People always say that the best things in life are free, but that may not be the case when it comes to watching your favorite content. If you are a fan of a lot more than just anime and crave the occasional comedy show or movie, then we highly recommend getting a streaming service instead. These services are known for their ultra-comprehensive digital media libraries, with thousands of titles covering multiple entertainment genres, not just anime. Additionally, these services are known for their high-quality streams for little or no loading times, for the smoothest streaming experience. On top of it all, most of these services aren’t nearly as expensive, with most costing less than USD 10 per month. Here are the best premium streaming sites for you to consider:
2. Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll was established in 2006 as a repository for East Asian TV dramas. In 2008, Crunchyroll secured a $4 million capital investment. The company then started acquiring licenses for anime for legal streaming as they removed unlicensed content. The anime streaming giant also distributes DVDs of licensed anime. Its first DVD release was the anime 5 Centimeters per Second, released in 2010. The company also got into publishing. Crunchyroll licensed and released mangas Attack on Titan and Fairy Tail, and both titles are available digitally. In 2016, Crunchyroll and competing streaming platform Funimation teamed up, with both companies streaming each other’s content. The partnership ended in 2018. Crunchyroll currently has 45 million registered users, and premium subscribers are around 2 million. Not surprising as the site has a massive library of over 900 anime titles, 200 Asian dramas, and more than 50 manga titles. The main criticism of Crunchyroll’s services is the use of intrusive advertisements. The website also region-locks some anime, so some titles are not available everywhere. The best part about Crunchyroll is that majority of its content is available at no cost via a free account. But of course, it also offers a premium account with extra perks for USD 9.99 per month or USD 99.99 upfront for the whole year.
3. Funimation
Funimation is another web-based streaming service and Gogoanime alternative that specializes in producing dubbed anime content. In 2016, the company entered into a pact with Crunchyroll to allow both companies to maximize their licensing. The pact mandated that Funimation specialize in dubbed content, while Crunchyroll focused on subbed content. Funimation has about 600 shows in its library, about half as much as the entire library of Crunchyroll. The difference in numbers makes sense, considering that dubbing is a lot more labor-intensive and thus more expensive to produce than subbed content. But of course, dubbed content is easier to follow than subbed content. Nevertheless, you can expect to find anime titles of all types from various genres. Some of the more popular titles there include Bayonetta: Bloody Fate, Cowboy Bebop, Fruits Basket, and the like in its library. Funimation offers up some of their content for free viewing if you don’t mind the ads. But if you want the full experience, then you’d have to pay up for one of three subscription plans, with prices that start at USD 5.99 per month.
4. Netflix
Movie streaming titan Netflix has been dominating the streaming industry for a while. The streaming giant specializes in collecting mainstream shows and movies, but they have also recently taken steps to create a library of anime content. This is exemplified by the streaming platform entering partnerships with Japanese anime companies to produce original content. Some of Netflix’s top animes include JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Gundam Unicorn, and Death Note. Need more anime? My Hero Academia and Your Lie in April are also on Netflix. A Netflix monthly subscription costs less than USD 10 for the Basic plan, less than USD 16 for Standard, and less than USD 20 for Premium. If you already have a Netflix subscription, then this is the perfect time to get started with this list of the 30 best anime to watch on Netflix.
5. VIZ
VIZ Media is an American-based company, manga and anime distributor, and excellent premium Gogoanime alternative. The company has been around for three decades, and it prides itself on being the primary source of manga in the US. The company has since expanded its business model to include anime shows and movies in its distribution to the US. It now offer a selection of anime titles, from classic anime shows like Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon to the most recent shows like Castlevania and Boruto. It’s important to note that the anime titles on the website are for sale, and most are available in Blu-ray, DVD, or digital formats. Having said this, this website seems most appropriate for people who love to collect DVDs or have specific titles to go after. The website comes with unique features such as the ability to store your favorite shows in your personal library, as well as the ability to rate shows.
6. Adult Swim
Adult Swim is a web-based media streaming service and Gogoanime alternative. The website was designed for teens and adults with a taste for whip-smart humor and scientific mumbo-jumbo. Adult Swim started out as a nighttime spin on Cartoon Network’s daytime flair for children and soon grew into a catch-all for all kinds of creative projects. The website serves as host to some of television’s most creative and chaotic comedy shows, including Rick and Morty, Off the Air, Robot Chicken, Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole, and so on. Just be warned that most of the content on the site has violent and sexual themes, meaning it’s not safe for young children. But of course, the site also serves as host to a large selection of anime titles like Akagame ga Kill, Attack on Titans, Gundam Wing, Naruto, Paranoia Agent, and many more. Of course, you would have to sign up for a subscription before gaining access to their content.
7. Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is known as a cable television channel for children. But the cable TV giant has since expanded its library to include anime, making it a great Gogoanime alternative. By content, we mean mostly the American-made cartoons like the Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, or Courage the Cowardly Dog. But of course, this being an international streaming service, the site does reserve a selection of anime titles for their young viewers to enjoy. Admittedly, they don’t have the most comprehensive compilation due to intellectual property rights. Nonetheless, what they have still counts as a resource for anime lovers. Some examples of titles on the site include Attack on Titan, Black Clover, Cowboy Bebop, Dragon Ball Z Super, and FLCL. However, we need to note that this on-demand content is only available to subscribers of cable television networks that support Cartoon Network. In other words, you need to have the channel on cable before you can access the service.
8. Hulu
Hulu has a self-declared collection of up to 250 anime series and movies combined, which isn’t bad considering you also get access to tons of other content. Its content covers old and recent anime releases in various resolutions and subbed or dubbed format. Naturally, you’ll need a subscription to be able to access any content from the site. But it should please you to know that Hulu has one of the cheapest rates (USD 6 per month), which makes a subscription definitely worth your while.
9. VRV
VRV (pronounced “verve”) is a new third-party streaming service and Gogoanime alternative. VRV doesn’t produce original content. Instead, it acquires licensed content from other services and compiles them into its own platform. Their contributors include Cartoon Hangover, NickSplat, Crunchyroll, HiDive, Mondo, Boomerang, Rooster Teeth, and VRV Select original shows. Its partnership with Crunchyroll is notable because the latter provides all of the anime content on VRV. Crunchyroll is one of the largest anime streaming websites in the world, with a collection of over 1,000 titles covering tens of thousands of episodes of anime. Naturally, not all anime titles will be available on VRV, but that still makes for a considerable collection. On top of anime content, you also get a hodge-podge of content from other providers covering all entertainment genres. Take note that channels, individual shows, and movies may change without notice depending on internal agreements with content providers. For a monthly subscription fee of USD 10 or less than 120 per year, VRV is likely one of the more cost-effective and comprehensive streaming services. Unfortunately, VRV is geo-restricted, which means that only US-based users can access it.
10. HIDIVE
HIDIVE is a third-party streaming service and a great replacement for Gogoanime for anime streaming. The service is a revamped version of Anime Network Online, and the majority of its content is sourced from the old streaming service. The website has approximately 500 shows and movies, just the average number for a streaming website. And while a good portion of their content is dubbed in the English language, you should also be able to find subbed versions as well as live simulcasts from Japan. HIDIVE doesn’t have an ad-free supported tier, which means you need to get a subscription before anything else. But then again, HIDIVE is one of the more affordable streaming options in the market, with pricing that starts at USD 4.99 per month. This already comes with a 14-day free trial and 1080p quality videos. From a streaming perspective, the service is very convenient due to the sheer number of devices it’s compatible with. It supports most mobile platforms, media streaming devices, game consoles, and web browsers.
Free Streaming Websites
If you prefer a streaming service that’s focused entirely on anime, or perhaps you simply don’t want to pay you for a monthly service, there are plenty of fan-based and ad-sponsored websites dedicated to the genre. Here are some of the best free, anime-focused streaming websites that are still active today:
1. Anime-Planet
More than just an alternative to Gogoanime, Anime-Planet is a fan-supported Gogoanime alternative created by fans for fans. The website carries both anime and manga serializations, and it also features a community page where you can meet other anime enthusiasts. The website is simple yet smartly designed and organized; the main page presents you with the most popular, newest, and seasonal anime. Meanwhile, you can search through their content library by anime or episode title, rating, studio, tags, year, and so on. Examples of titles on the website include Naruto, Shelter, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer: Kimestsu no Yaba.
2. Animestreams
Animestreams is another free streaming website and Gogoanime alternative. This website specializes in compiling English-dubbed anime, making it the perfect choice for people who would prefer to listen instead of reading captions. The website organizes its content into two main categories: dubbed anime and anime movies. If you are too lazy to look through their internal library, you can simply visit the listing on the main page. A few examples of the titles you can find on this website include Attack on the Titans, Tribe Nine, Shenmue the Animation, and so on. They also have sections dedicated entirely to popular anime shows like Naruto, Dragon Ball, and One Piece.
3. Animefreak
Animefreak is another licensed alternative to Gogoanime and another great way to get your Anime fix. Like other anime streaming sites, new and newly updated anime series are displayed on the main page, with the most viewed anime on a dedicated section at the top of the page. The site organizes its content into five main categories: anime movies, original video animation, original net animation, and specials. Some of the titles you’ll find on the main page include Demon Slayer, Naruto Shippuden, Bleach, and BELLE.
4. Because.Moe
Because.moe is another free and legal streaming website and Gogoanime alternative. The website keeps things simple for anime fans; it doesn’t require a log-in or a subscription, and the main page doesn’t contain a lot of categories to confuse you. In other words, you can simply go into the site and search for the anime title that you want. However, the website is geo-restricted, meaning only users living in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia can access the service.
5. AniWatcher
AniWatcher is another anime-centered streaming website and alternative to premium streaming websites like Gogoanime. Design-wise, the website has a creative look, with the most popular shows appearing immediately on the main page. The website provides access to a huge anime catalog, covering the most iconic classics to the latest releases. Content is updated regularly, and you’ll find all the episodes not just from popular but even niche anime series. If you want to stream anime content in high quality without paying for anything, AniWatcher is a great option.
6. NarutoGet
NarutoGet is not your typical anime streaming website since it’s focused entirely on the highly popular ninja-kicking series Naruto. The website features all of the episodes of the Naruto series throughout the years, and that is equivalent to about 500 episodes in total. Each episode gives you language options, either dubbed or subbed. And the best part is a download link is provided for each episode, meaning you can get a copy of your favorite episodes. If you’re a fan of Naruto, you are hard-pressed to find a better Gogoanime alternative.
7. Anilinkz
Anilinkz is another free streaming website and Gogoanime alternative for watching your favorite anime shows online. The website organizes its content in alphabetical order, and the complete listing is always on display on the right-hand section of the main page. Other than the main library, the website has dedicated sections for ongoing, trending, and newly added series, cartoons, and movies. Each series or movie gets a dedicated page where all of the episodes are displayed. Additionally, the site comes with its own to view videos from within a dedicated space inside the website. Even more impressive is that each video feed has eight potential video sources. In other words, you have other options in case the default link doesn’t work.
8. Animenana
Animenova.org is another Gogoanime alternative and an excellent online resource for all things related to anime. The website offers daily episodes of anime shows. All of the anime on the website are available in either subbed or dubbed versions with high-quality and fast streaming. The website organizes anime into categories based on genre, year, status, and rating. The website also features an advanced search option to search for a specific anime title within their content library. The only downside is that the website appears to have a limited content library, with less than 100 titles in all. Nonetheless, the website seems to have the most popular titles from the past few years, and chances are that they have the series that you want.
9. Animebee
Animebee is another great Gogoanime alternative that can help you satiate your anime cravings. The website has a highly organized library, with categories like TV shows, movies, OVAs, ONAs, and specials. In addition to generic categories, the website also organizes its content according to the genre, including the likes of Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Historical, and so on. The website also offers special categories for the most top-rated anime series. Each series comes with its own internal landing page containing detailed information about the narrative, release date, publisher, and so on. All of this information is useful in helping you to decide whether a series is worth your time or not. Additionally, all episodes are listed within the same landing page, allowing you to view multiple episodes or even the entire series without leaving the page.
10. Animeheaven
Animeheaven is a streaming site that offers free streaming of subbed and dubbed anime content, making it one of the best Gogoanime alternatives. The website has a severe black-and-white motif with red undertones, making the otherwise friendly user interface look just a little bit intimidating. The website organizes its content into searchable categories, including popular anime, latest releases, and top-rated anime. Going through the library, you can refine your search by selecting sub-categories such as genre type, anime type, and language type. Like with other websites, anime series get their sub-pages, which contain a description of the series and the complete listing of episodes. With this setup, you no longer need to leave the landing page when watching multiple series episodes. The website appears to have a healthy volume of anime titles, not too sparse and not too extensive at the same time. The website also uses the latest video player, which translates to fast-loading videos with a minimum resolution of 720p.
11. 4anime
4nime is another licensed anime streaming site and Gogoanime alternative. The website specializes in both dubbed and subbed anime shows and movies. The website has a very minimalistic yet functional user interface, with nothing more than a search bar and basic categories for you to look into on the main page. But despite its simple appearance, the website hides a surprisingly extensive library of anime titles covering movies and TV shows alike. The only problem with the website is that the category tabs don’t seem to be working, meaning you have to type in a title to get a result. But other than that, you should be able to stream any anime title that you want, anytime you want.
12. AsianCrush
If you love Asian drama as much as you love anime, then the AsianCrush streaming website comes highly recommended as a Gogoanime alternative. The website specializes in Asian TV dramas, from Chinese martial arts to Korean love stories. But of course, they have an entire section dedicated to anime titles. Anime is listed as one of the main categories, and you can have the anime titles appear either in order of popularity or in alphabetical order. You can also search for content based on the content type or country of origin. Otherwise, you can arrange the content by popularity rankings or release date. The site does not require you to sign up to enjoy anime movies and shows, but you can do so to keep track of the latest releases and your content consumption.
13. ShoutFactoryTV
ShoutFactoryTV is an ad-supported streaming service and Gogoanime alternative with the best and latest anime shows. The website has a unique reputation in the video streaming industry precisely because of the type of content that it focuses on, which is retro films and shows. Cult classics are movies that have acquired their own dedicated, passionate fanbase, forming an entire sub-culture out of a single form or series of films. Some examples of cult classics include movies like The Princess Bride, Blade Runner, and Fight Club. But other than classic cult movies, ShoutFactoryTV also contains a library of anime cult classics. Some examples of titles considered as cult classics include: Digimon Adventure, Sound? Euphonium, Millenium Actress, Donten: Laughing Under the Clouds.
14. CartoonCrazy
While we associate anime with a specific type of cartoon from Japan, technically, any kind of cartoon from Japan is considered anime. With this in mind, the new CartoonCrazy website seems appropriately named, even as its library consists entirely of anime and not cartoons from other countries. The website has a simple design, with a white background, a search bar, and the most popular anime titles on display on the main page. While the website appears to have a comprehensive list of titles, it lacks a straightforward way to organize its content. Case in point, the categories normally listed in the main tab are not there, such as movies or TV shows or dubbed or subbed categories. The only problem with the website is that it randomly throws titles into a section called “anime list.” The way in which content is thrown into the list makes it hard to conduct a structured search. Having said this, the best way to navigate the site is through the search box.
15. Animeowl
Animeowl is another web-based streaming website and open-sourced alternative to Gogoanime. The website does a great job at categorizing its content, from online novels to genres and content types (TV series, movies, ONA, OVA, and specials). The website features an extensive library covering old and new titles, with new titles uploaded on a daily basis. Based on our count, the website has a total of 278 anime titles with 16 titles each, for a total of around 4,000 titles. The website runs all content using the latest servers, and it also supports multi-language subtitles for the majority of the content.
16. Soul-Anime
Soul-Anime is another one of the lesser-known anime streaming websites. But it can easily compete with its more popular counterparts in terms of coverage, making it a great alternative to Gogoanime. Soul-Anime grants you access to thousands of anime titles from the past and present. The website lays out its anime collection in alphabetical order in a section called “anime list.” The alphabetical listing marks titles as either completed or ongoing, which we find to be extra helpful. The website also has sections dedicated to anime movies, completed anime, as well as random anime. Some of the more popular series include Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Fairy Tail. The website dedicates a section of the main page for these highly popular shows.
17. Masteranime
Masteranime is another licensed anime streaming website that you can access for free. The website has more than 2500 individual episodes and movies covering a wide variety of genres and timelines. The website is also geared towards an international audience, so the majority of its content is English-dubbed. But of course, you should be able to find a healthy smattering of English-subbed content as well. One of the best things about this platform is its user-friendly and straightforward user interface. While other websites try to lure you with colorful posters and ads on the main page, this one only has a search bar on the main page. If a title is not available on the website, you can click through affiliate anime streaming links. These links connect to sites like Kissanime, Kissasian, and Kisscartoon.
18. KissAnime
KissAnime is probably one of the most popular and robust anime streaming services on the internet, and it offers up thousands of anime titles entirely for free. Content-wise, the website has a pretty well-stocked library with over 760 titles in total. This covers both movie titles and series titles, meaning that there are thousands of titles in store. While these numbers are somewhat average in content, these should keep anime fans occupied for a long time. The website supports high-resolution streaming for the majority of its content. But what’s even more impressive part is that it also supports content download. The website has a well-designed user that makes it easy to search for specific content or otherwise browse through the content by category. In addition, the website makes use of the best video players, which reduces the loading times for your videos and allows them to play in high resolution. If you are on the lookout for streaming websites with similar features to KissAnime, then this list of the best KissAnime alternatives to watch anime for free is for you.
19. 9anime
9anime is another duly licensed anime streaming website and one of the latest Gogoanime alternatives. The website has a clean and professional user interface, with a drop-down tab containing main categories as well as a search bar in the middle. The website has a clean way of organizing and filtering content, with filters like genre, type, country, status, season, year, language, and so on. You can also click on any letter on the alphabet bar below the search results to sift content alphabetically. Additionally, the website keeps special tabs dedicated to the latest updates and new releases. They also have sections dedicated to ongoing, upcoming, and even random anime titles. Regarding the volume of content on the site, we counted upwards of 1,000 titles on their main library. That’s an impressive feat for a relatively new website with limited exposure.
20. AnimeShow
AnimeShow is a lesser-known but equally compelling Gogoanime alternative. The platform has a minimalistic design and an interface that is easy to navigate, making it ideal for both children and adults. The website has a comprehensive list of anime titles, ordered alphabetically under their anime list section. You can also search for anime according to genre and popularity. Like other websites, AnimeShow features subbed and dubbed options for each episode or movie. While the majority of the subs and dubs are in English, some offer additional language options. In addition, new titles and episodes are uploaded on a daily basis, so you never have to miss out on your favorite ongoing titles. The website lets you know about newly uploaded titles via a dedicated section on the left-hand side of the main page.
21. AnimeDao
AnimeDao is another great option for anime fans who seek variety in their anime streaming content. The website has a simple interface and neat layout, and it has the latest video players to ensure that your videos load instantaneously and at high resolutions. The website offers the most popular anime and random recommendations when you don’t know what to watch. Its core library also features search filters such as genre, letter, status, year, and rating to help you refine your search. One of the downsides to this streaming service is that it comes with ads. Since the website is available for free, ads are the only way the developers can keep the website alive. If you can deal with the ads, then it shouldn’t be a problem.
22. FireAnime
FireAnime is a mobile-based anime streaming app. This app doesn’t have its own repository of anime titles as a third-party streaming app. Instead, it taps into many links across the internet and routes back the feed into the website for you to view. The app has a clean and simple user interface, making it easy to uncover new titles as well as recent additions to ongoing titles. The app receives regular updates with the help of a dedicated anime community. Aside from offering access to thousands of anime content, the app has other useful features. These include playlists, recently viewed content, and the option to watch anime via an external video player like MX Player or VLC.
23. JustDubs
24. RetroCrush
As far as we’ve seen, it has a comprehensive library of anime content, arranged alphabetically or by genre. It also features dedicated pages for anime news, reviews, and a forum for you to meet other anime fans. If you are looking for an English-based and social anime streaming site, then JustDubs may be a perfect choice.
RetroCrush is a free anime streaming service that specializes in vintage anime. The website features a curated collection of classic shows and movies handpicked by curators Will Chao and Mary Gibson. The pair scour the internet for the best anime from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. On the other hand, they also offer a handful of modern anime that fits in well with the retro vibe. The website’s library makes for a great test of age. If you recognize most of the titles, you probably lived through the retro era. If you don’t, you are likely part of the Gen Y or Z generation. Some examples of retro content on the site include Devil Lady (1983), Galaxy Express 999 (1979), Golgo 13 (1983), Space Cobra Adventure (1982), and Urusei Yatsura (1984). One of the best things about RetroCrush is that you can clearly feel the careful selection that went into the process of finalizing the library. The website has a relatively small library, with only 100 titles and 40 features, including dubbed and subbed content. But of course, we can appreciate the focus on quality over quantity. But perhaps the best part about the website is that it’s readily accessible from anywhere in the world, with no subscriptions or registration required.
25. Animeland TV
Animeland TV is one of the best websites to watch anime online. The website has episodes of the most popular animes. You can expect episodes of Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and other popular shows, all available here. The website features a search function and a featured anime section for easy navigation. A chat widget also allows website users to talk to each other and recommend favorite anime. Aside from free streaming sites, we have also included subscription-based services. These are just in case you want to take your anime viewing to the next level. Either way, we are fairly confident that our list will be very helpful in your search for the best websites to stream your favorite anime titles. If luck would have it, you may even be able to download your favorite episodes as a bonus. For additional resources on anime streaming, here is a supplementary list of the best anime sites.
