Why people are leaving Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll’s sleeper-hit pipeline is healthy, but the experience around it is fraying. The Mega Fan tier sits at $11.99/month, the platform still pushes ads at free-tier users on simulcast episodes, and the consolidated post-Funimation catalog has gaps where licensed shows quietly disappeared. Region-locking remains aggressive: titles available to US viewers regularly miss UK or EU simulcasts.
If any of that pushed you to look elsewhere, here are seven Crunchyroll alternatives that work on Windows, macOS, and Linux in 2026.
Quick comparison
| Service | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiDive | dub fans, older catalog | Trial | $9.99 | Older licensed catalog |
| Netflix | breadth across genres | No | $7.99 ad tier | Original anime productions |
| Hulu | US anime + general TV | Ad tier | $9.99 | Day-after simulcast |
| Tubi | free legal anime | Ad-supported | Free | No subscription |
| RetroCrush | classic anime | Yes | Free | 1970s-90s catalog |
| Amazon Prime Video | bundled with Prime | No | $14.99 Prime | Original picks |
| Plex | your own library | Yes | $4.99 Plex Pass | Self-hosted |
Which one should you pick?
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HiDive if dubs and older catalog titles matter. Sentai Filmworks output lives here.
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Netflix if original productions (Devil May Cry, Pluto, Frieren co-licenses) drive your viewing.
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Hulu if you’re in the US and want anime alongside general TV in one app.
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Tubi if price matters most. Ad-supported but free.
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RetroCrush if classic anime is your taste.
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Amazon Prime Video if you already pay for Prime. The catalog is shallow but the price is bundled.
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Plex if you already own a sizeable library of files and want to stop renting access.
Stay on Crunchyroll if the simulcast titles you actually watch only stream there. That’s a real lock-in: the catalog breadth on current-season anime still exceeds anyone else.
1. HiDive — best for dubs and older catalog
HiDive is Sentai Filmworks’ streaming home. The catalog leans on older licensed titles, dub-first availability, and a small but well-curated current-season simulcast slate. Bunny Drop, Made in Abyss, and other dub-heavy shows live here.
Where it falls short: The catalog is much smaller than Crunchyroll’s. Some seasons of popular shows are missing.
Pricing:
- Free: Limited trial.
- Paid: $9.99/month, $79.99/year.
- vs Crunchyroll: $2/month cheaper for fans whose taste skews older or dub-only.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: No watchlist export. Most ex-Crunchyroll users keep both subscriptions for a season to confirm coverage.
Download: HiDive (web), Windows app via Microsoft Store.
Bottom line: Pick this if you watch dubs more than subs.
2. Netflix — best for original anime productions
Netflix invests heavily in original anime co-productions (Pluto, Devil May Cry, Castlevania: Nocturne, Sakamoto Days). The simulcast game is thinner than Crunchyroll, but exclusivity on originals is the trade.
Where it falls short: Anime is one section of a wider catalog. Not great for season-by-season simulcast watchers.
Pricing:
- Paid: Ad tier at $7.99/month, Standard at $17.99, Premium at $24.99.
- vs Crunchyroll: Higher price for general entertainment + anime sampler.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: Watchlist is per-platform. No data transfer.
Download: Netflix (web), Windows app via Microsoft Store.
Bottom line: Pick this if anime is part of your viewing, not all of it.
3. Hulu — best for US viewers wanting one app
Hulu has the strongest anime simulcast catalog of the general-purpose US streamers thanks to its Disney/Funimation lineage. Day-after simulcasts are common.
Where it falls short: US-only. Outside North America the alternative is Disney+.
Pricing:
- Paid: Ad tier at $9.99/month, no-ads at $18.99.
- vs Crunchyroll: A touch pricier but covers far more than anime.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: Linked to Disney+ accounts. Setup is straightforward for existing Disney customers.
Download: Hulu (web), Windows app via Microsoft Store.
Bottom line: Pick this if you’re in the US and want one general-entertainment subscription.
4. Tubi — best for free legal anime
Tubi runs an ad-supported, fully free catalog including a respectable anime section (My Hero Academia movies, classic Naruto, Tokyo Ghoul, Demon Slayer movies in the US).
Where it falls short: Ads, no simulcasts, no offline downloads. The anime section refreshes seasonally and titles disappear without notice.
Pricing:
- Free: Full access with ads.
- vs Crunchyroll: Free, but catalog gaps and ad load are real.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: Account creation is optional. Watchlist is per-Tubi.
Download: Tubi (web), Windows app via Microsoft Store.
Bottom line: Pick this if you don’t mind ads and want a zero-cost fallback.
5. RetroCrush — best for classic anime
RetroCrush is the classic-anime streamer. Bubblegum Crisis, Project A-ko, Galaxy Express 999, and dozens of other 1970s through 1990s titles live here, mostly with original Japanese audio and subs.
Where it falls short: Free tier is ad-supported. The interface is rough. No new-season anime.
Pricing:
- Free: Ad-supported.
- Paid: Premium at $4.99/month.
- vs Crunchyroll: Niche complement, not a replacement.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: No data link.
Download: RetroCrush (web)
Bottom line: Pick this if your taste leans classic.
6. Amazon Prime Video — best if you already have Prime
Amazon Prime Video carries a rotating anime selection plus a handful of originals (Vinland Saga, Made in Abyss, Hellsing). Worth the catalog audit if Prime is already in your budget.
Where it falls short: Catalog churns. Some titles are pay-extra rentals. The anime hub is buried.
Pricing:
- Paid: Prime at $14.99/month or $139/year, Standalone Prime Video at $8.99.
- vs Crunchyroll: Bundled value if you shop on Amazon; weak as a standalone anime service.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: Different account. No data transfer.
Download: Amazon Prime Video (web)
Bottom line: Pick this if you already pay for Prime.
7. Plex — best for your own library
Plex is the self-hosted media server. The catalog you stream is what you already own (legally), and the streaming experience on desktop, mobile, and TV is among the best engineered on the market.
Where it falls short: You’re responsible for sourcing files. Cloud sync and remote streaming are smoother on Plex Pass.
Pricing:
- Free: Local network streaming.
- Paid: Plex Pass at $4.99/month, $39.99/year, or $119.99 lifetime.
- vs Crunchyroll: Different model. No simulcasts, but no rotation or licensing churn either.
Migrating from Crunchyroll: No data link. Workflow is “source your own files”.
Download: Plex (web), Plex Media Server for Windows/macOS/Linux.
Bottom line: Pick this if you want a library you own to outlast any streaming licensing decision.
FAQ
What is the best free Crunchyroll alternative?
Tubi for active free streaming with ads. RetroCrush for classic anime, also free.
Does HiDive have current-season simulcasts?
Yes, but the catalog is small. Most current-season simulcast watchers keep Crunchyroll and add HiDive for the older titles.
Is Netflix worth it for anime?
If you watch Netflix originals (Pluto, Devil May Cry, Frieren co-licenses) and broader TV, yes. As a dedicated anime service, the simulcast lineup is too thin.
Can I watch Crunchyroll alternatives on Linux?
All seven on this list work in a browser on Linux. Plex has native Linux server and client packages.
Why did Funimation merge with Crunchyroll?
Sony, which owned both, consolidated them in 2024. The Funimation catalog moved to Crunchyroll, which is part of why some viewers report catalog gaps where Funimation-exclusive seasons used to live.
