Cricket and Straight Talk are two of the biggest prepaid carriers, and both have stores: Cricket has its own, Straight Talk is sold at Walmart. Cricket is owned by AT&T and uses its network. Straight Talk is owned by Verizon and uses Verizon's. Cricket's prices include taxes and Straight Talk's don't, so Cricket is usually the cheaper bill. Straight Talk's best case is the Gold plan if you'd pay for Walmart+ anyway.
The short answer
| If you... | Pick |
|---|---|
| Get better coverage on AT&T | Cricket |
| Get better coverage on Verizon | Straight Talk |
| Want the lowest bill | Cricket (taxes included) |
| Shop at Walmart and would pay for Walmart+ | Straight Talk Gold |
| Can pay a year upfront | Cricket 12-Month Unlimited, $25/mo |
| Have 4 lines | Cricket Select Unlimited, $100 for 4 |
Plans compared
| Plan | Price | Network | Hotspot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricket Select Unlimited | $35 | AT&T | None (paid add-on) |
| Cricket Smart Unlimited | $45 | AT&T | 15GB |
| Cricket Supreme Unlimited | $55 | AT&T, priority data | 50GB |
| Straight Talk StraightSAVINGS! | $25 + taxes | Verizon | Limited |
| Straight Talk Silver Unlimited | $45 + taxes | Verizon | Limited |
| Straight Talk Gold Unlimited | $55 + taxes | Verizon, 5G Ultra Wideband | 30GB |
| Straight Talk Platinum Unlimited | $65 + taxes | Verizon, 5G Ultra Wideband | See Straight Talk |
Price over a year
| Plan | Year one | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cricket 12-Month Unlimited | $300 | Paid upfront, own phone, new line, no hotspot |
| Cricket Select Unlimited | $425 | $40 first month, new lines only |
| Straight Talk StraightSAVINGS! | $300 + taxes | Own phone |
| Cricket Smart Unlimited | $545 | 15GB hotspot |
| Straight Talk Silver | $532.50 + taxes | 3 months at $42.50 |
| Cricket Supreme | $665 | 50GB hotspot, priority data |
| Straight Talk Gold | $645 + taxes | Includes Walmart+ (about $98/yr) |
Taxes
This is the difference people miss. Cricket's price is the bill. Straight Talk adds taxes and fees, so a $45 plan usually costs a few dollars more. On a year, that's often $30 to $60 more than the sticker price, depending on where you live.
Walmart+ on Straight Talk
Straight Talk Gold and Platinum include a Walmart+ membership, which costs $98 a year on its own. If you already pay for it, Gold's real cost drops to about $47 a month, which puts it close to Cricket Smart. If you wouldn't use it, it's just a more expensive plan. See what Straight Talk's Walmart+ includes.
$55 a month ($50 for the first 3 months with Auto Pay), plus taxes. Walmart+, 5G Ultra Wideband and 30GB of hotspot on Verizon's network.
See Straight Talk Gold →Prices checked October 25, 2026. We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Hotspot
Cricket's cheapest unlimited plans (Select and the 12-month plan) have no hotspot. Smart Unlimited has 15GB and Supreme 50GB. Straight Talk Gold has 30GB. If you tether a lot, Cricket Supreme is the bigger allowance; if you tether a little, Smart and Gold are close.
Data priority
Both carriers' cheaper plans can be slowed when a tower is busy. Cricket Supreme is the only one of these plans with priority data on AT&T's towers. Straight Talk Gold and Platinum add Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband, which is faster where it's available but still lower priority than Verizon's own customers.
Families
| Lines | Cricket Select | Straight Talk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $35 | $25 to $65 + taxes |
| 4 | $100 | About $25 a line + taxes on some plans |
Cricket's 4 lines for $100 on Select Unlimited is one of the better family deals on AT&T's network, with taxes included. It's for new lines only.
Stores and support
Cricket has its own stores and dealers. Straight Talk is sold and supported at Walmart, and you can pay in cash there. Both have phone and online support.
Switching
Whichever way you're moving, check your phone works on the new network and is unlocked (is my phone unlocked?), get your account number and transfer PIN, and don't cancel the old service first. Cricket has a 14-day tryCricket trial to test AT&T coverage before you move your number.
The bottom line
Pick the network that works where you live. If both do, Cricket is the cheaper bill for most people because taxes are included, and its 12-month and 4-line deals are hard to beat. Straight Talk Gold is the better pick if you'd use Walmart+ or need Verizon's coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cricket or Straight Talk better? +
What network does Straight Talk use? +
What network does Cricket use? +
Does Straight Talk include taxes? +
Which plans include Walmart+? +
Can I use a Cricket phone on Straight Talk? +
Keep reading
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Jean has tested carrier plans independently since 2019, running SIMs on all three networks and paying for every line himself. He ranks carriers on the bill you actually get, taxes and fees included, not the price on the ad.