Crunchyroll Guide 2025: Free Trial, Premium Pricing & How to Watch

What if you’re in search for the best anime streaming apps of 2025, then you are certainly at the right spot. After hours of testing Crunchyroll and investigating its functionality, subscription differences and the best methods to gain access without breaking the bank. Allow me to run down everything you need to know so you can squeeze as much value out of Crunchyroll this year.

Summary: Does Crunchyroll Offer Free Trials in 2025?

Yes, Crunchyroll has a 7-day free trial for all three of its subscription plans. Better yet, it’s partnered with Best Buy and Walmart+ to offer 30-day trials anytime through the end of 2025.

What is Crunchyroll? The Ultimate Anime Destination

Crunchyroll isn’t your ordinary streaming service, it’s the largest global anime platform in terms of subscribers, featuring some 17 million viewers across 200 countries. As a tester of several anime services, I’ve come to this conclusion: Crunchyroll is the platform that sets itself apart due to one important factor — simulcast episodes.

What does that mean for you? When do new anime episodes air on Crunchyroll in comparison to their Japanese broadcast? And while Netflix may make you wait months before a season is complete, Crunchyroll allows you stay current with Solo Leveling, Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece in almost real time as they air in Japan.

The platform features over 1,000 anime titles across every genre you can think of, offering everything from classic series like Naruto and Attack on Titan to newer hits such as Chainsaw Man and SPY x FAMILY. If you like shounen action, slice-of-life romance, or psychological thrillers, Crunchyroll has something for everyone.

Crunchyroll Premium Plans & Pricing: What Do You Get & What’s Included?

I’m going to work through the Crunchyroll subscription levels for you so you can decide which one is best suited for your viewing patterns:

*Major Update: Ad-supported streaming will be available through December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026 you will need a paid subscription to Crunchyroll.com to watch it.

Which Plan Should You Choose?

And here’s what I would honestly recommend, based on my experience:

Opt for Fan ($7.99/month) if you only are watching and don’t mind streaming. You’ll have ad-free viewing and access to the entire catalog, great for most anime fans.

Opt for Mega Fan ($9.99/month) if you want offline downloads for commutes or trips away from home, or if you’re sharing with your family (up to 4 simultaneous streams). The addition of the Crunchyroll Game Vault with exclusive mobile games is an added bonus.

Opt for the Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month) if you’re sharing with roommates or family members (up to 6 streams), like to save as much as possible when purchasing anime, or consider yourself a hardcore anime collector.

Money-Saving Tip

Annual subscriptions offer significant savings. Fan plan is $64.99/year (saving you a total of $31.89) and Mega Fan is $79.99/year (a saving of $39.89 compared to monthly billing).

How to Get Crunchyroll for Free (100% Legal)

Method 1: Standard 7-Day Free Trial

Here’s how to get your hands on the standard trial in under 3 minutes:

1. Visit Official Crunchyroll premium page
2. Choose your level (Fan, Mega Fan, Ultimate Fan)
3. Click “Start 7-Day Free Trial”
4. Sign Up with Email and Password
5. Submit billing information (you won’t be charged during the free trial)
6. Start streaming immediately

Pro Tip: Mark your calendar for day 6 of that free trial. This allows you time to cancel, if you’re not pleased, and avoid automatic renewal.

Method 2: Best Buy Extended 30-Day Trial

This deal is valid up until October 25, 2025 and lets you try out the service for four times as long:

Eligibility Requirements:

• New Crunchyroll users or returning users who haven’t been premium in at least 5 years
• Must be a My Best Buy member OR pay for qualifying purchases

Best Buy emails this unique redemption code to you, which you will then activate at crunchyroll.com. One major advantage? You are receiving the Fan plan for 30 days, instead of the regular 7.

Method 3: Walmart+ Members Score 30 Days + $5 Cash Back

Now through February 2, 2026, Walmart+ members can snag an extended trial with a catch:

• 30 Day Free Trial: Crunchyroll Fan plan
• Get $5 bucks back from Walmart
• Redeem by February 16, 2026

With this, you’re basically getting a month free PLUS $5 in your pocket — the best offer for 2025 that I’ve come across.

Method 4: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks (Temporary)

Although the 60-day Xbox promotion lasted until August 2025, it isn’t unusual for Microsoft to recycle Crunchyroll deals within their Perks Gallery. If you’re a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, keep an eye on your perks for future promotions.

Crunchyroll Guest Passes & Promo Codes: What Actually Works in 2025

First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way: Crunchyroll guest passes are no more. The platform disabled this function, so anyone claiming to provide “free guest pass codes” is either behind the times or a scam.

Legit Store Promo Codes

But promo codes DO apply to Crunchyroll Store products. These are based on checking valid codes in December 2025:

This codes can be used for the purchase of anime-related products such as merchandise, figures and some other collectibles— NOT subscription fee. Redeem at checkout in the “Discount Code” field prior to checking out.

Premium Member Discounts

Store discounts given according to subscription level automatically:

Ultimate Fan members also get limited edition swag bags and early access to limited-edition merchandise.

Device Compatibility: Watch Anywhere, Anytime

I can attest to that personally since I’ve tested Crunchyroll on several devices, and the range of compatibility is downright impressive. Here’s the complete breakdown:

Gaming Consoles

Smart TVs & Streaming Devices

Mobile Devices & Browsers

How to Activate Crunchyroll on PS5, Xbox and Smart TVs

The way of activation is the same for all devices:

1. Download the Crunchyroll app from the store that corresponds to your device
2. Launch the app and choose “Log In”
3. Select “Log In with Activation Code”
4. You see a 6-character code on your screen
5. On your smartphone or computer, go to crunchyroll.com/activate
6. Enter the activation code
7. Your device should automatically refresh and log you in

Troubleshooting: If activation is not successful, the code expired (they time out after 10 minutes). Just ask your device for a new code and try again.

Crunchyroll vs The Competition: Is It Worth Your Money?

Let’s cut to the chase—I’ve tried most of anime platforms, and here’s how Crunchyroll compares:

What Makes Crunchyroll Different

Simulcast speed is unmatched. The most recent episode of Demon Slayer, when I watched it, was up on Crunchyroll 90 minutes after it aired in Japan. Netflix? I would have had to wait 3-6 months for the entire season.

The catalog depth matters too. If Netflix is the proverbial pick-and-choose candy store, where it raids all of the popular titles, Crunchyroll gives you everything from mainstream hits to obscure gems nobody else has.

What You Get with Crunchyroll Premium (A Features Breakdown)

Ad-Free Streaming

For any premium tier, commercials are a moot point. From my testing, the free tier would run ads every 7-10 minutes (which is highly disruptive during climatic scenes).

Simulcast Access

New episodes are available 1 hour after Japanese broadcast. Trending series such as One Piece, My Hero Academia and Spy x Family are available to stream the same day.

HD & 4K Quality

All your favorite shows are available in up to 1080p on all devices. Some titles feature 4K resolution on compatible devices.

Offline Downloads (Mega Fan & Ultimate Fan Only)

Download episodes to your mobile device and watch offline. Downloads are subject to expiration if you do not watch the downloads within 7 days, or begin watching a download and then stop playing it in 48 hours.

Crunchyroll Game Vault

Elite Mega Fan & Elite Ultimate Fan subscribers enjoy free access to exclusive mobile games featuring hit anime titles and popular characters. If you’re into anime-themed gaming, you might also check out games like Anime Auto Chess or explore our Anime Celestial X codes guide.

Multiple Language Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

After comprehensive testing on various platforms, Crunchyroll is still the king of streaming in 2025. The 7-day free trial (or even the extended 30-day promotions) provides an opportunity to take a look for yourself. Simulcast episodes, huge catalog depth, and availability on many devices set the fan plan at $7.99/month apart for die-hard anime fans.

Start your free trial today at crunchyroll.com and find out why over 17 million fans use Crunchyroll as their online streaming service for anime.

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