How to Get CrunchyRoll Premium

Are you a fan of anime but want to watch it for free on Crunchyroll? Sorry, it’s not worth trying it out without a premium subscription anymore.

With over 100 million registered users worldwide, and more than 10 million paying subscribers, Crunchyroll is one of the leading movie streaming platforms. The platform boasts over 1,000 anime shows and over 200 East Asian dramas.

Crunchyroll has pretty much bought most of its competitors out of the market – so if you are a fan of anime but not a fan of the platform, you may want to start reconsidering your options now. However, the premium subscription isn’t that costly, and it’s likely worth it if you’re an ardent anime fan. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Get Crunchyroll Premium

The easiest way to get a Premium is to start from the website’s official page and follow the provided instructions. Here’s the gist:

1. Visit Crunchyroll’s official website here.
   
2. Create a Crunchyroll account.
   
3. Look for the “Premium” or “Upgrade” tab on the Crunchyroll website. Usually, it is located in the top navigation menu or in the user account settings.
   
4. Input your payment details.
   
5. Select the package that best suits your need.
   
6. Enjoy unlimited access.

Crunchyroll offers a 14-day Premium trial. However, it still asks for your payment information and will charge you immediately upon the trial expiring. If you don’t want to commit to a plan, you’ll need to cancel at least on the 14th day of the trial. In that case, your account won’t get charged. If you encounter issues, refer to Crunchyroll’s FAQ or support team.

Why You Need a Premium Subscription

Crunchyroll’s platform can be accessed without a premium subscription or any commitment at all. This gives you a chance to determine if the platform is for you before making any commitment.

However, without a subscription, you will only be able to access a very small percentage of the wide array of interesting movies on the platform. Additionally, the video quality is nothing to write home about, capping at 480p. You will also not be able to access the latest episodes of most of the series, so you may be restricted to some old anime series.

Here’s a breakdown of what Crunchyroll free vs. premium subscriptions.

Benefits of the Free Tier

With the free package that Crunchyroll offers, you can access the platform and watch a couple of anime series. The free tier gives you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the platform and see if it’s a place you would want to pay to access more of it.

While the free tier usually doesn’t provide full access to currently running shows, Crunchyroll occasionally makes completed shows free to watch. It also frequently makes previous seasons available to free users to hook them into buying a premium subscription.

Crunchyroll also offers a free preview of the season’s most popular shows, allowing you to watch the first few episodes without committing to a paid plan.

Limitations of the Free Tier

With the free tier, you are only allowed to access a limited selection of Crunchyroll’s vast library of titles.

What can be sweeter than turning out the lights, having your headphones on and loud, and then putting on your favorite anime series in its highest resolution? That immersive feeling can be compared to none, but sorry to burst your bubble – maybe you could have that experience somewhere else, but not with the free version of Crunchyroll. The free version offers only a maximum resolution of 480p. While this is not terrible, it’s not a great viewing experience on a large monitor, and can be tiring on the eyes.

With Crunchyroll’s free tier, you will not be able to access new updates to existing series fast enough. So, the discussions would have started around the new updates while you continue to wait for them to be accessible. That does not sound too good.

Benefits of Upgrading to a Premium Account

• Unlimited access: With a premium account, you can access the entirety of Crunchyroll’s title library. It does not matter which of the premium packages you choose.
• Immediate updates: Premium account owners can get access to new episodes of their favorite anime shows one hour after the episode premieres in Japan.
• Ad-free: You can watch your favorite series without being redirected or interrupted by ads.
• High-resolution support: Premium accounts boost the resolution to up to 1,080p (or higher depending on the source material).

Crunchyroll Premium Packages

Crunchyroll offers two premium tiers: The Fan tier, and the Mega Fan tier. Compared to other streaming services, Crunchyroll seems quite cheap, with the lowest tier costing $7.99 every month. The Mega Fan tier costs $9.99 monthly or $99.99 for a yearly subscription.

The Mega Fan tier allows you to download shows directly from Crunchyroll and watch them offline later. Additionally, it allows you to stream from four devices concurrently. It also provides periodic discounts on the website’s merch and physical releases store.

How to Get a Discount on Crunchyroll

For now, the only way to pay less for Crunchyroll is by subscribing to the annual Mega Fan package, which essentially gives you two months of the year for free. However, if you don’t need the perks of the Mega package, then it is better to just stick to the Fan plan.

If you want to buy a lot of merch or physical content releases, the annual Mega Fan package is the best choice. It costs only about $4 more per year (compared to recurring monthly subscriptions of the Fan tier), but the advanced plan provides up to $60 in merch discounts per year.

How to Access Crunchyroll Premium for Free

The only legal way to access Crunchyroll premium packages for free is by using the 14-day free trial period. In order to use the trial, though, you will have to input your payment details. So be careful to cancel the subscription before the 14-day period elapses if you do not want your account to be automatically charged.

Xbox and Crunchyroll also occasionally team up for Anime Month to give Xbox players perks. Users who have the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can receive up to 75 days of free Crunchyroll Mega Fan access. The currently-running campaign is eligible only to Crunchyroll users who haven’t had a premium subscription in the previous year. Check your Xbox Game Pass details for the promotion application and eligibility. The trial is running from July through October, but Xbox and Crunchyroll have offered similar promotions in the past so it’s likely to return again.

You might come across online methods that promise free premium accounts or offer other deals. Do not take those, as you might be surrendering your payment information and will likely get scammed out of your money.

Access the World’s Best Anime

Crunchyroll is the world’s current resort for anime lovers. It is relatively cheap, easy to use, and has a very wide and interesting library of anime. You can also get a free trial and an extended premium if you already have the Xbox Game Pass.

Do you think that Crunchyroll Premium is worth it? What tier are you considering? Write your thoughts in the comment section below.