AT&T-backed Cricket Wireless is one of the biggest—and most popular—prepaid carriers in the country. It offers a great selection of plans, from basic limited-data plans to the perk-filled Supreme Unlimited plan that includes unlimited data, mobile hotspot, cloud storage, and a Max subscription.
New customers can often get free Cricket phones when they switch over to a Cricket Wireless plan. While the carrier may not frequently offer deals on the newest devices, you can still find great offers on excellent phones.
Cricket phone and plan deals
Basically any smartphone you can think of can be bought with Cricket. That said, its deals are frequently tied to budget devices as well as specific plans, unless there is a special event happening, like a new phone release.
Often, Cricket will discount phones when you purchase an unlimited plan, or you'll get a discount on the plan price itself.
To give you an idea of what phones people are buying, check out the most popular devices on Cricket's network:
Why choose Cricket?
Cricket Wireless is one of the largest mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the country. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T and uses their network.
That network, it turns out is one of the big upsides of going with Cricket for cell phone service. Check out the breadth of AT&T's coverage compared to the other four major networks in the map below:
If cell phone coverage is important to you, going with Cricket Wireless for your next plan is a wise move indeed. Also, Cricket offers great deals for new customers willing to switch (sadly, Cricket doesn't offer a lot of deals for existing customers as they usually require you to transfer your number and activate a new account or line).
Cricket wireless store locator
Want that personal touch? Cricket's retail locations make it easy to get in-person help on your next phone or plan. Check out our cell phone store locator page to find the closest Cricket Wireless store to you.
Pros and cons of choosing Cricket Wireless
- Access to powerful AT&T network
- All-in pricing - taxes and fees included.
- No credit check.
- Inexpensive plans.
- Convenience - Cricket operates 4,300 stores across all 50 states, so wherever you are, one is probably not far away
- Cricket trade-in options to upgrade your device.
- Excellent perks - Supreme Unlimited plan comes with a free Max with Ads subscription and 150GB of cloud storage.
- Expensive devices - Phones are full price upfront unless you find a deal or finance through Affirm.
- Best perks are locked behind most expensive plan.
Taking your phone to Cricket
Switching carriers can be tricky. Carriers in the U.S. rely on different cellular technologies, so a phone designed to work on one particular network won't necessarily work on another. Here are some basic rules:
- Phones from AT&T will work on Cricket
- Phones coming from T-Mobile have a strong chance of working on Cricket
- Generally, phones sold by Sprint or Verizon will not work on Cricket
If you purchased your phone outright from a third-party dealer, you may be in luck as well—they are frequently sold unlocked and are open to work on any network.
You should also note that phones coming from AT&T are typically not eligible for Cricket's switching deals or plan discounts.
Here's a guide to our favorite Cricket Wireless cell phone plans.
Cricket family plans
Family plans offer some of the best deals in the cell phone market. Choosing Cricket Wireless for your family plan allows you to avoid both a credit check and any worries about extra taxes and fees, since they're baked into the carrier's plan prices. Plus, you'll be aboard the formidable AT&T network, which offers great coverage. Here's a rundown of Cricket's family offerings:
Cricket Wireless family plans
| Plan | Lines | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Unlimited Plan - 4 Lines | 4 | Unlimited | $110 |
| Smart Unlimited Plan - 3 Lines | 3 | Unlimited | $95.01 |
| Smart Unlimited Plan - 2 Lines | 2 | Unlimited | $75 |
| Group Save - 4 Lines | 4 | 40GB (10GB per line) | |
| Group Save - 3 Lines | 3 | 30GB (10GB per line) | |
| Group Save - 2 Lines | 2 | 20GB (10GB per line) |
Check out our Cricket family plans guide to see which plan we selected as our favorite.
Other carriers on AT&T's network
If Cricket doesn't have the deal you're looking for, you might find it on another carrier that uses AT&T's network.
Good2Go Mobile is an MVNO that offers low-cost access to AT&T’s network. With basic plans starting at just $5/month, you can save some serious cash. You can snag 10GB of data from Good2Go for just $30/month.
If you need unlimited data, Consumer Cellular might be a better option. This carrier is known for its discounts for seniors on AARP, but it offers savings for everyone. Consumer’s Unlimited Talk & Text + 20GB plan costs just $45/month and can give you access to AT&T or T-Mobile, depending on which carrier is strongest in your area.
Here are some other prepaid MVNOs that operate on AT&T's wireless network:
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer

