Cricket Wireless vs. Metro by T-Mobile – A Detailed Comparison

With a diverse list of plans and varying settings, Cricket Wireless and Metro by T-Mobile set out to provide top notch services for users, but which one is better?

For some time, MVNO (Mobile Virtue Network Operators) have been providing users with cheaper talk, SMS and data plans as compared to the main mobile carriers in the market today. Cricket Wireless, owned by AT&T, is one of these MVNOs, and it takes care of both individual and family customers. Its competition, Metro by T-Mobile which is owned by T-Mobile, also comes with incredibly cheap and ideal data, talk and SMS plans for regular use.

When to use Cricket Wireless

If you are an individual or a family that has unique needs as far as data, calls and SMS go, you might want to get yourself a Cricket Wireless line. It comes with a total of 8 plans that have different combinations and prices, and that are suited for different needs. You will also realize that they are pretty affordable, making it ideal for people who want to save a coin or two.

When to use Metro by T-Mobile

Just like Cricket Wireless Metro by T-Mobile comes with a good deal of plans from which to choose, and it boasts excellent speeds, delivering the best 5G speed of all mobile carriers. This makes it ideal for people who are in metropolitan areas because this is largely where coverage is excellent.

Cricket Wireless vs. Metro by T-Mobile Features Comparison

              Feature
           Cricket Wireless
           Metro by T- Mobile
Network Type
MVNO
MVNO
Number of Plans
8
5
Monthly Subscriptions
$35 – $125
$30 – $60
Mobile Hotspot
Available on the Cricket More plan
Available on the Unlimited $50 Plan
Action

Cricket Wireless vs. Metro by T-Mobile – What Criteria did we use to evaluate them?

To determine the better mobile carrier of the two, we sought to find out which one gives better plans at more competitive prices, and which one of the two comes with excellent coverage. We also sought to determine the more inclusive mobile carrier as far as both individual and group/ family plans are concerned.

Cricket Wireless vs. Metro by T-Mobile – A Detailed Review

Cricket Wireless Review

Easily one of the most affordable and largely preferred budget mobile carriers, Cricket Wireless comes as an easy to use and versatile service that makes sure that there is something for everyone.Owned by the widely known and used AT&T, Cricket Wireless comes with cheap plans that are mostly ideal for people who have high internet needs but who are on a budget.

One of the main reasons it manages to remain so affordable is the fact that it is an MVNO, meaning that it relies on larger mobile carrier’s towers for network coverage. In this case, Cricket Wireless depends on AT&T towers for the same. This is likely why they are much cheaper, especially considering that they do not have to deal with tower maintenance costs.

When it comes to plans, Cricket Wireless comes with quite a number for both individual and family use. This allows for people to pick that which suits them best, and they are distributed as below;

Cricket Wireless Individual Plans

Number of lines
Data Provided
Monthly Subscription
1
Unlimited calls and SMS + 2 GB
$30
1
Unlimited calls and SMS + 5GB
$40
1
Unlimited calls and SMS + BYOD
$40
1
Unlimited calls and SMS + Unlimited Data
$55
1
Unlimited calls and SMS + Unlimited data + 15 GB Hotspot
$60

Cricket Wireless Family Plans

Bundle/ Plan
2 lines
3 lines
4 lines
5 lines
2 GB data + calls and SMS
$60 per month
$90 per month
$120 per month
$150 per month
10 GB + calls and SMS
$70 per month
$90 per month
$110 per month
$130 per month
Unlimited data + calls and SMS
$80 per month
$90 per month
$100 per month
$125 per month
Unlimited Plus
$90 per month
$110 per month
$130 per month
$160 per month

 The tables above are a clear indication that there are many choices from which to pick, and that affordability is key.

Feature
Number of available plans
8
Network Type
MVNO
Mobile Hotspot
Available on the Cricket More Plan

Pros

  • Comes with multiple plans
  • Pretty affordable
  • Offers mobile hotspot on the Cricket More plan

Cons

  • You get mobile hotspot on just one plan

 Metro by T-Mobile Review

Formerly referred to as Metro CPS, Metro by T-Mobile is a budget mobile carrier that works incredibly well for people in metropolitan regions, and who have high data needs, but on a low budget.Just like Cricket Wireless, it comes with both individual and family plans for easy choosing.

Just as the name suggests, it is owned by T-Mobile, and uses its towers for network transmission. It is incredibly reliable and fast, especially in metropolitan areas. When it comes to both family and individual plans, Metro by T-Mobile comes with multiple bundles from which to choose, allowing you to select one that works best for you. In case you are looking for a plan that has mobile hotspot support, you might want to choose the unlimited $50 plan which comes with 15 GB for hotspot.

Below are Metro by T-Mobile plans.

Plan
Number of lines
Specifics
Subscription per month
Unlimited data plan
1
Unlimited data, no contract needed
$30
Unlimited text, talk and fast data
1
Unlimited fast data, no contract needed
$37 + initial $3.99
Unlimited text, call and fast data
1
Unlimited fast data, no contract needed
$39
Unlimited data – Single month plan
1
Unlimited data, no contract needed
$39
Unlimited plan
1
Unlimited data, no contract needed
$40 + $10 (Upfront)
Unlimited plan
4
Unlimited data
$150 + $40 (Upfront)

While most plans come with nearly similar characteristics, it is worth noting that each one presents different features such as data capping and mobile hotspot.

Feature
Number of available plans
5
Network Type
MVNO
Mobile Hotspot
Available on the Unlimited $150 Plan

Pros

  • Comes with many plans
  • It is pretty affordable
  • Incredible network coverage

Cons

  • Mobile hotspot is only available on one plan

Cricket Wireless vs. Metro by T-Mobile – How do they compare?

Number of Available Plans

Metro by T-Mobile is a mobile carrier that comes with a total of 5 plans, 4 of which are meant for individual use. For family use, they offer one plan that allows for a maximum of 4 lines at the same time. On the other hand, Cricket Wireless come with a total of 8 plans, 3 of which are made for family use.

Cricket Wireless comes with more plans for both individual and family use, making it better than Metro by T-Mobile.

Data Prices

Both mobile carriers actually present decent prices, but you will definitely get a lot more for your money when you are using Metro by T-Mobile which has more competitive prices for every plan, and you will notice that each comes with unlimited data. On the other hand, Cricket Wireless comes with great data plans, but just a few come with the unlimited data option.

Metro by T-Mobile comes with much better prices and a lot more data for less money, making it better than Cricket Wireless.

Mobile Hotspot

Both Cricket Wireless and Metro by T-Mobile come with Mobile Hotspot, but on different plans. With Cricket Wireless, you will have access to mobile hotspot on the Cricket More plan while Metro by T-Mobile comes with mobile hotspot on the unlimited $150 plan for 4 people.

Metro by T-Mobile comes with mobile hotspot for 4 people while Cricket Wireless only allows it for one person, and this makes Metro by T-Mobile a better option.

Conclusion

While both mobile carriers come with unique offers, it is pretty clear that Metro by T- Mobile comes with better plans, especially because every plan offers unlimited data for users. This feature sets it apart from Cricket Wireless, making it a better mobile carrier.

FAQs

  1. Can I buy a Metro by T-Mobile line online?

No, but you will have access to numerous physical shops to buy a line.

  1. What is the deprioritization threshold for Metro by T-Mobile?

Data deprioritization begins at 35GB.

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