How Much Does Crunchyroll Subscription Cost?

How much does Crunchyroll subscription cost?

Well, if you are thinking that Crunchyroll is some sort of pastry, then you have no business asking that question. The real ones know that, when it comes to anime, there is one streaming service that trumps them all and provides you with the very best of Japanese entertainment. And that is none other than Crunchyroll.

Formed in 2006, the streaming service has continued to grow and has now made itself the go-to place for fans of Japanese animations outside of Asia. With exclusive rights to anime series, thousands of episodes, and several exclusive productions, Crunchyroll holds the keys to anime in the UK and the US.

By subscribing, members can follow the journey of assassins in Hell’s Paradise, enjoy the death tournaments of Fate, and watch Eren Yaegar stomp the world to death in Attack on Titan. It does not get much better than this.

What is Crunchyroll?

Crunchyroll is a hub for Japanese entertainment. The platform is most famous for its streaming service, which is home to hundreds of anime shows. Altogether, there are over 1000 of these productions, which include anime series, films, and original offerings. Within these there are over 30,000 episodes of anime, all made in the Japanese language.

On Crunchyroll, you have the option of watching your anime dubbed over, so you can hear them with English voice actors (ugh!), or subtitled. A Crunchyroll membership offers you access to all of these anime productions with series and episodes continually added as they are released.

Crunchyroll is not limited to anime alone. It also has over 80 online Manga series (Japanese comics) available to read. All of these are in English, with some comic series stretching several books. On top of this, you can also get access to anime-based mobile games, an online store for anime merch, and an anime news section.

In the age of streaming, Crunchyroll has become the ubiquitous home for anime in the UK and US.

How much does Crunchyroll subscription cost?

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. You can sign up for all of the plans with this link.

Free plan

The base tier for Crunchyroll is entirely free. By simply registering for an account, you’ll gain access to certain “season samplers” with adverts that allow you to watch the first three episodes of a select number of shows for free. Free members, however, don’t have access to every show on the platform or the manga library.

If you want a taste of the full service, new members can claim a 14-day free trial for Crunchyroll premium.

Fan subscription

Crunchyroll Fan not only removes all advertisements but also grants you access to the full catalog of anime, manga, 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 1080 resolution.

However, you are limited to just one stream at a time. The Crunchyroll Fan subscription costs $7.99 a month, 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 a month, with a free 14-day free trial.

Ultimate Fan subscription

This tier has everything in the Fan and Mega Fan packages. However, you can access up to six concurrent streams per account with this tier. 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 a month, with a free 14-day free trial.

How to upgrade a Crunchyroll membership

If you’ve already bought a Crunchyroll membership and want to upgrade, say from FAN to MEGA FAN, or MEGA FAN to the annual option, you need to contact customer support. Unfortunately, there is no direct path to upgrading your membership without speaking to customer services.

Contacting them is the only way to upgrade your plan without waiting for your membership to run out and then renewing through a different subscription. To get in contact with Crunchyroll’s support team, you need to write to them through the submission page, they will then help you upgrade.

Where can I stream Crunchyroll?

Crunchyroll is available to download to your TV across various media players, including Amazon Fire Stick, Google TV, Android TV, Roku TV, and Windows apps. You can also download the app to gaming consoles like the PS5, PS4, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.

The app is also available to download to phones to watch on the go, or you can simply watch it on your computer device through their official website.

How to stream Crunchyroll to a TV

If you want to stream your favourite anime shows to your television then you’ll need a way to connect Crunchyroll. Currently, Crunchyroll doesn’t have a television station, instead, they have a phone app and several media players you can connect through.

Here is how to connect Crunchyroll to your TV:

Through media players: You can watch Crunchyroll on your TV using an Amazon Fire Stick, Google TV, Android TV, Roku TV, and Windows Apps.
Connect your laptop through HDMI: If you don’t have access to the above then you can watch Crunchyroll by connecting a HDMI cable to your laptop. Just plug the cable into your laptop and TV whilst Crunchyroll is loaded.
Smart TV mirroring: Crunchyroll has a phone app available on IOS and Android. If you download this you can watch your favourite programmes on your phone. If you have a Smart TV you can mirror this from your phone onto your TV. A phone mirroring option should appear in the corner of your screen.
Through your gaming console: You can watch Crunchyroll through your gaming console using their downloadable app. It can be viewed on your PS5, PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Can I watch Crunchyroll for free?

In short, yes. For casual watchers and those just getting into Japanese animation, a free membership is usually the best choice. It allows you to stream most of the available content in standard definition or 480p.

This membership is ad-supported, which means you will encounter ads both when watching anime and when reading manga. You will also have to be a bit patient if you want to watch new episodes since they are not instantly available.

Where is Crunchyroll available?

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.

Compatible devices

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.

How to cancel a Crunchyroll membership

Cancelling your Crunchyroll membership is not hard.

If you decide you no longer want it, head over to the Crunchyroll site and log in to your account. Click on the dropdown menu next to your username in the top right corner of the screen. Select ‘Settings’ from the dropdown menu. Scroll down, select the ‘Membership’ section and click, ‘Cancel Membership’.

Crunchyroll billing discount

Currently, the only way to save money on a Crunchyroll premium subscription is to sign up for a longer billing cycle. For example, with the lowest-tier Fan plan, a monthly billing cycle is $7.99/mo. But if you sign up for quarterly billing (every three months), you’ll pay $22.99 per cycle, which turns out to be $7.66 per month (a 4% discount).

The best deal is to sign up for the yearly cycle, which is $79.99 every 12 months. That turns out to be $6.66 per month, a roughly 16% discount from the regular price.

Crunchyroll premium perks

Crunchyroll throws in extra perks for subscribers at the mid- and highest-tier plans. The $9.99 Mega Fan plan gives subscribers first access to Crunchyroll Expo events and lotteries, as well as a $15 discount off a $100 purchase in the Crunchyroll store every three months.

For the $14.99 Ultimate Fan plan, that $15 quarterly discount bumps up to $25 off of $100. That’s not enough to fully cancel out the extra money you’ll be paying for the highest-tier plan in the long run, but maybe you’re splitting subscription costs with a few other people anyway.

Exclusive Crunchyroll merch

The Ultimate Fan plan also comes with an annual swag bag and the opportunity to purchase an exclusive members-only Nendoroid figure of Hime, Crunchyroll’s mascot and best girl.

There are few details about this swag bag or exclusive figure online, but Ultimate Fan subscribers will get 43% off of this Hime Nendoroid with the code HIMENENDO at checkout. You’ll end up paying about $37 before tax and shipping.

Crunchyroll 15% off store coupon

This won’t save you money on a Crunchyroll subscription, but you’ll get a 15% off coupon on your first Crunchyroll store purchase when you sign up for its newsletter and use the code CRNEW at checkout.

Crunchyroll also offers free shipping on orders over $100. This might pale in comparison to Entertainment Earth ($39 with code FREESHIP39), Hot Topic ($60), or Amazon ($35). However, that might not matter if you’re buying one of those high-end $300+ figures.

In conclusion: Is Crunchyroll worth it?

If you are a hardcore fan of anime or manga, you should definitely sign up for Crunchyroll, especially now that it has absorbed its main competitor: Funimation. Crunchyroll’s library of both classic and current anime TV shows is extensive, and you might also be interested in checking out the manga selection as well.

Best of all, 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.

Also, it is very simple to cancel a Crunchyroll subscription; the process is free of hidden fees and restrictions. This makes it low-risk for those who aren’t completely sold and want to try it out.

How Much Does Crunchyroll Subscription Cost?

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What is Crunchyroll?