While streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ now have a pretty interesting collection of anime titles, they really can’t beat the kings of anime streaming- Crunchyroll and Funimation.
The Funimation vs Crunchyroll battle is going on for years, the two platforms even formed a partnership back in 2016 that unfortunately fell sometime in 2018. There were some bumps in their agreement, and Funimation pulled out of the deal.
But the two won’t be at odds for too long because they are now owned by the same company, Sony. It also looks like Funimation will eventually be part of Crunchyroll in the long term.
So, in 2023, is it still worth it to get Funimation?
Well, the platform is still up and running, so let’s see if it’s still worth getting a subscription for instead of Crunchyroll.
Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: Which Is The Best Anime Streaming Platform?
Is Funimation Shutting Down?
One major concern about this Funimation vs. Crunchyroll battle is the future of Funimation. With the platform migrating its content over to its old competitor, does this mean the end of Funimation?
Currently, there is no official announcement from Sony or Funimation regarding the platform’s shutdown.
But,
Funimation subscribers have already been told to get off the platform and move over to Crunchyroll.
So, this might be Funimation’s way of telling their loyal members that the site will eventually close once the merge is complete.
While Funimation may be gone soon, it’s at least leaving its library for fans to enjoy.
In the meantime, the site is still up, and you can enjoy subscription plans to their fullest. The only downside is that the site will not be hosting new anime unless it’s a new season to a title already in their library.
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Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: What’s Streaming?
Both services are in this anime streaming game for years. They know what anime fans want. And they have been providing the same for years. But who has the better streaming library in 2023?
If you want the latest anime 1 hour after it airs in Japan, then Crunchyroll offers just that. The streaming service has been known for getting licensing deals extremely quickly, making it easy for fans not living in Japan to watch their favorite anime titles almost instantly.
Crunchyroll even has its own exclusive anime titles.
Yes, Netflix isn’t the first to do that.
Titles like Dr. Ramune: Mysterious Disease Specialist, Fene: Pirate Princess, and Onyx Equinox are some of the best anime titles made under the Crunchyroll banner.
Next, we have Funimation.
Sadly, in 2023 there is much that sets Funimation apart from Crunchyroll. This is because Funimation is migrating its content over to Crunchyroll.
Before, Funimation was well-known among fans as a place to look at classic anime such as Dragon Ball and Cowboy Bebop. But now, Crunchyroll owns those titles.
At this point, it seems Crunchyroll has the upper hand in providing content because it has exclusives that set it apart.
So, this one is an easy win for Crunchyroll.
Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: Dub or Sub?
Crunchyroll made a name for itself with subbed anime. Back in the day, Crunchyroll was the only platform for English-speaking audiences to watch anime with subtitles.
On the other hand, Funimation was famous for providing anime fans with dubbed anime. And now, both platforms offer subs and dubs of anime series as soon as they are officially available.
This is partially thanks to Funimation’s migration to Crunchyroll. So it won’t be long till everything gets transferred over.
Related Read: Does Crunchyroll have Dub or Sub?
Crunchyroll vs. Funimation: Best Price for Content
Subscribing to a streaming platform can be quite costly. And adding another platform to watch anime may lead to another hole in your wallet. It’s always a great idea to plan ahead.
So here are the subscription plans for both services. Now, you decide which one you want.
Crunchyroll Pricing & Plans
Did you know you can get Crunchyroll for free? Well, you can, and several titles are available on their free tier as well.
The only reason why you probably wouldn’t want the free tier is the number of times ads will interrupt you when you want to binge an anime. Moreover, your favorite anime might be behind a paywall, and you may be limited to watching everything at 480p.
But don’t worry! Crunchyroll has a bunch of great basic plans you can choose from.
Here’s a table of the current Crunchyroll plans:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Fan Tier | $7.99/month | – No ads. – Full access to the anime and manga library. |
| Mega Fan Tier | $9.99/month | – No ads. – Full access to the anime and manga library. – Offline viewing. – 4 simultaneous streams. – Get $15 off on a $100 purchase (every 3 months). |
| Ultimate Fan Tier | $14.99/month | – No ads. – Full access to the anime and manga library. – Offline viewing. – 6 simultaneous streams. – Get $25 off on a $100 purchase in Crunchyroll Store (every 3 months). – Ultimate Member swag bag + access to purchase exclusive merchandise. |
As you can see, all the paid tiers allow you to watch all your favorite shows without being interrupted by ads! You’ll also get access to the show one hour after the episode airs in Japan with the best possible subtitles.
Paid tiers also give you access to all their translated manga, making it hard to leave the platform since almost all the anime content you need is in one place.
Higher tiers allow you to add more devices, view offline, and even access their online shop.
If you think the basic paid tiers are awesome, wait till you hear about Crunchyroll Premium and Premium Plus. You can upgrade any of the basic tiers to get Premium.
If you sign up for the Premium membership, you get to unlock all the perks of a Premium member for free with their 14-day free trial.
The best thing about Premium is that you can stream in high resolution, making anime from Studio Mappa or Ufotable even more mesmerizing when it comes to fighting scenes.
Funimation Pricing and Plans
Just like Crunchyroll, Funimation also offers subscribers a free plan. You can watch all sorts of anime shows, even the classics, with just the free plan, but it’s limited. The free plan is also ad-supported, so prepare to be bombarded with commercials if you binge any anime on the platform.
If you don’t want to be interrupted by ads you can go for Funimation Premium plans. Here’s what all the paid plans offer:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Premium | $5.99/month | – No ads. – Full access to the anime library. – 2 simultaneous streams |
| Premium Plus | $7.99/month | – No ads. – Full access to the anime library. – Offline viewing.5 simultaneous streams. – Access to member-only events + early access to shop sales. – Free shipping on orders over $20.Member-only offers. |
| The Premium Plus Ultra | $99.99/year | – No ads. – Full access to the anime library. – Offline viewing. – 5 simultaneous streams. – Access to member-only events + early access to shop sales. – Free shipping on items. – Member-only offers. – Exclusive annual gift. |
When it comes to providing good services to fans, Funimation does a pretty good job with all their paid tiers.
For only $5.99 a month, you can get full access to their anime library and stream on two devices simultaneously.
When you get to the higher tiers, you can download episodes onto your devices for offline viewing.
I like how the Premium Plus Ultra package sounds like a My Hero Academia reference, and it probably is. For almost $100/year, you can enjoy all sorts of perks and even get an exclusive gift from the platform once a year.
When it comes to the best deals available, Funimation takes this win.
The platform just offers more for less!
Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: Regional Availability
Crunchyroll is the largest anime streaming platform worldwide. It is known in several regions across the globe- about 100 different territories!
Crunchyroll is available in countries like the UK, the US, India, China, Georgia, Ghana, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Nepal, Canada, and several other territories.
Meanwhile, Funimation is only available in a few countries: the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Chile, and Peru.
When it comes to reach, I have to give this win to Crunchyroll.
Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: Device Compatibility
Crunchyroll and Funimation are compatible with several devices. Here’s a table listing the devices you can get the platforms on.
| Platform | Crunchyroll | Funimation |
| Android Devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS Devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| Play Station 4 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Play Station 5 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xbox One | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xbox Series S/X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nintendo Switch | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Chromecast | ✓ | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
It looks like both ties when it comes to device compatibility, meaning regardless of what platform you subscribe to, you can enjoy it on almost any device.
Funimation vs. Crunchyroll: Which is the Best in 2023?
For me, Crunchyroll takes the win for being the best anime-streaming platform.
It has a much more extensive library that is only growing with each passing day, it is available in most parts of the globe, and it will be around for much longer than Funimation.
Crunchyroll also works as a social hub for members, as you can participate in the several forums available.
The manga library is also unique to the platform, as you can read every title available when you get a paid tier.
Unfortunately, Funimation will eventually shut down.
Right now, it exists as an independent platform that only updates its existing anime with new episodes. New titles will go straight to Crunchyroll.
Should I Still Get Funimation in 2023?
Funimation subscribers have already received a notice recommending members to transfer their accounts to Crunchyroll.
While Funimation is still up and running, I can imagine it might not stay that way for much longer.
However, if you aren’t looking to catch up on any new anime, you can still enjoy Funimation’s many perks. For a cheap price, you get to enjoy several anime classics.
My Hero Academia and other shows released around 2021 still get updated, so you can still make use of a Funimation account until it is gone for good.
For the Funimation vs. Crunchyroll rumble, Funimation definitely puts up a tough fight, especially due to its pricing. But since Funimation will stop providing new anime, it’s about time to head over to Crunchyroll, especially if you’re a big anime fan in search of something new to watch.
