tryCricket by Cricket Wireless vs Helium Mobile
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless
Test a wireless carrier's network from your own unlocked phone for 14 days. Experience unlimited talk and text, 3GB of data, and nationwide 5G. Seamlessly switch to a full plan within the app if you're satisfied.
- 14-day free trial
- Unlimited talk and text
- 3GB of data
- Nationwide 5G access
- Hassle-free eSIM setup
- Switch to full plan in-app
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Looking for an affordable wireless provider? Download the tryCricket® app to see how our network stacks up where you work, live and play. We’ll give you a phone number to use during the trial on your unlocked phone, so there’s zero disruption to your existing service. Included with Your 14-day Free Trial: • Unlimited talk & text • 3 GB of data* • Nationwide 5G** • Hassle-free setup with eSIM*** (start trial in 15 minutes or less) *U.S. only. Video is limited to SD. **Cricket 5G requires a compatible device and is not available everywhere. ***Compatible device required Love us? Join Cricket Nation with Just a Tap You can switch to a full Cricket plan with no annual contract, no credit check, or hidden fees directly in the app. Bring the phone you love (BYOD) or buy one from us. Download tryCricket® and start your free Cricket 14-day trial.
Helium Mobile
Experience wireless service powered by a vast 5G network and a unique community-driven infrastructure. This app offers a new approach to staying connected, potentially with reward opportunities.
- Nation's largest 5G network
- Groundbreaking people-built network
- New way to connect
- Potential reward opportunities
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Powered by the nation’s largest 5G network and a groundbreaking people-built network, Helium Mobile is a bold new way to connect. Disclaimer: By downloading the app, you are agreeing to the Helium Mobile App Terms & Conditions: https://hellohelium.com/terms-and-conditions * Rewards are a function of network governance and depend on multiple factors, including but not limited to, individual activities, network usage, technical and/or operational issues, and network governance. Nova Labs does not provide, guarantee, or refund any rewards and makes no promises, guarantees, or warranties as to their value. See Terms and Conditions for details (https://hellohelium.com/terms-and-conditions). * Taxes and fees apply
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: tryCricket by Cricket Wireless at none against Helium Mobile's shown. tryCricket by Cricket Wireless also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (61% vs 51%). Helium Mobile's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for tryCricket by Cricket Wireless against 4.8 for Helium Mobile. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23K and 15K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of tryCricket by Cricket Wireless's written reviews are positive against 51% of Helium Mobile's.
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless ships an update every 3 weeks, Helium Mobile every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | tryCricket by Cricket Wireless | Helium Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (23K ratings) — better | 4.8 (15K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.2% of reviews — better | 51.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 23K — better | 15K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 179 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cricket Wireless, LLC | Noble Mobile |
Customer experience
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless
Helium Mobile
User reviews
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless
From 23K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Seamless and easy to use
- 🚀 Hassle-free setup and activation
- 💡 Helpful 14-day free trial
- 🚀 Reliable service and coverage
Room to improve
- 🐛 eSIM activation issues
- 🐛 Microphone not working
- 🐛 Unable to receive texts or make calls
- 🐛 Trial period ended prematurely
Helium Mobile
From 15K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Excellent value
- 👍 Great phone plan
- 👍 Simple, reliable, and refreshingly honest
- 👍 Best phone plan on the planet
- 👍 True GEM
Room to improve
- 🐛 Horrible, non-existent customer support
- 🐛 Not fully transparent or honest
- 🐛 Stupid app
- 🐛 No service
- 🐛 can't enable location sharing
Bugs and requests
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless
Reported bugs
4 issues- eSIM not working
- App deleting eSIM
- Inability to receive QR code
- 5G not functioning as expected
Requested features
4 requests- Increase free trial duration
- Improve data allotment for trial
- Add option to cancel trial
- Ensure full compatibility with all devices
Helium Mobile
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Discovery mapping feed isn't working after latest update
- Unable to claim rewards after recent update
Requested features
3 requests- Unlimited data option
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
In-app purchases
tryCricket by Cricket Wireless
No in-app purchases
Helium Mobile
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is tryCricket by Cricket Wireless free?
Is Helium Mobile free?
Which has better reviews, tryCricket by Cricket Wireless or Helium Mobile?
Do tryCricket by Cricket Wireless or Helium Mobile have ads?
Which is updated more often, tryCricket by Cricket Wireless or Helium Mobile?
Other comparisons
