Cricket Phones for Seniors: Plans, Prices, and Reviews
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April 1, 2024
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Cricket Wireless does not offer a specific plan or discount for seniors, but the company offers affordable cellular service starting at $30 per month. If you don’t mind prepaying for service, Cricket may be a worthwhile option.
In this guide to Cricket Wireless for seniors, we’ll take a closer look at everything Cricket Wireless has to offer in terms of phones, plans, and prices.
Pro Tip: To find the best deals on cellular service, check out my guide to the best senior cell phone plans.
Cricket Wireless Pros and Cons
Cricket Wireless Pros
- Affordable unlimited plans: Cricket Wireless offers unlimited talk, text, and data plans starting at $30 per month.
- No overage charges: All of Cricket’s plans come with unlimited talk and text. Data is limited on some plans, but you’ll never be hit with overage charges.
- Bring your own phone: In many cases, Cricket allows you to purchase a $10 SIM card to use with your current device and phone number on the company’s cellular service.
- No annual contracts: All of Cricket’s cellular plans are prepaid, which means you won’t have to lock into a long-term contract.
Cricket Wireless Cons
- Spotty rural coverage: In our experience, Cricket works best in urban and suburban parts of the country. If you live in a rural area, you should check Cricket’s signal strength before purchasing.
- Throttled data speeds: Even on Cricket’s plans with unlimited data, the carrier reserves the right to throttle your data speeds when the network is busy.
Pro Tip: Looking for affordable prepaid cell phones that are user-friendly and don’t require contracts? Check out my article on the best prepaid cell phones for seniors.
Cricket Wireless Plans Compared
Cricket Wireless offers four plans. Two of them offer a limited amount of data, while the other two have unlimited data usage. With the Unlimited plan you can get a deep discount by paying for three months or an entire year in advance.
| Cricket Wireless plan | Price for 1 line | Monthly talk and text | High-speed data allowance | Extra features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 GB | $30 per month | Unlimited | 5 GB |
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| 10 GB | $40 per month | Unlimited | 10 GB |
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| Unlimited |
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Unlimited | Unlimited |
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| Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot | $60 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
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Cricket Wireless Plans for Seniors
Cricket Wireless does not offer a specific plan or discount for seniors, but we think the 5 GB plan is a great option for people who want a simple plan at an affordable price.
The 5 GB plan costs $30 per month per line, and it includes unlimited talk and text and 5 GB of data. That amount of data is likely enough for older adults who aren’t intent on viewing constant content. In other words, the reduced data speeds are still enough to browse the web for practical matters such as emailing and streaming a YouTube video.
How to Purchase Cricket Wireless
To purchase a phone or plan from Cricket Wireless, you can either visit the company’s website or check out one of its stores. From there, you can take a closer look at each of its cellular plans. Cricket used to offer plans with monthly allowances of talk minutes and text messages. All of its plans now offer unlimited talk and text, though, which means you won’t have to worry about overage charges.
The primary difference between each of Cricket’s plans is the monthly allowance of high-speed data. Its most affordable plan provides 5 GB of high-speed data. After you exceed that amount, however, you will not be charged extra. Rather, your data speeds will simply slow down. Cricket’s most expensive plan comes with no limits on high-speed data, as well as nationwide 5G access, 15 GB of mobile hotspot usage, 150 GB of cloud storage, and a free subscription to Max. What’s more, the top-tier Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot plan offers unlimited texts from the U.S. to 37 countries and access to Cricket Call Defense with a compatible phone.
Cricket Wireless Prices
The most important thing to know about Cricket Wireless’ pricing is that the company requires no long-term contracts. That means you can cancel your service at any time without incurring termination fees. Another key factor to consider is the provider’s highly discounted rates when you purchase multiple lines of service. The Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot plan, for example, costs $60 per month for one line. The price, however, drops to $32 per month per line when you purchase five lines.
Cricket Wireless Phones
Cricket allows you to use your own cell phone with its service. All you have to do is choose a plan and purchase a $10 Cricket SIM card, which you’ll insert into your device. That allows you to keep your own number.
FYI: You’ll need an unlocked phone to use your own device for Cricket. To learn more, read our guide to the best unlocked phones for seniors.
Cricket also has a variety of phones you can buy directly from the company. They cover a wide range of the latest smartphones, including devices from Apple, Samsung, and Motorola. If you want a basic flip phone for seniors, however, Cricket offers only one device: the Debut Flip. Overall, the company’s prices are pretty consistent with other providers. Cricket also offers a decent selection of certified preowned phones at discounted rates.
Cricket Wireless Progressive Leasing
If you prefer to pay for your phone in installments rather than in a single payment, Cricket offers a progressive-leasing option. The program, which requires an application either online or in-store, allows you to pay off the balance of your phone in weekly, biweekly, or monthly payments.
Did You Know: If you’re looking to purchase a top-of-the-line smartphone from Cricket, check out our lists of the best smartphones for seniors, best Androids for seniors, and best iPhones for seniors.
Cricket vs. AT&T
Cricket Wireless uses AT&T’s cellular network, which means they share the same nationwide coverage. The two providers differ, however, in terms of price, contracts, and extra features.
If you’re looking for an affordable and simple wireless provider, Cricket is your best bet. If you want fast download speeds, a reliable signal, and premium features, however, then AT&T phones for seniors are the better option.
Bottom Line
When it comes to affordable and reliable cellular service, there are few options better than Cricket Wireless. For households in need of multiple lines, Cricket offers affordable unlimited plans with fast speeds and some extra perks like HBO subscriptions and mobile hotspot usage.
To learn more about cell phones and plans for seniors, check out my guides.
Cricket Phone Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Cricket Wireless good for seniors?
Cricket Wireless is an ideal option for seniors, since its affordable plans offer unlimited talk and text with no long-term contracts.
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Do Jitterbug phones work with Cricket?
Jitterbug phones like the Flip and Smart are unlocked devices, which means you can use them with Cricket Wireless upon purchasing a SIM card.
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Who owns Cricket Wireless?
Cricket Wireless is owned by AT&T.
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Is Cricket better than Verizon?
Cricket Wireless is definitely more affordable than Verizon, but it offers slower data speeds and fewer plans with 5G coverage.
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Is Cricket Wireless expensive?
In terms of prepaid providers, Cricket Wireless is an affordable option for people seeking unlimited talk, text, and data. Its data speeds, however, won’t be as fast as those of T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.