Crunchyroll Becomes the Latest Streaming Service to Raise Prices

Anime enthusiasts who didn’t capitalize on Crunchyroll’s recent holiday discounts are facing a steeper entry price. The streaming giant has officially implemented a rate hike across its membership tiers. Effective immediately, the monthly cost for Fan, Mega, and Ultimate subscriptions has increased by $2. The Fan tier has moved from $7.99 to $9.99, the Mega tier from $11.99 to $13.99, and the Ultimate tier from $15.99 to $17.99. These revised prices will appear on billing statements starting after March 4.

To help mitigate the increase, the platform is offering a limited-time promotional rate for the Fan Annual Plan at $66.99 per year, which breaks down to approximately $5.58 per month. This adjustment represents the first price hike for the entry-level Fan tier in the U.S. since 2019, following more recent changes to the Mega and Ultimate plans in May 2024.

The standard Fan tier provides essential features such as offline viewing on a single device and a 5% discount on select merchandise in the Crunchyroll Store. Upgrading to the Mega Fan tier expands these benefits to include four simultaneous streams, high-definition offline downloads, and full access to the Crunchyroll Game Vault. It also offers enhanced shopping perks, including a 10% store discount and free shipping on domestic orders over $50.

For the most dedicated fans, the Ultimate tier includes streaming on up to six devices, a deep catalog of digital manga for users in the U.S. and Canada, and the highest store discount at 15%. Additionally, long-term Ultimate subscribers are eligible for an exclusive “swag bag” after twelve months of continuous membership.

While some viewers remain frustrated by the occasional removal of titles without prior notice, the service has matured significantly since its 2008 launch. The platform has broadened its reach—even offering in-flight streaming on commercial carriers—and introduced modern quality-of-life features like credit-skipping and individual user profiles to better manage shared accounts.

Source: Polygon