Walmart Family Mobile vs Cricket: Who Wins in 2026?

Picking a phone plan is tough. It feels like choosing a cereal at the grocery store, there are too many options, and they all look the same!

You are probably here because you want to save money. You don’t want to pay huge bills to AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile directly. That is smart.

Two of the biggest names in prepaid phone service are Walmart Family Mobile and Cricket Wireless. They both promise cheap prices and good coverage. But which one is actually better for you?

I did the heavy lifting for you. I dug into their prices, their hidden fees, their network speeds, and their “fine print.”

In this guide, we are going to compare Walmart Family Mobile vs Cricket head-to-head. We will look at costs, coverage, and which one gives you more internet for your money.

Let’s dive in!

Walmart Family Mobile vs Cricket Comparison Table

If you are in a rush, here is the cheat sheet. This table shows you the main differences right away.

The Short Answer:

• Choose Walmart Family Mobile if you are just one person, or if you need a lot of Hotspot data for your laptop.
• Choose Cricket Wireless if you have a family of 3 or 4 people, or if you want a real store where you can go ask for help.

Cricket vs Walmart Family Mobile Network

This is the most important part that most reviews miss. When you buy a prepaid phone plan, you aren’t really buying a “Walmart” or “Cricket” network. You are renting space on a big network.

Walmart Family Mobile used to run on T-Mobile, but things have changed! Since Verizon bought the company, new Walmart Family Mobile plans now run on the Verizon Network.

Cricket Wireless is owned by AT&T.

What does this mean for you?

• Coverage: Both are giants. Verizon covers almost the entire USA, even in rural areas. AT&T is also amazing and covers about 99% of where Americans live.
• Speed: Verizon (Walmart) is known for being super fast in cities. AT&T (Cricket) is known for being very consistent. It works well in buildings and out in the woods.

Winner: It’s a tie. Both are excellent. Check a coverage map for your specific house, but you can’t go wrong with either one.

Walmart Family Mobile vs Cricket Cost: Single Line

If you are just buying a phone for yourself, the price difference is huge.

Walmart Family Mobile Pricing

Walmart keeps it simple. Their prices are low, but remember that taxes and fees are usually extra.

• $24.88/mo: You get unlimited talk/text and 5GB of data. This is great for kids or seniors.
• $29.88/mo: You get 10GB of data.
• $39.88/mo: You get 40GB of data + 10GB Hotspot.
• $49.88/mo: Truly Unlimited data + 30GB Hotspot.

Cricket Wireless Pricing

Cricket is a little more expensive for a single person.

• $30/mo: You get 5GB of data.
• $40/mo: You get 10GB of data.
• $55/mo: Unlimited data (but no Hotspot).
• $60/mo: Unlimited data + 15GB Hotspot.

Walmart Family Mobile wins.

If you look at the middle plans, Walmart gives you 40GB of data for roughly $40. Cricket only gives you 10GB for $40. Walmart gives you way more data for the same price.

Walmart Family Mobile vs Cricket Cost: Family Plans

This is where the tables turn completely. If you are a mom or dad looking to get phones for the whole house, pay attention.

Cricket Wireless is famous for its “4 for $100” deal.

If you get 4 lines on their basic Unlimited plan, the total bill is $100 flat. That includes taxes! That means you are only paying $25 per person for unlimited data. That is an unbeatable deal.

Walmart Family Mobile has multi-line discounts, but they are messy.

You usually save a little bit on the second line, but they don’t have a clean “4 for $100” flat rate like Cricket. Also, you have to manage the account yourself online.

Cricket Wireless wins.

If you have 3 or more people, go to Cricket. The bill is simpler, and the price per person is much lower.

Compare Cricket and Walmart Family Mobile’s Hotspot Features

Do you like to connect your laptop or tablet to your phone’s internet? That is called a “Hotspot.”

Many people work from their cars or coffee shops using their phone data. If that is you, there is only one clear winner.

Walmart Family Mobile is the Hotspot King.

On their top plan ($49.88), they give you 30GB of hotspot data. That is a massive amount. You could watch Netflix on your laptop for hours with that. Even their cheaper $39.88 plan comes with 10GB of hotspot.

Cricket Wireless is stingy with Hotspot.

Cricket does not include hotspot on their regular unlimited plan ($55). You have to pay for the most expensive plan ($60) just to get it. And even then, they only give you 15GB.

The Math:

• Walmart: $50 = 30GB Hotspot
• Cricket: $60 = 15GB Hotspot

Winner: Walmart Family Mobile. It gives you double the hotspot for $10 less.

Cricket And Walmart Mobile International Plans Comparison

Do you have family in Mexico, Canada, or overseas? Let’s see who helps you call them for cheap.

Cricket Wireless International

Cricket is fantastic for North America.

• Mexico & Canada: If you are on an Unlimited plan, you can use your phone in Mexico and Canada just like you are in the USA. You can talk, text, and use data for free.
• Other Countries: They offer an add-on to text other countries, but calling can get expensive unless you buy a specific add-on.

Walmart Family Mobile International

Walmart is great for calling across the ocean.

• Extras Pack: They have a $10 “Extras Pack” that gives you affordable rates to tons of countries.
• Included: Their higher-tier plans ($39+) include unlimited calls to neighbors (Canada/Mexico) and sometimes landlines in other countries depending on the current promo.

Winner:

• Go with Cricket if you travel to Mexico or Canada often.
• Go with Walmart if you need to call relatives in Europe, Asia, or South America from your living room.

Speed and “Deprioritization” (The Fine Print)

This is a fancy word you need to know: Deprioritization.

Since prepaid carriers like Walmart and Cricket use the big networks (Verizon and AT&T), they are like “guests” on the network.

If the network gets super busy, like at a crowded concert or a football game, Verizon and AT&T will slow down their prepaid customers first. They save the fast speeds for their expensive post-paid customers.

• Cricket: On their cheaper unlimited plan, your speed can slow down any time the network is busy. On their top plan ($60), they promise “Premium Data” which means you won’t get slowed down as much.
• Walmart: They usually give you a bucket of “High Speed” data. Once you use it up (like the 40GB limit), your speed drops to 2G. That is very slow, too slow for video.

Who is faster?

Generally, Walmart (Verizon) feels faster in the city when you have data left. Cricket (AT&T) feels more stable but might be capped at a lower top speed.

The Buying Experience: Store vs. Shelf

This is a huge factor that people forget.

Walmart Family Mobile is DIY (Do It Yourself).

You buy the box off a hook in the electronics aisle at Walmart. You take it home. You have to put the SIM card in. You have to go to their website to activate it. If you have a problem, you have to call a 1-800 number. The Walmart employees usually cannot fix your phone for you.

Cricket Wireless has Real Stores.

You have probably seen Cricket stores in strip malls. You can walk in, talk to a human, and they will set up your phone for you. If your phone breaks or your bill is wrong, you can drive to the store and ask for help.

Winner: Cricket. If you are not good with technology, pay the extra money for Cricket. The in-store help is worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I keep my old phone number?

Yes! Both carriers allow you to bring your old number. You just need your account number and PIN code from your old carrier.

2. Which carrier has better 5G?

It depends on where you live. Walmart uses Verizon 5G, which is very fast in cities. Cricket uses AT&T 5G, which covers a lot of highway and suburban areas. Both are good.

3. Does Walmart Family Mobile really use Verizon now?

Yes. Verizon bought the parent company (TracFone). New plans are running on Verizon towers. If you have a very old Walmart phone (from 3+ years ago), it might still be on T-Mobile, but all new ones are Verizon.

4. Is Cricket owned by AT&T?

Yes. Cricket is fully owned by AT&T. It is their official prepaid brand.

5. Which one requires a credit check?

Neither! That is the beauty of prepaid. No credit checks, no contracts, and no social security number needed.

The Final Verdict: Walmart Family Mobile or Cricket?

We have looked at the data, the prices, and the features. Here is your final recommendation.

Choose Walmart Family Mobile if:

• You are a single user. You will save $10-$15 a month compared to Cricket.
• You need a Hotspot. Getting 30GB of hotspot data for under $50 is an incredible deal that Cricket cannot match.
• You are tech-savvy. You don’t mind setting up the phone yourself and managing your bill online.

Choose Cricket Wireless if:

• You have a family. The “4 lines for $100” deal is the best value in the industry.
• You want easy support. Being able to walk into a store and talk to a person is a huge relief when things go wrong.
• You travel to Mexico or Canada. Their roaming features are seamless and easy.

Final Thought:

If I had to pick just one winner for value, I would pick Walmart Family Mobile for the massive amount of data you get for the price. But if I had to pick a winner for reliability and peace of mind, I would pick Cricket.