Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Cricket Wireless vs Lycamobile
Where Cricket Wireless and Lycamobile differ
| Compare |  Cricket Wireless |  Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15 | £3.50 |
| Reference plan prices | 12-Month Unlimited: $25/mo, unlimited, 12-month; 3-Month Unlimited: $15/mo, unlimited, 3-month prepay; Sensible 10GB: $30/mo, 10GB, 1-month | National Plus: GBP 5 per month, 30 GB, 30 days; UK Plan Unlimited: GBP 12.5 per month, Unlimited, 30 days; UK Plan Smart: GBP 3.5 per month, 5 GB, 30 days |
| Unlimited plan price | $15 | £12.50 |
| Markets | US | GB |
| Host network | AT&T | Not confirmed |
| Wi-Fi calling | Yes | Not confirmed |
| EU roaming | Not confirmed | Fair use |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Lycamobile scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- Billing: only Lycamobile offers Rolling.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 24.
- Markets: only Cricket Wireless offers US.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
Our verdict on each
Cricket Wireless
Cricket Wireless suits US prepaid buyers who want unlimited data, hotspot sharing and eSIM support on the AT&T network with no credit check. Starting price and unlimited price are the same figure, $15 and $15, and terms run 1 and 12, so nothing jumps at renewal.
Lycamobile
Lycamobile suits UK readers who want a prepaid sim only line, 5G and an eSIM without a credit check or a long handset contract. It scores 9.2 overall, and entry pricing starts at £3.50 a month on a rolling monthly basis.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cricket Wireless | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Price from ranks 194 of 258 compared brands, while the unlimited price reaches 35 of 173. | 9.4HigherEntry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. |
| Offer | 9.0HigherHotspot sharing, wifi calling, eSIM and 5G come with the plans, a credit check is not required, and terms run 1 and 12. | 8.9Sim only plans, 5G, an eSIM, prepaid and rolling billing and terms of 1, 12 and 24 make for a flexible, low commitment lineup. |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Cricket Wireless | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 167 of 416 | 6 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 79 of 137 | 3 of 137 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 146 of 367 | 5 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 175 of 389 | 20 of 389 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 10 of 26 | 1 of 26 |
What we checked
Cricket Wireless
- cricketwireless.com: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cricket Wireless | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid | Prepaid, RollingCovers more |
| Contract length | 1, 12 | 1, 12, 24Covers more |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Pros and cons
Cricket Wireless
Pros
- A credit check is not required, which opens the door for buyers with little or no credit history.
- Hotspot sharing, wifi calling, eSIM and 5G come as standard on the plans listed, not as paid extras.
- Sim only service means you can keep the handset you already own and pay only for the plan.
Cons
- Billing is prepaid only, so there is no rolling monthly or contract invoice structure to fall back on.
- As an MVNO, mvno, coverage and speeds come from the AT&T network rather than from Cricket Wireless itself.
- Contract terms run 1 and 12, so the longer prepaid option locks you into a fixed schedule.
Lycamobile
Pros
- Entry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month place it near the top of our price-from and unlimited tables.
- A credit check is not required, which is a shorter route to a live line than a provider that scores applicants first.
- Billing runs on prepaid and rolling terms and plan terms come in 1, 12 and 24, so a reader can start short and stay flexible.
Cons
- Roaming in Europe runs on fair use terms rather than being included, so regular travel calls for another plan.
- Lycamobile is an MVNO by mvno, where GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are listed as networks, so readers set on a network seller should compare those instead.
- The entry price ranks 79 of 258 on our price-from list, so the lowest starting price in the comparison sits elsewhere.
Who each suits
Cricket Wireless
Who it suits
- US prepaid buyers who want unlimited data without a credit check.
- People bringing their own phone, since sim only and an eSIM are both offered.
- Households adding several lines, where a multi line discount applies.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a network operator rather than an MVNO: GETESA sells as network and yesss! as network, while Cricket Wireless is mvno.
- Anyone who needs a rolling or contract bill rather than prepaid: Cricket Wireless has no such structure, and Lonestar Cell MTN is a network seller.
Lycamobile
Who it suits
- UK readers wanting a cheap prepaid data line: sim only plans from £3.50 a month, sold in the United Kingdom, with no credit check.
- Readers who want 5G or an eSIM but not a handset bundle, and who can live with plan terms of 1, 12 and 24.
- Holders of a spare phone or tablet who can manage fair use roaming and a set data allowance.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want European roaming included in the price: Lycamobile runs roaming on fair use terms, and GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are the alternatives to weigh instead.
- Anyone who insists on buying from a network rather than an MVNO, since GETESA (network), Lonestar Cell MTN (network) and yesss! (network) all sell as networks while Lycamobile is an MVNO by mvno.
Current offers
Cricket Wireless
Current offer
Free trial
14-day free trial with unlimited talk and 3GB data: 14 days
Requires compatible unlocked iOS or Android phone via tryCricket app
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Cricket Wireless | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Cricket Wireless
How much does a Cricket Wireless plan cost a month?+
Plans start at $15 a month, and the Unlimited plan is listed at $15. The two figures match, so the entry point is not a lower teaser that steps up later: the starting rate and the unlimited rate read the same. Both are monthly figures.
How long is the term on a plan?+
Contract terms run 1 and 12, so there is a monthly option alongside a longer prepaid term. Take the shorter term if you want to keep changing your mind, and the longer term if you would rather settle into a fixed schedule. Prepaid describes how you pay, not how long you commit.
Lycamobile
What is the cheapest Lycamobile plan?+
UK Plan Smart is the entry plan, priced at £3.50 a month for a set data allowance. It is a sim only offer, so no handset is needed, and a credit check is not required. National Plus costs more for a larger allowance, while UK Plan Unlimited is the option for a reader who would rather not watch data.
How much does the unlimited plan cost?+
UK Plan Unlimited is quoted at £12.50 a month. On our unlimited price list Lycamobile ranks 44 of 173, so unlimited data is priced below the middle of the field. The figure is the same throughout, with no promotional opening rate listed for the plan.
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