Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Cricket Wireless vs UKLG DirectSave
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Cricket Wireless |  UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | AT&T | Three |
| Price from | $15 | £22.95 |
| 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 | 11Mb/s Broadband: GBP 22.95/month, 11Mbps, 12 months; 550Mb/s Full Fibre: GBP 39.95/month, 550Mbps, 24 months; 1000Mb/s Full Fibre: GBP 44.95/month, 1000Mbps, 24 months |
| Unlimited plan price | $15 | £19.95 |
| Markets | US | GB |
| 5G | Yes | Not confirmed |
| eSIM | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Wi-Fi calling | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Mid-contract price rises | Not confirmed | If price rise is detrimental you may cancel without penalty within 30 days |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Support channels: only Cricket Wireless offers Chat, Help centre.
- Support channels: only UKLG DirectSave offers Email.
- Billing: only Cricket Wireless offers Prepaid.
- Billing: only UKLG DirectSave offers Contract, Rolling.
- Contract length: only Cricket Wireless offers 1.
- Contract length: only UKLG DirectSave offers 24.
- Markets: only Cricket Wireless offers US.
- Markets: only UKLG DirectSave 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.
UKLG DirectSave
UKLG DirectSave suits households in GB that want full fibre speeds at a low entry cost, a setup fee of £0 and renewal at £27.95 to £39.95. The trade-off is commitment and support: terms run for 12 and 24 months, help comes over phone and email, and no credit check is required.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cricket Wireless | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Price from ranks 194 of 258 compared brands, while the unlimited price reaches 35 of 173. | 9.4HigherEntry price of £22.95, renewal of £27.95 to £39.95 and a setup fee of £0. |
| 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. | 8.6Full fibre at 1,000 Mbps on fttp and fttc, uploads from 20 to 115 Mbps, router included. |
How they place
| Ranking | Cricket Wireless | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 167 of 416 | 194 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 79 of 137 | 91 of 137 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 10 of 26 | 14 of 26 |
Choosing between them
Pick Cricket Wireless if offer matter most.
Pick UKLG DirectSave if cost matter most.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cricket Wireless | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid | Contract, Rolling |
| Contract length | 1, 12 | 12, 24 |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Utilities UK Ltd t/a Direct Save Telecom |
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Phone, Email |
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.
UKLG DirectSave
Pros
- A setup fee of £0 puts UKLG DirectSave at 1 of 86 on setup fee, the strongest rank among the measures here.
- Renewal pricing of £27.95 to £39.95 sits at 6 of 36 on post contract price, so the month after the term is not a step change.
- Full fibre downloads of 1,000 Mbps with uploads running from 20 to 115 Mbps across fttp and fttc.
Cons
- Terms run for 12 and 24 months, so a short commitment is ruled out, and termination fees apply once the service is live.
- Chat and a help centre are not among its phone and email, so a time-sensitive fault means a phone call rather than a written desk.
- The entry price of £22.95 ranks 53 of 95 on price from, and the top speed of 1,000 Mbps sits at 49 of 114 on maximum download speed, so neither measure leads the field.
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.
UKLG DirectSave
Who it suits
- Households in GB that can get fttp and fttc at their address and want a £0 setup fee with a router included.
- Applicants who would rather skip a credit check, since none is required to order.
- Readers planning a broadband and mobile pairing from one brand, with sim only service on Three and unlimited data at £19.95.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want cable or satellite alongside full fibre: Astound is listed on cable and fttp and EarthLink on fttp, 5G and satellite.
- Houses that want a single fibre-to-the-premises technology to compare against, since Abissnet is listed on fttp alone while UKLG DirectSave runs on fttp and fttc.
- Readers chasing the highest headline speed in the site data, where the top download of 1,000 Mbps ranks 49 of 114.
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 | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
UKLG DirectSave
What does broadband cost at the start, and what does it cost afterwards?+
The entry broadband plan is listed at £22.95 a month, with the full fibre tiers above that. Once the initial term ends, plans renew within £27.95 to £39.95, so budget the renewal figure rather than the headline. The setup fee on both lines is £0, which means nothing to pay before the first bill.
Is there a setup charge, and do I need to buy a router?+
Setup is charged at £0, so no activation fee lands on the first bill. A wireless router is supplied with full fibre orders rather than sold separately, and Free wireless router, GBP 8.95 delivery covers what is included alongside the delivery terms. Reading that detail matters, since delivery is the part that can carry a cost.