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: $30/mo on 12 months, $40/mo on 3. Mint 6GB is $15/mo on 12 months, $25/mo on 3.
- 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 →Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Mint or Cricket? +
Mint, at both its 12-month ($30/mo) and 3-month ($40/mo) Unlimited rates, 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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About the author
Jean writes ShopCellPlans' reviews. He compares carrier plans using each carrier's own published prices, its FCC broadband labels and reporting from named outlets, and ranks them on the bill you actually get, taxes and fees included, not the price on the ad.
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