The best Cricket phones to spend your money on

If you’re gearing up for a move to one of America’s most affordable carriers, you might be ready for a new phone, too. Cricket Wireless is owned by AT&T, which means you already know you’ll get reliable service just about everywhere. Now, the hard part is to work your way through the best Cricket Wireless phones you can buy.

It would be easy to pick out all of Cricket’s most expensive phones and say they’re the best, but that’s not our goal. We’ve covered a full range of options for all users. That said, our list does work from most expensive to least, so make sure to consider your budget while you browse.

See also: The best Android phones | The best cheap Android phones

Buying the right Cricket Wireless phone for your needs

Picking up a new phone from Cricket is no different than buying one anywhere else. The first thing you’ll want to consider is whether you want to use Android or iOS. It will narrow your choices considerably if you choose iOS — leaving you with just the iPhone 13 series and the iPhone SE.

If you choose Android, you may also want to consider how much you’re willing to spend. You can choose from many free devices like the Moto G Play or the Samsung Galaxy A02s. Of course, there are quite a few discounted devices that can give you more bang for your buck, like the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G. If budget is no issue, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is Cricket’s most expensive Android phone.

Cricket Wireless is a GSM carrier, so any phone you buy or bring must support the correct bands. While this may not be a worry when buying a phone, it does help to know that you can bring that phone to carriers like T-Mobile and Mint Mobile next time you make a move.

The best Cricket Wireless phones

• Apple iPhone 14 series: It may be the most expensive option Cricket offers, but the iPhone 14 series does it all. You have four models to choose, two of which carry the A16 Bionic chips, powerful new cameras, and Dynamic Islands.
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: The Galaxy S21 FE follows one of 2020’s best launches with excellent cameras, a crisp display, and a 4,500mAh battery that lasts all day.
• Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: Although it’s a step below the Galaxy S series, the Galaxy A53 leaves little to chance. It packs an IP67 rating, a 5G-ready Snapdragon processor, and a sharp 32MP selfie camera.
• Apple iPhone SE (2022): Apple decided to revive its notch-less display and home button for one of the best affordable phones of 2022. While you only get one camera, the iPhone SE is a great pick if you want iOS without the cost.
• Samsung Galaxy A23 5G: One of the most affordable 5G phones on the market, the Galaxy A23 offers a matching battery to its Galaxy A53 sibling and a flexible quad-camera setup.
• Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G: If you want a stylus with your phone, there’s no other way to go. The Moto G Stylus is Motorola’s updated 5G-ready G series device, and it offers an all-day battery to go with.
• Motorola Moto G Power (2022): The Moto G Power packs a crisp 48MP primary lens, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 6.5-inch LCD at a price that’s tough to beat.
• Samsung Galaxy A13 5G: Samsung is bringing 5G to more devices than ever, and the Galaxy A13 is the most affordable way to tap into high-end speeds for yourself.

Apple iPhone 14 series: The best iOS experience

The iPhone 14 series is the best way to experience iOS on Cricket Wireless. Apple decided to switch things up this year, however, drawing a deeper line between the standard models and the Pros. Both the iPhone 14 and the new iPhone 14 Plus are almost identical to the previous iPhone 13, with A15 Bionic processors and the shrunken notches onboard. Above them, you’ll find both the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max rocking the new Dynamic Island. It replaces the notch and completely changes how you see notifications throughout the day.

As always, the Pro models are the best way to really sink your teeth into Apple’s hardware. They both adopt a newer A16 Bionic chipset to go along with crisp 120Hz displays. On the back, you’ll find a new 48MP main camera flanked by a familiar telephoto and ultrawide duo.

All four models come with iOS 16 straight out of the box, complete with new lock screen controls.

Check out our buyer’s guide to learn more about the iPhone 14 series.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: Cricket’s premium Android offering

While the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE didn’t blow us away in quite the same way as its predecessor, it’s still one of the best Cricket Wireless phones you can buy. It offers a crisp 120Hz display, a solid 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charging, and a durable IP68 rating. Better yet, you can grab Samsung’s premium mid-ranger in a variety of colors, from Lavender to Olive.

Samsung chose the Snapdragon 888 to keep the lights on and backed it with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM. You can choose from either 128 or 256GB of storage, but expansion is no longer an option. The Galaxy S20 FE offers a trio of rear cameras, but the 32MP selfie shooter is still the sharpest of the bunch.

No matter how much you use the cameras, Samsung’s crisp 120Hz Super AMOLED display will always be the star of this show. It’s an Infinity-O panel, so you’ll notice the punch hole right away. The Full HD+ resolution is great for streaming your favorite shows, and the Gorilla Glass Victus construction means it can take a tumble or two.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: Great build quality for under $500

The Galaxy A53 5G is another step down Samsung’s ladder as far as pricing is concerned, but it offers excellent value. It’s one of the best Cricket Wireless phones you can get with 5G and a solid primary camera for under $500.

While the Galaxy S20 FE offered Gorilla Glass 3 durability, the A53 5G ups the ante with Gorilla Glass 5. You’ll also find an in-display fingerprint reader and an IP67 rating in case of water or dust. Samsung may not have packed the most powerful chip in the Exynos 1280, but it’s nice to see up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on the mid-range device.

Keeping that processor running is a 5,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging and no wireless charging to speak of. The Galaxy A52 5G also carries a 64MP primary camera, which is probably the only one worth using. The 5MP macro feels like a gimmick, and the 12MP ultrawide lens isn’t always the sharpest. On the bright side, the 32MP selfie shooter delivers good results binned down to 8MP.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy A53.

Apple iPhone SE (2022): The classic iPhone experience

We all remember the first iPhone SE, complete with bright colors and a classic design. Apple decided to bring its “Special Edition” phone back for 2022 with updated internals and a familiar overall design. It’s still one of the best ways to get an iPhone on Cricket Wireless, especially for the price.

The latest iPhone SE (2022) launched with Apple’s powerful A15 Bionic chipset onboard. It’s the same as you’ll find on the iPhone 13 series, and delivers benchmark results that are off the charts. One thing that hasn’t benefitted the iPhone SE is the 4.7-inch LCD panel. It’s not very big, but the bezels are sizeable, and it doesn’t get as bright or dim as newer OLED options.

See also: The best Cricket Wireless plans

However, if you long for the days of Touch ID, this is the iPhone for you. It’s the last model to launch with the classic home button, and it’s safe to expect any future iPhone SE to move to a notched design. You’ll also want to consider the battery life given Apple’s tiny 1,821mAh cell.

Check out our full review to learn more about the iPhone SE.

Samsung Galaxy A23 5G: A smart Samsung entry point

We’ve already seen what the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G can do, but its more affordable sibling is excellent in its own right. The Galaxy A23 5G is one of the most affordable 5G phones around, and it’s one of the best value Cricket Wireless phones right now.

You can probably think of the Galaxy A23 as a scaled-down version of the Galaxy A53 — it offers a slightly smaller display, a somewhat weaker processor, and more modest base options. However, the 5,000mAh battery is tough to wear down, and the 50MP main shooter delivers impressive results in most situations. The Galaxy A23 5G also moves from an in-display fingerprint sensor to a side-mounted one, and it’s impressively quick.

Check out the best Samsung phones you can buy right now.

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G: Stylish with a stylus

Cricket Wireless and Motorola go hand in hand, especially when it comes to the G series. The Moto G Stylus 5G has been updated for 2022, and it’s still priced to move. However, the key feature of Motorola’s Moto G Stylus is the built-in stylus pen. With LG out of the smartphone game, it’s one of few ways to get your hands on a stylus outside of Samsung’s premium Note line.

Motorola’s blue  finish is a real eye-catcher on the Moto G Stylus 5G. It highlights the build quality on this large — and we mean large — 6.8-inch phablet. The display itself is made of glass, but the rest of the device is crafted from a polycarbonate material that tends to pick up a few fingerprints here and there.

See also: The best Motorola phones

You can choose between 6 and 8GB of RAM on your Moto G Stylus 5G, along with up to 256GB of storage. The Snapdragon 695G SoC provides you with enough power to get through your day as well as 5G access. Be prepared to spend a while at an outlet, as the 5,000mAh battery packs just 10W charging.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Moto G Stylus 5G.

Motorola Moto G Power (2022): Battery life for days

The Moto G Power is the next Motorola device to consider for your Cricket Wireless adventure. It’s an absolute battery monster, thanks to the 5,000mAh cell and the lack of 5G. While you won’t find the most incredible speeds around, you should easily see the Moto G Power last two days on a single charge.

Motorola also tapped a 50MP main camera to lead the way on the back panel, and it delivers good results most of the time. The Cutout feature is also fun if you want to go beyond portrait mode and turn yourself into a sticker. The Moto G Power features a 6.5-inch display with up to 128GB of storage, and the 4GB of RAM is a nice bump over previous models.

MediaTek’s Helio G37 isn’t the most impressive and is a side-step from the 2021 model at best. Unfortunately, the Moto G Power is only due for one Android update, which carries it to Android 12 and no further.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Motorola Moto G Power.

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G: The most affordable 5G Cricket Wireless phone

Samsung’s Galaxy A13 is the last pick on our list of the best Cricket Wireless phones. It sacrifices some of the Galaxy A53’s camera features to cut down on the price, yet it keeps smooth 5G speeds. You get a 6.5-inch HD+ display for your money, and Samsung loaded up a hefty 5,000mAh battery.

The Moto G Play comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage out of the box, but you can always expand with the microSD slot. It’s disappointing to see Samsung bring Android 11 to a device launched in 2022, but the Galaxy A13 packs a solid update commitment. You’ll also find a capable 50MP main camera that’s on par with affordable rivals from Motorola and Nokia.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy A13.