Playfare’s cigarettes are one of three native brands that fly under the radar compared to the big names on our site, yet they’ve built steady repeat buyers for a reason. Alongside Elite cigarettes and Canadian Goose cigarettes, Playfare’s rounds out a group of native cigarette brands worth knowing if you’ve already worked through the flagship lines and want to see what else is out there – or if you’re looking for a specific price point or flavour profile before your first order.
This guide covers all three: what each brand is, what it smokes like, what it costs, and which type of smoker each one suits best. We’ll also put them side by side so you can pick without guessing.
Quick answer: how these three brands compare
- Playfare’s – $34.95 a carton; Full Flavor and Light; solid, mid-body smoke that hits above its price.
- Elite – $36.95 a carton; Full and Lights; the most full-bodied of the three, worth the two-dollar step up if you want a strong smoke.
- Canadian Goose – $35.99 a carton; Light only; clean, mild draw, priced in the middle.
- All three come in 25-cigarette packs, 8 packs to a carton, 200 cigarettes total.
- Orders over $139 ship free across Canada.
Why these three brands deserve a closer look
Most smokers who order from us start with the names they’ve heard of – Canadian, Canadian Classics, Putter’s. Those are good brands. But once you’ve tried a carton or two, it’s natural to ask what else is on the shelf. Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose are the three brands that come up most when customers want something slightly different from the core lineup.
None of them are novelty picks. All three are manufactured on First Nations land, shipped factory-direct, and held to the same quality standard as every other brand we carry. The differences are in body, strength, and price – which is exactly what we’re going to break down here.
If you want the full list of what we carry, the native cigarette brands page has everything with prices. What this article does is go deeper on these three specifically, so you can make a proper comparison rather than just picking the first one that looks right.
Playfare’s cigarettes: profile and strengths
Playfare’s is a well-rounded native brand at the low end of our price range. At $34.95 a carton, it’s priced the same as our entry-level brands, but the smoke sits above that tier in terms of body and finish. It’s not a watery budget cigarette – it’s a full-flavoured smoke that happens to cost less than some of the alternatives.
Playfare’s comes in two variants:
- Playfare’s Full Flavor – a straightforward, medium-to-full body with a clean draw and consistent burn. No harshness at the back, no thin finish. If you’re used to a mid-strength commercial cigarette and want a native equivalent, this is the one to start with.
- Playfare’s Light – a noticeably lighter draw, less tobacco flavour upfront, and an easier smoke for people who prefer lighter cigarettes or are looking to step down from full flavour. Still a proper cigarette, not a near-tobacco experience.
The brand has built its repeat base largely on the Full Flavor, which is the variant we’d point most smokers toward first. The price is the same whether you go Full or Light, so the choice is purely about what you prefer to smoke.
Playfare’s at a glance: $34.95 per carton, 200 cigarettes, two variants. One of the better value-to-quality ratios in the lineup.
Elite cigarettes: profile and strengths
Elite is the strongest smoke in this comparison. At $36.95 a carton, it’s the most expensive of the three – but only by two dollars over Canadian Goose and two over Playfare’s. That price difference is easy to justify if you smoke full-flavour and want more body than Playfare’s Full Flavor delivers.
Elite comes in two variants:
- Elite Full – a dense, rich draw with more tobacco presence than most native brands at this price. If you smoke Marlboro Red, Export ‘A’ Full, or any of the stronger commercial brands and you’ve never tried a native alternative, Elite Full is the closest match in our lineup.
- Elite Lights – lighter than Elite Full but still noticeably more body than Playfare’s Light. If you want a lighter smoke that still has some backbone to it, this sits between a true light and a full flavour.
Elite is the brand we’d point toward smokers who’ve tried one of our entry-level full flavours and found them slightly thin. The extra body is real and it’s consistent across cartons. The price step up is small enough that it’s worth trying a carton of Elite Full before you decide the lighter options are what you want.
Elite at a glance: $36.95 per carton, 200 cigarettes, two variants. The strongest native smoke in this group.
Canadian Goose cigarettes: profile and strengths
Canadian Goose takes a different approach: one variant, one focus, priced in the middle. At $35.99 a carton, it sits between Playfare’s and Elite, and it’s a Light only – there’s no full-flavour version.
Canadian Goose Light is a clean, mild draw with a smooth finish. It’s not watery or flavourless – there’s genuine tobacco character in it – but the strength is firmly at the lighter end of the spectrum. People who smoke DuMaurier Lights, Players Light, or any of the lighter commercial brands tend to land on Canadian Goose as their go-to native equivalent.
The fact that it comes in one variant only is not a limitation if light cigarettes are what you smoke. It means the brand is built around one thing and does it consistently. You’re not getting a “lights” version of a brand designed for full-flavour smokers – Canadian Goose was built as a light from the start.
Canadian Goose at a glance: $35.99 per carton, 200 cigarettes, Light only. The cleanest and mildest of the three.
Side-by-side comparison: Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose
Here’s the full comparison in one place, including where each brand fits and what it costs.
| Brand | Variants | Body / strength | Price per carton | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playfare’s | Full Flavor, Light | Medium-full (Full Flavor); light (Light) | $34.95 | Smokers who want a solid mid-strength smoke at the lowest price in this group |
| Elite | Full, Lights | Full (Full); medium-light (Lights) | $36.95 | Full-flavour smokers who want the most body in the range |
| Canadian Goose | Light only | Light | $35.99 | Light smokers who want a clean, consistent mild draw |
All three are 25 cigarettes per pack, 8 packs per carton, and 200 cigarettes in total. The format is identical across every native brand we carry – what changes between cartons is the flavour profile and the price.
Price breakdown: what you pay per cigarette
Because all three use the same 25-cigarette pack and 200-cigarette carton, the per-cigarette cost is easy to calculate. Here it is worked out.
| Brand | Carton price | Cigarettes | Per cigarette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playfare’s | $34.95 | 200 | ~$0.17 |
| Canadian Goose | $35.99 | 200 | ~$0.18 |
| Elite | $36.95 | 200 | ~$0.18 |
At retail, a pack of cigarettes in Canada typically runs $15 to $20, which works out to roughly $0.65 to $0.80 per cigarette. Even the most expensive of these three brands – Elite at $36.95 a carton – comes in at $0.18 per cigarette. That gap is the reason people switch to factory-direct.
If you want the full picture on how native cigarette prices stack up across our entire range, see our guide to cigarette prices in Canada.
Full flavour vs light: which category do these brands fall into?
Across Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose, you’ve got options at both ends of the strength spectrum.
Full flavour picks from this group: Playfare’s Full Flavor and Elite Full. Both are full flavour cigarettes, with Elite Full sitting notably higher on body. If you’ve never tried a native full-flavour and you’re used to a commercial brand like Export ‘A’ Full or Belmont Full, start with Elite Full and calibrate from there.
Light picks from this group: Playfare’s Light, Elite Lights, and Canadian Goose Light. All three are light cigarettes, but they’re not the same draw. Canadian Goose Light is the mildest. Elite Lights has more body than a typical light. Playfare’s Light lands squarely in the middle.
If you’re unsure where you sit on the full-to-light spectrum, the Playfare’s line is the most forgiving starting point because you get both variants at the same price.
Who each brand suits
There’s no universal “best” among these three – it depends on what you smoke and what you’re looking for. Here’s the straight answer for different types of smokers.
You smoke a pack-a-day full flavour and you want the most tobacco presence: Start with Elite Full. It’s the strongest native smoke in this comparison and worth the $36.95 carton price for full-flavour smokers who’ve tried lighter native options and found them underwhelming.
You want a solid everyday smoke at the lowest price in this group: Playfare’s Full Flavor at $34.95 a carton is the pick. It’s a genuine medium-full body smoke, not a budget cigarette with a light draw pretending to be full flavour.
You smoke lights and want a clean, mild draw: Canadian Goose Light is built for this. If you’ve been buying DuMaurier Lights or Players Light at $17 a pack, this is the native equivalent at a fraction of the price.
You smoke lights but want a little more body than a typical light: Try Elite Lights. It’s the in-between option for people who find pure lights too thin but don’t want a full-flavour cigarette.
You want one brand that covers both variants for a household: Playfare’s, because you get Full Flavor and Light at the same $34.95 carton price. Easy to mix cartons when you order.
How these brands fit into the wider native range
Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose are three of a larger lineup. If you’ve read this far and you’re wondering how they compare to the rest, here’s the quick positioning.
Playfare’s vs Canadian / Canadian Classics: Canadian and Canadian Classics are our flagship brands at the same $34.95 price point. Canadian Full has more body than Playfare’s Full Flavor; Canadian Classics Original is smoother and more aromatic. Playfare’s is the cleaner, more straightforward smoke of the three.
Elite vs Rolled Gold: Both sit at $36.95. Rolled Gold Full Flavor has a slightly different character – a bit more rounded and smooth – while Elite Full is more direct and tobacco-forward. If you’re choosing between the two full-flavour brands at this price, order one carton of each and you’ll know quickly which one you prefer.
Canadian Goose vs other lights: Putter’s Light, Nexus Lights, and BB Lights all offer a similar mild draw at $34.95 – a dollar less per carton than Canadian Goose. Canadian Goose is positioned as a cleaner, slightly more refined light than the value-tier options, which is reflected in the price.
The full side-by-side of our entire lineup is on the native cigarette brands page.
How to order and what to expect
All three brands are available as individual cartons (200 cigarettes each) or as part of a multi-carton order. Each carton is sealed at the factory and shipped direct – nothing has been sitting on a shelf.
We ship across Canada by Canada Post, UPS, and Purolator. Orders over $139 ship free. For most customers, that means ordering three or four cartons at once – which also means you’re stocked for a few weeks and paying the lowest cost per cigarette available on any order. You can read more about how delivery works on our cigarette delivery in Canada page.
If you’re trying one of these brands for the first time, a single carton is the right starting point. Twenty-five cigarettes a pack, eight packs a carton – you’ll know by pack three or four whether it’s your brand.
Brand pages: Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose
Each brand has a dedicated page with full variant listings and current pricing:
- Playfare’s cigarettes – Full Flavor and Light, $34.95 per carton.
- Elite cigarettes – Full and Lights, $36.95 per carton.
- Canadian Goose cigarettes – Light, $35.99 per carton.
Key takeaways
- Playfare’s ($34.95) is the best-value pick in this group – a genuine medium-full smoke at the lowest carton price.
- Elite ($36.95) is the strongest native smoke in this comparison – worth the step up for committed full-flavour smokers.
- Canadian Goose ($35.99) is Light only and built specifically for light smokers – the cleanest, mildest draw of the three.
- All three are 25 cigarettes a pack, 200 cigarettes a carton, factory-direct from First Nations manufacturers.
- At $0.17 to $0.18 per cigarette, all three are a fraction of what you’d pay at a gas station or convenience store.
- Free shipping on orders over $139 – three or four cartons typically clears the line.
Conclusion
Playfare’s, Elite, and Canadian Goose each serve a different smoker. Playfare’s is the everyday all-rounder at the best price. Elite is for full-flavour smokers who want the most body available. Canadian Goose is for light smokers who want a clean, consistent draw. None of them are compromises – each is built for a specific preference. Pick the one that matches how you smoke, order a carton, and you’ll know by the first pack whether it’s your brand. Browse the full range on our native cigarette brands page, or go straight to cigarette delivery in Canada if you’re ready to order.
Playfare’s, Elite & Canadian Goose FAQ
What is Playfare’s Full Flavor like?
Playfare’s Full Flavor is a medium-to-full body native cigarette with a clean, consistent draw and no harshness. It’s a straightforward smoke – not the strongest on the shelf, but noticeably more body than a light and priced at $34.95 a carton, which is the lowest in this comparison group. It’s the variant most Playfare’s customers stick with.
How does Elite compare to Playfare’s?
Elite Full is stronger and more tobacco-forward than Playfare’s Full Flavor. If you’ve tried Playfare’s Full and found it a touch light for you, Elite Full is the next step up. The price difference is $2 per carton ($34.95 for Playfare’s vs $36.95 for Elite), which is easy to justify if you’re a committed full-flavour smoker.
Does Canadian Goose come in a full flavour?
No. Canadian Goose is a Light-only brand. If you want a full-flavour native cigarette, look at Playfare’s Full Flavor or Elite Full. Canadian Goose is built specifically for light smokers and does that one thing consistently.
Are these native cigarettes legal to buy in Canada?
Yes. Native cigarettes manufactured on First Nations land and sold factory-direct are legal in Canada. You can read a full breakdown on our native cigarette brands page and our article on how native cigarettes work.
How many cigarettes are in a carton of Playfare’s, Elite, or Canadian Goose?
All three use the same format: 25 cigarettes per pack, 8 packs per carton, 200 cigarettes in total. This is the standard for every native brand we carry. You can read more on our cigarettes page.
What is the cheapest of the three brands?
Playfare’s at $34.95 a carton is the lowest price of the three. Canadian Goose is $35.99 and Elite is $36.95. On a per-cigarette basis, Playfare’s works out to roughly $0.17, while Canadian Goose and Elite come in at about $0.18 each.
Which brand is closest to a commercial light cigarette?
Canadian Goose Light is the cleanest match for smokers who buy DuMaurier Lights, Players Light, or similar commercial light cigarettes. It was built as a light from the ground up rather than being a lighter version of a full-flavour brand. Playfare’s Light is also a strong option if you want a bit more flavour than Canadian Goose delivers.
Can I mix brands in one order?
Yes. You can order any combination of cartons in a single order. If you want to try all three – a carton of Playfare’s, one of Elite, and one of Canadian Goose – that’s three cartons, $107.89, and you’ll be stocked long enough to know which one you want to reorder. Orders over $139 ship free, so adding a fourth carton pushes you past the free-shipping line.
How long does shipping take?
We ship by Canada Post, UPS, and Purolator. Delivery typically takes 2 to 5 business days depending on where in Canada you are. See our cigarette delivery in Canada page for more detail on shipping timelines by province.
Which native cigarette brand should I try first?
If you smoke full-flavour, start with Playfare’s Full Flavor. It’s the lowest risk – solid body, reliable draw, and the most affordable price in this group. If after one carton you want more strength, step up to Elite Full. If you smoke lights, Canadian Goose Light is the cleanest place to start. Either way, one carton tells you everything you need to know.
References
- Government of Canada, Tobacco and Vaping Products Act: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/T-11.5/
- Government of Canada, Tobacco regulations and labelling requirements: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/tobacco.html
- Statistics Canada, Canadian tobacco use data: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/
- Government of Canada, First Nations tax exemptions (Indian Act s. 87): https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/I-5/
Sandy tracks cigarette pricing, federal and provincial tobacco tax, and the native tobacco trade across all ten provinces, turning the numbers into plain-English buying advice. BCom (Economics), University of Guelph. Last reviewed May 2026.