The Public Mobile $28 plan is good value for a light-to-moderate data user, but it is not the strongest value in Public Mobile’s current lineup. On August 7, 2026, the live plan includes 10GB at 4G speed, unlimited talk and text and 2% back in Public Points. The problem is the next tier: the current $30 plan gives 35GB for only $2 more per month.
If 10GB is comfortably enough and every dollar matters, $28 is reasonable. If you regularly use more than about 8GB or dislike watching your data meter, the $30 tier is much easier to recommend right now.
What the Public Mobile $28 plan includes today
Checked directly on the Public Mobile plans page on August 7, 2026, the $28 Canada-wide plan includes:
- 10GB of data
- 4G speed
- unlimited talk and text
- 2% back in Public Points
The public plan card is Canada-wide. It is not one of the current Canada-US-Mexico tiers.
Public Mobile changes plan allowances and targeted offers often. Keep the durable part of this review in mind: the $28 price tier may stay while the exact data amount changes.
The $30 plan makes the $28 plan a difficult value choice
The live $30 plan currently includes 35GB at 4G speed. That is 25GB more data for only $2 more per month.
Over a full year, the difference between $28 and $30 is only $24 before tax. For someone who occasionally streams video, uses maps every day, hotspots a laptop or spends a lot of time away from Wi-Fi, that extra $24 can buy a huge amount of breathing room.
| Current tier | Data | Difference from $28 | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $24 | 5GB | Save $4/month | Very light data user |
| $28 | 10GB | Baseline | Light to moderate user |
| $30 | 35GB | Pay $2/month more | Most moderate users |
That does not make the $28 plan bad. It makes the $30 plan unusually competitive beside it.
When the $28 plan still makes sense
There are good reasons to choose $28 instead of automatically stepping up.
- You normally use 3GB to 7GB per month.
- You spend most of your day on reliable home, work or school Wi-Fi.
- You want a little more room than the $24/5GB plan provides.
- You are managing several individual phone lines and every few dollars matters.
- You prefer not to pay for data you know you will never use.
If your phone says you used 4.2GB last month, 35GB may be overkill. More data has no cash value if it expires unused every month.
Who should skip the $28 plan?
The $28 tier is harder to defend if you frequently:
- stream video on cellular data
- use your phone as a hotspot
- take long video calls away from Wi-Fi
- download large files on cellular
- travel enough that cross-border service matters
- regularly approach 10GB before renewal
In those situations, the current $30/35GB plan gives much more room for almost no extra monthly cost.
The $24 plan can also beat $28 for true light users
The current $24 plan gives 5GB. If you use only 1GB or 2GB most months, paying another $4 for 10GB may not improve your experience.
That is the strange position of the $28 tier right now. The $24 plan is cheaper for very light users, and the $30 plan is dramatically stronger for moderate users. The $28 plan lives in the narrow middle for people who genuinely need more than 5GB but still want to keep the bill below $30.
Does the Public Mobile $28 plan include U.S. and Mexico use?
No, not on the live public card checked August 7. The $28 plan is listed as Canada-wide.
Public Mobile currently has separate Canada-US-Mexico plans beginning at a higher tier. If you travel regularly across the border, compare those instead of buying the $28 plan and assuming it includes roaming.
Cross-border plan details can change, so verify them immediately before travelling.
4G speed is not the same thing as old network technology
Public Mobile labels the $28 plan as a 4G-speed tier. That refers to the plan’s speed profile, not a promise that your phone will only connect to one generation of radio technology everywhere.
Real performance depends on device, signal, congestion, location and network conditions. Do not expect one exact speed-test result just because the plan card says 4G speed.
Public Points add a small amount of value
The live $28 plan advertises 2% back in Public Points. Public Mobile’s rewards page says points can be earned through payments, anniversaries, referrals and Community participation, then redeemed toward monthly charges, add-ons and other eligible rewards.
Rewards are nice, but they do not rescue the wrong plan. Choose the data amount first, then treat points as the bonus.
Existing customers should check My Account before changing
Public Mobile can show targeted offers to existing customers that do not match the public plans page. Recent Community discussions show customers sometimes seeing different $23, $25, $26 or other targeted options.
That means an existing subscriber should sign in and compare every available plan before changing. Do not switch away from a good grandfathered or targeted offer just because the public $28 plan looks simple.
Also check whether the change happens immediately or at renewal. With prepaid service, renewal timing can affect how much value you get from the subscription period you already paid for.
What does 10GB feel like in real life?
Ten gigabytes is enough for many people, but the answer depends on what you do away from Wi-Fi. Messaging, email, banking, maps and occasional music streaming usually use far less data than hours of high-resolution video or regular laptop tethering.
A student who spends most of the day on campus Wi-Fi may finish the month with data left over. A commuter who streams video for an hour each way can burn through 10GB surprisingly quickly. Hotspot use can also make the plan feel small because a laptop may download updates, cloud files and web content in the background.
Instead of guessing, open your phone’s cellular settings and look at actual usage. If the phone has not reset its counter recently, reset it on renewal day and watch one full month. That gives you a much better answer than any generic data calculator.
The extra $2 for the $30 tier buys convenience, not just gigabytes
The biggest benefit of moving from $28 to the current $30 plan is that you can stop thinking about data so often. With 35GB instead of 10GB, a moderate user has more room for unexpected navigation, travel, hotspot use or a week without reliable Wi-Fi.
That convenience has value. Some people enjoy optimizing every dollar and will happily stay at 10GB. Others would rather spend $2 more and never open the data screen until renewal day.
If you manage several lines, though, the math changes. An extra $2 on four lines is $8 per month and $96 per year. In a household where everyone uses little data, choosing the smaller tier can still be rational.
Small habits can make the $28 plan easier to live with
- download music and podcasts on Wi-Fi before commuting
- set video apps to lower cellular quality
- turn off cellular access for apps that do not need it
- avoid automatic cloud photo uploads on mobile data
- check hotspot use after laptop sessions
- set a phone data warning before you reach 10GB
Those habits should make life easier, not turn your phone into a full-time accounting project. If staying under 10GB requires constant policing, the $30 tier is probably the better plan.
Check the live lineup again before renewal
This review is deliberately about the $28 tier, not a promise that 10GB will always be attached to it. Public Mobile changes public and targeted plans often. If your renewal is still weeks away, compare the lineup again before scheduling a change. A better adjacent tier can appear, disappear or change allowance without making this article’s permanent title wrong.
My recommendation on the $28 tier
Choose it if 10GB is clearly enough and you specifically want to stay below $30 per month. Otherwise, compare the $30 plan first. At today’s lineup, paying $2 more for 35GB is the more practical decision for most moderate data users.
You can compare the full current Public Mobile plans before activating.
That is why the smartest move is to compare the live $28 and $30 cards side by side immediately before subscribing.
For a related next step, read public mobile $24 plan.
Public Mobile $28 plan FAQ
How much data does the Public Mobile $28 plan have?
As of August 7, 2026, the public plan page lists 10GB at 4G speed. Check the live page because the allowance can change.
Is the Public Mobile $28 plan worth it?
It is reasonable for someone who uses more than 5GB but comfortably less than 10GB. The current $30/35GB plan is stronger value for only $2 more.
Does the $28 plan include U.S. and Mexico usage?
No. The current $28 public plan is Canada-wide. Public Mobile lists separate Canada-US-Mexico plans.
Does the $28 plan earn Public Points?
Yes. The current public card advertises 2% back in Public Points.
Can existing customers get the $28 plan?
Availability can differ by account. Existing subscribers should check My Account because targeted offers may not match the public lineup.