It was only a matter of time before Crunchyroll joined the price increase trend. After Netflix, Disney Plus, and Prime Video all decided to adjust their pricing plans last year, anime fans worldwide wholeheartedly believed Crunchyroll wouldn’t follow suit. After all, anime was considered a niche interest for the longest time, but times are changing and demand is larger than ever.
Moreover, Crunchyroll holds a monopoly on anime, with few competitors in the same genre. In 2022, the streaming giant acquired Funimation, VRV, and Wakanim, all serving as subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming services. These services were the primary distributors of anime in the West, however, Wakanim and VRV merged with Crunchyroll in 2023, and Funimation is set to follow suit in 2025.
As Crunchyroll announced its merger with Funimation, the streaming mogul also unveiled a completely new pricing structure, and we’re going to break it down for you.
How much is the Crunchyroll subscription?
Crunchyroll recently announced that the yearly subscription will increase to $99.99 a year. Previously, users paid $54.95 per year for the premium membership, however, starting January 28, 2025, the price will undergo an 81% increase. This means that throughout 2024, you can still enjoy the lower subscription price, all while knowing that this momentum will inevitably end.
Naturally, you can cancel your subscription before your next billing cycle commences if you don’t want to pay $100 for the platform. However, keep in mind that the price isn’t too far off from other streaming platforms. Take Netflix, for instance — its standard plan, with ads, amounts to $6.99 a month, leading to $83.88 a year.
While the price is lower than Crunchyroll’s, the anime distributor does not force its users to watch any ads. In fact, at this moment, you can even watch seasonal samplers comprised of three episodes for free on Crunchyroll — part of the free tier plan. Additionally, there’s a 14-day trial period for Crunchyroll, allowing you to decide whether or not the $100 subscription is worth it. Plus, you can get over 1300 anime on Crunchyroll — which is something you cannot get anywhere else. Win some, lose money.