Tracfone Vs. Cricket Wireless: Best Budget Cell Phone Service

Hey there! Looking to save some money on your cell phone bill? Tracfone and Cricket Wireless are two of the most popular prepaid, no-contract cell phone services out there.

As someone who’s tried them both, let me break down the key differences to help you decide which one is a better fit.

A Brief Comparison Table

Feature	Tracfone	Cricket Wireless
Network	Uses Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile	Uses AT&T only
Bring Your Own Device	Yes, if compatible	Only select AT&T/iPhones/Pixels
Plan Options	Pay as you go, monthly, annual	Monthly only
Rollover Data	Yes	No
Mobile Hotspot	Only with some plans	Yes, with $60 plan
Video Streaming	SD default	SD on $40 plan, HD on $55&$60 plans
Family Plans	Yes	No, each line is separate
International Calling	100+ countries included	Not offered
Customer Service	Generally better reviews	More mixed reviews
Phone Financing	No	No
Domestic Roaming	No	No

Overview Of Tracfone

Tracfone has been around since the 90s and operates as an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). This means they don’t have their own cell towers – they buy network access from major providers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

The benefit of Tracfone is the flexibility. You can bring your own phone, buy one of theirs, or even swap between networks with a quick SIM card change. Their plans are all prepaid, with no credit checks or contracts. You just pay as you go!

They have a few different plan options to choose from:

• Pay As You Go – Add money to your account to purchase airtime at a set rate per minute/text/data. No monthly fees, you only pay for what you use.
• Monthly Plans – Choose a bundle of talk/text/data that renews each month. Unused data rolls over as long as you keep your plan active.
• Annual Plans – Prepay for a full year of service to get the lowest rates. Plans come with a set number of minutes, texts and data to use throughout the 12 months.

Tracfone uses a “buckets” system – your minutes, texts and data are all separate pools that deduct as you use them. You can add buckets individually or bundle them in a monthly/annual plan package.

Overview Of Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless in an MVNO owned by AT&T. They offer affordable prepaid plans on AT&T’s nationwide 4G LTE network.

The thing that makes Cricket different is that they only have monthly bundle plans. You choose the level of talk/text/data you want each month and pay a flat rate. There are no pay as you go options or individual buckets.

Cricket’s plan options include:

• $30/mo – Unlimited talk & text. No data included.
• $40/mo – Unlimited talk & text + 5GB high-speed data. Video streaming at SD quality.
• $55/mo – Unlimited talk & text + 15GB high speed data. Video streaming at HD quality.
• $60/mo – Unlimited talk, text & data. Video streaming at HD quality. Mobile hotspot included.

With Cricket, unused data does NOT roll over to the next month. And they don’t offer family/group plans, each line is billed separately.

Key Differences

Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s directly compare some of the biggest differences between Tracfone and Cricket Wireless:

• Network Coverage – Tracfone uses Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile while Cricket is AT&T only. Generally, AT&T and Verizon have the best nationwide coverage.
• Bring Your Own Phone – Tracfone supports BYOP as long as the phone is compatible with their networks. Cricket only allows you to use phones purchased through them.
• Plan Flexibility – Tracfone has pay as you go, monthly and annual options with individual buckets. Cricket just has set monthly plans.
• Data Rollover – Unused data rolls over with Tracfone as long as your service is active. Cricket data resets each month.
• Family Plans – Tracfone allows adding lines to a single account. Cricket is one bill per line.
• International Calling – Tracfone has affordable international calling rates to over 100 countries. Cricket does not offer international calling.
• Customer Service – Tracfone seems to have better reviews for customer service responsiveness than Cricket.

Hopefully this gives you a helpful side-by-side overview! Keep reading and I’ll share some pros and cons of each service and my final verdict.

Tracfone Pros

Okay, let’s start with the positives of choosing Tracfone Wireless:

• Network flexibility – With Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, you can pick whichever has the best coverage in your area. Dual SIM phones let you use 2 networks at once!
• Affordable rates – Tracfone has some of the lowest cost per minute/text/data in the prepaid world. Their annual plans especially give amazing rates.
• Rollover data -Unused data rolls over as long as your service stays active. Great way to build up a data stash if you’re a light user.
• Broad phone selection – Tons of affordable smartphones to purchase outright or bring your own (BYOP). Flip phones also available.
• Family plans – Add up to 5 lines on one account to share minutes/texts/data buckets (monthly and annual plans only).
• Keep your number – Tracfone supports transferring your number from another carrier. Helpful if you want to keep your existing phone number.
• Referral program – Earn free airtime by referring friends and family to sign up for service.

Also Read: Comparison Between Tracfone and Simple Mobile

Tracfone Cons

Of course no service is perfect. Here are a few downsides to note about Tracfone:

• Confusing buckets – Having separate buckets for minutes, texts and data can be complicated to manage. Easy to lose track and let unused buckets expire.
• Occasional deprioritization – Tracfone customers may experience slower data speeds than postpaid subs during times of network congestion.
• No financing – Phones must be purchased outright. No option to finance expensive smartphones over 12 or 24 months.
• No multi-line discounts – Unlike some carriers, Tracfone doesn’t offer a discount for adding multiple lines to an account.
• No domestic roaming – Service ends outside of your provider’s coverage area rather than roaming domestically on partner networks.

Cricket Wireless Pros

What are the best parts about choosing Cricket Wireless?

• Reliable coverage – Since it’s owned by AT&T, Cricket has access to AT&T’s extensive, high-performing LTE network. Great coverage nationwide.
• Simple plans – Just pick the data amount you want each month, no worrying about managing separate buckets or rollover data.
• Mobile hotspot – Their $60 unlimited plan includes mobile hotspot usage, a nice extra not offered by Tracfone.
• No overages – Cricket plans throttle speeds after you hit the max high-speed data allotment. No surprise overage charges.
• Streaming perks – Higher rate plans include HD streaming and more mobile hotspot data than competitors.
• Referral rewards – Refer friends to Cricket and you’ll earn $25 billing credits for each one that signs up.
• Tax inclusive pricing – What you see is what you pay, taxes and fees are included in the monthly rate.

Cricket Cons

Of course, Cricket isn’t perfect either. Here are some of the drawbacks to consider:

• AT&T only – Cricket only uses AT&T’s network. Not the best choice if AT&T has poor coverage in your frequently visited areas.
• No data rollover -Unused high-speed data is lost at the end of each month. And plans are throttled after the allotment is used.
• Limited BYOP – Only compatible AT&T, iPhone, Nexus and Pixel devices can be brought to Cricket. Limits options if you have an existing phone.
• No family plans – Each line has its own separate bill, no multi-line account options or discounts. Adds up quickly for larger families.
• Slower speeds – Cricket customers may experience slower data speeds than AT&T postpaid subscribers during times of high network traffic.
• No domestic roaming – Cricket service ends outside of AT&T’s coverage footprint rather than extending onto roaming partners.
• No financing – Phones must be purchased upfront. No option to break up costs over 12 or 24 months.

Also watch the video!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Also Read: Differences Between Consumer Cellular And Ting.

The Verdict

So, when it really comes down to it – should you choose Tracfone or Cricket Wireless?

For most people, I think Tracfone is the better overall prepaid value.

The ability to mix-and-match plans from multiple major networks makes them hard to beat on coverage and flexibility. Rollover data and online account management are also big perks.

However, Cricket remains a solid choice for those who:

• Know they have excellent AT&T coverage in their area
• Want the simplicity of set monthly plans with no separate buckets
• Prioritize extra streaming perks like HD video and mobile hotspot data

At the end of the day, both Tracfone and Cricket Wireless provide affordable prepaid service on reliable nationwide networks. Evaluate your specific needs like data amounts, network coverage and family plan options to decide which is the better fit. And don’t forget to take advantage of any new customer deals and discounts! Whichever you choose, rest easy knowing your cell phone bill will be much lower every month than going with a major carrier. Prepaid for the win!