Let's be real about the big wireless carriers. They lure you in with "free" phones that actually tie you into a 36-month contract, effectively turning a device into a mortgage. It’s exhausting. That’s exactly why the surge in people looking to try Cricket for free isn’t just some random trend; it’s a full-on revolt against the status quo of the mobile industry.
You’ve probably seen the green branding everywhere. Cricket Wireless, owned by AT&T, has spent years trying to shake the "discount" stigma. Honestly? They’ve mostly succeeded by leaning into the fact that they use the exact same towers as their parent company. But for someone sitting on a Verizon or T-Mobile plan, the idea of jumping ship feels risky. What if the data speeds suck in your basement? What if the "5G" is just a marketing sticker?
The Trial Period: How it Actually Works
Basically, Cricket launched a "try before you buy" program called the tryCricket app. It’s pretty clever. Instead of making you go into a store and talk to a guy named Kevin about data buckets, you just download an app. If you have an unlocked phone with eSIM capability—which is basically every iPhone since the XS and most modern Samsung or Pixel devices—you get a secondary line.
You get 14 days. No credit card. No social security number. No weird "gotcha" at the end.
During this two-week window, you get 3GB of data. Is that enough to binge-watch The Bear in 4K? Absolutely not. But it is enough to see if you can actually get a signal while you're grocery shopping or sitting in the school pickup line. You get a temporary number, so your main service stays active. It’s like test-driving a car without the salesperson sitting in the passenger seat trying to talk to you about the "premium upholstery."
Why the eSIM Factor is the Secret Sauce
We used to have to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive in the mail. It was a whole ordeal with the little metal paperclip tool. Now, with eSIM, you’re up and running in maybe five minutes. This is a massive shift in how we consume wireless. Because the trial lives on your eSIM, your physical SIM (your current carrier) stays put.
You can literally toggle between the two in your phone settings.
Imagine you’re at a concert. Your main carrier is bogged down because 50,000 people are trying to upload Instagram Stories at once. You flip over to your Cricket trial. If the AT&T network has more capacity in that specific spot, you’re the one getting the text through while your friends are staring at a spinning wheel. That real-world comparison is the only way to know if a network is actually worth your money.
The Network Reality Check: AT&T's Backbone
People often ask me if "budget" wireless is just the leftovers. Like, does AT&T give their "good" data to the $90-a-month customers and the "scraps" to Cricket? Sorta, but not really.
Technically, Cricket is a "Premium" MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). Because AT&T owns them, the integration is tighter than something like Mint Mobile (which uses T-Mobile). When you try Cricket for free, you are testing the AT&T 5G network. In 2024, OpenSignal and RootMetrics reports have shown that while T-Mobile often wins on raw speed, AT&T (and by extension, Cricket) consistently ranks high for "reliability" and "availability."
Coverage is king.
If you live in a rural area, 2,000 Mbps download speeds don't mean anything if you have zero bars. Cricket’s footprint covers 99% of Americans. That’s a statistic that sounds like marketing fluff until you’re on a road trip in the middle of Missouri and realize you still have LTE while your passenger is dead in the water.
What Happens After the 14 Days?
The trial just... ends. It’s remarkably low-pressure. If you decide it’s garbage, you delete the app and go about your day. If you like it, you can port your number over.
There are some nuances here that most people miss. To get the best deals on Cricket, like their $60 "Unlimited" plan that includes Max (formerly HBO Max) and 15GB of mobile hotspot, you usually have to bring your own device. The "free" phones they offer for switchers are usually entry-level Androids. They’re fine, but if you’re coming from a flagship iPhone, you’ll feel the downgrade. Stick with your current phone. It's almost always the smarter play.
The "Free" Phone Trap vs. The Trial
Most people looking to try Cricket for free are actually looking for two different things. They either want to test the network, or they want a free device. Let's talk about the device side because that's where things get murky.
Cricket often advertises "Free 5G Phones when you switch." These are real. You can get a Moto G or a Samsung A-series for $0. But—and this is a big but—you usually have to pay for the first month of the $60 plan upfront. And you have to pay the activation fee. So "free" actually costs about $85. Still a steal for a brand-new phone, but it’s not "walk-in-and-hand-over-nothing" free.
The trial app is the only way to pay literally $0.00.
Does it work on all phones?
Not quite. This is a major pain point. If your phone is locked to your current carrier (meaning you still owe money on it or haven't met the "unlock" requirements), the trial might not work. Carriers lock their "radios" so you can't easily leave. Before you try to download the app, go into your settings. On an iPhone, it’s under Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions," you’re golden. If not, you’re stuck until you pay off that device.
Comparing the "Big Three" Trials
Cricket isn't the only one doing this. T-Mobile has their "Network Pass" (which is 90 days, much longer). Verizon has a 30-day trial.
So why bother with Cricket?
The biggest reason is the specific AT&T network architecture. In many parts of the Southeast and the Midwest, AT&T has much better building penetration than T-Mobile. If you work in a hospital, a warehouse, or a big "big-box" store, T-Mobile’s high-frequency 5G often struggles to get through the concrete. Cricket (AT&T) uses lower-frequency bands that act like a sledgehammer through walls.
Hidden Perks and The "Is it Worth It" Factor
If you decide to stick around after you try Cricket for free, there are some weirdly good perks. The $60 plan is the crown jewel.
- Max (with ads): This is a $10/month value. If you already pay for Max, switching to Cricket basically lowers your phone bill by ten bucks immediately.
- Cloud Storage: You get 150GB of storage. It’s not a ton, but it’s a nice backup for photos.
- Mexico and Canada: Usage is included. No "daily pass" fees like the big guys charge.
The biggest downside? No smartwatch support. If you’re an Apple Watch devotee who likes to leave their phone at home while running, Cricket is going to frustrate you. They simply don't support the cellular "NumberSync" for watches that the major carriers do. It’s a baffling omission in 2024, but for many, it's a small price to pay for cutting a phone bill in half.
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Real World Performance Expectations
Don't expect 1,000 Mbps. You won't get it.
Most MVNOs, even those owned by the parent company, are subject to some form of "deprioritization." This means if you are at a crowded stadium, the guy paying $100 for AT&T Premium gets his data first. You get the leftovers. On the $60 Cricket plan, this is less of an issue because they give you "Premium Data" that isn't slowed down based on how much you use. But on the cheaper $30 or $40 plans? Yeah, you’ll feel the lag when the network gets busy.
This is exactly why the 14-day trial is so important.
You need to go to the places you actually spend time. Your office. Your favorite coffee shop. Your mom's house. Use the 3GB. Run speed tests. Watch a YouTube video at 1080p. If it buffers, you have your answer.
The Ethics of the "Switch"
We’re living through a weird time in telecommunications. The price of everything is going up, but the price of data is technically going down. The big carriers are desperate to keep their "Average Revenue Per User" (ARPU) high. They do this by bundling "free" Disney+ or Hulu, which they get at wholesale prices.
Cricket is for people who are tired of the bundle bloat.
It’s a utility. It’s like water or electricity. You want it to work when you flip the switch, and you want it to be cheap.
Actionable Next Steps to Get Started
If you're ready to see if the grass is greener (or at least cheaper), here is the exact workflow you should follow.
Check your phone's compatibility first. If your phone isn't unlocked, stop. It won't work. Call your current carrier and ask them to unlock it if you've paid it off. They won't do it automatically.
Download the tryCricket app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Don't go to the website—the trial is app-based. Follow the prompts to set up your eSIM. This will require you to be on Wi-Fi, so do it at home, not while sitting in your car.
Once the second line is active, go into your phone's "Cellular Data" settings. Switch the data source to the Cricket line but keep your "Default Voice Line" as your original number. This allows you to test Cricket’s internet speeds while still receiving calls and texts on your regular number.
Pay attention to the "dead zones" you normally encounter. If your current carrier drops calls in your kitchen, see if Cricket holds the connection. This is the most valuable data you can get.
Monitor your data usage in the app. Since you only have 3GB, don't leave it on for high-bandwidth tasks like downloading system updates. Save that for the "signal stress tests."
When the 14 days are up, the line will simply deactivate. You don't need to call anyone to cancel. If you're sold, you can then browse the "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) offers on their site, which often include a $50-100 credit for porting your number.
This is the most "low-risk, high-reward" move you can make with your monthly budget. Even if you don't switch, knowing that there's a viable, cheaper alternative gives you leverage if you ever decide to call your current carrier’s retention department to negotiate a lower rate. Information is power, and a free 14-day trial is the easiest way to get it.