Crunchyroll is lifting subscription prices for U.S. customers across every plan, tightening the screws on anime fans who have watched streaming costs climb across the industry. The Fan plan moves from $7.99 to $9.99 a month, Mega Fan shifts from $11.99 to $13.99, and Ultimate Fan rises from $15.99 to $17.99, with the new rates taking effect on upcoming billing cycles.
The company frames the increase as fuel for continued investment in content, features, and member perks. It’s the first price jump for the entry-level Fan tier since 2019 and arrives alongside tangible upgrades, including offline downloads for Fan, expanded device support, new profile controls, and deeper ties to Crunchyroll’s Game Vault and digital manga offerings. Crunchyroll also points to a library now topping 50,000 episodes as part of the value equation.
What Changes for Each Plan and What It Now Includes
The Fan plan’s move to $9.99 represents roughly a 25% increase, but it now includes offline viewing—a feature previously limited to higher tiers. Mega Fan’s jump to $13.99 is about 17%, while Ultimate Fan’s shift to $17.99 is around 13%. In practice, the changes push the entry price for ad-free anime higher while narrowing the gap in functionality between Fan and Mega Fan for solo viewers who care most about downloads.
Crunchyroll says device compatibility will broaden and profile controls will give households more flexibility to manage viewing. The company is also tightening integration across its ecosystem—giving paying members clearer pathways to premium mobile games in Game Vault and curated digital manga—which signals a strategy aimed at engagement, not just more shows.
Why Crunchyroll Is Raising Prices for U.S. Subscribers
Anime licensing and production costs have climbed as global demand has surged. The Association of Japanese Animations has repeatedly reported record highs for the anime market, with overseas streaming singled out as a major growth driver. Securing simulcast rights, dubbed versions, and exclusives requires bigger checks, and the costs of subtitling, dubbing, and distribution scale with an expanding catalog.
Owned by Sony, Crunchyroll consolidated much of Funimation’s library and operations, strengthening its negotiating position but also its responsibilities to keep pace with fans’ expectations. The company has also discontinued its free, ad-supported tier, a clear shift toward a paid-only model that prioritizes average revenue per user over topline audience reach. Market trackers such as Antenna have documented higher churn after price hikes across streaming, but platforms often accept near-term cancellations in exchange for a richer, more predictable paying base.
How the Price Hike Compares to Rival Streamers
Across streaming, price increases have become routine as services chase profitability and invest in original content. Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and others have executed multiple hikes while reshaping bundles and ad tiers to push subscribers up the value ladder. In the anime lane, HIDIVE has competed at a lower monthly price with a smaller slate, while Crunchyroll leans on sheer depth and speed, anchoring its pitch around day-and-date simulcasts and marquee series.
Hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, and Solo Leveling, alongside seasonal simulcasts and deep back catalogs, form the backbone of Crunchyroll’s pitch. Parrot Analytics has consistently ranked anime among the fastest-growing genres in demand share, reflecting the genre’s outsized pull with younger viewers—an audience willing to pay for immediacy, dubs, and extras when the content lands the moment it airs in Japan.
What Subscribers Should Consider Before Prices Rise
Before the new prices hit, it’s worth auditing how you watch. If you primarily stream on one device and want downloads for commute viewing, the upgraded Fan tier may suffice. Households juggling multiple screens or users might still prefer Mega Fan’s broader device and feature set. Gamers and collectors who engage with Game Vault and manga integrations may see more value at higher tiers.
Annual billing typically offers savings versus month-to-month, and adjusting your plan ahead of renewal can prevent surprises. Keep an eye on your watchlist priorities—if you follow current-season simulcasts or specific dubs, Crunchyroll’s cadence still makes it the default destination, even as the monthly cost steps up.
The Bottom Line on Crunchyroll’s New U.S. Prices
Crunchyroll is asking fans to pay more while promising a stronger product: wider device support, new controls, deeper ecosystem perks, and the same aggressive simulcast pipeline. The bet is clear—content and convenience will offset sticker shock. Whether that holds depends on how often subscribers press play, but in a market where anime demand keeps rising, Crunchyroll is positioning itself to charge accordingly.
