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Anime Streaming service Crunchyroll, which offers shows like My Hero Academia and One Piece, announced Tuesday that it will shut down the ad-supported tier on December 31. Viewers will now have to pay for a subscription if they want to continue streaming the shows.
For many years, Crunchyroll has offered a rotating catalog of episodes, mostly old seasons and select shows, available for free with ads. But recent messages within the service alerted viewers that “ad-supported streaming will end on December 31, 2025.” After that date, anyone who wants to access the service will need a paid plan.
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Current subscription levels remain unchanged. The entry-level Fan plan starts at $8 per month, while the Mega Fan ($12) and Ultimate Fan ($16) options add perks like HD streaming, offline downloads, and multi-device support.
Crunchyroll’s free option has already been shrinking. The simulcast and new episodes were removed from the free library early in 2022, leaving only a handful of titles remaining, leaving some viewers unhappy. For many casual viewers or newcomers, losing the free viewing tier removes the low-barrier entry point that helped introduce them to anime.
If you still want to watch anime without paying, several other services continue to offer free ad-supported streaming:
- tubes: A huge collection of classic and older anime series and movies, all free with ads.
- Pluto TV: Multiple anime channels running 24/7 as well as some on-demand titles.
- com. RetroCrush: Specializing in classic and vintage animation. Free with ads.
- YouTube: Some studios (such as Toei Animation and the Official Gundam Channel) release episodes and entire series legally.
The selection varies, and none of them offer the same range of simulcasts and new releases that Crunchyroll does, but for viewers who aren’t ready to subscribe, these platforms still offer ways to watch anime for free.