Crunchyroll Fan Tier gives you access to anime and manga with ads, at no cost
Crunchyroll's Fan Tier is the free subscription level. You can watch anime episodes and read manga, but the service shows advertisements during playback. There are no payment requirements and no trial period — you create an account and start watching when ready. The trade-off is that you see ads and have fewer features than paid tiers.
Fan Tier is one of three subscription levels Crunchyroll offers. The other two are Standard (paid, with ads) and Premium (paid, ad-free). Each tier determines what content you can access, whether you see advertisements, video quality, and how many devices you can watch on at once.
Key Takeaways
- Fan Tier costs nothing and requires only an email address to create an account.
- You can watch anime and read manga on Fan Tier, but advertisements play during video content.
- Fan Tier limits you to one device at a time and does not include offline downloads or simulcast episodes on the day they air.
- Standard and Premium tiers remove ads and add features like simultaneous streaming on multiple devices and access to new episodes the same day they air in Japan.
What content and features Fan Tier includes
Fan Tier gives you access to Crunchyroll's full anime library and manga catalog. You can watch complete series, films, and specials. The manga section works the same way — you read through the full catalog without payment.
Fan Tier does not include simulcast episodes. Simulcast means episodes that air the same day they premiere in Japan. These episodes are available to Standard and Premium members on the day they air, but Fan Tier members see them later — usually seven days after the simulcast date, though this timing can vary by series.
You can stream on one device at a time. If you start watching on your phone and then open Crunchyroll on your computer, the app will stop playback on the phone. You cannot read episodes to watch offline on Fan Tier.
How advertisements work on Fan Tier
Advertisements play during anime episodes on Fan Tier. The number and length of ads varies — some episodes have multiple ad breaks, others have fewer. Crunchyroll does not publish a standard ad load for Fan Tier, so the experience differs by episode and region.
Manga reading on Fan Tier does not include ads. You read without interruption.
If you want to remove ads entirely, you would need to upgrade to Premium. Standard Tier also includes ads, so it is not the ad-free option.
Video quality and playback on Fan Tier
Fan Tier streams at 720p resolution on most devices. This is lower than the 1080p available on Standard and Premium tiers. On very small screens like phones, the difference may be less noticeable, but on larger displays the quality difference is visible.
Playback is otherwise the same across all tiers — you can pause, rewind, and adjust subtitles the same way. Fan Tier includes subtitles in multiple languages for most content.
Comparing Fan Tier to Standard and Premium
| Feature | Fan Tier | Standard Tier | Premium Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid monthly | Paid monthly |
| Advertisements | Yes | Yes | No |
| Video quality | 720p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Simultaneous streams | 1 device | 2 devices | 4 devices |
| Simulcast access | No (7-day delay) | Yes | Yes |
| Offline downloads | No | No | Yes |
| Manga access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Standard Tier costs less than Premium but includes ads. The main reasons to choose Standard over Fan Tier are simulcast access and higher video quality. Premium removes ads entirely and adds offline downloads and more simultaneous streams.
How to create a Fan Tier account
Go to Crunchyroll.com and select the option to create an account. You will need an email address and a password. You can also create an account using a Google, Facebook, or Apple ID instead of entering an email separately.
Once your account is created, you can start watching when ready. No payment information is required. If you later decide to upgrade to Standard or Premium, you can do that from your account settings at any time.
Crunchyroll sometimes offers promotional periods where new users get a free trial of Premium or Standard. These are temporary offers and change frequently, so check the sign-up page to see what is currently available in your region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch the same show on two devices at the same time with Fan Tier?
No. Fan Tier allows only one active stream at a time. If you start watching on one device, playback stops on any other device. Standard Tier allows two simultaneous streams, and Premium allows four.
Why do I see a 7-day delay on new episodes with Fan Tier?
Crunchyroll offers simulcast episodes to paid subscribers (Standard and Premium) as part of their paid service. Fan Tier members see these episodes one week later. This delay is built into how Crunchyroll structures its tiers.
Does Fan Tier include manga, or only anime?
Fan Tier includes both anime and manga. You can read the full manga catalog without ads. The ad-free experience applies to manga reading across all tiers.
What happens if I upgrade from Fan Tier to Premium?
Your account and watch history transfer over. You will not lose your place in any series you were watching. Premium access begins when ready after payment is processed.
Can I read episodes on Fan Tier to watch offline?
No. Offline downloads are only available on Premium Tier. Fan Tier and Standard Tier do not include this feature.