Best Cricket cell phone plan alternatives

Last Updated on January 22, 2026 by Ewen Finser

I can’t be the only one who was genuinely surprised to learn that AT&T is still around. When was the last time they aired a TV commercial? It felt a bit like running into a friend who hoarded those AOL “100 hours free internet” CDs and is still slowly working through the stack.

Surprise aside, I used AT&T’s Cricket Wireless while working in New Hampshire and had zero issues. But after relocating to Arkansas, things started to fall apart. It was like I was living the “Can you hear me now?” commercial in real time.

That’s when I compared the best Cricket cell phone plan alternatives, looking at price, speed, network, and needs. Here’s what I learned:

Cricket Cell Phone Plan Alternatives at a Glance

• Mint Mobile is best for those on a budget (who can, ironically, afford to pay in advance)
• Total Wireless is best for families, especially those with children
• Visible is best for heavy data and hotspot users
• Consumer Cellular is great for seniors
• US Mobile is good for versatility (or people who are digital nomads and need to change networks wherever they go)
• Straight Talk is best for people who want flexibility (and Walmart lovers)

1. Best for Budget-Conscious Individuals: Mint Mobile

The Specs:

• Speed: Offers high-speed 5G (up to 350+ Mbps) depending on local T-Mobile infrastructure.
• Price: Best for low-cost single lines, starting at $15/mo for 5GB BUT you have to prepay for a year to get the lowest prices.
• Data: Unlimited plans are capped at 40GB of high-speed data before throttling.
• Network: T-Mobile.
• Perks: Includes 10GB of hotspot data and free calls to Mexico and Canada. 

Mint Mobile definitely made me swoon when I first saw Ryan Reynolds in all the commercials, but it was the prices that made me pause. When Mint Mobile first came out, those prices were some of the lowest I had seen by a significant margin. Today, they are still among the cheapest out there, which is why I think Mint Mobile is the best Cricket alternative for budget-conscious people.

The catch is that those low prices come with a caveat. The prices Ryan Reynolds casually drops in every commercial aren’t quite what they seem. There’s fine print, and that fine print is that the lowest price only comes in exchange for paying for 12 months of coverage up front.

Yes, upfront.

I understand the irony of declaring Mint Mobile the best for budget conscious people when, in fact, it requires the biggest payment upfront. Still, if you can swing several hundred dollars once per year, it absolutely saves you money long-term.

One more thing to keep in mind: The low prices that you can pay (yes, those same low low prices that are advertised by Ryan Reynolds), are also the prices you pay for the most part for the lowest data plan. Mint Mobile is a strong Cricut competitor because they have lower rates, but bear in mind that if you are a heavy data user, you might want to look elsewhere. 

The Pros:

• Introductory rates start as low as $15/month for 5GB.
• Unlimited plan includes 35GB of high-speed data and 10GB of hotspot.
• Highly rated for customer service compared to other prepaid carriers.

The Cons:

• Large upfront payment required for best value.
• Data speeds can be deprioritized during T-Mobile network congestion.
• Does not offer traditional family group discounts for multiline users. 

2. Best for Families with Children: Total Wireless 

The Specs:

• Speed: Provides prioritized 5G data that doesn’t slow down during congestion on high-tier plans, something unheard of elsewhere. 
• Price: Prices get better with more lines, at $25/line for 4 lines ($100 total).
• Data: Offers truly unlimited data with no monthly high-speed caps.
• Network: Verizon.
• Perks: Includes Disney+ Premium on select unlimited plans and unlimited hotspot (capped at 5Mbps). 

Total Wireless is one of the top choices for families because it prioritizes data and gives you some of the steepest multi-line discounts. Now, if you’re a single adult, it might not matter. Your price will be roughly on par with other Cricket alternatives. But as soon as you add another line, the discounts kick in. 

Total Wireless uses the Verizon 5G and 5G UW speeds for the higher tier plans and, perhaps most importantly, they offer a lot of new subscriber perks, particularly the five-year price guarantee. That puts it in an interesting category: great for budget-conscious users and especially good for families. Lock in that guarantee, and your monthly rate (including taxes and fees) won’t increase for the duration of the contract.

Now, a single line might start at $40 per month, but with four lines, unlimited plans drop to about $25 per line. Plus you get a Disney Plus subscription. Bring on more Grogu. 

The Pros:

• Highly competitive family pricing, such as $120/month for 4 lines ($30/line).
• Includes Disney+ Premium subscription with certain unlimited plans.
• Uses Verizon’s network with prioritized (no slowdown) data.

The Cons:

• Limited to a maximum of 5 lines.
• Coverage depends entirely on Verizon’s local network availability. 

3. Best for Heavy Data & Hotspot Users: Visible

The Specs:

• Speed: Top tier plans get you Verizon’s “Ultra Wideband” 5G for maximum speeds (up to 600+ Mbps).
• Price: Flat $25/mo (Base) or $45/mo (Visible+), with all taxes and fees included in that price (unlike Mint).
• Data: Truly unlimited data usage with no hard caps.
• Network: Verizon.
• Perks: Unlimited mobile hotspot usage (speed capped at 5–10 Mbps) and smartwatch support on the Plus plan. 

Visible is one of the best Cricket alternatives for cell phone plans if you are a heavy data user. As I mentioned above, Mint Mobile might offer the cheapest prices but only for the lowest level of data. If you need to use your phone for hotspot data, Visible is going to have a better price for you. Every single plan includes unlimited hotspot data usage. The speeds might get capped based on your plan, like 5 Mbps or 15 Mbps, but the actual data never runs out.

Visible also stands out because it’s one of the few prepaid carriers that includes the Apple Watch service. This is included for free if you opt for the Pro Plan, but you can add it on to a lower tier plan for a fee. Also, one of my favorite things: you actually get to talk to real people when you call customer service, not just a bot. 

The Pros:

• Base plan is $25/month with unlimited talk, text, data, and unlimited hotspot (at 5Mbps).
• The Visible+ plan ($45/month) adds 50GB of premium data and faster hotspot speeds.
• Taxes and fees are included in the sticker price.

The Cons:

• No physical retail stores; all support is online/app-based.
• Data on the base plan is deprioritized during congestion. 

4. Best for Seniors & AARP Members: Consumer Cellular 

The Specs:

• Speed: Uses standard AT&T 4G LTE and 5G speeds without artificial caps.
• Price: Starts around $20/mo for 1GB; increases with data usage.
• Data: Monthly plans range between 1GB and Unlimited data
• Network: AT&T.
• Perks: Specialized 5% AARP member discount with customer service designed for seniors. 

Consumer Cellular is definitely geared toward older adults, and the minute you hop on their website you’ll understand why. They actually specialize in users over the age of 50, and like Cricket, they provide AT&T towers for their networks. Like Visible, they also connect you with real people when you call customer service, which is great for less tech-savvy customers. 

Their bread and butter is the US-based customer service feature. Your grandparents can call customer service and get connected with someone in the US who speaks English and can provide patient guidance with any technology questions.

I have been on the receiving end of trying to get answers to a tech question and having the guy in customer service tell me to “just” do the “flaborbidorp” or whatever. It was all Greek to me, he was annoyed when I asked for an explanation as to what on Earth that meant or how to find that particular number on my phone, and I’m not even close to 50. So I completely understand how comforting it would be for my grandparents to be able to call someone who was kind and patient or to go into a physical store (which many others don’t have) and get a quick lesson on how to use their new phone. 

The Pros:

• Offers a 5% discount for AARP members.
• Flexible, month-to-month contracts with no large upfront costs.
• Excellent US-based customer support with a reputation for being senior-friendly (Did I mention the new phone learning sessions given in person?)

The Cons:

• Generally more expensive for high-data users compared to Mint or Visible.
• Base plans with 1GB of data start around $20/month, which is less value if you use a lot of data. 

5. Best for Tech Enthusiasts & Versatility: US Mobile

The Specs:

• Speed: High-speed data is based on the major carriers, with “Dark Star” (AT&T) providing similar priority to Cricket.
• Price: Very flexible, with “Unlimited Starter” at $25/mo (ten bucks cheaper than Cricket).
• Data: Unlimited plans have high-speed buckets (35GB-100GB).
• Network: Unique “Teleport” feature lets you switch between AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
• Perks: International data roaming included on premium plans and the ability to choose the best network for your specific zip code. 

When I first heard about US Mobile letting you teleport between different networks, I a) laughed at the nerd names and b) definitely thought it would automatically bounce around wherever I was, giving me top connection no matter what.

Turns out, that’s not exactly how it works. Close though. 

So it works in one of two ways. First, you get to choose which of the top three providers, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, you want to use. So theoretically, you could look up what’s available in your area or pick the one that you know you prefer, and then switch your phone to that network. You can choose to manually swap to another network at any time. For example, if I had had US Mobile before I could have kept AT&T when I was in New Hampshire and then switched to Verizon when I headed to Arkansas.

Alternatively, you can choose what’s called a multi-network option. You add a second eSIM to your phone which lets you use two networks at the same time. This only works if you have two eSIMS on the same device and an unlimited plan to support it. Then you get to choose two of the three, and the phone will intelligently seek which of those two has the best signal and give you coverage swapping in real time. 

That is pretty cool, and pretty much the only thing that sets this provider apart.

The Pros:

• Highly customizable plans, including a $10/month Light Plan for low-data users.
• The “Teleport” feature allows switching between different carrier networks for a small fee.
• “Unlimited Starter” plan on AT&T (Dark Star) is often cheaper than Cricket’s equivalent at $25/month.

The Cons:

• “Unlimited” plans have high-speed data caps (e.g., 35GB or 100GB) before significant throttling occurs.
• Hotspot usage is closely monitored and can be subject to suspension if used excessively (not speaking from personal experience, but definitely speaking from personal experience). 

6. Best for Flexibility (and Walmart Lovers!): Straight Talk

The Specs:

• Speed: Best plans give 5G speed, or 5G UW, four times faster than traditional 5G. 
• Price: Very flexible, with basic plans at $35 but higher tier at $65, all with discounts on multiple lines or auto pay. 
• Data: Unlimited plans have unlimited data, with potential slow speed during congestion and higher-tier cloud storage features.
• Network: Verizon
• Perks: Walmart+ Membership, international calling unlimited to Mexico and Canada with higher tier plans, and device protection.

Straight Talk is sold at Walmart. If you have a Walmart near you, or you shop at Walmart, you’ve probably seen the bright Mountain-Dew-green recharge cards in the tech aisle. My friend has used Straight Talk for about five years now and you would think that she worked for them given how much she tries to convince everyone else to sign up.

But she isn’t wrong. It’s a great service. 

They are very popular because their top-tier plans include premium data that stays fast, even during peak hours, without deprioritization. That means you won’t see slow speeds during busy times. They also utilize Verizon’s networks, let you bring your own phone, and give discounts when you add multiple lines.

But that’s not actually why I love them.

What I love is the flexibility. They offer different plans to fit your budget with things like mobile protect device insurance, international calling, unlimited hotspot data or more limited data with cloud storage. There are options to pay several months at a time in advance, just like with Mint Mobile, in order to save money, and so on. 

On top of that, their unlimited plans come with real perks: a Walmart+ membership, annual anniversary credits for long-term customers, and cloud storage. It’s one of the few carriers where the extras actually feel useful.

The Walmart Plus Membership might be the one thing absolutely worth making the switch, especially if you’re already paying for it. The plan comes with several other perks, too, like Paramount Plus or peacock streaming, discounts on Burger king, discounts on fuel and Pharmacy options, free pet advice hotline, and more.

The Pros:

• Low upfront costs on phones.
• Discounts if you pay for multiple months on the Silver line.

The Cons:

• They favor single lines, not family lines. Look elsewhere for your teen discount plans. 
• The data speeds are throttled pretty heavily even on unlimited plans.

Summing Up

There are a lot of good Cricket alternatives out there but the best really come down to what it is you need and want to prioritize, whether that’s data, multi-line discounts for your growing family, flexible network hopping, or good customer service.

My top picks are Mint Mobile for people on a budget who want to get low prices with low data and can pay up front, Total Wireless for families who want bigger discounts, and Visible for heavy data users. If you love hotspot data and are a heavy data user, the cheapest and truly authentic ‘unlimited’ plans are from Visible. No deprioritization. 

Consumer Cellular is a good option for any older adults looking for good customer service. US Mobile is a very versatile option if you want to switch back and forth between different networks and StraightTalk is going to be your place to be if you want flexibility (and a Walmart Plus Membership) as part of your perks. 

Related Read:

• Mint Mobile vs. Straight Talk
• Total Wireless vs Verizon Prepaid
• Visible by Verizon vs T-Mobile – Top 2025 Pick!