If you’re fond of anime, Crunchyroll is a corner of the internet you must visit. This American streaming service is home to over 1,000 Japanese animated series you won’t find on any other platform. Moreover, it offers several hundred East Asian dramas and dozens of manga.
Not surprisingly, the number of subscribers to the service grows every year, and Crunchyroll is one of the most important sites for fans of Japanese culture and animation.
With so many subscription services out there, you may be wondering whether you can use this site for free. We’ve rounded up all the information you need.
How to get Crunchyroll for free
Crunchyroll used to be a completely free and ad-supported service. This changed over time, but there are still options to use the platform without fees.
Try the free seasonal samplers
Crunchyroll
On Crunchyroll, the first few episodes of an anime debuting on the service are available to watch without the need for an account or subscription. It’s also possible to watch the first seasons of the selected series without payment.
However, there are some disadvantages to using the service for free. Firstly, the access to the library is limited – you simply won’t watch most productions without buying a subscription anyway.
The second disadvantage is the presence of ads – during each episode, there will be four of them, lasting about 30 seconds each.
Using Crunchyroll for free and without logging in may be tempting, but it’s slightly inconvenient. However, it can be a good option if you just want to browse the library and try out some series.
Use a free trial
Crunchyroll
You can also access the service for free by using the 14-day trial. This option is available after selecting one of three subscription tiers.
To avoid being charged at the regular monthly rate, remember to cancel your free trial within 14 days.
Crunchyroll is also available on Amazon US and UK as an additional channel, so you’ll have to be signed up to Prime Video to get it. However, this is only a 7-day free trial.
How much does Crunchyroll cost in the US?
The paid subscription packages are called Premium options. Each will let you access the entire Crunchyroll library and stream ad-free episodes right after they premiere in Japan.
Fan tier – $7.99 per month
The basic tier that allows you to stream on 1 device at a time.
Mega Fan tier – $9.99 per month
This tier allows you to stream on up to 4 devices at a time, watch programmes offline and access Crunchyroll catalogue of free games. You can also get $15 off purchases over $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every 3 months.
Ultimate Fan tier – $14.99 per month
This allows you to stream on up to 6 devices at a time, watch programmes offline, and access Crunchyroll catalogue of free games. Additionally, you will get $25 off purchases over $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every 3 months and free shipping on all orders.
Chainsaw Man Official
How much does Crunchyroll cost in the UK?
In the UK, there are also three premium tiers but with slightly different benefits. However, they all guarantee to stream the entire Crunchyroll library ad-free and watch new episodes shortly after Japan.
Fan tier – £4.99 per month
This allows you to stream on 1 device at a time.
Mega Fan tier – £5.99 per month
This allows you to stream on up to 4 devices at a time, watch series offline and use Crunchyroll’s catalogue of free games.
Ultimate Fan tier – £59.99 per year
With this tier, you can stream on up to 4 devices at a time, watch series offline and use Crunchyroll’s catalogue of free games. Additionally, you can get a 16% discount on Monthly Plan (billed every 12 months).
It’s worth knowing that some productions are only available on the Crunchyroll US library. If you want to access this, you will need a VPN (virtual private network), that allows you to bypass the geo-restrictions. We recommend the NordVPN app – the most affordable and popular option of this kind.
Attack on Titan
What devices can I get Crunchyroll on?
Crunchyroll is available via web browser, but you can also easily stream anime using a smart TV – the app is available on Roku, Apple TV and Google TV.
You can also use Crunchyroll on your phone by downloading the app for Android or iOS.