How to Watch Crunchyroll for Free Without Ads in 2025 (Legal Methods)

I have some news that’s about to shift that game you’ve been playing on how to watch Crunchyroll without ads. Crunchyroll had for years offered a free, ad-supported tier; it officially shut off that option Dec. 31, 2025. From January 1, 2026 every single episode on their main platform is behind a paywall.

But there’s a catch: Over the past few weeks, I’ve been trying every last legal means to watch Crunchyroll for free rather than coughing up $7.99+ monthly, and there are a few workarounds that surprisingly do work. Allow me to show you what still functions in 2025.

Fast Answer: How to Legally Watch Crunchyroll for Free Without Ads

What Happened to Crunchyroll’s Free Tier?

As we tested it throughout late 2025, Crunchyroll continued a push toward less and less free content. And then there was the big reveal: ad-supported streaming discontinued Dec. 31, 2025.

All those hits — Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, Blue Lock, Bocchi the Rock — that once could be watched ad-supported? Now the comments are locked behind a paywall. No exceptions.

I’ll be honest: this stung. This free tier was Crunchyroll’s gateway drug for anime fans for years. It wasn’t ideal (you’d be forced to sit through 4-6 ads per episode), but it was legal and available.

The Only Legal Free Methods That Still Work

1. Crunchyroll’s Official YouTube Channel (My Number 1 Spot for Free Content)

Here’s the thing that not a lot of people know: Crunchyroll has an official YouTube channel and they upload some select anime episodes for free in full. No subscription required.

What you get:

• Full episodes of select series
• Highlights and compilations
• English dubs and subs
• Free, ad-free (or just skippable YouTube advertisements)

The catch: It’s a far more limited library than what you’ll find on the main platform. You won’t find every show here, and shows come and go constantly.

My experience: I used this mostly for classic series (Mob Psycho 100 and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K). The selection changes each month, but it’s good quality (and totally legal).

2. Pluto TV, Roku Channel and Sling TV (24/7 Anime Channels)

Another big story: Crunchyroll introduced free streaming channels on Pluto TV, Roku, Vizio, LG and Sling TV. They just play anime back-to-back, in linear format (just like old-school cable TV).

What you get:

• Curated anime programming
• No subscription required
• On smart TVs and streaming devices

The limitations:

• You can’t choose specific episodes
• It’s a live channel format (no on-demand)
• Ad breaks persist, if at a reduced pace from the old free tier

Best for: Mindless viewing or random show discovery. I tried it on a Roku, and it’s good fun for casual viewing when you don’t necessarily know what to watch.

3. 7-Day Free Trial (Single Use Gateway)

All new accounts receive 7 days of free premium! This grants you access to the entire library, free of ads and in HD.

How to maximize it:

• Register over a long weekend or vacation
• Binge your target series strategically
• Must cancel before 7th day if you do not want to continue

Pro tip: Schedule an alert on your calendar on day 6 to prevent being charged renewal rates. I’ve employed this strategy with season premieres where I wanted to blast through several shows in a short amount of time.

Key point: This is only good for one use per email address. Some users simply use multiple accounts, but that’s against Crunchyroll’s Terms of Service.

4. Guest Pass System (The Gem Underneath)

Premium Crunchyroll subscribers receive monthly Guest Pass codes that grant 48 hours of full access to anyone they share them with.

How it works:

• You get codes in your account if you are a premium subscriber
• They pass these along to friends (or on Reddit’s r/Crunchyroll)
• You enter the code and activate 48 hours of premium access

Where to find Guest Passes:

• Ask friends with premium subscriptions
• Make sure to subscribe and check out r/Crunchyroll on Thursdays (codes usually come out)
• Join anime Discord communities

My results: I found three Guest Passes over two months by checking Reddit. You have to be fast — codes are claimed in minutes. But when it’s available, you have full library access first hand and for free.

Limit: 10 Guest Passes per account in a 6 month period, so you can’t chain these forever.

What About Ad Blockers? (The Gray Area)

Now let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. Many guides suggest using browser extensions such as AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin and Poper Blocker to block ads on Crunchyroll.

The truth: These do technically function, but they fall into a legal gray area. Ad blockers go against Crunchyroll’s Terms of Service so there is a chance your account could get suspended.

Why I don’t suggest it for “legal” use:

• Crunchyroll is already actively checking for and blocking certain ad-blocking extensions
• You’re getting paid content for free
• It also chips away at the platform’s revenue model

If you’re committed to 100 percent legal listening (the topic of this guide), ad blockers don’t cut it. They are an end run, not a proper solution.

The Premium Subscription Breakdown: Is Paying Worth It?

Now that I no longer have free options, by all means let’s discuss whether or not Crunchyroll Premium is worth it in 2025.

Current Crunchyroll Pricing (USA)

What You’re Actually Paying For

From my own premium 6-month-run let’s value-recap below:

Simulcasts: New episodes will be available on Funimation 1 hour after Japan broadcast. Even if you simply follow seasonal anime, this alone would make it worth the price.

Ad removal: You will save roughly 6-8 minutes per episode. Nearly a month of daily viewing, that’s hours of your life returned to you.

HD streaming: 1080p all the time with premium. So there is a difference on larger screens.

My ruling: If you watch more than 10 hours of anime each month, Fan tier ($7.99) pays for itself in convenience and by the hour saved.

For a complete breakdown of all features and how to maximize your subscription, our Crunchyroll guide covers everything you need to know.

Legal Alternatives to Crunchyroll Entirely

If you’re looking to spend less and are okay with more free options, try these legal anime streaming alternatives:

These will not replace Crunchyroll’s library, but they significantly expand your legal free options.

The Bottom Line: The Best Strategy in 2025?

So after trying all of them, here’s what I recommend:

For anime fans on a budget: Crunchyroll YouTube channel + Tubi TV + Pluto TV. You will be able to legally access hundreds of shows, without paying a penny.

For occasional viewers: Take advantage of the seven-day trials during season premieres, then move on to free alternatives while waiting for another trial.

For hardcore fans: Bite the bullet and get the Fan tier ($7.99). Full library access and convenience are worth it if you watch regularly.

Strategic viewers: Look for Guest Passes on Reddit, use free alternatives. You will receive occasional premium access with absolutely no long-term commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts: Late 2025 was a time that saw the anime streaming landscape change drastically. Crunchyroll’s free tier is no more, but there are still plenty of legal free anime resources if you know where to look. The formula is using several free sources wisely, as opposed to making a single platform the main site.

From my own testing, this competitor approach actually increased my anime discovery—I discovered hidden shows on Tubi that never made its way through Crunchyroll’s algorithm. Sometimes being limited compels us to look elsewhere, and that often isn’t so bad.