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Media & Entertainment · head to head

Plex vs Crunchyroll

P

Plex

Media & Entertainment

Cloud ERP for smart manufacturing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Crunchyroll logo

Crunchyroll

Media & Entertainment

The world's largest anime streaming platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Plex plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Plex covers Financial management, Crunchyroll covers Anime streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plex and Crunchyroll actually diverge.

Attributes where Plex and Crunchyroll differ
AttributePlexCrunchyroll
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsRoku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles
Founded20092006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Plex

  • Financial management
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Supply chain
  • Quality management
  • Analytics
  • IoT platforms
  • REST APIs
  • Webhooks

Only in Crunchyroll

  • Anime streaming
  • Simulcasts
  • Manga
  • Games
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Parental controls
  • Profile management

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Plex

  • Industry 4.0not Crunchyroll
  • Real-time monitoringnot Crunchyroll
  • IoT integrationnot Crunchyroll
  • Smart manufacturingnot Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll

  • Anime watchingnot Plex
  • Manga readingnot Plex

Where each one falls short

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

Plex

  • Plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
  • Remote streaming quality degrades significantly if Plex cannot establish direct connection and falls back to relay mode
  • Upcoming sunsetting of plugins, Cloud Sync, and Watch Later features

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.

Pricing, plan by plan

Plex

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Plex review.

Crunchyroll

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Plex if

  • You need financial management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
Plex review

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

Questions people ask

Is Plex or Crunchyroll better?
Neither clearly leads. Plex starts at Free and Crunchyroll at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plex or Crunchyroll?
Plex starts at Free and Crunchyroll at Free.
Does Plex or Crunchyroll run on more platforms?
Plex runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Crunchyroll runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
Can I use Plex for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Plex best used for?
Plex is most often used for industry 4.0, real-time monitoring, iot integration, smart manufacturing. Of those, industry 4.0 and real-time monitoring are not what Crunchyroll is typically brought in for.
What can Plex do that Crunchyroll cannot?
Plex covers Financial management, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain, Quality management. Crunchyroll covers Anime streaming, Simulcasts, Manga, Games. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plex: Is Plex Media Server free?

Yes. Plex Media Server and the ad-supported streaming catalog are free. Plex Pass is an optional subscription at 6.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year that adds features like hardware transcoding and offline sync.

Source
Plex: Can I access Plex content offline?

Yes, but downloads have limitations. Downloaded content may have an expiration period and is specific to the device where downloaded. Downloads are not available on shared libraries in some cases.

Source
Plex: What devices does Plex support?

Plex apps are available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, iOS, Android, and web browsers. Server software runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS devices, and Docker.

Source
Plex: What is included in the free Plex catalog?

Plex's free ad-supported streaming catalog includes 14,000+ movies and shows from Lionsgate, MGM, Warner Bros, and Crackle Originals.

Source

Related pages

More on Plex

More on Crunchyroll

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