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How much is Crunchyroll and is it worth it?

Crunchyroll is the best streaming service for watching anime, and it's even bigger and better after merging with Funimation.
By
February 18, 2024
Crunchy Roll stock photo with Goku

Crunchyroll is essential for anime enthusiasts, offering a premier collection of Japanese animation and entertainment outside Asia. It boasts exclusive anime series, thousands of episodes, and unique productions, positioning itself as a key platform for anime in the UK and the US. Subscribers enjoy access to popular shows like Hell’s Paradise and One Piece, as well as quizzes, and the latest news from Japan. Crunchyroll’s varied membership options provide something for every fan, ensuring you’re up-to-date with the latest in anime. Here’s a guide to understanding Crunchyroll’s costs and membership benefits to find the perfect subscription for you.

You can sign up for the service at the link below:

crunchyroll logo
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll has tens of thousands of classic and current anime TV episodes and movies from Japan. The service offers both subtitled and dubbed versions of many of its titles. Subscribers can watch many of the latest shows and movies as soon as they debut in Japan.

Crunchyroll subscription plans and pricing

crunchyroll premium
Crunchyroll

The streaming service has four plans, each with different perks. Here are the main differences and how to decide which plan is the best for you.

  • Can I watch Crunchyroll for free?
    In short, yes. A free membership is usually the best choice for casual watchers and those just getting into Japanese animation. It allows you to stream most of the available content in standard definition. This membership is ad-supported, meaning you will encounter ads when watching anime. You will also have to be a bit patient if you want to watch new episodes since they are not instantly available.
  • Fan subscription
    Crunchyroll Fan removes all advertisements and grants you access to the full catalog of anime, and dramas. This includes simulcasts and simulpubs, so you can watch or read new content as soon as it comes out. The viewing experience is upgraded, too — with Fan, you can watch your favorites in 720p and 1080p resolution. However, you are limited to just one stream at a time. The Crunchyroll Fan subscription costs $7.99 monthly, with a 14-day free trial.
  • Mega Fan subscription
    This has everything in the cheaper Fan tier but increases the number of concurrent streams per account from one to four. You also get access to offline viewing of anime with this plan. Finally, you receive a $15 discount off any one-time purchase of $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every three months. The Crunchyroll Mega Fan subscription costs $9.99 monthly, with a free 14-day free trial.
  • Ultimate Fan subscription
    This tier has everything in the Fan and Mega Fan packages. However, this tier allows you to access up to six concurrent streams per account. Every year, you will also get a special swag bag sent to you. You get a $25 discount off any one-time purchase of $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every three months. The Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan subscription costs $14.99 monthly, with a free 14-day free trial.
Plan FreeFan ($7.99/month)Mega Fan ($9.99/month)Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month)
Ad-SupportedYesNoNoNo
Access to CatalogMost contentFull catalogFull catalogFull catalog
Simulcasts & SimulpubsNoYesYesYes
ResolutionStandard Definition720p & 1080p720p & 1080p720p & 1080p
Concurrent Streams1146
Offline ViewingNoNoYesYes
Store DiscountNoNo$15 off $100 every 3 months$25 off $100 every 3 months
Special OffersNoNoNoAnnual swag bag

Crunchyroll and Max

hbo max crunchyroll
Crunchyroll

Max also has a number of anime shows from the Crunchyroll library to stream on its own service (both services are currently owned by AT&T). You can stream about 20 to 30 anime titles on Max. This is meant to give those subscribers a taste of the Crunchyroll catalog and not replace it.

hbomax
Max
Max, formerly HBO Max, is your home for HBO titles, Warner Bros-made movies and TV shows, the DC Comics superheroes, and more. It's also the home for new and original movies and shows available nowhere else.

Is Funimation part of Crunchyroll?

Funimation android app

Crunchyroll used to compete with Sony’s rival anime-centric streamer Funimation, but as of March 1, 2022, all Funimation content not already on Crunchyroll is being migrated to Crunchyroll.

In early December 2020, Sony announced that its Funimation anime division would acquire Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion. The deal was approved and finalized in 2021.

It was unclear how or even if the two services would continue to co-exist, but now they are merging under the Crunchyroll banner. Funimation will fully shut down on April 2nd, 2024.

Crunchyroll’s pricing will increase following the merger, with over 50 new titles available on the service.

Current Funimation paid subscribers can get 60 days of Crunchyroll Premium for free as part of the merger process.

A support page on Funimation’s website says the service will automatically transfer existing subscribers to Crunchyroll, noting that the transfer “may vary depending on your specific payment platform, subscription type, and region.” To make matters worse, Crunchyroll won’t support the digital copies redeemed through Funimation.


Crunchyroll features

crunchyroll list
Crunchyroll

As we mentioned, the paid subscription tiers offer features like downloads of shows to mobile devices. They also support more concurrent streams per account and discounts to the service’s merchandise store. The service also has its own news service for general anime announcements. You can upload your own picture or any image to be your profile. Paid members can also skin their profile page with different designs.

In addition to a redesigned UI, it adds features like recommendations based on your past viewing history. You can also create your own watchlist, along with custom lists that let you organize and label anime shows in any sort of category. You can also pause a show and then pick up from where you left off, from your three most recently watched shows.

Parental controls

crunchyroll parental controls
Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll offers content for kids and more mature anime shows and movies for adults. As of this writing, only one small parental control feature is available. Here’s how to enable it:

  1. Sign in to your Crunchyroll account and then click on your Profile icon.
  2. Tap or click on Settings in the menu.
  3. Tap or click on the Video Settings option.
  4. Finally, change the box under the Mature Content Filter box so it shows Hide Mature Content.

Remember that if your kids know your account and password, they can switch the controls back to showing mature content.

Compatible devices

crunchyroll beta
Crunchyroll

The service is available on the following platforms:

  • iOS phones and tablets
  • Android phones and tablets
  • Roku set-top boxes, streaming sticks, and smart TVs
  • Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks, set-top boxes, and smart TVs
  • Android TV smart TVs
  • Sony PlayStation 3, 4, and Vita game consoles
  • Microsoft Xbox One game console
  • Nintendo Wii U game console
  • Google Chromecast
  • Web access via browser at Crunchyroll.com
  • Windows 10 app

The service used to be available for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii consoles, but those apps have now been discontinued.

Catalog

Attack on Titan Crunchyroll anime
Crunchyroll

So, if you are convinced and want to try Crunchyroll, what should you watch first? You’ll be happy to know that Crunchyroll offers both quantity and quality. From little-known cult classics to worldwide smash hits, it’s got something for everyone.

But what can you watch? Crunchyroll’s catalog consists mostly of anime series. It offers a lot of classic popular shows like One Piece and Gundam, but it’s also the best place to watch new releases online. You can access simulcasts: new episodes from top series are usually available to watch only an hour after they are broadcast in Japan. Don’t worry if you don’t speak a lick of Japanese. There are also some great anime movies on Crunchyroll, but the choices there are a bit more limited. The same applies to Asian dramas since the list of available titles changes regularly.

You will find all of the action-packed long-running shonen favorites like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and more. They are perfect for those who enjoy long series, thanks to most of these shows’ immense number of episodes. However, you can also enjoy shorter action series that are just as excellent as One-Punch Man, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Attack on Titan.

Fans of fantasy, however, can check out the mysterious and captivating Mushi-shi anime. If you want to add a bit of romance into the mix, the recent The Ancient Magus’ Bride series is also a must-watch. Finally, we can’t recommend Yuri on Ice enough a sports anime smash hit from 2016 that has captivated audiences since.

In 2020, the service started dropping all-new anime series that it produced or co-produced under the Crunchyroll Originals label. They have included shows like Tower of God, ONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You, and The God of High School, with more in the works.


Is Crunchyroll worth it?

Crunchyroll popular shows
Crunchyroll

If you are a hardcore anime fan, you should sign up for Crunchyroll, especially now that it has absorbed its main competitor: Funimation.

Crunchyroll’s library of classic and current anime TV shows is extensive, and you can watch much of its content for free, provided you can deal with commercials and low 480p resolution. Its paid subscription fees are reasonable, and you can get rid of ads and get higher-resolution videos as well. Finally, canceling Crunchyroll is simple and free of hidden fees and restrictions, so it’s low-risk for those who aren’t completely sold and want to try it out.

Other FAQ

The answer depends on which plan you have. The Free and Fan plans support just one stream. However, the Mega Fan plan supports up to four streams at once, and the Ultimate Fan plan supports up to six streams.

Unfortunately, none of the service’s anime shows or movies is available in 4K resolution.

The service does use ads in its Free membership tier, but you can get rid of them if you sign up for any of its paid plans.

Technically, sharing your account with anyone is against Crunchyroll’s Terms of Service. If you do decide to share your account, be aware you might get cut off if you abuse it.

The service can be watched in other parts of the world via a VPN, so you can access titles that are not normally available in your country.

If you sign up for either the Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan plans, you can use the service’s iOS and Android apps to download anime shows and movies to watch offline.

Crunchyroll currently has 120 million registered users worldwide, with about 13 million paid subscribers.

No. As of March 1, 2022, all Funimation content is gradually moving to Crunchyroll as its parent company Sony bought the rival anime streamer.

Crunchyroll claims that the service is actually available in over 200 countries. However, not every Crunchyroll anime show or movie is available in every country. That’s due to a number of factors, including streaming licensing rights that might be different in your country of origin.


That’s our look at Crunchyroll. We will update this post with any new information as warranted.

crunchyroll logo
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll has tens of thousands of classic and current anime TV episodes and movies from Japan. The service offers both subtitled and dubbed versions of many of its titles. Subscribers can watch many of the latest shows and movies as soon as they debut in Japan.