Crunchyroll Review: $7.99/mo for 1,300+ Anime (Worth It?)

If you watch anime, you have almost certainly heard of Crunchyroll. What started as a fan-run streaming site in 2006 has evolved into the undisputed king of anime streaming, now owned by Sony and boasting over 17 million paid subscribers worldwide. After absorbing Funimation in 2024, Crunchyroll consolidated the anime streaming market in a way no service has before.

We have been subscribers across all tiers for years, tracking library changes, testing apps across devices, and monitoring simulcast quality. Here is our honest verdict on whether Crunchyroll deserves your subscription dollars in 2026, especially with major changes coming to the platform.

Quick Verdict

Crunchyroll is the essential streaming service for anime fans. There is simply no competitor with a comparable library, simulcast lineup, or dub turnaround time. The Funimation merger gave Crunchyroll a near-monopoly on legal anime streaming, and the platform has used that position to build the most comprehensive anime experience available.

The Fan tier at $7.99/month offers everything most viewers need: ad-free streaming, the full library, and access to simulcasts the same day they air in Japan. The Mega Fan tier at $11.99/month adds offline downloads and the Game Vault, which is worth considering for mobile viewers. The Ultimate Fan tier at $15.99/month includes the new Manga add-on at no extra cost.

Bottom line: If you watch anime regularly, Crunchyroll is non-negotiable. It is the only service that offers both the breadth of classic titles and the depth of seasonal simulcasts serious fans require.

Crunchyroll Pricing Breakdown (2026)

Crunchyroll offers three paid subscription tiers, with the key difference being simultaneous streams, offline viewing, and extras like the Game Vault and merchandise discounts.

Plan	Monthly	Annual	Simultaneous Streams	Offline Viewing	Extras
Fan	$7.99	$79.99	1	No	Ad-free streaming
Mega Fan	$11.99	$119.99	4	Yes	Game Vault, 10% store discount
Ultimate Fan	$15.99	$159.99	6	Yes	Manga included, 15% store discount, swag bag after 12 months

Fan Tier: The Sweet Spot for Most Viewers

The $7.99/month Fan tier gives you everything essential: complete ad-free access to Crunchyroll’s entire library of 1,300+ anime series, same-day simulcasts, and both subbed and dubbed content. The only meaningful limitation is single-stream viewing, which matters only if multiple household members watch simultaneously.

For solo viewers or couples who watch together, the Fan tier is the obvious choice. You get identical content access to higher tiers at the lowest price point.

Mega Fan Tier: For Mobile and Multi-Device Households

At $11.99/month, Mega Fan unlocks offline downloads, which transforms the mobile experience. Downloaded episodes expire after 7 days unplayed (or 48 hours once started), but for commuters, travelers, or anyone with spotty internet, offline viewing is essential.

Mega Fan also includes the Crunchyroll Game Vault, a library of 50+ mobile games including titles like River City Girls, Moonstone Island, and Crypt of the Necrodancer. If you enjoy mobile gaming, this adds meaningful value. The 10% discount on the Crunchyroll store sweetens the deal for merchandise buyers.

Four simultaneous streams make Mega Fan appropriate for family subscriptions. At roughly $3/person for a household of four, the value proposition is strong.

Ultimate Fan Tier: The Completionist Package

The $15.99/month Ultimate Fan tier is for dedicated fans who want everything. The standout addition is Crunchyroll Manga, the platform’s new reading service that launched in October 2025. Ultimate Fan subscribers get Manga access at no additional cost (normally $3.50/month add-on).

You also get six simultaneous streams, a 15% store discount, free shipping on all orders, and an exclusive swag bag after 12 consecutive months. The swag bag includes items like figures, apparel, and collectibles valued at roughly $50-75.

The Funimation Merger: What It Means for Your Library

The biggest change to Crunchyroll in recent years was the March 2024 shutdown of Funimation’s standalone service. Sony, which owns both platforms, consolidated everything under Crunchyroll, moving over 40,000 subbed and dubbed episodes.

What You Gained

The merger brought Funimation’s legendary dub library to Crunchyroll. Classic English dubs that Funimation pioneered, including Dragon Ball Z, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Cowboy Bebop, and countless others, are now available alongside Crunchyroll’s simulcast-focused catalog.

The combined library exceeds 1,300 anime series, making it by far the largest legal anime streaming collection in the world. Crunchyroll now offers both the historical depth that Funimation built over decades and the seasonal breadth that Crunchyroll was known for.

What Remains Complicated

Not every Funimation title made the transition smoothly. Some dubs remain in licensing limbo, particularly older titles where rights agreements were complex. A handful of classic series are still unavailable on Crunchyroll despite being on Funimation for years.

Sony has been gradually resolving these issues, but completionists may find specific titles missing. If there is a particular classic series you want, check the Crunchyroll catalog before subscribing.

Simulcast Schedule: Same-Day Anime from Japan

Crunchyroll’s core value proposition is simulcasting: streaming anime episodes the same day (often within an hour) of their Japanese broadcast. For fans who want to participate in weekly discussions and avoid spoilers, this is essential.

Seasonal Coverage

Crunchyroll consistently licenses 70-80% of each season’s simulcast anime. In Winter 2025, the platform streamed over 40 new, returning, and continuing series. Major titles included:

• Solo Leveling Season 2 - Streaming Saturdays at 9:30 AM PT
• Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga - Streaming Saturdays at 10:00 AM PT
• Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Season 2 - Streaming Saturdays at 2:00 AM PT
• The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 - Continuing from Fall
• Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE - With same-day English dub

Spring 2025 continued the momentum with Fire Force Season 3, Wind Breaker Season 2, The Beginning After the End, and dozens more.

SimulDub Program

Crunchyroll has continued and expanded Funimation’s pioneering SimulDub program. Select popular series receive English dubs within 2-4 weeks of the Japanese premiere, rather than the months or years that dubs traditionally required.

Same-day dubs are now available for top-tier titles like Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE. Most major simulcasts receive dubs within a few weeks. Crunchyroll maintains a simulcast calendar at crunchyroll.com/simulcastcalendar showing both sub and dub release schedules.

For English dub fans, this is transformative. You can follow seasonal anime discussions almost in real-time without needing subtitles.

Library Highlights: What You Can Watch

Currently Airing Hits

Crunchyroll’s simulcast lineup includes virtually every major currently-airing series:

• Jujutsu Kaisen - The shonen phenomenon
• Demon Slayer - Visually stunning action
• Chainsaw Man - MAPPA’s intense adaptation
• Spy x Family - Family-friendly action comedy
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End - 2024’s critical darling
• Solo Leveling - Korean manhwa adaptation phenomenon
• The Apothecary Diaries - Historical mystery

Classic Back Catalog

The Funimation merger brought essential classics:

• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Consistently rated the best anime ever
• Cowboy Bebop - Genre-defining space western
• Death Note - Psychological thriller masterpiece
• Dragon Ball (Z, Super, and beyond) - The franchise that defined shonen
• Attack on Titan - The dark fantasy epic
• Steins;Gate - Time travel thriller
• One Piece - 1,000+ episodes of pirate adventure

Genres Well-Represented

Crunchyroll excels across every genre:

• Shonen/Action: My Hero Academia, Black Clover, Naruto
• Romance: Horimiya, Kaguya-sama, My Dress-Up Darling
• Isekai: Re:Zero, Mushoku Tensei, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
• Comedy: Konosuba, Spy x Family, The 100 Girlfriends
• Sports: Haikyuu!!, Blue Lock, Kuroko’s Basketball
• Horror/Dark: Tokyo Ghoul, Parasyte, Junji Ito Collection

App Quality and Streaming Experience

Video Quality

Crunchyroll streams at a maximum of 1080p across all tiers. There is no 4K option, which is a notable limitation when competitors like Netflix offer 4K anime on premium tiers.

The platform automatically adjusts quality based on your connection, with options ranging from 240p to 1080p. On a stable connection of 5 Mbps or higher, you will consistently get full HD. The adaptive streaming works well, with minimal buffering in our testing.

Quality Level	Bandwidth Required
240p	0.5 Mbps
480p	1.5 Mbps
720p	3 Mbps
1080p	5+ Mbps

Device Support

Crunchyroll apps are available on:

• iOS and Android phones/tablets
• Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio, and others)
• Streaming devices (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast)
• Gaming consoles (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X|S, Nintendo Switch)
• Web browsers

The app experience varies significantly by platform. The PlayStation and Xbox apps run smoothly with responsive interfaces. Some smart TV apps feel dated and can be sluggish. The mobile apps are generally excellent, with clean navigation and reliable playback.

Feature Gaps

Users have consistently requested features that remain missing:

• Skip intro button is now available on many titles (added in 2024)
• Profile system like Netflix still does not exist
• Continue watching can be unreliable across devices
• 10-second skip is inconsistent in implementation

The web player received significant updates in 2024 and is now more reliable than the legacy version. However, power users still find the experience less polished than Netflix or Disney+.

Offline Viewing: How It Works

Offline viewing is available on Mega Fan ($11.99/month) and Ultimate Fan ($15.99/month) tiers. The Fan tier does not support downloads.

Download Mechanics

• Downloads are available on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch
• Most (not all) series support offline viewing
• Episodes expire after 7 days if unplayed
• Once started, episodes expire after 48 hours
• Reconnecting to the internet resets expiration timers
• DRM verification requires periodic internet connection

Practical Considerations

For travelers, the 48-hour playback window can be limiting on long trips without internet access. The 7-day unplayed expiration is reasonable for most use cases. The requirement for periodic online DRM checks means completely offline extended use is not possible.

The download quality matches streaming quality (up to 1080p), and downloads are reasonably sized at roughly 300-500 MB per episode depending on length and quality setting.

Game Vault and Manga: Beyond Anime

Crunchyroll Game Vault

Available to Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan subscribers, the Game Vault is a mobile gaming library included with your subscription. As of late 2025, it includes 50+ titles across genres:

Notable Titles:

• River City Girls
• Moonstone Island
• Crypt of the Necrodancer
• Various anime-licensed games

The games are mobile versions playable on iOS and Android. Quality varies, but for existing subscribers, it is a nice bonus. The Game Vault alone would not justify upgrading from Fan to Mega Fan, but it sweetens the value proposition.

Crunchyroll Manga

Launched in October 2025, Crunchyroll Manga brings digital manga reading to the platform. Ultimate Fan subscribers get it included; others can add it for $3.50/month.

Publishing Partners:

• VIZ Media
• Square Enix
• Yen Press
• AlphaPolis
• COMPASS
• Shueisha (coming soon)
• J-Novel Club (coming soon)

The manga library is still growing, but having anime and manga in one ecosystem appeals to fans who consume both formats.

Who Should Subscribe to Crunchyroll?

Crunchyroll makes sense if you:

• Watch seasonal anime and want same-day simulcasts
• Prefer the largest selection of subbed and dubbed anime
• Want access to both current hits and classic series
• Value SimulDub for English-dubbed seasonal anime
• Plan to use offline viewing on mobile devices

Consider alternatives if you:

• Only watch occasional anime (Netflix anime is a solid bonus)
• Want 4K streaming quality (Crunchyroll caps at 1080p)
• Primarily watch casual/mainstream anime (Hulu has decent selection)
• Cannot afford $7.99/month (free options like Tubi exist)

How Crunchyroll Compares

Crunchyroll vs. Netflix

Netflix offers around 400 anime titles, focusing on original productions (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Blue Eye Samurai) and exclusive licenses. Quality is high, but simulcasts are limited to 5-10 per season and often release weekly rather than same-day.

Choose Crunchyroll if: You want comprehensive anime coverage Choose Netflix if: You prefer curated quality and want anime as part of a general subscription

Crunchyroll vs. HIDIVE

HIDIVE is the main dedicated anime alternative at $5.99/month. It offers 900+ titles and secures exclusive rights to select series (Oshi no Ko, The Dangers in My Heart). Library is smaller than Crunchyroll, but HIDIVE wins exclusives that hardcore fans need.

Choose Crunchyroll if: You want the largest library and most simulcasts Choose HIDIVE if: You want budget pricing and specific HIDIVE exclusives

Crunchyroll vs. Hulu

Hulu’s anime library (~900 titles) focuses on dubbed classics and back catalog depth. Simulcasts are limited. Hulu works best as part of the Disney Bundle rather than an anime-first choice.

Choose Crunchyroll if: Seasonal simulcasts matter to you Choose Hulu if: You want anime as part of a general streaming bundle

Methodology: How We Evaluated Crunchyroll

We have maintained paid Crunchyroll subscriptions across all tiers since 2021. For this review, we:

• Tracked simulcast announcements across Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall 2025 seasons
• Tested streaming quality on 15+ devices including smart TVs, consoles, mobile, and web
• Compared subtitle accuracy and timing with fan translations
• Monitored Funimation library migration progress
• Tested offline download functionality on iOS and Android
• Evaluated Game Vault game quality and performance
• Tested Manga add-on at launch

Our observations come from hands-on testing, not manufacturer claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Crunchyroll worth it if I only watch a few anime per year?

For casual viewers, probably not. If you watch 2-3 series per year, Netflix’s anime catalog or free options like Tubi may suffice. Crunchyroll’s value scales with viewing: the more anime you watch, the better the $7.99/month investment.

Does Crunchyroll have English dubs?

Yes. Since absorbing Funimation, Crunchyroll has the largest collection of English-dubbed anime anywhere. Classic dubs and new SimulDubs are both available. Most major simulcasts receive dubs within 2-4 weeks of premiere.

What happened to Funimation?

Funimation shut down on April 2, 2024. Its library and subscribers migrated to Crunchyroll. Former Funimation subscribers received equivalent Crunchyroll access. The Funimation brand no longer exists as a separate streaming service.

Does Crunchyroll have 4K?

No. Crunchyroll’s maximum streaming quality is 1080p. This is a common criticism, especially as competitors like Netflix offer 4K anime on premium tiers.

Can I share my Crunchyroll account?

Yes. Unlike Netflix, Crunchyroll does not enforce household restrictions. You can share your login across locations. The simultaneous stream limits (1 for Fan, 4 for Mega Fan, 6 for Ultimate Fan) are the only practical restriction.

Is the free tier really ending?

Yes. Crunchyroll has announced that ad-supported free streaming ends December 31, 2025. Starting 2026, all access requires a paid subscription. Free content will still be available through Crunchyroll’s channels on Pluto TV, Tubi, and YouTube.

What is the best Crunchyroll tier?

For most viewers, the Fan tier at $7.99/month offers the best value. Upgrade to Mega Fan if you need offline downloads or share with family members. Ultimate Fan is for dedicated fans who will use the Manga add-on and want store perks.

How many anime does Crunchyroll have?

Crunchyroll’s library includes over 1,300 anime series and over 40,000 episodes. This makes it the largest legal anime streaming service in the world.

Final Verdict

Crunchyroll earned its position as the essential anime streaming service. The Funimation merger created a platform with unmatched breadth and depth. If you watch anime with any regularity, there is no substitute.

The elimination of the free tier is disappointing but understandable as the platform moves toward a fully premium model. At $7.99/month, the Fan tier remains reasonable value for the content offered. The Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan tiers make sense for specific use cases but are not necessary for most viewers.

The lack of 4K streaming and inconsistent app quality are legitimate criticisms. Crunchyroll is not as polished as Netflix or Disney+. But no competitor matches its library size, simulcast coverage, or dub availability.

For anime fans, the question is not whether to subscribe to Crunchyroll, but which tier to choose.

Our Rating: 4.5/5