No matter where you look, it seems like the cost of everyday essentials, groceries, clothes, and even fuel is increasing. In other words – life is becoming more expensive.
One of the more helpful ways to counteract this is to compare prices and shop for the best rates.
Sound difficult? Well, thankfully, there are a number of easy-to-use websites and apps to help out.
Below, I’ll show you some of the best price comparison sites in Canada so that you can find the best deals without the headache of shopping in person.
How Do Price Comparison Sites In Canada Work?
For frugal livers like myself, price comparison sites are a dream come true. They make it easy to compare the cost of an item across some of the biggest online and brick-and-mortar retailers.
For example, if I wanted to find the best deal on the new iPhone, I could use a free app like Google Shopping to see which stores on the internet had the lowest price.
Price comparison sites work by gathering important data on available items, such as:
- The current price
- Shipping cost
- Shipping time
- Reviews and product ratings
- Location the product is shipping from
Price comparison sites in Canada take all of the most relevant product information by scanning through the top online sellers as well as local brick-and-mortar retailers.
Then, the algorithm aggregates the data and displays a full list of every high-rated online retailer, along with the current price and other key details.
Some price comparison apps even give you the option to filter results with custom properties, such as “retailers who offer free shipping” or “shop used/refurbished products.”
All of this happens in less than a few seconds. Doing it by hand using an excel sheet or a notebook would take you a lot longer.
The best part is that most price comparison sites in Canada are free to use. For example, here’s how the free Google Shopping web extension works when searching for a new “Lenovo Thinkpad” laptop:
Keep on reading to see my in-depth review of Google Shopping and how it stacks up against some of the other free price comparison sites in Canada.
Best Price Comparison Sites In Canada
Now that you have a better idea of how price comparison sites work and how they can benefit you, it’s time to take a look at which ones are the best.
Some price sites are better for electronics and gadgets, while others are better for groceries, insurance policies, cars, and more.
If you’re ready to start shopping smart and saving more money, here are some of the best price comparison sites in Canada.
1. Google Shopping
- Website: Google Shopping
- App Available: No, it’s web-only
- Best For: Electronics, toys, and non-grocery items
Google Shopping is, by far, one of the world’s largest price comparison sites. Chances are that you’ve probably already used Google Shopping without even knowing it.
Whenever you type a product name into the Google Search bar, you’ll usually be shown a few of the top results from the Shopping tab, along with an invitation to continue shopping and comparing.
You’ll see even more results if you click on the Google Shopping tab itself. You’ll also be able to fully customize your search and filter for certain terms, prices, item conditions, retailers, and more.
Google used to offer a separate Search + Shop app in the Google Play and Apple Apple Store. However, the developers recently discontinued the project, as it was pretty much an exact replica of the web-based Google Shopping feature.
Anybody can use the Google Shopping feature by using Google with their Chrome, Safari, or similar browser.
How It Works:
- Visit Google.com
- Click the 9-dot icon (far right)
- Scroll down the list and select “Shopping”
- Type the item into the search bar, along with any other filters you may have
2. Amazon.ca
- Website: Amazon Canada
- App Available: Yes, Android & iOS
- Best For: Everything, including groceries
Amazon is currently the world’s largest e-commerce platform and sees over 161 monthly visits from Canada. I’ve even sold products on Amazon before!
Many people mistakenly think of Amazon as an online store. While the platform does offer some of its own brands (such as Amazon Basics or Amazon Home), it’s also a large community for small online retailers throughout Canada.
For example, if you wanted to purchase a bicycle on Amazon Canada, you could use the platform to search for brand-new bikes sold by manufacturers and bike shops.
You could also search for used or refurbished bikes sold by smaller mom-and-pop bicycle shops. Amazon even allows you to purchase items sold by individual sellers.
If you’re a Prime member, you’ll be able to save money on select items and get free 2 or 3-day shipping.
Since Amazon is such a competitive platform, users also have a better chance of finding deals, as the top sellers are constantly trying to out-price each other. Higher competition between sellers is always good for shoppers.
How It Works:
- Visit Amazon.ca or open the Amazon shopping app on your smartphone
- Search for any product (even groceries)
- Set product search filters if applicable
- Purchase directly from Amazon or Amazon retailers
3. RateSpy
- Website: Ratespy.com
- App Available: No
- Best For: Mortgages
RateSpy is probably one of the best mortgage rate comparison sites in Canada. Although my readers have also had good results with Tangerine Mortgage, RateSpy has been around for a little bit longer.
Unlike Google Shopping, ShopZilla, or Amazon, RateSpy specializes in price comparison for one thing only – mortgages.
If you’re trying to find a deal on electronics, groceries, or a car, then you can skip over this one. However, if you’re trying to find the best mortgage rates, RateSpy is worth checking out.
Once you visit the site, you can select what type of mortgage you’re looking for. Then, you can enter some basic information about yourself and your finances.
RateSpy will perform a soft credit pull and connect you with personalized rates from the top banks and lenders.
This can save you a lot of time and money compared to shopping for rates over the phone.
How It Works:
- Visit Ratespy.com
- Select the type of mortgage you’re looking for
- Enter your personal details and contact information
- RateSpy will begin connecting you with personalized rates from top lenders
4. ShopZilla
- Website: ShopZilla.com
- App Available: Yes, Android only
- Best For: Home supplies, clothing, electronics
I really like how simply laid-out ShopZilla’s website is. Although ShopZilla does offer an Android app on the Google Play Store, I prefer the online desktop site.
Once you visit the main site, you can choose between categories and sub-categories, such as Home and Garden, Electronics, Clothing, Baby Supplies, Sports Equipment, and more.
You can also search for specific items, and compare rates from the top online retailers, filter your results, and more.
The one drawback of ShopZilla is that they appear to be closely partnered with certain select brands.
Because of this, the platform will likely only offer choices between a few retailers. Personally, I would use ShopZilla as a secondary choice, after Google Shopping.
How It Works:
- Visit Shopzilla.com
- Select the category you’re shopping for or type the item name into the search bar
- Compare rates from ShopZilla’s list
5. Shopbot
- Website: Shopbot.ca
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Electronics
Shopbot is very similar to ShopZilla, and allows users to shop the top sales in select categories or search for specific items. Shopbot also has networks in New Zealand and Australia, and is a global company.
Shopbot is partnered directly with manufacturers and online marketplaces like Amazon, so you can easily search for the best rates from the top sellers.
It’s not a great place if you’re looking for local options, but it’s worth looking into if you’re set on buying something online.
How It Works:
- Go to shopbot.ca
- Select the category you’re shopping under or type in the product name
- Compare rates from Shopbot’s list of retailers and affiliates
6. PriceFinder
- Website: Pricefinder.ca
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Furniture and office supplies
PriceFinder doesn’t have quite as nice of a user interface as ShopZilla or Shopbot, but it’s just as effective.
I’d say that the main thing that sets PriceFinder apart from its competitors is that it seems to specialize in office supplies, furniture, and tools.
Another thing that I really appreciate about PriceFinder is that it’s also partnered with local Canadian retailers, such as Lowes and Home Depot.
Like Google Shopping, you’ll be able to select whether you’re shopping locally or online, which gives you a few more purchasing options.
How It Works:
- Visit Pricefinder.ca
- Select the category or type in the product you’re looking for
- Choose between online retailers or brick-and-mortar retailers to find the best deals
7. Walmart
- Website: Walmart.ca
- App Available: Yes, Android & iOS
- Best For: Home and office supplies, electronics, gardening, off-brand clothing
You’ve likely shopped inside of a Walmart before, but have you ever tried comparing prices with Walmart’s online price comparison tool?
It seems as if Walmart has taken a few pages out of Amazon’s book and built an online marketplace platform nearly identical (although not quite as advanced).
You won’t find as many individual retailers on Walmart’s marketplace as you will on Amazon, but you can find some really great prices.
Some of the retailers on Walmart’s online shopping platform also offer free 2 and 3-day shipping as well.
How It Works:
- Visit Walmart.ca or download the Walmart shopping app
- Shop categories, items, sales, and specific brands
- Choose between the top-rated retailers offering the best deals
8. PriceBat
- Website: Pricebat.ca
- App Available: No
- Best For: Computers and electronics
PriceBat’s user interface is nearly identical PriceFinder and shares a similar (i.e., outdated) main page. While the website might not be the most modern, it’s great at what it advertises – finding the best deals on computers and electronics.
While PriceBat doesn’t allow you to compare prices for as many categories, I like the fact that they’ve chosen to specialize.
After a quick overview of the site, it seems like it has a lot of great deals on printers and ink cartridges too, so I’ll definitely be using it myself for some of my office needs.
How It Works:
- Visit Pricebat.ca
- Shop computers or electronics
- Compare rates from the top electronics and office supplies retailers
9. PriceDropper
- Website: Pricedropper.ca
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Electronics and home supplies
PriceDropper is one of the more modern price comparison sites that I’ve seen and allows users to compare rates on items from a wide variety of categories, including:
- Home and garden
- Fashion
- Electronics
- Health and beauty
- And more
Using the platform is easy enough; you can shop by category, manufacturer, and filter specific search terms, prices, and more. The downside that I’ll mention is that the prices listed on the PriceDropper platform don’t seem cheap.
To me, it almost seems as if the platform tries to direct traffic to specific clothing retailers.
So, I’d stay away from the fashion category. However, the electronics and home and garden categories offer some great deals on TVs, small pieces of furniture, and more.
How It Works:
- Visit Pricedropper.ca
- Compare prices on multiple categories or search for specific items
10. PriceGrabber
- Website: Pricegrabber.ca
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Electronics, groceries, and clothing
PriceGrabber is one of the best price comparison sites in Canada, as it offers quick search results, allows you to shop under 24 different categories, and offers very accurate pricing.
PriceGrabber allows you to see the latest prices from both online retailers and major brick-and-mortar retailers like Kohls, for example.
Another feature I like about PriceGrabber is that it allows you to see how the item’s price has changed over time.
The previous price will be crossed out, while the most recent price will be highlighted in bold. This shows you that the price comparison tool is actually working.
How It Works:
- Visit Pricegrabber.ca
- Select from 24 categories or type in the item you’re shopping for
- Compare prices from online and brick-and-mortar retailers
11. CamelCamelCamel
- Website: ca.Camelcamelcamel.com
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Tracking Amazon prices and comparing Amazon sellers
CamelCamelCamel isn’t like the other price comparison sites in Canada that allows you to compare multiple retailers. Instead, CamelCamelCamel is a free Amazon price tracker. If you’re looking to find the best deal on a particular item, this tool is invaluable.
For one, you can set up your account to receive free price-drop alerts whenever the cost of an item you’re searching for decreases in value.
Secondly, you can see the historical data of every item on Amazon, allowing you to spot trends and predict when the price will be the lowest.
This is probably one of the best free alternatives to AMZScout, an Amazon price/trend finder that I recommend to online Amazon sellers.
How It Works:
- Visit ca.Camelcamelcamel.com
- Create a free account
- Search for specific items and view historical price data
- Create price-drop alerts to be notified when the cost decreases
12. PolicyMe
- Website: Policyme.com
- App Available: No, website-only
- Best For: Comparing life insurance policies and rates
PolicyMe makes comparing life insurance policies quick and easy. Unlike other price comparison platforms, PolicyMe specializes specifically in life insurance.
Once you sign up for a free account and answer a quick personal questionnaire, you’ll automatically be paired with the lowest premiums and best coverage for term life insurance in Canada.
How It Works:
- Visit PolicyMe and create a free account
- Answer some brief personal questions
- Get paired with the best life insurance rates in a matter of minutes
- Compare the best life insurance rates
13. Yahoo Shopping
- Website: shopping.Yahoo.com
- App Available: Yes, Android & iOS
- Best For: Electronics, health and beauty
Although Yahoo isn’t quite the tech giant that it once was, the Yahoo Shopping platform is still a great place to compare prices and find the best deals on electronics, such as computers, phones, and even beauty products like face wash, makeup, and more.
One of the nice features that I appreciate about Yahoo Shopping is that the homepage displays some of the hottest deals on the internet, which is a great way to take advantage of short-term sales and closeout deals.
Additionally, the platform has a built-in price tracking feature that allows you to see historical price data, just like you can with CamelCamelCamel.
The best feature that Yahoo Shopping has to offer is its coupon codes. If you navigate under the “Deals” tab, you’ll be presented with coupons offering up to 80% off at major retailers.
Some of the coupons I’ve found on Yahoo Shopping are even better than I’ve found on my usual free couponing apps.
How It Works:
- Visit shopping.Yahoo.com
- Sign in with your Yahoo account for more personalized features and product recommendations, or use the platform without an account
- Use the price comparison tool to find the best prices from major online retailers.
- Check historical price data with the “Price Tracker”
- View coupon codes under the “Deals” tab
What’s The Best Price Comparison App In Canada?
Without a doubt, Google Shopping is the best free price comparison app in Canada.
Even though Google halted development and cut the app, the online web extension works just as smoothly as the app used to. Anybody can use the free app on their computer, Android, or Apple device.
It’s hard to beat the effort and intuitive development that Google has put into its price comparison platform.
I like its no-frills design and all of the filter features. While Google will always display a few sponsored items, these are labelled so you can easily identify them.
Do Price Comparison Sites Actually Work?
For the most part, price comparison sites and apps follow a very similar model: gather the latest price data from top retailers and display it to customers.
The main differentiating feature between all price comparison sites is the accuracy of prices.
Some of the price comparison sites I’ve seen don’t have the latest prices.
Platforms like Google Shopping display the most recent price data based on constant, never-ending data aggregation, while some of the older sites like PriceFinder and PriceBat may only scrape the web for data on a daily or weekly basis. This means that some of the price data may be incorrect.
Price Comparison Sites vs. Coupon Sites: What’s Better?
If you combine the best coupons with the best price comparison sites in Canada, then you’re a “super-shopper.” Price comparison sites allow you to find the best deals and prices on your shopping items.
However, you can also use online coupon codes at some of these retailers, providing that there are no terms and conditions that prevent you from doing so.
In fact, Yahoo Shopping (which I mentioned above) combines both of these features on its price comparison site.
You’ll be able to compare prices from the top online retailers and look up high-value coupon codes to use on those same sites.
How Do Price Comparison Sites Make Money?
Most price comparison sites profit as the “middleman.” In return for directing traffic to retailers, the price comparison site will typically earn a small percentage of the sale as a commission.
Even Amazon charges its retailers a small commission in the form of seller fees for using the platform.
Other Helpful Tips To Save Money & Find The Best Deals
To wrap things up, here are a few quick tips to help you save even more money and find the best deals.
Shop Around The Holidays & Quarterly Sales
Shopping before the holidays will often result in you paying the highest price. However, shopping right after the holidays allows you to find amazing deals on certain products.
You can also take advantage of seasonal deals towards the end of the quarter. As the seasons change, retailers often hold close-out sales to get rid of unsold merchandise.
Use A Cashback Credit Card
Cashback credit cards allow you to build your credit while earning a percentage of the money you spend back.
Credit cards offered by major retailers like Amazon and Walmart typically offer a base cashback rate (usually around 1-2%) in addition to a higher cashback rate (upwards of 3-5%) when you use the card inside the retail store.
Use A Cashback Debit Card
If you don’t want to apply for a cashback credit card, you can use a prepaid cashback debit card like the Koho card, which gives you the same benefits as a cashback credit card without affecting your credit.
Buy Gift Cards Online
Buying gift cards online is a great way to save money when you know exactly which retailer you want to buy from. For example, let’s say that you want to buy some tech from Best Buy.
You could visit an online gift card exchange and purchase a $100 Best Buy gift card for as little as $90, allowing you to save $10 on your purchase.
To learn more, check out my list of the best places to buy and sell gift cards online in Canada.
Earn Points By Shopping Online With Rakuten (& Similar Sites)
Cashback sites like Rakuten and Checkout51 allow users to earn points by shopping online and scanning their purchase receipts.
Once you accumulate enough points, you can cash in the points for gift cards or free PayPal money.
Conclusion – What’s The Best Price Comparison Site In Canada?
Of all the free sites and apps that I’ve used, I have to say that Google Shopping is the best price comparison site in Canada. It’s 100% free, has intuitive filters, offers fast results, and has the most up-to-date prices.
Looking for more great ways to save money?
If so, keep on reading to see my tips for saving money on a tight budget!
