VoIP prices can look almost suspiciously cheap.

Some home phone services advertise prices below $10 per month. Others cost $10–$20. More configurable VoIP services can cost just a few dollars for light users.

So what’s the catch?

Usually, there isn’t one big catch. VoIP is simply much less expensive to deliver than traditional telephone service.

That doesn’t mean every cheap VoIP service is the same. Equipment, support, number transfers, 911, calling areas, international rates and even how you’re billed can differ considerably between providers.

Here’s how to compare the real cost, and figure out what you should actually pay.

How Much Does VoIP Home Phone Cost in Canada?

Residential VoIP service in Canada can range from a few dollars per month to $20 or more, depending on the type of service and what is included.

There are also several different ways to buy VoIP:

Within those services, you’ll also find different calling models: unlimited Canada calling, Canada/U.S. calling, international packages and pay-as-you-go rates.

That’s why simply searching for the cheapest VoIP provider in Canada doesn’t necessarily identify the cheapest service for you.

Why Is Traditional Home Phone Still So Expensive?

To understand why VoIP can cost so little, it helps to understand what you’re comparing it with.

Traditional telephone networks required enormous infrastructure investments. Telephone companies ran dedicated lines into millions of Canadian homes, constructed switching facilities and maintained a physical network specifically designed to carry telephone calls.

Much of that infrastructure was built decades ago. While portions of those original capital investments have long since been recovered, legacy telephone networks still require equipment, maintenance, technicians and other operating costs.

There’s also another factor: price isn’t determined solely by the technical cost of providing a service.

Traditional home phone has historically been sold as a premium telecommunications service, and today it’s often packaged alongside Internet, television or wireless services. Its retail price therefore doesn’t necessarily tell us what an individual telephone line costs a large provider to operate.

That’s why something that initially seems strange is entirely possible:

Why Can VoIP Home Phone Be So Cheap?

VoIP eliminates much of the dedicated infrastructure required by traditional telephone service.

Instead of maintaining a separate connection to your house specifically for telephone calls, VoIP carries calls over an Internet connection you already have.

Voice also requires very little bandwidth compared with activities such as streaming video.

For residential VoIP, setup can be as simple as shipping you a small Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA). You connect the adapter to your router, plug your existing telephone into it and start making calls.

There’s generally no dedicated telephone line for the VoIP provider to install at your home, no technician visit and far less dedicated last-mile infrastructure for the provider to maintain.

The economics are simply different.

So when you see Canadian VoIP advertised for $5, $10 or $15 per month, the low price doesn’t automatically mean the service or call quality is poor.

💰 SO, WHAT’S THE CATCH?
A surprisingly low VoIP price isn’t necessarily hiding bad phone service. VoIP itself can be inexpensive to deliver. The better question is what’s included in the advertised price, and what will you pay for or handle separately?

Why Do VoIP Providers Charge Such Different Prices?

If VoIP is inexpensive to deliver, why might one provider charge around $5 while another charges $10, $15 or $20?

Because you’re not just buying the technology carrying the call. You’re buying the service the provider builds around it.

Equipment

Some providers subsidize the adapter, some sell it separately, some use proprietary hardware, and others let you bring compatible equipment.

A very low monthly price can therefore come with an upfront hardware cost.

Monthly vs. annual billing

The lowest advertised price may assume you’re paying for an entire year in advance.

For example, Fongo advertises Home Phone at $4.95/month when paid annually, while its monthly payment option costs more.

Annual billing gives a provider money upfront while reducing billing costs and customer turnover, which can help support a lower monthly equivalent.

Number transfers

If you’ve had the same telephone number for decades, check whether transferring it is included.

Some providers include number transfers while others charge separately. Fongo, for example, charges a fee to transfer an existing number.

What’s included in your calling plan

A low-cost pay-as-you-go service may be extremely inexpensive for someone who barely uses the phone but more expensive for someone who spends hours making calls.

Likewise, someone regularly calling the U.S. should compare Canada/U.S. plans rather than simply choosing the lowest Canada-only monthly price.

International calling

International callers should pay particularly close attention.

One provider can have a cheaper monthly subscription but higher rates to the country you actually call. The reverse can also be true.

Support and setup

Some VoIP services are designed for customers comfortable configuring devices, SIP credentials and calling rules themselves.

Others provide pre-configured equipment and more assistance getting the service running.

Neither approach is inherently better. They’re designed for different customers, and they can have very different costs to provide.

What Does Cheap VoIP Actually Look Like in Canada?

There are several approaches to inexpensive VoIP service.

Fongo offers a particularly inexpensive residential home phone service. Its advertised $4.95/month annual rate includes Canada/U.S. calling, 911 and numerous calling features, while equipment, shipping, number transfers and international calling can create additional costs.

VoIP Much focuses on inexpensive residential VoIP with Canada/U.S. calling and an extensive collection of calling features.

Ooma takes another approach. Customers purchase Ooma hardware, while its basic residential service has a very low ongoing service cost, with applicable taxes and fees.

VoIP.ms is highly configurable and can be extremely inexpensive, particularly for lighter usage. Its pay-as-you-go and configuration-oriented model, however, appeals to a somewhat different customer than a straightforward plug-and-play home phone service.

NetJOI offers straightforward home phone plans for Canada, Canada/U.S. and international calling, along with an option to keep and forward an existing telephone number without maintaining a home phone.

There isn’t one universally cheapest provider because these aren’t identical products with different price tags.

If you’re trying to choose between providers rather than simply understand the costs, see our Best VoIP Providers in Canada guide.

Which Cheap VoIP Option Is Right for You?

Instead of starting with the lowest advertised price, start with what you actually do with your telephone.

I mostly call within Canada

Look for unlimited Canada-wide calling and the regular home phone features you use.

NetJOI JOI Basics includes unlimited Canada-wide calling for $11.95/month, along with voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding and other calling features.

I regularly call the United States

Compare plans that include both countries rather than adding U.S. long-distance charges to a cheaper Canada-only plan.

NetJOI JOI Plus is $16.95/month and includes unlimited Canada and U.S. calling.

I make international calls

Compare the specific countries and types of numbers you call, not simply the monthly subscription.

NetJOI JOI International is $19.95/month and is designed for customers who regularly make international calls.

🌍 International Caller?
Don’t compare providers by monthly price alone. Compare the actual countries and types of numbers you call. A few cents per minute difference on frequent international calls can matter more than a couple of dollars in monthly plan price.

I barely use my home phone, but I don’t want to lose the number

Then you may not need home phone service at all.

You can transfer the number and have incoming calls forwarded to another telephone number or sent to voicemail.

NetJOI’s Keep My Number service costs $9.95/month and doesn’t require a home phone or phone adapter.

I want my VoIP number on my cellphone

Make sure you’re comparing the right feature.

Forwarding calls from a home phone number to your cellphone isn’t the same as using your VoIP number from your cellphone.

How Much Could You Save With VoIP?

If you’re replacing a traditional home phone, even a relatively small monthly difference adds up.

Using an $11.95/month VoIP plan as a simple example:

This isn’t a total-cost comparison, equipment, taxes and applicable fees can differ, but it illustrates why switching home phone technology can produce meaningful savings year after year.

Is Cheap VoIP Reliable?

Yes, inexpensive VoIP can provide excellent call quality. The monthly price by itself tells you very little about how good the calls will sound.

Great VoIP quality depends on both sides: a stable Internet connection at your home and a provider with a reliable voice network.

Your Internet connection

VoIP doesn’t require especially fast Internet. A telephone call uses relatively little bandwidth compared with streaming, gaming or video conferencing.

What matters more is stability.

If your Internet connection regularly drops or experiences connection problems, your phone calls can be affected too. On the other hand, a stable Internet connection doesn’t need to be particularly fast to provide good VoIP service.

The VoIP provider

Your Internet connection is only half of the equation.

The provider also needs a reliable voice network and good connections into the wider telephone system. That’s much harder for a customer to evaluate from a provider’s website, and an impressive feature list or higher monthly price doesn’t prove that calls will be better.

Real customer experience is probably your best yardstick.

When researching a provider, look specifically for customer reviews and comments discussing call clarity, dropped calls, recurring audio problems, reliability over time and what happened when the customer needed help.

Reviews that simply say a service is cheap or signup was easy tell you much less about the actual phone experience.

Like other Internet-based phone services, VoIP normally depends on both your Internet connection and electricity. If either is unavailable, your phone service may also be unavailable unless your equipment has appropriate backup power.

VoIP 911 also works differently from traditional landline 911, so your registered service address needs to remain current.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheap VoIP in Canada

What is the cheapest VoIP service in Canada?

Some Canadian residential VoIP services advertise prices below $10/month, while pay-as-you-go services can cost only a few dollars for light users.

But the cheapest service depends on your usage. Compare the monthly price along with equipment, calling areas, 911, number-transfer fees, international rates and any other charges.

Why is VoIP so much cheaper than traditional home phone?

Traditional telephone service was built around a dedicated physical telephone network. VoIP carries calls over an Internet connection you already have, eliminating much of the dedicated infrastructure required to deliver telephone service to your home.

Does cheap VoIP have worse call quality?

Not necessarily.

Low prices can result from lower infrastructure costs, automation, self-installation, annual billing or a different business model rather than inferior voice quality.

Call quality depends primarily on the stability of your Internet connection and the quality of the provider’s voice network.

Can I keep my existing phone number?

Usually, yes. Most established VoIP providers support number transfers.

ℹ️ KEEP YOUR OLD SERVICE ACTIVE

If you’re transferring an existing telephone number, don’t cancel the old service first. Keep it active until the number transfer has completed.

Can I use my existing telephone with VoIP?

Usually. A small Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) connects a standard telephone to your Internet connection.

Some providers supply a pre-configured adapter, while others let you purchase or configure compatible equipment yourself.

Can VoIP call regular home phones and cellphones?

Yes. VoIP isn’t limited to calling other VoIP users.

Depending on your service and calling plan, you can call ordinary landline and mobile telephone numbers in Canada, the U.S. and other countries.

Do I need NetJOI Internet to use NetJOI Phone?

No. NetJOI Digital Home Phone works with any Internet provider in Canada.

The Cheapest VoIP Isn’t Necessarily the Best Deal

There’s nothing inherently suspicious about $5, $10 or $15 home phone service.

VoIP changed the economics of providing telephone service. A VoIP provider doesn’t need to build and maintain a separate physical connection to your home just to carry your telephone calls.

That explains why VoIP can be dramatically cheaper than traditional home phone.

The differences between VoIP providers are more about how each company packages that inexpensive underlying technology: equipment, calling areas, billing, support, number transfers, international rates and how much setup you’re expected to do yourself.

So rather than asking only:

“Who has the cheapest VoIP?”

A better question is:

“What’s the least expensive service that does what I actually need?”

For someone who calls across Canada every day, that’s one answer. For an international caller, it’s another. And for someone who hasn’t picked up the home phone in six months but has had the same number for 25 years, the answer may be to keep the number and ditch the phone altogether.

View NetJOI Phone Plans →

Or continue reading:

Best VoIP Providers in Canada →
How to Switch Home Phone Providers in Canada (And Keep Your Existing Number) →
What Equipment Is Needed for VoIP in Canada? →