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Cricket Wireless Review: Affordable Plans For Singles or Families

By
Sara Nuss
February 2, 2023

MVNOs are some of the most affordable phone plans that are out there right now. Signing up for one of their prepaid plans can help you to save money compared to what a big carrier would charge you for a contract, and you can even get the same services, coverage, and sometimes features.

Cricket Wireless is an incredibly popular MVNO that offers its customers affordable service, coverage, and cell phones too. Making the switch to something new can be life changing and it can help you to save money, and who doesn’t like that?

Let’s get to know a little bit more about Cricket Wireless and all of the services and features they offer, the price of their plans, and how great their coverage is too!

Cricket Wireless At a Glance

The basics are extremely important to get to know before choosing any phone plan or carrier. Cricket Wireless offers a lot of services, features, prices, and plans to its customers, but getting to know how much they cost, what network they use, and other valuable information is essential.

Here is a little bit more about Cricket Wireless and what they can offer their customers today!

What is Cricket Wireless Best Known For?

There are a few things that Cricket Wireless is best known for. Cricket Wireless offers affordable prepaid cell phone plans, amazing network coverage that works almost anywhere around the country, and even great family plans as well.

How Much is a Cricket Wireless Plan Per Month?

Getting a new cell phone plan can be intimidating because of how much they could potentially cost. While big carriers can charge you an arm and a leg for a plan, even for one single person, Cricket Wireless offers individual or family plans with up to five-lines. You can pay anywhere from $30 to $60 per month for individual plans and $150 to $160 for plans up to five-lines.

What Kinds of Plans Are Offered?

It’s important to get an idea of what kinds of plans are offered through Cricket Wireless. They offer prepaid plans with 5G nationwide coverage for individuals or family plans up to five-lines. They also offer set data plans or unlimited data plans, and all of their plans include unlimited talk and text. 

What Network Does Cricket Wireless Use?

If you are using AT&T’s network, you will be happy to know that Cricket Wireless also uses it, so you’ll continue to get great 5G nationwide coverage and service.  

Can You Use Your Own Cell Phone With Cricket Wireless?

Cricket Wireless lets all of their new potential customers use their current cell phone, as long as it’s compatible. If you have an AT&T compatible phone, you will be able to switch it over to Cricket Wireless with no problem. Other phones may require you to get a SIM card to make it compatible with Cricket Wireless. 

Cricket Wireless offers a ton of plans for an affordable price, servies, and features to its customers. Image courtesy of Instagram

Cricket Wireless: Pros & Cons

Getting to know the pros and cons of any cell phone carrier is important. The pros and cons are something that you should consider before making your decision for any phone carrier, and this even applies to Cricket Wireless.

Knowing the pros and cons of Cricket Wireless is crucial, so here are some of the ones that we found:

👍 What We Liked

  • AT&T’s 5G Nationwide Coverage. With Cricket Wireless, you can take advantage of AT&T’s incredible 5G nationwide coverage with service and coverage that is reliable, and data speeds that are some of the best in the country. 
  • Excellent Cell Phone Selection. Cricket Wireless offers a ton of the latest cell phones out there from reputable brands including Apple, Samsung, Morotola, and even their own cell phones. 
  • Unlimited Talk and Text on All Plans. On all of Cricket Wireless’ cell phone plans, unlimited talk and text are available, you just have to choose how much data you will want to use. 
  • Entertainment Perks Included. An HBO Max subscription is available for all Cricket Wireless plans so you can watch some of the best movies and TV shows out there. 
  • Multi-Family Plans Available. Cricket Wireless is an MVNO that offers individual plans or multi-family plans up to five-lines, and the more lines you add, the more money you save. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • Pricier Plans. While Cricket Wireless offers plans for a fraction of the price compared to a big carrier, their plans tend to be on the pricier side for an MVNO. Adding more lines can help to save you money compared to an individual plan. 
  • Mobile Hotspot Available on Only One Plan. There are four main plans to choose from no matter how many lines you are adding to your plan, but only one plan offers a mobile hotspot up to 15GB.
  • International Texting Only Available on Unlimited Plans. International texting and calling to Canada and Mexico is available on all plans, but international texting to 37 countries is only included in the unlimited plans. 
  • Issues With Customer Service. Customer service is always important no matter what carrier you get a cell phone plan through, but some customers have had issues with Cricket Wireless’ in the past. 
  • 5G Not Available Everywhere with AT&T. Since 5G is still fairly new on all big carriers, AT&T’s nationwide coverage only covers around 29% of the country so far.

Cricket Wireless Services & Features

Getting to know the services and features that Cricket Wireless offers is essential, so that you have everything that you need before making the switch. Cricket Wireless offers a ton of services and features to its customers, even some that they can  get through big carriers but for half the price. 

Get to know some of Cricket Wireless’ services and features listed below:

  • Fast nationwide 5G coverage
  • High-speed data access
  • Unlimited talk, text, and picture messaging
  • HD voice and Wi-Fi calling
  • Cricket Call Defense to protect you from spam calls
  • Affordable Connectivity Program if you’re eligible
  • Mobile hotspot on most plans
  • HBO Max included in plan price
  • Cloud storage available
  • International calling to Canada and Mexico
  • International text to 37 countries
  • Save more money by adding more lines

Cricket Wireless Plans & Pricing

Cricket Wireless offers a ton of plans and prices for all of their customers to take advantage of. Whether you are by yourself, or you need a multi-family cell phone plan, Cricket Wireless has just what you need, and at a great cost too.

Here are some of the plans and prices of a Cricket Wireless cell phone plan that you need to take advantage of:

  • $30 per month for one-line, unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of high-speed data
  • $40 per month for one-line, unlimited talk and text, and 10GB of high-speed data
  • $55 per month for one-line, unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $60 per month for one-line, unlimited talk, text, and data, and 15GB of a mobile hotspot
  • $60 per month for two-lines, unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of high-speed data
  • $70 per month for two-lines, unlimited talk and text, and 10GB of high-speed data
  • $80 per month for two-lines, unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $90 per month for two-lines, unlimited talk, text, and data, and 15GB of a mobile hotspot
  • $90 per month for three-lines, unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of high-speed data
  • $90 per month for three-lines, unlimited talk and text, and 10GB of high-speed data
  • $90 per month for three-lines, unlimited talk, text, and data
  • $110 per month for three-lines, unlimited talk, text, and data, and 15GB of a mobile hotspot

Cricket Wireless offers a ton of amazing cell phones to choose from, such as Apple, Samsung, and Motorola. Image courtesy of Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless Phone Selection 

If you aren’t planning on bringing your current cell phone over to a Cricket Wireless plan, you always have the option of purchasing a phone directly from them with their Pay-As-You-Go plans. Their phones are also discounted, so that you can save even more money on your cell phone bill per month.

Cricket Wireless has a lot of cell phones to offer its customers, so here are some of the ones they have:

  • Motorola moto g 5G
  • Motorola moto g power
  • Motorola moto g stylus
  • Apple iPhone 14
  • Apple iPhone 13
  • Apple iPhone 12
  • Apple iPhone 11
  • Apple iPhone SE
  • Samsung Galaxy A13
  • Samsung Galaxy A03s
  • Cricket Dream 5G
  • Cricket Innovate E 5G
  • TCL 30 Z

How Well Does Cricket Wireless Actually Work?

Call & Text Performance

Cricket Wireless features some of the best and most reliable coverage for an MVNO. According to their customers, Cricket Wireless has some of the most reliable service and coverage and the call and text performance is some of the best for an MVNO. Their customers don’t experience any dropped phone calls, or any issues with sending text messages to their loved ones.

Data Speeds

Another great feature about Cricket Wireless is that they offer some of the best data speeds out there, especially since they use AT&T’s 5G network coverage. You can experience video streaming with speeds up to 1.5MBPS, which is a speed that a lot of people aim for when searching for a new carrier. 

Cricket Wireless vs. Competitors

Every cell phone carrier has its competitors. Whether they’re competing for whose prices are better, the services and features that they offer, or even how great their data speeds are, there are always pros and cons to each side.

Cricket Wireless has a few competitors that are important to note. Here are some of Cricket Wireless’ competitors and what they’re missing!

Cricket Wireless vs. Metro

Cricket Wireless has plenty of competitors, but one that is most notable is Metro by T-Mobile. While Metro has a ton of pros, the main reason why they aren’t as good as Cricket Wireless is because of their deprioritization and data caps. No one likes to be put second when it comes to their service and coverage, or deal with data caps, so Cricket Wireless outshines Metro here. 

Cricket Wireless vs. Straight Talk Wireless

Cricket Wireless and Straight Talk Wireless have  been competitors with one another since they both started. While they both offer a ton of amazing pros that make their customers happy, Straight Talk Wireless’ major cons are slow data speeds, and that their cell phones can be costly even after financing. 

Cricket Wireless vs. Visible

Visible is another competitor of Cricket Wireless that offers some great plans, prices, and even Verizon Wireless’ 5G nationwide coverage. The biggest reason why a lot of people second guess Visible over Cricket Wireless is because of how expensive their plans are, and they only offer two different plans to their customers. 

Cricket Wireless Customer Service

There is nothing more important than customer service when it comes to your cell phone carrier. Trying to find a carrier where the customer service is reliable and the representatives can help you no matter what issues you’re having is essential.

Cricket Wireless offers great customer service to its customers and they try their best to answer any questions and resolve  issues you may have. There are two different ways to get ahold of Cricket Wireless’ customer service and it’s by calling them or chatting with them online.

The customer service number to get ahold of Cricket Wireless is 1-800-CRICKET (274-2538) or 611 from your phone. You can call from 9 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday or 10 am to 9 pm on Sunday EST time. 

There is also an option to chat with their customer service representatives online as well. They are available 9 am to 11 pm Monday through Saturday or 10 am to 11 pm on Sunday EST time. 

What Customers Have to Say About Cricket Wireless

“This is an awesome and amazing company. The staff in Greenville Alabama went above and beyond my expectations. I give them 10/5 stars. Other locations should be modeled after this particular store.” - Don Delacroix. (via Trustpilot)

“My salesman Kam was the Best! Very knowledgeable of different phones and their features. Helped me select the best phone and plan to suit my needs. Cricket Wireless also gives good value, you can save on your phone bill every month by taking advantage of their lock screen ads, surveys, and games to play for redeemable money off your bill or gift cards. Saved $7 off my phone this month just by having lock screen ads.” - Marta Alvarez-White. (via Trustpilot)

“I called today to add data to my mobile hotspot and was helped by a man named Wells Julien. This was the best phone call I've ever had with cricket. This man went above and beyond. I hope that there is some way that you reward your employees because he deserves it.” - Julie Brown. (via Trustpilot)

Cricket Wireless FAQ

It’s normal to have some last second questions when it comes to selecting a new cell phone carrier. Getting to know everything about a carrier before selecting them as the one you want to get a plan through is essential

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to Cricket Wireless!

Are Cricket Wireless Phones Unlocked?

Cricket Wireless phones are able to be unlocked after six months of a paid service on the device. This is important to know if you plan on switching cell phones, or switching to a new cell phone carrier. 

Who Owns Cricket Wireless?

You may also be wondering who owns Cricket Wireless. This is an MVNO that not only uses AT&T’s 5G network coverage, but AT&T also owns them as well. They are AT&T’s most successful MVNO that allows you to enjoy amazing 5G network coverage, and great service as well. 

Can Cricket Wireless Be Used Internationally?

Cricket Wireless can be used internationally and you can call loved ones in up to 37 different countries. Your cell phone plan can be used in other countries as well, which is great for someone who loves to travel.

Cricket Wireless is an Affordable Cell Phone Plan Perfect For Families

Trying to find the best cell phone carrier can be quite difficult, especially if there is a certain price range you’re in, or you’re looking for the best services and features. Cricket Wireless offers affordable individual and multi-family plans perfect for any household with AT&T’s incredible 5G nationwide coverage!

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Sara Nuss
Sara Nuss is a journalist from Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in wireless, dewi, phone plan advice & blockchain.
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Does this phone service work everywhere?

Yep, we offer premium wireless service on the T-Mobile® 5G Network, the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in our dewi coverage areas, you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.

Is there a contract?

Nope, it’s pay as you go.

Is this prepaid?

Yeah! You put your card on file and prepay each month so that you never experience any disruption.

Does my phone need to be unlocked?

Yep, but it’s super easy to unlock your device as long as it’s paid off. Chat with us and a real human can help you here.

What if I want a new phone?

We have some recommendations on what we think you should get, from iPhones to Droids. Check out our list here which includes affordable places online to get a good deal.

What does decentralized wireless (DeWi) mean?

It means we are building a phone network that is powered by the people. Your neighbors put small radios on their roof and help extend the phone network to cover deadzones™ and get even faster speeds. Right now our DeWi network is available in Austin, but we’ll be expanding to other cities REALLY soon. Learn more about DeWi here.

How many SIMs will I be installing?

Great question. If you’re in Austin, TX, you’ll install 2 new SIMs. The REALLY nationwide SIM as your first SIM, which will give you voice / text & data on the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network powered by T-Mobile®. Your 2nd SIM will give you access to the REALLY DeWi network in Austin, TX, which you’ll prioritize when available so that you get even faster speeds and better coverage. Depending on your device, you may be able to install eSIMs via a QR code.

Can I keep my phone number?

Yep, we are powered by T-Mobile®, the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network. If you are in Austin, TX you’ll also get access to our decentralized phone network powered by the people which will give you even faster speeds and better coverage.

How much data do you get on the unlimited plan?

The plan is unlimited, but once you reach 20GB you may experience slower speeds depending on network usage.

How much hotspot data do you get on the unlimited plan?

You get 10GB of hotspot data per month, but can add more if you need to.

How do I add more data to my plan?

You can chat with us, text us, or login to your account to top off. It only takes a few seconds.

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