Last updated: 20 October 2026
Bell Roam Better costs $13 a day in the US and $16 a day in 200+ other destinations, charged only on days you use your phone there, and never more than 20 days per line in one billing period. For that you get your plan's data (full speed up to 5 GB a day), plus unlimited calls and texts back to Canada and within the country you are in. A week in the US therefore adds $91 per phone to your Bell bill. Bell also sells Travel Passes for set periods, from $30 for 3 days in the US.
If you mainly need data, a US travel eSIM costs US$11.99 (about C$16.87) for 7 days with 1.5 GB a day, while your Bell number stays on for calls and texts.
Canadian dollar amounts for our plans use 1 US$ = C$1.4074 (European Central Bank rate, 19 October 2026). Your card may convert at a slightly different rate. Bell's prices are in Canadian dollars.
What Roam Better costs and includes
From Bell's Roam Better FAQ, checked on 20 October 2026:
| US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) | 200+ other destinations | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily fee | $13 | $16 |
| Most charged days | 20 per line per billing period | 20 per line per billing period, counted separately |
| Data | Your plan's data, full speed up to 5 GB a day, then up to 512 kbps | Same |
| Extra 1 GB at full speed | $6 | $8 |
| Calls and texts | Unlimited within the destination and back to Canada | Same |
| Calls to a third country | $0.95 a minute | $1.45 a minute |
After the 20th charged day in a billing period, the rest of that period is included at no extra cost.
Who can get it: most Bell monthly plans. Bell says it is not available on prepaid plans, corporate accounts or plans that already include roaming. It does not work on cruise ships or flights.
How the daily fee starts
You are charged on any day you make or answer a call, send a text, or send or receive data in a Roam Better destination. Background app updates count as data. Two details catch travellers out:
- The day runs on Eastern Time. It starts at your first use and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET, wherever you are. In Vancouver or California, your "day" ends at 8:59 p.m. local time.
- Two countries on one day cost both fees. Use your phone in the US and in Mexico on the same day and Bell charges $13 plus $16.
Bell Travel Passes
Bell stopped selling data-only Data Travel Passes on 19 March 2026 and ended pay-per-use data roaming on 1 May 2026, according to its FAQ. It still lists Travel Passes for set periods on its Roam Better page, checked on 20 October 2026:
| Destination | Travel Passes |
|---|---|
| US | $30 for 3 days, $60 for 14 days, $80 for 30 days |
| Caribbean and Mexico | $70 for 14 days |
| Europe | $70 for 7 days, $75 for 14 days, $90 for 30 days |
| Asia | $75 for 14 days, $90 for 30 days |
| International | $100 for 14 days, $120 for 30 days |
For a trip of a week or longer, a pass usually costs less than Roam Better's daily fee. Check in MyBell which pass your plan can add before you go.
What a US trip costs: Bell or a US eSIM
For data on one phone. Our prices in US dollars, with Canadian dollars in brackets:
| Trip | Bell Roam Better | Bell Travel Pass | Our US eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend (3 days) | $39 | $30 (3-day pass) | US$7.99 (C$11.25), 1.5 GB a day |
| 7 days | $91 | $60 (14-day pass) | US$11.99 (C$16.87), 1.5 GB a day, or US$17.99 (C$25.32) unlimited |
| 15 days | $195 | $80 (30-day pass) | US$17.99 (C$25.32), 1.5 GB a day |
| 30 days | $260 (the 20-day cap) | $80 (30-day pass) | US$23.99 (C$33.76), 1.5 GB a day |
| 7 days, two phones | $182 | $120 (two 14-day passes) | US$23.98 (C$33.75) |
Bell is the better choice for a single day across the border, when you make a lot of calls to Canada and to US numbers, or when you need more than 1.5 GB a day and the unlimited eSIM does not suit you. The eSIM wins on almost any trip of three days or more where data is what you use.
Snowbirds: a winter in the US
For a long stay, Bell's US 30-day Travel Pass at $80 is its cheapest option: about $240 per phone for a three-month winter in Florida or Arizona. On Roam Better alone, the 20-day cap still means up to $260 per billing period, so up to $780 over three months.
A US eSIM for 30 days costs US$23.99 (C$33.76) with 1.5 GB a day, so three months come to about US$72 (C$101). Many snowbirds keep the Bell line for calls and texts on Wi-Fi, use the eSIM for data, and turn data roaming off on the Bell line.
Keep in mind that a winter-long stay means your phone is in the US for months: check that your Bell plan has no rule against long-term roaming before you rely on it for calls.
Using a US eSIM with your Bell phone
- Check your phone takes an eSIM and is unlocked: is my phone unlocked? Under the CRTC's Wireless Code, phones sold in Canada since 1 December 2017 must be supplied unlocked, and older ones can be unlocked free on request.
- Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi: iPhone or Android.
- When you cross the border, set the eSIM as your data line and turn data roaming off on your Bell line, so background data never starts a $13 day.
- Make calls over Wi-Fi or apps if you want to avoid the daily fee entirely. A normal call or text on the Bell line in the US starts the day.
If the eSIM shows No Service when you arrive, see eSIM not working abroad.
Bell abroad, outside the US
Elsewhere, Roam Better costs $16 a day: $112 for a week, or $70 with Bell's Europe 7-day Travel Pass. For Europe, our Europe eSIM covers 30 countries for US$11.99 (C$16.87) for 7 days or US$19.99 (C$28.13) for 15 days.
Comparing Canadian carriers? See Rogers Roam Like Home, Fido roaming, TELUS Easy Roam, Koodo roaming, Freedom Mobile roaming, or our overview, will my Canadian phone work in the USA?
FAQ
How much is Bell Roam Better in the US?
$13 a day per line in the US, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, charged only on days you use your phone there, with at most 20 days charged per billing period.
How much is Bell Roam Better outside the US?
$16 a day per line in Bell's 200+ international Roam Better destinations, also capped at 20 charged days per billing period, counted separately from the US.
Does Bell still sell travel passes?
Yes. Bell stopped selling data-only Data Travel Passes on 19 March 2026, but its Roam Better page lists Travel Passes: in the US, $30 for 3 days, $60 for 14 days and $80 for 30 days, with passes for the Caribbean and Mexico, Europe, Asia and international destinations.
Is there a data limit on Bell Roam Better?
You use your plan's data, at full speed up to 5 GB a day, then at up to 512 kbps for the rest of the day. An extra 1 GB at full speed costs $6 in the US or $8 elsewhere.
How do I avoid Roam Better charges in the US?
Turn data roaming off on your Bell line and do not make normal calls or send texts on it while you are in the US. Use Wi-Fi, calling apps, or a US travel eSIM for data.
Is a US eSIM cheaper than Bell Roam Better?
For trips of three days or more where you mainly use data, yes: 7 days cost $91 on Roam Better, or $60 with Bell's 14-day US Travel Pass, against US$11.99 (about C$16.87) for our 7-day US eSIM with 1.5 GB a day.
Can I get Roam Better on Bell prepaid?
No. Bell says Roam Better is not available on prepaid plans, corporate accounts or plans that already include roaming.
Facts checked on 20 October 2026 against Bell's Roam Better FAQ (bell.ca/mobility/roam-better-faq) and Roam Better page (bell.ca/Mobility/Roam-Better), the CRTC's 2017 Wireless Code decision on unlocked phones, and our catalogue. Exchange rate: European Central Bank, 19 October 2026. Check your own Bell plan in MyBell before you travel.