Crunchyroll vs Netflix: Which streaming service is better for anime fans?
It's the ultimate showdown.
Once confined to the corners of the internet, anime is now growing in popularity. According to Spherical Insights, the anime market in the UK is set to grow by 10.39% between 2025 and 2035.
Where once it would take hours of trawling through Reddit forums to find the perfect link, mainstream streaming giants are now home to a selection of popular anime – and even some more underground picks.
With this sudden explosion in popularity, combined with the rapid growth of streaming services, comes a very modern conundrum. Which streaming service is best for anime fans?
So far, the general consensus is that Netflix has the best anime offering of the more generic streaming services, while Crunchyroll is a dedicated streaming service specifically for anime.
We've taken into consideration factors like price, selection and streaming quality to find an answer to the question: is Crunchyroll or Netflix better for anime fans?
Interested in these streaming services? Check out our roundups of the best Crunchyroll deals and the best Netflix offers.
Jump to:
- Crunchyroll vs Netflix: Variety
- Crunchyroll vs Netflix: Quality
- Netflix vs Crunchyroll: Price
- Crunchyroll vs Netflix: Our verdict
Crunchyroll vs Netflix: How much variety is there?
When you're deciding on a new steaming service, what are you looking for? Is it a wide variety of content, including anime, or is it a proper deep dive into a wide range of anime?
If you lean more towards the first option, then Netflix could be the right fit. The platform boasts iconic series like My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Your Lie in April, Naruto and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, while also hosting a range of TV shows, movies and documentaries from all over the world.
When it comes to Crunchyroll however, the selection of anime is noticeably more vast— not surprising for a streaming platform entirely dedicated to anime.
From classics to underground cult favourites, there are over 1,000 series available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Plus, you'll be able to stream new episodes of the latest series straight from Japan. However, as the platform focuses on anime, you won't be able to find popular TV shows or films.
Crunchyroll vs Netflix: what is quality of shows like?
While not a major concern for everyone, streaming quality can impact your viewing experience, especially when it comes to anime due to the high level of fine visual detail.
With Netflix, the quality of streaming will depend on the subscription tier you opt for. Both the Standard With Ads and the Standard tier offer Full HD (1080p), while the Premium tier allows you to stream content in Ultra HD (4K) + HDR with spatial audio.
With Crunchyroll, the story is a little different. Information about Crunchyroll's streaming quality is more difficult to find, but according to one of their Help pages, the service uses three options (highest, moderate and data saver) instead of exact resolutions.
Highest steams at the best available quality for the title, data saver aims to preserve data and is optimal for slower connections, while moderate aims to strike a balance between the two.
Crunchyroll uses adaptive bitrate streaming, which automatically adjusts the quality of your video according to the strength of your internet connection. This means that it's impossible to give exact numbers for each setting.
Netflix vs Crunchyroll: What is the better price?
One of the biggest differences between the two streaming services are the membership tiers, and what you can get for each price.
When it comes to Netflix, memberships are divided up into three tiers with varying prices and benefits. Here's an overview:
- Standard With Ads (£5.99 a month): ad interruptions, Full HD (1080p), watch on two devices simultaneously, download on two devices, no extra members allowed
- Standard (£12.99 a month): ad-free, Full HD (1080p), watch on two devices simultaneously, download on two devices, one extra member allowed
- Premium (£18.99 a month): ad-free, Ultra HD (4K) + HDR and spatial audio, watch on four devices simultaneously, download on six devices, two extra members allowed
In contrast, Crunchyroll is divided up into two tiers, neither of which have ads. Here are some of the details:
- Fan (£5.99 a month): watch on one device at a time, offline viewing, 5% discount at Crunchyroll store
- Mega Fan (£6.99 a month): watch on four devices at a time, offline viewing, 10% discount at Crunchyroll store, access to Crunchyroll Game Vault
When it comes to price comparisons, Crunchyroll is the clear frontrunner, with its more "expensive" option sitting at only £1 more than Netflix's cheapest option.
Crunchyroll vs Netflix: Which streaming service should anime fans sign up to in 2026?
While there are plenty of benefits to both streaming services, there is a clear frontrunner in terms of price and anime selection.
Crunchyroll is the standout option. As the world's largest dedicated anime streaming platform, it boasts a wide range of anime from popular series to niche options. In contrast to Netflix, both of the Crunchyroll membership tiers come without ads, and even their more expensive subscription will set you back 50% less than a Netflix Standard membership.
The benefits of a Crunchyroll membership extend beyond watching anime. Subscribers will also get discounts in the Crunchyroll store (5% for Fans, 10% for Mega Fans), allowing you to save on figurines, DVDs, manga and more.
If you're just starting to get into anime, Netflix can be a good place to start as it hosts some of the most popular anime series. It's also a good option if you want a variety of content outside of anime.
However, if you're after an anime-rich option with no ads and a lower price, then Crunchyroll is the way to go.
For more on streaming services, take a look at our roundup of the best streaming services in the UK.
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