Four phone lines on prepaid can cost $60 to $80 less each month

A family of four can pay far less for phone service on a prepaid plan. Cricket Wireless charges $100 a month for four lines of its Select Unlimited plan, or $25 per line, with autopay. Taxes and provider fees are included. A mid-tier postpaid plan from a major carrier runs about $160 to $180 a month for four lines, before taxes and fees. That gap is $60 to $80 a month.

Why the bills differ

Prepaid means you pay for service up front, with no long-term bill that changes. Postpaid means you are billed after the fact. Postpaid bills can include device payments, charges for going over data caps, and taxes added on top of the advertised price. Administrative fees can reach $4.99 per line. Prepaid prices like Cricket's already include taxes and fees.

The cheapest postpaid plans can start around $30 per line with autopay and paperless billing, or $120 for four. Many cost $40, $50 or more. Even at the low end, a family could pay at least around 19% more over a year than on Cricket's plan.

The catches

• Cricket may add an activation fee of up to $25 per line in its stores.
• Select Unlimited can temporarily slow data and lower video quality when the network is busy.
• Every line on the account must be on the same plan.
• Prices were valid as of Oct. 22, 2026, and can change.

Coverage and keeping your number

Cricket runs on the AT&T network, with nationwide 5G on all its plans. Coverage still varies by location, so check it at your home address first. Cricket offers a free two-week trial so families can test the network.

You can usually keep your phones and numbers. Under FCC rules, your old carrier cannot refuse to transfer your number, even if you owe a balance. The FCC requires the transfer to take no more than one business day. It can happen in a few hours.

What to do

Pull your latest bill and look at the total with taxes and fees, not just the advertised price. Then compare it with prepaid prices. The article also cites a September 2026 Tax Foundation report. It says average wireless plan prices have dropped more than 30% over 20 years, while taxes on those bills have risen 77%.

Adding lines also lowers the cost per line. On Cricket, one line of Select Unlimited is $35 a month with autopay, while four lines are $25 each.