Along with Netflix and Prime, Hulu is one of the major streaming services that carries a surprising number amount of anime, among them, Attack on Titan, Bleach, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Naruto. But while vast, it can hardly compare to Crunchyroll’s catalog. Ever since it acquired Funimation, Crunchyroll has become the ultimate resource for all things anime in the US, not only touting quantity but quality too. A lot of its episodes become available as soon as they air in Japan. So, which is better? If you’re a hardcore fan interested in niche and new content, Crunchyroll is the way to go. But if you’re satisfied with popular titles and the classics, we think Hulu’s offerings are worthwhile, especially if you want your fair share of Western titles too. Below, we compare Hulu and Crunchyroll’s features to help you figure out which is the better service for you.
| Feature | Hulu | Crunchyroll |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $11.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Free trial | 30 days | 7 days |
| Subscribers | 43,000,000 | 5,000,000 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Try Hulu — 30 days free | Try Crunchyroll — 7 days free |
| Hulu 3 plans | Crunchyroll 3 plans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Hulu Student | With Ads | No Ads | Cheapest Fan | Mega Fan | Ultimate Fan | |
| Price / month | $1.99 | $11.99 | $18.99 | $9.99 | $13.99 | $17.99 |
| Annual Price | — | $119.99 | — | — | — | — |
| Streams at Home | 2 at the same time, unlimited device log-ins | 2 at the same time, unlimited device log-ins | 2 at the same time, unlimited device log-ins | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3, more with Extra Member add-on | 3, more with Extra Member add-on | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Profiles | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| 4K Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — | — | — |
| Audio | 5.1 audio | 5.1 audio | 5.1 audio | Standard stereo | Standard stereo | Standard stereo |
| Dolby Digital | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — | — | — |
| Min. Speed | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
Only available for the standalone plan or the Hulu-Spotify bundle
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | Hulu | Crunchyroll |
|---|---|---|
| Airplay | ✓ | ✓ |
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | ✓ | — |
| Google TV Streamer | ✓ | — |
| LG TV | ✓ | — |
| Nintendo Switch | ✓ | ✓ |
| PlayStation | — | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | — |
| Xbox | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xfinity Flex | — | ✓ |
| Xfinity X1 | — | ✓ |
| and Xumo Stream Box | — | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
Hulu has 43,000,000M subscribers compared to 5,000,000M for Crunchyroll. That makes Hulu 760% more popular by subscriber count.
Crunchyroll starts at $7.99/month, while Hulu starts at $11.99/month. That’s $4.00 more per month for Hulu, or $48.00 more per year.
Is Crunchyroll cheaper than Hulu?
Yes. Crunchyroll starts at $7.99/month, while Hulu starts at $11.99/month. That's a difference of $4.00/month, or $48.00 per year.
Do Hulu or Crunchyroll offer a free trial?
Hulu offers a 30-day free trial. Crunchyroll offers a 7-day free trial.
Can I cancel Hulu or Crunchyroll anytime?
Yes. Both Hulu and Crunchyroll are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
<p>If you're a fan of TV shows, then Hulu has a lot to offer, with a pretty comprehensive list of popular shows from major networks, including classic sitcoms, as well as children's programs like Sesame Street. Hulu is also acclaimed for its ace original programming, with hit shows from comedies like The Mindy Project to dystopian dramas like Handmaid's Tale.</p>
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