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Media & Entertainment · head to head

Crunchyroll vs Hulu

Crunchyroll logo

Crunchyroll

Media & Entertainment

The world's largest anime streaming platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hulu logo

Hulu

Media & Entertainment

Stream TV and movies live and online

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crunchyroll has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crunchyroll the App Store listing states Crunchyroll allows streaming on up to six devices simultaneously, and separately notes the annual plan is cheaper than paying monthly.; Hulu the App Store listing states Hulu offers three plans, Hulu with Ads, Hulu No Ads, and Hulu plus Live TV, and caps simultaneous streaming at two screens at once while allowing up to six profiles per account, without stating any plan price in the visible description.
  • They diverge on capability: Crunchyroll covers Anime streaming, Hulu covers On-demand streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crunchyroll and Hulu actually diverge.

Attributes where Crunchyroll and Hulu differ
AttributeCrunchyrollHulu
Starting priceFree$7.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062007

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Media & Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Crunchyroll

  • Anime streaming
  • Simulcasts
  • Manga
  • Games
  • Profile management

Only in Hulu

  • On-demand streaming
  • Live TV
  • Cloud DVR
  • Downloads
  • Current episodes
  • Mobile devices
  • Profile PINs
  • Account security

Both cover

  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Parental controls
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Smart-tv support
  • Gaming-consoles support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Crunchyroll

  • Anime watchingnot Hulu
  • Manga readingnot Hulu

Hulu

  • TV streamingnot Crunchyroll
  • Live TVnot Crunchyroll
  • Next-day episodesnot Crunchyroll
  • Sportsnot Crunchyroll

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Crunchyroll

  • The App Store listing states Crunchyroll allows streaming on up to six devices simultaneously, and separately notes the annual plan is cheaper than paying monthly.

Hulu

  • The App Store listing states Hulu offers three plans, Hulu with Ads, Hulu No Ads, and Hulu plus Live TV, and caps simultaneous streaming at two screens at once while allowing up to six profiles per account, without stating any plan price in the visible description.
  • The App Store listing states premium network add-ons such as MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, CINEMAX, and STARZ are each available only for an additional monthly fee on top of a Hulu plan.

Pricing, plan by plan

Crunchyroll

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited anime
    • Ads
  • Fan$7.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Simulcasts
  • Mega Fan$9.99/month
    • Offline viewing
    • 4 streams

Hulu

$7.99/month
  • Hulu (With Ads)$7.99/month
    • Full library
    • Ad-supported
  • Hulu (No Ads)$17.99/month
    • Full library
    • Ad-free
    • Downloads
  • Hulu + Live TV$76.99/month
    • Live TV
    • On-demand
    • Cloud DVR

Which should you pick?

Choose Crunchyroll if

  • You need anime streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
  • You also want simulcasts.
Crunchyroll review

Choose Hulu if

  • You need on-demand streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
  • You also want live tv.
Hulu review

Questions people ask

Is Crunchyroll or Hulu better?
Neither clearly leads. Crunchyroll starts at Free and Hulu at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crunchyroll or Hulu?
Crunchyroll has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crunchyroll and $7.99/month for Hulu.
Does Crunchyroll or Hulu run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Crunchyroll for free?
Yes. Crunchyroll has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hulu starts at $7.99/month.
What is Crunchyroll best used for?
Crunchyroll is most often used for anime watching, manga reading. Of those, anime watching and manga reading are not what Hulu is typically brought in for.
What can Crunchyroll do that Hulu cannot?
Crunchyroll covers Anime streaming, Simulcasts, Manga, Games. Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Both handle Smart TVs, Gaming consoles, Parental controls, Web support.
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