Streaming your favorite anime shows and movies has become easier ever since Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ stepped into anime streaming.
However, for a hardcore anime fan, you’d probably want all your favorite anime in one place.
That’s why there are streaming platforms that specialize in only bringing anime and other Asian content to the western audience. I’m talking about, of course, Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and Funimation.
It makes finding the anime you want easier, plus there’s a ton of anime that you’ll not be able to find in other services.
While Funimation fell behind in the race for the best anime streaming platform, HIDIVE, and Crunchyroll are still going at it.
These two platforms have content and features that set them apart.
So, in a HiDIVE vs. Crunchyroll battle, who will come out on top as the ultimate anime streaming platform for otakus?
HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll – The King of Anime Streaming?
HIDIVE is Crunchyroll’s Biggest Competitor
Because most anime streaming platforms like Funimation and VRV are now folding into Crunchyroll, HIDIVE is one of the few competitors Crunchyroll has yet to overwhelm.
Despite HIDIVE being a small platform, it has several exclusives that make a subscription worth it. Let’s not forget Crunchyroll also announced that titles left its platform due to content licensing, and guess where they are now.
That’s right, most of them went to HIDIVE.
But is HIDIVE better than Crunchyroll because some titles moved there?
It’s time to find out in my HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll comparison.
Also read who won the : Funimation Vs Crunchyroll fight.
HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll: What’s Streaming
Both HIDIVE and Crunchyroll are anime streaming platforms that offer a wide selection of anime content, including simulcasts of new anime series as they air in Japan.
Crunchyroll has a more extensive library, thanks to its merger with other platforms such as VRV and Funimation. It’s also been THE streaming platform for otakus since 2006.
While some anime may come out on both platforms, Crunchyroll exclusives include popular titles like Jujutsu Kaisen, Re;Zero, The Rising Shield Hero, and more.
While some of these titles are available on other platforms outside the US, you can only find them on Crunchyroll if you are streaming from America.
They also have Crunchyroll originals such as Fena: Pirate Princess, Tower of God, and more. You can check out a complete list of Crunchyroll original anime here.
Also find best anime to watch on crunchyroll here.
Meanwhile, HIDIVE is much younger than Crunchyroll. The platform was launched in 2017 but has since amassed a reputable library.
Remember when I mentioned that some anime on Crunchyroll left the platform?
Well, HIDIVE became home to titles like Food Wars, Akame Ga Kill, No Game No Life, and other awesome titles. You can check the list here.
They even have exclusives like Call of the Night, My Isekai Life, and Made in Abyss.
HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll: Best Deals for The Price?
We need to get the best experience we can get for the money that we pay. Both HiDive and Crunchyroll have different subscription tiers, and all vary in benefits.
Let’s take a look at what Crunchyroll and HIDIVE can offer.
Crunchyroll Pricing & Plans
Regardless of what region you belong to, as long as Crunchyroll is available, you can get it for absolutely free.
The free tier already gives you access to most of the anime in Crunchyroll. The downside is that you can only watch your shows at 480p, there will be ads, and you cannot save your anime list.
If you aren’t happy with the free tier, then there are several paid ad-free tiers for you to choose from. Here’s a quick table for you to see all the basic paid tiers and what they offer.
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Fan Tier | $7.99/month | Ad-Free. Unlimited access to the anime and manga library. |
| Mega Fan Tier | $9.99/month | Ad-Free. Unlimited access to the anime and manga library. Offline download/viewing. Up to 4 simultaneous streams. Members get $15 off on any $100 purchase in Crunchyroll Store (every 3 months). |
| Ultimate Fan Tier | $14.99/month | No ads. Unlimited access to the anime and manga library. Offline download/viewing. Up to 6 simultaneous streams. Members get $25 off on any $100 purchase in Crunchyroll Store (every 3 months). Members get an Ultimate Member swag bag and access to purchase exclusive merchandise. |
All paid tiers allow you to watch your shows completely ad-free, and they’ll be available with subtitles one hour after the episode airs in Japan.
Paid tiers will also give you access to the platform’s other cool features and content, such as its manga library.
Higher tiers allow you to add more devices, view offline, and access their online shop.
You can also go for Crunchyroll Premium and Premium Plus with a 14-day free trial to check out what it feels like to be a Premium member.
You can also watch anime in high resolution, making those epic anime fight scenes look even more intense.
HIDIVE Pricing and Plans
HIDIVE is a little different. It only has a free tier and a paid tier. While staying a free member is okay, getting a paid tier allows you to do so much more with a membership.
Here’s a table that shows why a paid tier is ultimately better.
| Perks | Free | Paid |
| Simulcast | X | ✓ |
| Uncut Editions | X | ✓ |
| Enhanced Editions | X | ✓ |
| Dubs | X | ✓ |
| HD Content (720 & 1080) | X | ✓ |
| Add more than 1 Simultaneous Stream | X | ✓ |
| Profiles | X | ✓ |
| Ad Free | X | ✓ |
| Customer Avatar | X | ✓ |
| Extra Content | X | ✓ |
| Profiles | X | ✓ |
| Customizable Avatar | X | ✓ |
| Customizable Subtitles | X | ✓ |
| Parental Controls | X | ✓ |
While the free tier looks limited, it actually isn’t bad. In a way, I prefer it over what Crunchyroll offers.
Unlike Crunchyroll, the free tier already allows you to save your anime list, making it easier for you to find your favorite shows on your homepage. The free tier also gives you access to a good number of anime.
However, if you want the full HIDIVE experience, you can get a subscription for only $4.99, which is pretty cheap compared to how much you have to pay for Crunchyroll. The platform also comes with a 7-day free trial for you to see what the whole site has to offer.
However, HIDIVE doesn’t have an offline viewing feature, something you can get if you have one of the higher-paid tiers in Crunchyroll.
While HIDIVE is the cheaper option, you have to take note that their library is still smaller than Crunchyroll’s on-demand library. So, in the long run, Crunchyroll can still offer you more for the right price.
HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll: The Best Unique Features
What sets HiDive and Crunchyroll apart from other streaming platforms are their unique features that aren’t offered in other services. Both platforms strive to be more than just a place to stream anime.
They strive to build a community.
HIDIVE has a pretty neat feature called “Party Mode,” allowing users to watch anime with other fans virtually. This was especially popular during the pandemic.
While in Party Mode, users can chat and watch anime together in real time without worrying about location or time zone. This makes watching the same anime together with discord friends a lot easier.
There’s also the dual audio option which allows you to switch between the English dubbed anime to the Japanese audio. It’s a nifty feature to have if you can’t decide how you want to watch your anime.
HIDIVE also allows you to create private chat rooms and can support three profiles per account.
Meanwhile, Crunchyroll allows you to interact with other members through community forums. Thanks to this, fans get to meet other fans from all over the globe!
In the forums, you can open a discussion about anything under the sun, including non-anime-related topics.
If you want to talk about the latest episodes or the newest chapters of a manga, forum discussions are available just for that.
Crunchyroll also prides itself on having a respectable manga library, which you can access if you get any of the paid tiers. This is a feature unique to Crunchyroll.
While it might still be lacking in the dubbing department, since its merger with Funimation, fans will soon see more dubbed anime and Funimation exclusives on the platform in the coming months.
HIDIVE vs. Crunchyroll: Which Should I Get in 2023?
Both platforms are fantastic choices for any anime fan looking to stream their shows. They also provide social experiences that integrate you into the anime fandom community.
So is HIDIVE better than Crunchyroll?
Better? Well, not yet.
But definitely different.
It really just depends on the anime titles you prefer to watch. A lot of good titles transferred over to HIDIVE, but Crunchyroll still has a larger library.
So what would you choose to get? HIDIVE or Crunchyroll? Which anime shows would make you choose one over the other?
If you aren’t sure, I suggest trying out both HIDIVE and Crunchyroll by taking advantage of their free trials. This way, you get to experience what each platform has to offer.
