This is a network-and-priority decision as much as a price one. Mint runs on T-Mobile and competes on cost; Cricket runs on AT&T and, at its top tier, sells something most MVNOs can't — data that isn't deprioritized when the tower is busy.
Key takeaways
Mint is on T-Mobile, Cricket on AT&T — check coverage at your address first.
Mint Unlimited renews at $40/mo; Cricket Smart is $50 and Supreme $60 before AutoPay discounts.
Cricket Supreme's priority data doesn't slow in congestion; Mint and Cricket Smart are deprioritized.
Cricket Supreme's 50GB hotspot beats Mint's 20GB substantially.
Cricket has retail stores; Mint is online-only and sells in prepaid terms.
Price
- Mint Unlimited — $15/mo for your first term, $40/mo at renewal. Mint 6GB is $15/mo intro, $25/mo after.
- Cricket Smart Unlimited — $50/mo ($45 effective with AutoPay from month two), 15GB hotspot, 100GB cloud storage.
- Cricket Supreme Unlimited — $60/mo ($55 with AutoPay), priority data, 50GB hotspot, HBO Max with Ads, 150GB cloud storage.
- Multi-line changes the math: Cricket Smart is $110/mo for four lines ($27.50/line) and Supreme $130/mo for four ($32.50/line).
Priority data is the real product difference
Cricket Supreme carries QCI 8 priority on AT&T's network — it doesn't slow when a tower is congested. Mint, Cricket Smart, and most MVNOs are deprioritized behind the host carrier's own customers. If you're regularly somewhere crowded — a stadium, a campus, downtown at 5pm — that's the difference between a plan that works and one that doesn't.
| Mint Mobile | Cricket (AT&T) | |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited, intro | $15/mo for your first term | No intro rate |
| Unlimited, ongoing | $40/mo at renewal | Smart $50/mo ($45 with AutoPay), Supreme $60/mo ($55 with AutoPay) |
| Smaller plan | 6GB — $15/mo intro, $25/mo after | Sensible 10GB |
| Four lines | Per-line prepay pricing | Smart $110/mo ($27.50/line), Supreme $130/mo ($32.50/line) |
| Premium data | 50GB threshold | Smart deprioritized; Supreme priority |
| Hotspot | Up to 20GB | Smart 15GB then 128 Kbps; Supreme 50GB then 125 Kbps |
| Perks | Free calling to Mexico, Canada and the UK | Supreme adds HBO Max with Ads and 150GB cloud storage |
| Network | T-Mobile | AT&T |
Mint wins on price at renewal; Cricket closes the gap on four lines and wins on hotspot.
Data, hotspot, and video
- Mint Unlimited — 50GB premium threshold, up to 20GB hotspot.
- Cricket Smart — unlimited but deprioritized, video at 480p, 15GB hotspot then 128 Kbps.
- Cricket Supreme — unlimited priority, 50GB hotspot then 125 Kbps, SD video on cellular under AT&T's video management.
- Neither brand streams HD on cellular by default, which surprises people coming from postpaid.
The non-price differences
- Network — Mint on T-Mobile, Cricket on AT&T. Check which is stronger at your address before anything else; this outweighs every feature below.
- Retail — Cricket has thousands of stores. Mint is online-only. If in-person help matters, that's decisive.
- Payment model — Mint sells prepaid terms of 3, 6, or 12 months upfront; Cricket bills monthly.
- Perks — Cricket Supreme includes HBO Max with Ads and 150GB of cloud storage; Mint includes free calling to Mexico, Canada, and the UK.
Who should pick which
- Pick Mint if T-Mobile is strong where you live and price is the priority — at renewal it's $40 against Cricket's $50 to $60.
- Pick Mint if you can pay 12 months upfront, which is where its pricing works hardest.
- Pick Cricket Supreme if you need data that holds up in crowds, or a serious 50GB hotspot.
- Pick Cricket if AT&T is the stronger network at your address, or if you want a store.
- Pick neither if you want to choose your network: US Mobile Unlimited Premium at $32.50/mo runs on Verizon or T-Mobile with a 50GB hotspot.
Compare both against the plans we rank
Price, priority data, hotspot, and network for every plan we track.
Compare phone plans →
#Mint Mobile
#Cricket Wireless
#Comparison
#Prepaid
About the author
Jean Gilles has researched personal finance, consumer technology, and wireless pricing for over a decade. He founded ShopCellPlans in 2019 and writes every review on the site.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Mint or Cricket? +
Mint, at both intro ($15/mo) and renewal ($40/mo for Unlimited) against Cricket's $50 to $60. Cricket closes the gap on four lines, at $27.50 to $32.50 per line.
Does Cricket have priority data? +
On Supreme Unlimited, yes — QCI 8 priority on AT&T's network, so it doesn't slow during congestion. Cricket Smart Unlimited is deprioritized like most MVNO plans.
Which network is better, Mint's or Cricket's? +
It depends entirely on your location. Mint uses T-Mobile, which is generally strongest in cities; Cricket uses AT&T, which is often stronger across the South and along highways. Test before committing.
Can I stream in HD on either? +
Not by default. Cricket applies AT&T's video management (SD), and Mint's plans stream at reduced resolution on cellular. Postpaid plans are where HD-on-cellular lives.
Does Mint have stores? +
No — Mint is online-only, though its SIM kits are sold in some retailers. Cricket has thousands of stores, which is the main reason to pay its premium if you want in-person support.
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