Anime culture has persisted for decades. Many fans found ways to watch and celebrate their favorite stories, even when access was limited. Piracy through different website streaming and local downloads used to be the best possible ways to view them in many countries.
Crunchyroll was among few platforms that supported global communities. It offered a legal, free, and ad-supported way for anyone to join in, no matter their budget. Today, the company has announced that the free tier will be discontinued on December 31, 2025. That's right. No more open-access plan for you. Crunchyroll is moving fully toward paid subscriptions.
RIP to free anime streaming
Crunchyroll announced their plan to end the free plan in an in-player message replacing normal ads. The news came from Cord Cutters, a site that’s dedicated to helping people avoid paying more for streaming. On the bright side, the platform still offers their 7-day trial to first timers. Use it to see if the paid plans are worth it.
The free plan itself wasn't so popular and was just there in the background. It was something you could use if you happened to know it existed, which makes sense. Why won't the company put their energy into pushing the paid plans that benefit them?
That said, you weren’t missing out on much. It only gave access to select shows, and you still had to upgrade to the Fan plan to unlock a larger library and get new episodes faster. You'll find yourself scrolling through tons of content with no filter to fish out unpaid options. Pro tip: if you see a golden crown next to a show, you can't watch it. Go premium.
To Your Eternity, Mars Red, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Spy X Family are among the remaining free titles. Watch them on the Android and iOS mobile app or the official website.
Crunchyroll has affordable, yet arguably worthy plans
Crunchyroll currently offers three paid subscription plans: Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan. They cost $8, $12 and $16 monthly. Fan is the basic option that removes ads, unlocks the full anime library, and lets you watch new episodes soon after they air in Japan. It also gives you a small discount at the Crunchyroll Store.
The Mega Fan plan adds the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously, download episodes in HD for offline viewing, and access the Crunchyroll Game Vault. The store discount is larger, and you get member-only deals with early access to sales.
The Ultimate Fan plan increases the device limit to six, includes the full Manga library, unlocks offline viewing, expands store benefits, and gives subscribers an annual exclusive swag bag along with special access at events. The manga library is a separate subscription with its own pricing, but it bundles anime benefits too.
Ad removal is the best justification for upping your subscription. Crunchyroll does have annoying commercials that appear pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll. Sometimes, you'll see three ads consecutively, reaching up to 15 seconds each. Beyond that, many fans on online forums admit the platform has lost its appeal.
