What Is the Difference Between AT&T and Cricket?

How AT&T and Cricket are connected

AT&T acquired Leap Wireless, the company operating Cricket Wireless, in 2014. Cricket now describes itself as a subsidiary of AT&T, while its current plans advertise nationwide 5G service on the AT&T network.

That shared ownership explains why coverage can overlap heavily. The customer-facing services are still separate, though: Cricket has its own plans, account system, promotions, stores and terms.

AT&T vs Cricket at a glance

Pricing and billing are structured differently

Cricket is designed around prepaid billing. You pay for service before the next service period, and Cricket says applicable state and local taxes are included in its monthly rate plans and added features. Separate activation, upgrade, assisted-payment and other transaction fees can still apply.

AT&T’s mainstream Unlimited Your Way plans are postpaid. Its current pricing pages state that taxes and fees are extra, and the advertised per-line price can depend on line count, AutoPay, paperless billing and promotional conditions.

This is why Cricket is not automatically the cheaper option in every household. A multi-line AT&T account can price very differently from a single line, while Cricket’s appeal is often the simpler prepaid structure and more predictable monthly rate-plan pricing.

Data and hotspot rules are not identical

AT&T’s current Unlimited Your Way tiers range from Value 2.0, which includes 5GB of high-speed data before speeds may be temporarily reduced during network congestion, through Premium 2.0 and Elite 2.0, which are advertised with unlimited high-speed data that does not slow based on usage.

Cricket’s Select Unlimited and Smart Unlimited plans can also be temporarily slowed when the network is busy. Supreme Unlimited is listed with unlimited high-speed data, while Sensible 10GB reduces speeds after its high-speed allowance is used.

Hotspot allowances show the brands’ different positioning particularly well. AT&T currently lists 3GB, 50GB, 100GB or 250GB across its four main unlimited tiers. Cricket includes 15GB on Smart Unlimited and 50GB on Supreme Unlimited; Select Unlimited offers hotspot as a paid add-on rather than including it.

Phone financing is a bigger difference than the phone selection

AT&T offers its own 36-month smartphone installment plans to qualifying customers, with Next Up Anytime available as an optional paid early-upgrade feature.

Cricket sells devices from major manufacturers too, but its financing route is different. Current Cricket product pages point customers toward third-party payment options such as Bread Pay, Progressive Leasing and Affirm, subject to their own approval and terms.

That distinction matters if you normally spread the cost of a flagship phone across your carrier bill. AT&T integrates that financing directly into the account; Cricket keeps the wireless plan prepaid and uses separate financing providers.

The extra features target different customers

AT&T’s higher postpaid tiers are where the feature gap becomes more obvious. Premium 2.0 includes 100GB of hotspot data and high-speed usage in 20 Latin American countries, while Elite 2.0 adds 250GB of hotspot data, broader international benefits, AT&T Turbo and connected-device benefits under its stated terms.

Cricket keeps the package more prepaid-focused. Smart Unlimited includes 15GB of hotspot data and cloud storage, while Supreme Unlimited adds 50GB of hotspot data, more cloud storage and HBO Max Basic with Ads, alongside Mexico and Canada features.

Both brands now sell home internet

AT&T sells home internet under its own brand, including fiber where available and AT&T Internet Air in eligible fixed-wireless areas. Cricket entered the home-internet market in September 2026 with Cricket 5G Home Internet on the AT&T network.

Cricket’s home-internet product is still a separate retail offer with its own pricing, gateway and address-eligibility rules. Our Cricket 5G Home Internet launch guide covers the $75 new-customer bundle and the $45 existing-customer add-on in detail.