Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Cricket Wireless vs TextNow
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Cricket Wireless |  TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15 | $0Lower |
| 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 | Free: $0 per month, unlimited talk and text, rolling; Plus Monthly: $18.99 per month, 20GB data, rolling; Unlimited Monthly: $35.99 per month, 20GB data plus unlimited 2G, rolling |
| Unlimited plan price | $15Lower | $35.99 |
| Markets | US | US, CACovers more |
| Host network | AT&T | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Wi-Fi calling (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Price from is lower at TextNow: $0 vs $15.
- Unlimited plan price is lower at Cricket Wireless: $15 vs $35.99.
- Support channels: only Cricket Wireless offers Phone.
- TextNow is available in 1 more country.
- Billing: only TextNow offers Rolling.
- Contract length: only Cricket Wireless offers 12.
- Markets: only TextNow offers CA.
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.
TextNow
TextNow suits anyone who wants a second line or a spare handset for talk and text without paying a monthly bill, since the Free plan sits at $0 and runs rolling. It is a weaker fit for heavy data users or for anyone who wants support by phone.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cricket Wireless | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Price from ranks 194 of 258 compared brands, while the unlimited price reaches 35 of 173. | 9.3HigherEntry price is $0 and TextNow ranks 1 of 258 on that figure. |
| 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. | 8.8Sim only, eSIM and wifi calling are offered, and the unlimited plan costs $35.99. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.6The legal entity is TextNow Inc. in CA, with support on help centre and chat. |
Licences and countries
| Country | Cricket Wireless | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Canada |
Available in 1 country for both. Additional countries for TextNow: 1.
Where these facts come from
Cricket Wireless
- cricketwireless.com: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
TextNow
- textnow.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Cricket Wireless | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 167 of 416 | 189 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 79 of 137 | 89 of 137 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 146 of 367 | 164 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 175 of 389 | 190 of 389 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 10 of 26 | 13 of 26 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cricket Wireless | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid | Rolling, PrepaidCovers more |
| Contract length | 1, 12Covers more | 1 |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | TextNow Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | Canada |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2009 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Help centre, Chat |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cricket Wireless | TextNow | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15above the median | $0lowest quarter | $5 |
| Unlimited plan price | $15below the median | $35.99highest quarter | $25 |
Median across 50 listed providers.
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.
TextNow
Pros
- The Free plan costs $0 and still includes unlimited talk and text, so a spare line costs nothing to run.
- No credit check is required to sign up, which the free tier shares with the paid plans.
- Sim only plans run on rolling and prepaid billing, with a plan term of 1 month, so there is no long lock-in.
Cons
- The Unlimited Monthly plan, which adds unlimited data on older network generations, costs $35.99 a month, so heavy data users pay well above the free tier.
- Support runs on help centre and chat only, so there is no phone line listed.
- TextNow is a virtual network operator serving US and CA, so it does not reach readers who would pick a network such as GETESA.
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.
TextNow
Who it suits
- People in the US or Canada who want a second number for messages and calls and will not stream much video.
- Households keeping an old handset on a cheap line purely for talk and text.
- Readers who want an eSIM line and prefer paying monthly with no fixed term.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone outside the US and Canada, who should look at GETESA, yesss! or Lonestar Cell MTN instead.
- People who stream and tether regularly, since the paid data allowance is modest next to what network sellers offer.
- Readers who need phone support, because the listed channels are a help centre and chat.
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 | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | Yes |
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.
TextNow
What is the cheapest TextNow plan?+
The Free plan is the cheapest, priced from $0 a month. It includes unlimited talk and text on a rolling basis, with a plan term of 1 month. It is a sim only plan, so you use a handset you already own.
What does the unlimited plan cost?+
The Unlimited Monthly plan costs $35.99 a month. It pairs a set data allowance with unlimited data on older network generations, plus unlimited talk and text. The Plus Monthly tier carries the same data allowance, so the difference is the older-generation data on top.