Crunchyroll Kills Free Plan: What Anime Fans Should Know About the Switch
Anime streaming service Crunchyroll, which offers shows such as My Hero Academia and One Piece, announced on Tuesday that it would shut down its ad-supported tier on December 31. Viewers will now have to pay for a subscription if they want to continue streaming shows.
For years, Crunchyroll has offered a rotating catalog of episodes, mostly older seasons and select shows, available for free with ads. But recent in-service messages alerted viewers that “ad-supported streaming ends December 31, 2025.” After this date, anyone wishing to access the service will have to subscribe to a paid plan.
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Existing subscription levels remain unchanged. The entry-level Fan plan starts at $8 per month, while the Mega Fan ($12) and Ultimate Fan ($16) options add perks like HD streaming, offline downloads, and multiple device support.
The Crunchyroll free option had already diminished. Simulcasts and new episodes were removed from the free library as early as 2022, leaving only a minimal selection of titles, which left some viewers unhappy. For many casual or newcomer viewers, the loss of the free viewing tier removes a low-barrier entry point that helped introduce them to anime.
If you still want to watch anime without paying, several other services continue to offer free ad-supported streaming:
- Tube: A wide selection of classic and older animated series and movies, all free with ads.
- Pluto TV: Several 24/7 anime channels as well as some on-demand titles.
- RetroCrush: Specializing in classic and vintage anime; free with ads.
- YouTube: Some studios (like Toei Animation and the official Gundam channel) legally release episodes and entire series.
The selection varies and none offer the same range of simulcasts and new releases as Crunchyroll, but for viewers who aren’t ready to subscribe, these platforms still offer ways to watch anime for free.
