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With the massive number of prepaid MVNOs and carrier options, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of it all and even harder to compare and decide which company is the right one for you. So, every once in a while we’re going to go through and do a Face-off of two popular companies, comparing plans and services to help you better decide. Today, we’ll look at Cricket Wireless and MetroPCS. Cricket is owned by AT&T while MetroPCS is a T-Mobile-owned prepaid brand. We’ve actually reviewed them before, but since it’s been a couple years (and things change quickly) today we’ll look at them again. Here’s how they compare:

Plan Prices – Price range? What is included?

Cricket Wireless – Plans range from $30 – $60

All of Cricket’s plans include unlimited talk and text with varying amounts of data. The top two plans have some additional international calling and texting options. All but the $30 plans are eligible for group discounts and a $5 discount when customers sign up for autopay. View plans here.

MetroPCS – Plans range from $30 -$60

All MetroPCS plans include unlimited talk, text, and low speed data with varying amounts of high speed data. Unlimited data is available, and family plan bundling is also available. View plans here.

Unlimited Talk/Text – Is it offered? What is the lowest price?

Cricket Wireless – Yes, all plans offer unlimited talk and text. The lowest priced plan is $30 and it includes 1 GB of data.

MetroPCS – Yes, all plans offer unlimited talk and text. THe lowest plan is $30 and it includes 1 GB of data and a hotspot.

Data Ranges – What is the most and least data available?

Cricket Wireless – Data ranges from 1 GB to unlimited high speed data, although unlimited customers will be throttled during heavy congestion hours once they hit 22 GB. Unlimited low speed data is also available. Cricket also offers a Stream More feature which conserves data by throttling video speeds.

MetroPCS – Data ranges from 1 GB to unlimited high speed data, although unlimited customers will be throttled during heavy congestion hours once they hit 30 GB. Some plans include hotspots, and the company also offers a Data Maximizer feature to automatically throttle video to conserve data.

Pay-As-You-Go Rates – What are the pay-as-you-go per minute rates?

Cricket Wireless – N/A

MetroPCS – N/A

International Calling – What options are available? What does it cost?

Cricket Wireless – Unlimited talk, text, and data to and from Mexico and Canada is part of the $50 and $60 plans. Users can also select a $5 or $15 international add-on which will grant them unlimited landline calls to specific countries, and limited mobile calling. Click here to learn more.

MetroPCS – There are two international calling options, including a $10 World Calling add-on which offers calling and texting options to select countries. Customers can also purchase a $5 add-on which includes unlimited calling and texting to Mexico or Canada. Click here to learn more.

Activation Fees – How much do they cost?

Cricket Wireless – N/A; no fee

MetroPCS – N/A; no fee

BYOD – Can you activate your own device?

Cricket Wireless – Yes, provided it is GSM compatible. You’ll have to buy a SIM card.

MetroPCS – Yes, provided it is GSM compatible. You’ll have to purchase a SIM card.

Network/Coverage – What network does it use?

Cricket Wireless – AT&T | Coverage Map

MetroPCS – T-Mobile | Coverage Map

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