Crunchyroll is better for most anime fans in the UK. Netflix is better if you want a bit of anime alongside films and TV, or if you want its exclusive originals. Crunchyroll costs less and has far more anime. Netflix costs more, but you get much more than anime for the money.
That is the short answer. Below you will find current UK prices, how new episodes arrive, which service has the shows you want, and how to pick without paying for both.
Netflix vs Crunchyroll UK: quick verdict
| Question | Netflix UK | Crunchyroll UK |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Films, TV and some anime | Anime only |
| Cheapest plan | £7.99 a month (with ads) | About £4.99 to £5.99 a month (Fan) |
| Anime library | Small, with strong originals | 40,000+ episodes, 1,000+ titles |
| New episodes | Mostly full seasons, often late | Weekly, usually within an hour of Japan |
| Best for | Casual viewers and binge watchers | Regular anime fans |
Netflix and Crunchyroll prices in the UK
Both services raised prices in the past year. Netflix put its UK prices up in September 2026, and Crunchyroll changed its plans earlier in 2026. All prices below include VAT.
| Plan | Price per month | Ads | Streams at once | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix Standard with Ads | £7.99 | Yes | 2 | 1080p |
| Netflix Standard | £13.99 | No | 2 | 1080p |
| Netflix Premium | £20.99 | No | 4 | 4K and HDR |
| Crunchyroll Fan | £4.99 to £5.99 | No | 1 | Up to 1080p |
| Crunchyroll Mega Fan | £5.99 to £6.99 | No | 4 | Up to 1080p |
| Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan | Higher; check the plan page | No | Up to 6 | Up to 1080p |
Crunchyroll shows a range because reports of its 2026 prices differ. Check the Crunchyroll Premium page and the Netflix help centre for today’s exact figure before you sign up. Netflix also sells an extra member slot for about £5.99 with ads or £6.99 without. Crunchyroll has a 7-day free trial, while Netflix does not usually offer one.
Crunchyroll is cheaper in every comparison. Even its higher reported Mega Fan price works out less than Netflix’s cheapest plan over a year. Netflix only wins on price if you will use it for films and TV as well. If you are weighing it up, our free versus paid streaming comparison goes through the arithmetic.
Which has more anime?
Crunchyroll runs the largest dedicated anime library of any service, with more than 40,000 episodes across over 1,000 titles as of 2026. Netflix carries a curated selection instead, smaller by a wide margin.
Crunchyroll’s list includes One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia and Solo Leveling. Netflix’s list is led by its own productions, plus a rotating set of licensed titles. Some older Studio Ghibli films sit on Netflix in some regions, so check our guide to Studio Ghibli on UK streaming before you assume.
New episodes: weekly or all at once
This is what separates them, and it is worth understanding before paying for either.
Crunchyroll runs on the Japanese broadcast schedule. New episodes typically appear within an hour of airing in Japan. You watch a series week by week across a season, the same way the audience in Japan does. This is called a simulcast.
Netflix mostly does not. Its simulcast coverage is thin. It picks up some seasonal titles, but episodes frequently arrive in batches weeks or months after the Japanese broadcast, and often as a complete season.
Neither approach is wrong. They suit different people.
The part nobody mentions
Anime is discussed episode by episode while a season airs. Reaction threads, clips, arguments about what just happened. If you wait for Netflix to release the full season, you arrive at that conversation months late and thoroughly spoiled.
For someone who follows anime online, that is a bigger cost than the subscription fee. For someone who watches alone and finds waiting a week between episodes irritating, it is the opposite: Netflix hands you the whole thing at once and nothing is spoiled because you are not reading anything.
Which of those two people you are settles the question faster than any feature comparison.
Where Netflix genuinely wins
Its own productions. Netflix has funded some of the most talked-about anime of recent years, including Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Blue Eye Samurai, Beastars and Devilman Crybaby.
These are exclusives in the proper sense. They exist because Netflix paid for them, they are not on Crunchyroll, and they are not going anywhere. On budget and ambition, its originals slate is stronger than anyone else’s.
So the honest position is that Crunchyroll has more anime and Netflix has some anime you cannot get elsewhere. Those are different claims and both are true.
Dubs and subtitles
Worth checking before you commit, particularly if you are watching with family or while doing something else.
Crunchyroll’s English dub library grew considerably after the Funimation merger brought both catalogues together. It is far better stocked than it was. Gaps remain in the back catalogue, though, and some older titles are subtitle-only. New dubs often arrive a few weeks after the subtitled episode.
Netflix dubs its own productions to a high standard, with proper casts and budgets, though its catalogue is much smaller to begin with.
If dubbing matters to you, search for a few specific older titles you would want before subscribing. Our guide to changing Netflix subtitles and audio covers switching between the two once you are watching.
Picture quality, downloads and devices
| Feature | Netflix UK | Crunchyroll UK |
|---|---|---|
| Best picture quality | 4K and HDR on Premium | Up to 1080p |
| Offline downloads | Standard and Premium (limits apply) | Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan |
| Streams at once | 2 to 4, depending on plan | 1 to 6, depending on plan |
| Devices | Smart TVs, consoles, sticks, phones, web | Smart TVs, consoles, phones, web |
If you want 4K, only Netflix Premium offers it here. Crunchyroll’s Nintendo Switch app is ending in October 2026, so check your device before you pay. A typical HD stream needs roughly 5 to 15 Mbps, so see our guide to internet speed for streaming in the UK if your home has several screens running. Our guide to downloading Netflix to watch offline explains the download limits in detail.
Kids and family viewing
Netflix is the safer pick for families. It has kids’ profiles, maturity ratings and PIN locks, and our guide to Netflix parental controls in the UK shows how to set them up. Crunchyroll has basic profiles and age guidance, but much of its library is aimed at teenagers and adults. Do not assume that every anime is suitable for children. Check the age rating on each title.
Extras: manga, games and more
Crunchyroll’s extras are all anime related. Its Game Vault comes with the higher plans, store discounts grow as you move up a tier, and a manga service reached the UK in October 2026 with more than 250 titles. Netflix includes mobile games and a wide range of other entertainment instead.
Most committed viewers end up with both
Which is the conclusion every comparison reaches, and it is probably right for people who watch a lot of anime. Crunchyroll covers the weekly schedule and the back catalogue, Netflix covers the exclusives.
Before accepting that, though, do the sum. Two subscriptions running all year for a hobby you engage with in bursts is expensive, and there is a cheaper arrangement: hold Crunchyroll through a season you are following, then switch to Netflix for a month when something you want lands there.
Cancelling is designed to be easy and reversible. Our guide to cancelling UK streaming subscriptions covers doing it without getting caught by the billing.
Other legal options in the UK
HIDIVE is a smaller anime service with some exclusives. In the UK it is mainly sold as an add-on through Amazon, reported at about £4.99 a month, so check the price before you add it. Our guide to Prime Video Channels in the UK explains how add-ons work. If you have Sky or Virgin Media, Netflix may already be part of your TV package, which is worth checking in our guide to UK streaming bundles.
A note for British viewers
Nearly all writing comparing these two is American, and catalogues differ by country. A title an American reviewer praises on one service may sit on the other here, or on neither. Our explainer on how streaming rights work in the UK shows why this happens.
Check the British catalogue before subscribing on the strength of a recommendation. Our UK streaming availability guide covers searching every service at once, and our wider guide to K-drama and anime in the UK covers where everything else in the genre lives.
How to cancel in the UK
Both services let you cancel at any time with no fee, and you keep access until the end of the period you have paid for. Cancel in your account settings on the website. If you subscribed through Apple, Google or Amazon, cancel there instead. You do not need a TV Licence to watch on-demand services like these, as our guide to the TV Licence and streaming in the UK explains.
So which one?
| If you | Get |
|---|---|
| Follow anime weekly and talk about it online | Crunchyroll |
| Binge completed series and hate waiting | Netflix |
| Want the biggest back catalogue | Crunchyroll |
| Mainly want the famous exclusives | Netflix |
| Are on a tight budget | Crunchyroll Fan |
| Need 4K or a family-friendly service | Netflix |
| Are new to anime and unsure | Netflix, since you probably already have it |
Common questions
Which has more anime, Netflix or Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, by a wide margin. Over 40,000 episodes across more than 1,000 titles against Netflix’s curated selection.
How much does Crunchyroll cost in the UK?
Fan is about £4.99 to £5.99 a month and Mega Fan about £5.99 to £6.99. Ultimate Fan costs more. Prices changed in 2026, so check the official page.
How much does Netflix cost in the UK?
Standard with Ads is £7.99, Standard is £13.99 and Premium is £20.99 a month.
Does Netflix do simulcast?
Rarely. It picks up some seasonal titles but generally releases in batches weeks or months after Japanese broadcast.
Is Crunchyroll worth it if I have Netflix?
If you follow anime weekly, yes. If you binge completed series and mainly want the big exclusives, Netflix may be enough on its own.
Does Crunchyroll have a free plan in the UK?
No. The free tier has been retired. You can try the paid service free for 7 days.
Which has better dubs?
Crunchyroll has far more of them since the Funimation merger, though some older titles remain subtitle-only. Netflix dubs its own productions to a high standard.
Is there a Crunchyroll student discount in the UK?
We could not confirm one. Check the official site before you rely on it.
Do I need both?
Only if you follow seasonal anime and want the Netflix exclusives. Rotating between them costs considerably less than running both all year.
The short version
Crunchyroll if you watch anime as it airs. Netflix if you binge and want the exclusives. And if you are unsure, start with the one you already pay for.
Prices and plans checked in October 2026. Services change prices often, so confirm on the official Netflix and Crunchyroll pages before you subscribe.
