Anime has never been more popular or more accessible, with many great streaming services making it super simple for anime fans to access their favorite shows like One Piece and Cowboy Bebop.
However, with so many streaming services out there, finding the best service for anime can feel like a challenge. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best streaming services for watching anime content.
Top 5 Best Streaming Services for Watching Anime
1. Crunchyroll
When it comes to anime streaming services, Crunchyroll is often listed as one of the major players in the game. This service, which started in 2006, is one of the few streaming platforms 100% dedicated to anime.
The service markets itself as “the world’s largest anime library” and offers more than 40,000 episodes of anime, with more than 16,000 hours of content for fans to consume. This includes leading shows like Attack on Titan and One Piece.
One of the best things about Crunchyroll is that it’s always being updated, with more and more episodes added all the time. In fact, episodes arrive on Crunchyroll usually the same day they air for the first time on Japanese TV, so this is a top service to choose if you want to keep up with the latest releases.
The variety of this platform is another big selling point. From high school drama anime to sci-fi and fantasy classics, there’s something for everyone. It’s also a good site for anime purists, as you can watch any show with the original Japanese voices.
Crunchyroll Pricing
There are several different pricing plans available with Crunchyroll, but you can choose to watch for free, if you like. The free membership only offers SD streaming and is ad-supported, so you may wish to subscribe to a payment plan for better quality and no ads, with prices starting at $7.99 a month.
2. Hulu
If you’re looking for more of an all-round streaming service with a wide range of content and a dedicated anime section, Hulu might be the choice for you.
This super popular streaming service has an extensive anime library. It includes over 300 titles, with classic hits like Naruto Next Generations, My Hero Academia, Tokyo Ghoul and Bleach.
Hulu is also updated on a regular basis to include all of the newest releases, straight from Japan. So fans won’t have to worry about lagging behind in their favorite shows or waiting for days and weeks for new episodes to arrive on the service.
Hulu also has some great anime films, including the classic Pokemon movies of the past and Akira.
What’s more, the service recently announced a partnership with Crunchyroll to carry some of their titles, expanding the anime offering even further with the likes of Assassination Classroom.
Hulu Pricing
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Hulu has quite a wide range of pricing plans and is known as one of the cheaper streaming services out there, with prices starting from just $6.99 a month. This plan comes with ads, but you can pay a little extra ($12.99 per month) to get ad-free anime and other content. There’s also Hulu + Live TV, which is much more expensive at $69.99 per month, but gives you access to live broadcasts and channels.
3. Netflix
Netflix is one of the biggest and most popular streaming services of them all, well-known for its gigantic content library. That library includes a good selection of anime content, including both series and films.
This streaming service is home to some of the biggest anime shows of all time, like Hunter x Hunter, Neon Genesis: Evangelion, Demon Slayer, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Cowboy Bebop.
There’s also plenty of new, original anime content arriving on Netflix on a regular basis, including Castlevania, Cannon Busters and Yasuke.
You may not find all of the most obscure or less-known titles on Netflix, but it’s a good place to go for the big names, like Naruto. Plus, there’s tons of other content to enjoy and you can watch on up to four different devices at the same time.
Netflix Pricing
Netflix offers three different pricing plans – Basic, Standard, and Premium – with prices starting at just $9.99 per month. If you want multiple simultaneous streams and the best quality content, you’ll need to pay extra for the Premium plan.
4. Hidive
Hidive is one of the more hardcore anime streaming services out there. It’s very affordable, making it a great choice for streamers on a budget, but it does have a few downsides to take into consideration.
First, let’s look at the positives: Hidive runs on many devices, including phones, media streaming boxes, and video game consoles. It also has a massive, varied range of anime content for serious fans to savor.
You can watch some very obscure and quite unknown anime series on this service, from romance shows like Bloom Into You and Domestic Girlfriend to comedy, drama and fantasy titles too. There are also some classic movies and live-action dramas on the service, as well.
If you’re more of a casual anime fan, you won’t find the usual names like Naruto and Attack on Titan here. This service is much more oriented towards a niche crowd of hardcore fans, with around 500 shows and movies at the latest count.
The interface is a little outdated and the selection may not appeal to mainstream anime fans, but there’s still a lot to like about Hidive.
Hidive Pricing
One of the best things about Hidive is its price. It’s one of the most affordable anime streaming services out there, costing just $4.99 per month. That’s the only plan available, so you don’t need to worry about different tiers or ads when using this service.
5. RetroCrush
Looking for a free anime streaming service? RetroCrush has got you covered, and this is one of the only completely free anime streaming platforms available right now, although there is an ad-free upgraded available for a small monthly fee.
Since it’s free, RetroCrush does have a few downsides. It has quite a small library and lacks new releases and other features that some of the bigger platforms boast about. However, it does still have a lot going for it.
This service is filled with retro anime shows and movies. You can watch classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, including mystery, action, drama, romance, comedy, and other shows. Example titles include Ryoko’s Case File, Colour Cloud Palace, Saiyuki Reload and Karate Master.
There are also plenty of films on Retro Crush, and the service has a simple, easy-to-navigate interface. The platform runs in your browser or on your phone or media streaming device, too.
RetroCrush Pricing
You can watch anime for free on RetroCrush, although you’ll have to cope with the ads in between episodes. For a premium, ad-free experience, you’ll need to pay a monthly fee of $4.99
