Original draft’s last-verified label: 2026-09-17. Claims have not been reverified for this edition. Country, plan, dates, and [VERIFY] flags below belong to the original research; they do not establish current availability. References to unbuilt tools are omitted in this reader edition.
If you want the most anime in one place in the US, Crunchyroll is still the answer: it has the biggest catalog and carries most new seasonal shows as simulcasts. Netflix is the second must-have for its exclusive originals and wide dubbing, and HIDIVE is a cheaper add-on for a smaller set of shows you cannot get elsewhere. The biggest 2026 changes: Crunchyroll's free, ad-supported tier ended on December 31, 2025, and Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and Netflix all raised US prices this year. Legal free anime now comes mostly from ad-supported services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and RetroCrush.
Prices below are in USD as of September 2026.
Quick comparison
| Service | Best for | Simulcasts | Dubs | Lowest US price (Sept 2026) | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crunchyroll | Largest catalog, most seasonal anime | Yes, most new shows | Many, often weeks after sub | Fan: $9.99/mo | No on-demand free tier (ended Dec 31, 2025); free FAST channels |
| Netflix | Exclusive originals, multi-language dubs | Selected titles, some weekly | Extensive on originals | Standard with ads: $8.99/mo | No |
| HIDIVE | Sentai-licensed exclusives, niche titles | Yes, smaller slate | Some ("Dubcasts") | $7.99/mo | No [VERIFY trial] |
| Hulu (in Disney+ app) / Disney+ | A few big Disney-licensed series | Few in 2026 [VERIFY] | Some | Disney+, Hulu Bundle (with ads): $12.99/mo | No |
| Prime Video | Scattered exclusives; Crunchyroll add-on channel | Few | Some | Included with Prime (ads); add-on channels extra | No |
| HBO Max / Adult Swim | Toonami, Adult Swim originals | Few | Yes | Basic with Ads: $10.99/mo | No |
| Tubi, Pluto TV, RetroCrush | Older series and classics | No | Some | Free with ads | Yes |
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll, owned by Sony, absorbed Funimation's library (the content consolidation began in March 2022, and the separate Funimation app later shut down) and is now the default home for seasonal anime in the US. Crunchyroll reported 21 million paid subscribers worldwide as of May 2026 (Wikipedia summary of company announcements) [VERIFY against Crunchyroll newsroom]. Most new TV anime each season streams on Crunchyroll within hours of its Japanese broadcast, with English subtitles, and many popular shows get English dubs a few weeks later.
Catalog strengths: long-running shonen hits, a deep back catalog from the Funimation merger, and most of the seasonal lineup. Titles change as licenses expire, so verify any specific show before subscribing.
Plans: Crunchyroll has three tiers: Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan. The tiers differ mainly in simultaneous streams, offline viewing, and extras such as the Crunchyroll Game Vault. Crunchyroll raised prices on all US tiers on February 2, 2026: Fan went from $7.99 to $9.99 a month, Mega Fan from $11.99 to $13.99, and Ultimate Fan from $15.99 to $17.99 (Cord Cutters News; Anime News Network). Annual plans lower the effective monthly cost [VERIFY annual prices on the official plans page]. Crunchyroll also announced that its online store would require Mega Fan or higher for member perks starting in summer 2026 [VERIFY details].
Free tier: Gone. Crunchyroll ended its free, ad-supported on-demand tier on December 31, 2025 (Yahoo Entertainment; AnimeMojo). Older Crunchyroll shows still air on free, linear Crunchyroll channels on services such as The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Samsung TV Plus, but those do not carry new simulcasts. Check the official site for any current free trial [VERIFY].
Other ways to get it: Crunchyroll has been sold as an add-on channel through Prime Video Channels in the US since 2024 [VERIFY current listing], which is handy if you want billing in one place.
Netflix
Netflix does not try to match Crunchyroll's volume. Instead it spends on exclusives and pushes them worldwide with dubs in many languages. That makes Netflix the easiest place to start for people who prefer dubs.
Notable Netflix anime: Sakamoto Days (Season 2 is set for January 2027, per Netflix), Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Devilman Crybaby, Pluto, Terminator Zero, Baki Hanma, and Record of Ragnarok. Some shows, such as Dan Da Dan, have streamed on both Netflix and Crunchyroll in the US [VERIFY current availability].
Release style: Netflix used to drop full seasons at once, which made it useless for keeping up with Japan. It now streams a handful of shows weekly alongside their Japanese broadcast.
Price: After a March 2026 increase, Netflix costs $8.99 a month for Standard with ads, $19.99 for Standard, and $26.99 for Premium in the US (CBS News; Netflix plans).
HIDIVE
HIDIVE is owned by AMC Global Media (the company formerly called AMC Networks) and draws on the Sentai Filmworks library (AMC Global Media). It is smaller and cheaper than Crunchyroll, and it is worth it when a show you love is exclusive there, such as Oshi no Ko and DanMachi [VERIFY current exclusives].
Simulcasts and dubs: HIDIVE simulcasts a slate of new shows each season and releases some English dubs as "Dubcasts," typically a few weeks after the Japanese broadcast.
Price: HIDIVE raised its US monthly price from $6.99 to $7.99 for new subscribers on July 1, 2026, with existing subscribers moving to the new price on July 31, 2026. It was the second increase in about a year, after a $5.99-to-$6.99 change in July 2025 (FandomWire). HIDIVE's help center still listed $6.99 monthly and $69.99 annually when we checked, so confirm the current annual price at checkout (HIDIVE Help Center) [VERIFY annual price].
Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, and HBO Max
These general services carry anime, but none of them is a full anime service.
Hulu and Disney+
Hulu programming now appears inside the Disney+ app for bundle subscribers, though the standalone Hulu app still exists (Variety). Disney has licensed some major series, including Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War [VERIFY current availability], but it appears to have pulled back from new seasonal simulcasts; CBR reported that Disney, Netflix, and others "quietly" exited the winter 2026 simulcast race (CBR) [VERIFY scope]. Hulu still carries a decent older library.
Prime Video
Prime Video has a small, shifting anime lineup and a few exclusives [VERIFY current titles]. Its bigger value for anime fans is the add-on channel store, where you can subscribe to Crunchyroll or HIDIVE inside the Prime Video app [VERIFY].
HBO Max and Adult Swim
HBO Max carries Adult Swim's Toonami programming and Adult Swim's anime originals such as Lazarus and Uzumaki [VERIFY]. It is also the US streaming home of Studio Ghibli films, though those are movies rather than TV.
Subs vs. dubs: which service is best for which?
- Want subtitles as fast as possible? Crunchyroll, then HIDIVE. Both post new episodes with English subtitles shortly after the Japanese broadcast.
- Prefer English dubs? Netflix is the most consistent, often launching dubs for its exclusives at the same time as the original. Crunchyroll dubs many popular simulcasts within a few weeks.
- Want dubs in Spanish, Portuguese, French, or German? Netflix and Crunchyroll both offer multiple languages on major titles, but coverage varies by show.
Legal free anime options
Free, legal, ad-supported anime still exists in 2026, mostly older series:
- Tubi (Fox): a large rotating anime selection, including long-running series such as Yu-Gi-Oh! [VERIFY current titles].
- Pluto TV (Paramount): several anime channels, including a Crunchyroll channel, plus on-demand titles.
- RetroCrush: vintage anime, free with ads, with an optional paid tier to remove ads [VERIFY current price].
- The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, and LG Channels: free linear channels, including Crunchyroll's own channel with older series.
- Official YouTube channels from rights holders post some full episodes, but availability varies by region.
Avoid unofficial "free anime" sites. They often carry malware, and they do not pay the studios and artists who make the shows.
International notes
Crunchyroll operates in most countries, but its catalog differs by region. Netflix's anime exclusives are usually global. HIDIVE limited itself to English-language markets (North America, the UK, Ireland, and Oceania) in late 2023 [VERIFY]. In parts of Asia, services such as Bilibili and Muse Asia's YouTube channels carry legal anime that is not available in the US.
How to choose
- Watch mostly new seasonal shows? Crunchyroll.
- Watch a few big titles and prefer dubs? Netflix, which you may already have.
- Follow a specific HIDIVE exclusive? Add HIDIVE for the season, then cancel.
- On a zero budget? Tubi, Pluto TV, and RetroCrush.
FAQ
What is the best anime streaming service in 2026?
Crunchyroll is the best single anime service in the US because it has the largest catalog and streams most new seasonal anime shortly after Japan. Plans start at $9.99 a month. Netflix is the best second service for exclusives and dubs.
Is Crunchyroll still free in 2026?
No. Crunchyroll ended its free ad-supported tier on December 31, 2025. You now need a paid Fan ($9.99/month), Mega Fan ($13.99), or Ultimate Fan ($17.99) plan to watch on demand. Some older series still air on free Crunchyroll channels on services like Pluto TV and The Roku Channel.
How much does HIDIVE cost?
As of September 2026, HIDIVE costs $7.99 per month in the US after a July 2026 price increase. Confirm the current annual price at checkout, since HIDIVE's help page had not been updated when we checked.
Where can I watch anime for free legally?
Tubi, Pluto TV, and RetroCrush offer free, ad-supported anime in the US, mostly older series. Some rights holders also post full episodes on official YouTube channels.
Which streaming service has the best anime dubs?
Netflix is the most reliable for English dubs on its own exclusives, often available at launch. Crunchyroll dubs many popular simulcasts, usually a few weeks after the subtitled release.
Do I need both Crunchyroll and Netflix?
Only if you want both seasonal simulcasts and Netflix's exclusives. Many fans keep Crunchyroll year-round and subscribe to Netflix or HIDIVE only when a show they follow is airing.
Sources
All accessed September 17, 2026.
- Crunchyroll: Premium plans
- Anime News Network: Crunchyroll Increases Subscription Prices for All Tiers (Feb. 2, 2026)
- Cord Cutters News: Crunchyroll is Raising Its Prices (Feb. 2, 2026)
- Yahoo Entertainment: Crunchyroll Is Ending Its Free, Ad-Supported Anime Service
- AnimeMojo: Crunchyroll's Ad-Supported Streaming Ends Today (Dec. 31, 2025)
- Wikipedia: Crunchyroll (for company history and subscriber figures; confirm against primary sources)
- AMC Global Media
- Softonic: Crunchyroll Store paywall, Mega Fan or higher required in summer 2026
- HIDIVE Help Center: How much does HIDIVE cost?
- FandomWire: HIDIVE price hike explained
- About Netflix: Sakamoto Days Season 2 returns January 2027
- CBR: Disney, Netflix & More Quietly Exit the Anime Streaming Race This Winter
- Netflix Help: Plans and pricing
- CBS News: Netflix raises its subscription prices (2026)
- Variety: Disney+ adds Hulu integrations, no current plan to phase out Hulu app (2026)
- HBO Max Help: Price changes