Red Pocket vs Cricket: Which carrier is best?
We compared Red Pocket & Cricket plans, coverage & customer ratings: Which cell phone service is best for you?
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Rob has 15+ years experience running price comparison & review websites that empower consumers to find the cheapest cell phone services, cell phone deals, home phone, and internet providers available. He has been published in Forbes, US News, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Inc.
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Amanda has 20+ years of experience as an educator. Her teaching career, paired with her love for research and technology, has led her to MoneySavingPro. Her personal experience with eSIMs and MVNOs after switching her entire family away from big wireless in the last few years has taught her the ins and outs of the industry. And saved her hundreds per month.
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Last updated on October 5th, 2023
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Looking to switch carrier but not sure if Cricket Wireless or Red Pocket is better?
Within this guide, you'll be able to compare Cricket Wireless and Red Pocket coverage, features, plans and prices side-by-side, so you can decide for yourself which carrier offers the best deal.
Red Pocket vs Cricket Wireless: Coverage & Plan Comparison 2023
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket plans
Cricket Wireless 5GB
- AT&T 5G & 4G LTE networks Cricket Wireless operates on the AT&T 5G & 4G LTE networks. This allows you to receive the same wireless coverage but at a fraction of the cost.
- Unlimited talk and text
- 5GB data
- $540 in annual savings Savings are calculated comparing the cost of the Cricket Wireless 5GB vs an unlimited data plan from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon over the first 12 months.
$30/mo
Pros
- Free talk and text with all plans
- Unlimited data plans available
- Available in retail stores
- Multi-line discount available
Cons
- Fastest data speed capped at 8 Mbps
- Mobile hotspot use costs extra
- One of the few MVNOs that charge an activation fee
Red Pocket 1GB
- AT&T & Verizon 5G & 4G LTE networks Red Pocket operates on the AT&T & Verizon 5G & 4G LTE networks. This allows you to receive the same wireless coverage but at a fraction of the cost.
- Unlimited talk and text
- 1GB data
- $785 in annual savings Savings are calculated comparing the cost of the Red Pocket 1GB vs an unlimited data plan from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon over the first 12 months.
$5/mo*
$10/mo* 50% off First Month
Red Pocket Mobile phone plans are powered by the Verizon and AT&T wireless networks. And if you're looking for multi-line discounts, they're one of the best MVNOs for family plans, with a $20 discount for each additional line added.
You also get free international calls to 80 countries, so you can stay connected with loved ones abroad.
Pros
- Verizon, and AT&T 5G & 4G LTE network coverage
- Free international calls to 80 countries
- Roaming available in Mexico and Canada
- Mobile hotspot access on all plans
- Excellent score on Trustpilot
- eSIM compatible
Cons
- Limited international roaming
- With Red Pocket Mobile, not only are their plans straightforward with no hidden fees, but they also offer features like unlimited talk and text.
- Get up to 30GB high-speed data allowance with the unlimited plan.
- Mobile hotspot access is available up to 30GB on the unlimited plan, which comes out of your monthly data allowance.
- Being able to save on the whole family's bill is a benefit. You get a $20 discount for each additional line added. You'll need to pay a setup fee, but after that, choosing a family plan could save you hundreds of dollars a year.
- They offer a 7-day money-back guarantee with their eSIM plans.
- Red Pocket Mobile offers free international calling to 80+ countries, with free roaming in Mexico and Canada.
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket comparison
Cricket Wireless plans start at $30 and Red Pocket plans start as low $5*. With no contract, you can get some of the cheapest cell phone plans when shopping for a deal with MVNO's like Cricket Wireless and Red Pocket.
| Carrier | Network | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricket Wireless 5GB plan | AT&T 5G/4G Coverage | 5GB | $30/mo |
| Cricket Wireless 10GB plan | AT&T 5G/4G Coverage | 10GB | $40/mo |
| Cricket Wireless unlimited data plan | AT&T 5G/4G Coverage | Unltd | $55/mo |
| Carrier | Network | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Pocket 1GB plan | AT&T & Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | 1GB | $5/mo $10/mo |
| Red Pocket 5GB plan | AT&T & Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | 5GB | $10/mo $20/mo |
| Red Pocket 20GB plan | AT&T & Verizon 5G/4G Coverage | 20GB | $15/mo $30/mo |
| Red Pocket unlimited data plan | AT&T 5G/4G Coverage | Unltd | $20/mo $40/mo |
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket coverage
Cricket Wireless is powered by AT&T and Red Pocket is powered by AT&T. Coverage can vary depending on your location. You can check their availability in your area by using our coverage checker.
Cricket Wireless coverage
Cricket Wireless is powered by AT&T 5G & 4G LTE wireless networks.
View Cricket Wireless coverage map
Red Pocket coverage
Red Pocket is powered by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G & 4G LTE wireless networks.
Find the cheapest cell phone service in your area
Enter your ZIP code below to find the best cell phone service in your area.
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket plan features
| Carrier Features | Cricket Wireless | Red Pocket |
|---|---|---|
| Networks | AT&T | AT&T, T-Mobile & Verizon |
| Data Speed | 5G & 4G LTE | 5G & 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM | CDMA & GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | ||
| Bring Your Phone | ||
| Keep Your Number | ||
| Contract | No - prepaid | No - prepaid |
| Credit Check | ||
| Customer Service | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 14 days | |
| 5G | 0 | |
| Taxes/fees included | ||
| VoLTE | ||
| WiFi Calling | ||
| Visual Voicemail | ||
| Multi-line Discounts | ||
| Multi-month Discounts | ||
| International Calls | Yes - Includes 70 countries | |
| International Roaming |
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket customer service
Cricket Wireless customer service
Contact Cricket Wireless customer care
Call (800) 274-2538
Tag @CricketNation on Twitter
Red Pocket customer service
Contact Red Pocket customer care
Call (888) 993-3888
Tag @RedPocketMobile on Twitter
Cricket Wireless vs Red Pocket FAQs
The main difference between Cricket Wireless and Red Pocket are plan prices and features. Both offer cheap cell phone plans powered by the major networks.
Cricket Wireless is powered by AT&T and Red Pocket runs on AT&T, T-Mobile & Verizon.
Most newer handsets are compatible if they're unlocked, but if you're not sure you can check phone compatibility with our IMEI checker.
If your Cricket Wireless phone is unlocked it should work with Red Pocket. Most of the latest handsets are compatible but you can check your phone's compatibility with the carrier before purchasing.
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