How to switch from Cricket and save — the complete guide

Cricket is AT&T's own prepaid brand, and its unlimited plan costs $55/mo in our catalog. The same AT&T towers are available from $25/mo at US Mobile and $30 at Red Pocket — so a single Cricket line moved to US Mobile's AT&T-network plan keeps $30 a month, $360 a year, with the same coverage, the same number and the same phone. Because Cricket is prepaid, there's no contract and nothing to buy out: the only real obstacles are Cricket's long unlock clock and getting the right PIN. Here's the whole switch.

Why switching off Cricket saves money

Cricket's price buys you AT&T's network plus a store network and a familiar brand — genuinely useful things, but they're the markup. The carriers below rent the same AT&T network and sell online-only. One honest caveat before you jump: Cricket's family pricing is hard to beat. Four unlimited lines for $130 total is in our catalog for a reason. Single lines and couples save the most by switching; a family of four should run the plan finder math first — if it ties, staying is a perfectly good answer, and this guide will still be here when a line drops off the family plan.

Step 1 — Check your phone is unlocked and compatible

Cricket has the strictest unlock rule in the AT&T family, so check this first — it decides whether your phone can come with you today.

• The service clock. Cricket unlocks a phone free once it has the required paid service on Cricket's network: at least six months for devices purchased before July 1, 2026, and 365 days for devices purchased on or after that date — and the phone must not be reported lost, stolen or tied to fraud. The full policy is on Cricket's device unlock page.
• How to unlock. iPhones unlock through Cricket's online device-unlock process (it completes through Apple's servers). Android phones unlock in the myCricket app or Cricket's Device Unlock app. Once approved, restart the phone and confirm: iPhone should show "No SIM restrictions" under Settings → General → About → Carrier Lock.
• Not eligible yet? Your number can still port — a number and a handset are separate things. You can move the number to an unlocked phone you already own, or wait out the remaining weeks of the unlock clock and switch the phone then. Don't pay a third-party "unlock service"; the official unlock is free once you qualify.
• Compatibility. Dial *#06# and run the IMEI through the new carrier's checker. Since every pick below runs on AT&T towers, a Cricket phone that passes the unlock is natively compatible.

Step 2 — Pick your cheaper plan (all on AT&T towers)

These are the AT&T-network plans from our catalog, at finder prices:

Want to leave AT&T's network entirely? The same $25 buys Visible's unlimited plan on Verizon towers — the plan finder compares both against your current Cricket bill.

Step 3 — Get your account number and Number Transfer PIN

• Account number: shown in the myCricket app and your online account — or ask Cricket's chat support. It's the account number, not your phone number.
• Number Transfer PIN: in the myCricket app, tap the gear icon → Account Info, pick your line under Line Settings, and tap Get my Number Transfer PIN — or dial *PORT (*7678) from the Cricket phone.
• Good news for families: one transfer PIN covers every number on the account. The PIN is valid for about 5 days, so generate it when you're ready to activate, not the week before.
• The transfer PIN is not your 4-digit account PIN — handing your new carrier the wrong one is the classic Cricket port rejection.

And the rule that never changes: do not cancel your Cricket line first. Keep it active; the port closes it automatically. Cancel first and you can lose the number.

Step 4 — Activate and port

1. Order the new plan online, choose "transfer my number," and enter the account number and transfer PIN exactly as shown in myCricket.
2. Activate the eSIM or SIM; keep the Cricket line on until your phone shows the new carrier's name.
3. Test with Wi-Fi off — call, text, data. Ports typically finish in 10–30 minutes.
4. If data or picture texts fail afterward, it's the APN: copy your new carrier's APN settings here (Cricket's own APN is "ndo," if you ever need to go back) and restart.

Timing it right

• Port near the end of your paid month. Cricket is prepaid — days you've paid for aren't refunded, so the last few days of the cycle are free money spent wisely.
• Mind the ~5-day PIN window and the unlock clock: if your phone hits its six-month (or 365-day) mark next week, that week is your switch date.
• Keep the line active until the port lands. An expired, unpaid Cricket line may not port — renew first if you're near the edge.

Pitfalls to avoid

• The locked phone surprise — Cricket's unlock clock is the longest in the AT&T family. Check eligibility before you order, not after the SIM arrives.
• Account PIN vs. transfer PIN mix-up — the port wants the generated Number Transfer PIN from the app or *PORT.
• Assuming AT&T stores can help — Cricket is a separate brand with its own support; AT&T retail can't touch a Cricket account.
• Cancelling or letting the plan lapse before the port — either can cost you the number.
• Moving a family of four without doing the math — Cricket's 4-for-$130 may already match the switch price; check the finder first and switch only the lines that actually save.