Light budget shopper
Winner: Metro
If your phone is unlocked and T-Mobile coverage is good, Metro's $25 bring-your-own-device offer is the plan to price first. Cricket is still worth a quote if AT&T is stronger indoors.
Prepaid carrier comparison
Cricket vs Metro by T-Mobile: Cricket wins for AT&T coverage, Metro wins for perks
Pick Cricket if AT&T works better in your neighborhood, you want the cleanest four-line prepaid pitch, or you would rather skip streaming perks and keep the bill predictable. Pick Metro by T-Mobile if T-Mobile has the stronger signal where you live and you want richer unlimited tiers with hotspot and add-ons. Budget one-line switchers should price Metro first; heavy-data family shoppers should quote both before handing over a phone number.
Verified by SaveOnPhone • Primary carrier pages fetched May 2, 2026
Reality box: who should not be reading this comparison
Do not spend an hour comparing Cricket and Metro if Verizon is the only reliable network in your house, if you need premium postpaid roaming, or if your employer reimburses a full-service carrier plan. Also pause if your phone is locked; the cheaper plan is not cheaper if you have to buy a replacement device today.
Cricket vs Metro at a glance
| Factor | Cricket Wireless | Metro by T-Mobile | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | AT&T network access, including 5G on supported phones. | T-Mobile network access, including 5G on supported phones. | Depends on local coverage; Cricket for AT&T areas, Metro for T-Mobile areas. |
| Entry plan tiers | Cricket's plan page highlights Select Unlimited at $40 for one line and a four-line $100 offer, plus higher Smart and Supreme unlimited tiers. | Metro's page shows unlimited plans around $40, $50, and $60, plus a $25 bring-your-own-device offer when eligible. | Metro for one-line bargain hunters. |
| Hotspot | Select Unlimited lists hotspot as an add-on; Smart Unlimited shows 15 GB hotspot data; Supreme Unlimited is the richer tier. | Metro's higher unlimited tiers advertise hotspot, with entry plans more limited. | Metro if you want hotspot bundled cheaply; verify tier before checkout. |
| Deprioritization threshold | Cricket markets unlimited data but plan experience can still vary under congestion and plan terms. | Metro uses T-Mobile's prepaid network access; heavy users can see slower speeds under congestion depending on plan terms. | No clean winner; local tower load matters. |
| Autopay / prepay conditions | Prepaid monthly pricing; Cricket's page separates single-line and multi-line plan pricing and flags first-month pricing. | Prepaid monthly pricing; Metro has online and switcher offers with eligibility rules. | Cricket is simpler. |
| Taxes and fees behavior | Cricket discloses provider monthly fees, one-time purchase fees, and government taxes on the plan page. | Metro shoppers should confirm taxes, fees, activation, and online-vs-store differences at checkout. | Cricket for disclosure on the plan page. |
| Family-line constraints | Strong four-line pitch: Cricket advertises four lines for $100 when all lines use Select Unlimited. | Metro can be competitive, but device promos and plan perks often add eligibility footnotes. | Cricket for straightforward four-line shoppers. |
| Perks and device deals | Less perk-heavy; better if you want the phone bill to be the phone bill. | Stronger promos, free-phone messaging, and entertainment-style perks on higher tiers. | Metro for deal chasers. |
Effective monthly cost: the sticker price is only the start
For a single line, Metro deserves the first quote if you qualify for its $25 bring-your-own-device unlimited offer. That is the cleanest low advertised number in this matchup. If you do not qualify, Metro's mainstream unlimited pricing starts closer to $40 per month, which puts it in the same lane as Cricket's Select Unlimited.
For four lines, Cricket is the sharper starting point because its plan page promotes four Select Unlimited lines for $100 per month. The catch is not hidden: all lines must be on Select Unlimited, and Cricket still lists provider monthly fees, one-time purchase fees, and government taxes. That means the real bill can land above the headline.
Metro's real bill depends more on the offer path. Online orders may avoid some activation friction, store transactions can differ, and device deals often require a port-in, eligible plan, ID validation, or instant rebate rules. If you are financing or chasing a free phone, compare the total 24-month cost, not the first receipt. Once our state tax guide is live, cross-check it here: cell phone taxes by state.
Profile winners: which carrier should you pick?
Heavy-data shopper
Winner: Metro
Metro's upper unlimited tiers are more attractive for people who want hotspot and perks bundled. Cricket Supreme can work, but Metro usually gives heavy users more reasons to move up.
Family migrator
Winner: Cricket
Four lines for $100 on Select Unlimited is easy to understand. Metro can beat it with the right promo stack, but Cricket wins for the family that wants fewer footnotes.
Coverage-first rural or suburban user
Winner: Cricket if AT&T is stronger; Metro if T-Mobile is stronger
This is the one profile where the map overrules the spreadsheet. Use each carrier's coverage checker at your home, work, school, and commute addresses before you switch.
Where Cricket loses to Metro
Cricket loses when the buyer wants the lowest one-line entry price and qualifies for Metro's bring-your-own-device deal. It also loses for perk-driven shoppers. Metro's higher tiers do a better job turning the plan page into a bundle pitch, with hotspot and add-ons doing more of the selling.
Cricket also feels plainer. That can be a strength if you hate fine print, but it is a weakness if your decision comes down to device promos, entertainment extras, or T-Mobile's mid-band 5G performance in a city where T-Mobile is clearly ahead.
Where Metro loses to Cricket
Metro loses when T-Mobile coverage is merely okay and AT&T is the more reliable network in your area. A cheaper plan with a weaker indoor signal is not a deal. Metro also loses on simplicity: the best Metro outcome often depends on BYOD status, port-in rules, online-vs-store pricing, and promo eligibility.
For families, Cricket's four-line Select Unlimited pitch is easier to explain at the kitchen table. Metro can still win, but you need to price the exact devices and line count rather than assume the banner deal applies.
What about Mint or Visible?
Look at Mint if you can prepay several months and T-Mobile coverage works; it can undercut both carriers for disciplined budget shoppers. Look at Visible if Verizon coverage is the missing piece and you want simple unlimited pricing. Start with our Visible vs US Mobile comparison, our Mint vs Visible comparison, and our best cell phone plans list while sibling comparison pages continue rolling out.
How to switch from Cricket to Metro, or Metro to Cricket
- Check your phone lock status. If it is locked, request an unlock before you buy the new plan.
- Run both coverage maps for your home, work, school, and commute. Do not trust a national map for an indoor decision.
- Screenshot the exact plan price, hotspot amount, taxes, fees, and promo conditions before checkout.
- Keep your current account active until the number port completes. You need the account number, transfer PIN, billing ZIP code, and active service.
- After activation, test calls, SMS, data, voicemail, hotspot, and group messages before cancelling anything manually. For more detail, use our number porting guide.
FAQ
Is Cricket better than Metro by T-Mobile?
Cricket is better for AT&T-first coverage shoppers and families who want a simpler four-line offer. Metro is better for T-Mobile-first coverage shoppers, one-line BYOD bargain hunters, and perk-driven unlimited users.
Which is cheaper, Cricket or Metro?
Metro is usually cheaper for an eligible one-line BYOD shopper because of the $25 offer. Cricket is easier to price for a four-line family because its Select Unlimited page advertises four lines for $100 before listed fees and taxes.
Do Cricket and Metro use the same network?
No. Cricket runs on AT&T's network. Metro by T-Mobile runs on T-Mobile's network. That network difference is the main reason two people can make opposite choices and both be right.
Does Cricket include hotspot?
Cricket's Select Unlimited page lists hotspot as an add-on. Smart Unlimited shows 15 GB hotspot data. Verify the current hotspot amount on the plan page before checkout because prepaid plan bundles change.
Does Metro include hotspot?
Metro's higher unlimited tiers advertise hotspot, while lower entry offers may not include the same amount. Pick the exact Metro plan first, then confirm hotspot in the cart before paying.
Which carrier is better for free phones?
Metro is usually the better first stop for free-phone and switcher promos. Read the eligibility rules carefully: port-in requirements, instant rebate terms, ID validation, and plan minimums can matter more than the phone headline.
Next steps
Price both carriers with your exact ZIP code and phone status before switching.
- Cricket Wireless plan page — fetched May 2, 2026
- Metro by T-Mobile plan page — fetched May 2, 2026
- Compare our current best cell phone plans
- Read the number porting guide
Sources
No primary fetch was blocked. All pricing and plan-structure claims below were checked against carrier pages on May 2, 2026. Unverified claim: final taxes, activation fees, and promo eligibility still require checkout by ZIP code because those can vary by purchase channel and customer status.
- Cricket Wireless, Cell Phone Plans, fetched May 2, 2026. Confirmed Select Unlimited, Smart Unlimited, Supreme Unlimited, $40 single-line Select Unlimited, four-line $100 Select Unlimited messaging, 15 GB hotspot on Smart Unlimited, hotspot add-on language, provider monthly fees, one-time fees, and government-tax disclosures.
- Metro by T-Mobile, Cell Phone Plans, fetched May 2, 2026. Confirmed unlimited plan page, $40/$50/$60 tier messaging, and $25 bring-your-own-device offer language visible in the fetched page.
- Metro by T-Mobile, Benefits, fetched May 2, 2026. Used for perks and add-on context.
- Unsplash image by a free commercial license source, fetched May 2, 2026 from images.unsplash.com and saved as
/images/articles/cricket-vs-metro.jpg.