No contract
Plans are prepaid for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. When yours ends, you renew or you don't. No cancellation call, no early-exit fee.
Why IPTV Canada
Why IPTV Canada? Reasons to Switch, and When Not To
IPTV sends live TV over the internet you already pay for, so the rented box and the contract can go, along with a good part of the bill. Below we cover what Canadian IPTV does well and what it costs, plus the homes where it is not the right choice.
Reason 1
What cable costs compared with one IPTV plan
Pull out your last TV bill and add it all up: the base package, the sports add-on, the box rental, the PVR, fees and tax. For a lot of Canadian households, TV alone lands somewhere around $60 to $120 a month, and more once a promo price runs out. Yours may be lower or higher. Bills vary a lot by province, provider and package.
An IPTV plan works differently. You pay once for a set period, and every channel is included. Our 12-month plan is $89.99 CAD, which is $7.50 a month. The 1-month plan is $15.99. For comparison, a $90-a-month TV bill comes to $1,080 a year before tax.
You do still need home internet, and IPTV uses it. If you already have a decent plan from Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco or TekSavvy, that's usually enough. If your TV is bundled with internet, ask what internet alone would cost, because the bundle discount can shrink the saving. Our IPTV vs cable cost guide works through an example Ontario bill, and every plan is on the IPTV Canada pricing page.
Reason 2
Nothing to sign and nothing to rent
Moving to a new apartment? Plug in your stick, join the new Wi-Fi and you're watching. No installer appointment.
No box rental
Use a Fire TV Stick, an Android box, an Apple TV or the Smart TV you already own. Nothing to return when you move.
Any device
The same login works on the TV, a phone, a tablet or a laptop. Watching on two at once needs an extra screen.
Most people start with a Fire TV Stick, and our guide shows how to set up IPTV on Fire TV in about 10 minutes.
Reason 3
Channels that fit Canadian homes
One plan covers 20,000+ live channels and 90,000+ movies and series. These are the parts people ask us about most.
French-language TV
Quebec is the obvious one, but there are French-speaking homes in Ottawa, Sudbury, Moncton and Saint-Boniface too. Every plan includes the French lineup. See our guide to French channels on IPTV.
Channels from home
For newcomers and families with roots elsewhere: South Asian, Arabic, Filipino, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Caribbean and Latin American channels, in the same plan instead of a string of paid add-ons.
Sports
Hockey on Saturday night, soccer on weekend mornings, football on Sundays, and cricket and other sports from around the world.
Kids and family
Kids channels, cartoons, movies and series, with parental controls in most player apps. More on IPTV for kids.
Reason 4
Picture quality, TV guide and catch-up
- HD, Full HD and 4K where the channel offers it. Most channels are HD. 4K needs about 25 Mbps and a 4K TV or device.
- A full TV guide (EPG) that shows what's on now and next, much like the guide you had with cable.
- Catch-up TV on supported channels, so you can go back and watch a show that already aired.
- 90,000+ movies and series on demand, in the same app.
IPTV isn't perfect on weak Wi-Fi. If the TV is far from the router, a network cable or a mesh system fixes most freezing. Our guide to internet speed for IPTV explains what to check.
Regional notes
IPTV across Canada, province by province
Ontario
Toronto, Ottawa and the 905 have fast cable and fibre internet, so HD and 4K are easy. Read our IPTV guide for Toronto and Ontario.
Quebec
French TV is the big reason people switch here. Internet in Montreal and Quebec City handles IPTV well, and we answer in French.
British Columbia
Set your device to Pacific time so the TV guide shows the right hours. Telus and Rogers, which now owns Shaw, cover most homes.
Alberta
Calgary and Edmonton have good fibre coverage. Long winters mean a lot of TV hours, which is where a flat yearly price pays off.
The Prairies
Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon are well served. In the country, test your speed first. Fixed wireless is fine for HD if it holds above 10 Mbps.
Atlantic Canada
Halifax, Moncton, Saint John and St. John's have solid options. Acadian homes in New Brunswick get the French channels in the same plan.
The downsides
When IPTV is not a good fit
We would rather lose a sale than have you stuck with a service that freezes every night.
- Your internet is under about 10 Mbps, or it drops out. Some rural homes on old DSL, busy fixed wireless or satellite internet can't hold a steady HD stream. Test in the evening, when the neighbours are online too.
- You have a tight data cap. An hour of HD uses roughly 2 to 3 GB. A home that watches four hours a night can go through 250 to 350 GB a month, so you want an unlimited or high-cap plan.
- You only watch a few local channels. An antenna and free over-the-air TV might cover you for nothing.
- You want one bill and a technician at the door. Some people prefer that, and that's fine.
Not sure which side you're on? Take the free 24-hour trial and find out. Run it around 8 p.m., when your internet is busiest.
Side by side
IPTV vs cable vs satellite vs streaming apps
Prices here are rough ranges to help you compare, not quotes. Check your own bill.
| What matters | IPTV (IPTV West) | Cable TV | Satellite TV | Streaming apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $7.50 a month on the 12-month plan | Often $60 to $120+ with add-ons | Often close to cable | About $6 to $25 per app, and they add up |
| Contract | None, prepaid for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months | Often a term or promo price | Often a term agreement | None, monthly |
| Equipment | A device you already own | Rented box | Dish and receiver | A device you already own |
| Live channels | 20,000+ | Yes, by package | Yes, by package | Few, mostly on demand |
| French and international | In every plan | Usually paid add-ons | Usually paid add-ons | Varies by app |
| Needs internet | Yes, about 10 Mbps for HD | Depends on the service | No, good for remote areas | Yes |
| Bad weather | Fine, if your internet is | Fine | Heavy snow or rain can cut the signal | Fine, if your internet is |
| Setup | Install an app, about 15 minutes | Technician or self-install kit | Dish installation | Download the app |
Want to know exactly what's in a plan? Read what an IPTV subscription includes or who IPTV West is.
FAQ
Questions about switching to IPTV
Short answers to what Canadians ask us before they cut cable.
Is IPTV cheaper than cable in Canada?
For most households, yes. Our 12-month plan works out to $7.50 a month, while many cable TV packages cost several times that once add-ons and box rental are counted. You still need home internet, so compare against what internet alone would cost you. Our IPTV vs cable cost breakdown goes line by line.
What internet speed do I need for IPTV?
About 10 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K, for each screen watching at the same time. A wired connection or strong Wi-Fi near the TV matters as much as the speed on your bill.
Can I keep my current internet provider?
Yes. IPTV runs over any home internet: Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco, TekSavvy or a small local provider. You only replace the TV part of your bill.
Do I need a new TV or box?
No. Most recent Smart TVs can run an IPTV app, and a Fire TV Stick or Google TV device works on any TV with an HDMI port. Our installation guide has steps for each device.
Can I get French channels outside Quebec?
Yes. French-language channels are in every plan, wherever you live in Canada, and our support team answers in French.
Should I cancel cable before I try IPTV?
No. Take the free trial first and test it on a busy evening. Once you're happy, check your cable agreement for an early cancellation fee before you call.
Does IPTV work in rural Canada?
It can, if your connection holds a steady 10 Mbps or more in the evening, when speeds usually drop. On a small data cap, check your usage first, since HD uses roughly 2 to 3 GB an hour.
Test it on your own TV first
Start the free 24-hour trial, leave it on through a busy evening, and decide once you've seen how it runs in your home.