Crunchyroll ends its free streaming plan
Anime-streaming giant Crunchyroll is officially axing its free, ad-supported tier, and the announcement arrived in what might be the most unceremonious way possible: an in-player pop-up notifying users that the limited plan will disappear on December 31, 2025.
Starting Jan. 1, anyone who wants to watch anything on Crunchyroll will need a paid subscription. For many fans, the loss may feel more symbolic than practical as the company has been quietly hollowing out the free tier for years. The free tier once offered broad access to Crunchyroll's catalog, but eventually shrank to include a tiny handful of episodes from select shows. The biggest blow came in 2022, when Crunchyroll removed free access to simulcasts.
For now, Crunchyroll’s pricing remains untouched:
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Fan – $7.99/month
Mega Fan – $11.99/month
Ultimate Fan – $15.99/month
Mashable reached out to Crunchyroll to inquire about potential future plan changes, but the company did not respond before publication.
The move comes amid a larger shift in the streaming industry. Just last year, Crunchyroll increased its Mega and Ultimate tiers by $1–$2 per month, and across the entertainment landscape, free tiers are disappearing while prices are steadily drifting upward.
Topics Streaming
Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and Mother Jones.
In his free time, he cooks, loves to sleep, and greatly enjoys Detroit sports. If you have any tips or want to talk shop about the Lions, you can reach out to him on Bluesky @offbrandchance.bsky.social or by email at [email protected].
