How to Cancel Crunchyroll Premium (2026 Guide) — The Anime Between-Seasons Strategy
Updated 2026-02-24 · 5 min read
Crunchyroll costs $7.99/month (Fan), $12.99/month (Mega Fan), or $14.99/month (Ultimate Fan). After absorbing Funimation and basically becoming the anime monopoly, Crunchyroll raised prices and killed the free tier. Here's how to cancel and the seasonal binge strategy most anime fans should use.
Anime runs in seasonal cours (typically 12-13 episodes over 3 months). Smart fans:
Check which shows are airing each season (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall)
Wait until the season is mostly over (week 10-12)
Subscribe for 1 month and binge every show that aired
Cancel before the next billing cycle
Repeat next season
Cost: ~$32/year vs $96/year (4 months × $8 vs 12 months)
Free Anime Alternatives
Crunchyroll (free with ads) — Some catalog is still free with ads, just delayed from simulcast
Tubi (free) — Growing anime selection, completely free with ads
Pluto TV (free) — Dedicated anime channels with curated programming
YouTube — Some anime studios post episodes officially (Muse Asia, Ani-One)
Netflix — If you already have Netflix, check their anime section first (Demon Slayer, JoJo's, One Piece live action)
Hulu — Decent anime library if you already subscribe
The Funimation Merger Problem
If you had Funimation:
Funimation is dead — all content moved to Crunchyroll
If you're still being charged for Funimation, cancel immediately (it's a zombie subscription)
Your Funimation digital library (purchased shows) is gone — Crunchyroll didn't transfer individual purchases
This caused a class-action lawsuit — check if you're eligible for the settlement
Fan vs Mega Fan vs Ultimate: Which Do You Need?
Fan ($7.99) — Ad-free, simulcast, 1 concurrent stream. This is all most people need
Mega Fan ($12.99) — 4 concurrent streams + offline downloads + $25 store discount. Only worth it for families
Ultimate Fan ($14.99) — 6 streams + swag box (1/year). The swag box is usually worth $30-40, so this is fine if you actually want merch
The move: Start with Fan. Only upgrade if you actually need simultaneous streams
🔍 Streaming Subscription Audit: Crunchyroll + Netflix + Disney+ + HBO + Hulu + anime box subscriptions — entertainment subs can easily hit $80-150/month. Upload your bank statement to JustCancel to see the total.