✦ Edited and fact-checked by Mia Carter, our Contributing Writer with over 27 years covering tech and mobile apps.
Does Crunchyroll have a student discount?
Not officially, no. Crunchyroll doesn’t offer a verified student discount, a SheerID or UNiDAYS-backed student plan, or any .edu-specific pricing tier.
Crunchyroll’s own UNiDAYS partner listing confirms as much. There’s no live offer for students, just a generic invitation to join the platform. If you’ve seen a blog promising a 20% to 60% Crunchyroll student discount, treat it with skepticism; we couldn’t verify that claim anywhere on Crunchyroll’s official site or help center.
That’s a tougher pill to swallow now that Crunchyroll has retired its free, ad-supported tier and raised prices across the board. Here’s what the Crunchyroll student discount situation actually looks like, plus the legitimate ways students can still bring the cost down.
What does the Crunchyroll student discount include?
There’s nothing to include, because a dedicated Crunchyroll student discount doesn’t exist. What you’ll find instead are the same three subscription tiers everyone else pays: Fan at $9.99/mo., Mega Fan at $13.99/mo., and Ultimate Fan at $17.99/mo.
Those prices climbed by $2 per tier in February 2026, shortly after Crunchyroll shut down its free, ad-supported option at the end of 2025. It’s the first Fan-tier price change since 2019, so it landed hard with budget-conscious viewers.
Older online discussions mention a Crunchyroll outreach program that provided free Premium access to some anime clubs and libraries, but it should not be treated as a current student discount. Crunchyroll’s current guidance says it does not currently offer licenses or special permission for public screenings, including club meetings and classrooms.
Your realistic options for savings are billing-based, not student-based: an annual Fan plan running $99.99/yr. (about $8.33/mo.) and a 7-day free trial on any tier. Tier-based discounts at the Crunchyroll Store ended on August 14, 2026.
How do I sign up for the Crunchyroll student discount?
You can’t sign up for a Crunchyroll student discount specifically, but you can still lock in the lowest available price as a student by following these steps.
- Head to the Crunchyroll membership page and compare the Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan tiers based on features such as simultaneous streams, downloads, and other included perks.
- Start with the 7-day free trial on whichever tier fits your needs, so you can test the library before committing.
- If you plan to stay subscribed, check whether the annual Fan option is available to you; paying yearly can reduce the effective monthly cost compared with paying month to month.
- Watch for limited-time annual promotions, which can occasionally drop the first-year Fan price below the standard $99.99 annual rate.
What other streaming services have student discounts?
Crunchyroll may be sitting this one out, but plenty of other streaming services do offer real, verified student pricing worth comparing.
| Service | Promo price | Regular price | Duration | Ads? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime for Young Adults | $7.49/mo. after 6-month free trial | $14.99/mo. | While eligible; student benefits up to 4 yrs. | Yes |
| Disney+, Hulu Student Bundle | $6.49/mo. | $12.99/mo.. | Duration of eligible enrollment | Yes |
| Apple Music Student with Apple TV | $6.99/mo. | $11.99/mo. + $12.99/mo. | Up to 48 months | No |
| Spotify Premium Student with Hulu (With Ads) | $6.99/mo. | $12.99/mo. + $11.99/mo. | Up to 4 years of study | Hulu has ads |
| HBO Max Basic With Ads | $5.49/mo. | $10.99/mo. | 12 months (reverification annually) | Yes |
| Paramount+ Essential | $4.49/mo. | $8.99/mo. | First 12 months | Yes |
| Paramount+ Premium | $6.99/mo. | $13.99/mo. | First 12 months | No |
| Peacock Premium | $5.99/mo. | $12.99/mo. | 12 months; renewable if still eligible | Yes |
Data effective as of post date.
Read more about these services and many others with our Best of the Best Awards guide and our annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Crunchyroll student discount FAQ
Does Crunchyroll offer a discount for college students?
No. Crunchyroll doesn't have an official student discount, and its UNiDAYS partner page shows no active offer. Some third-party blogs claim otherwise, but those claims aren't verifiable through Crunchyroll's own site or help center.
Is there a way to get Crunchyroll for free as a student?
The standard 7-day Premium trial is the main way to try the full Crunchyroll subscription experience for free. Crunchyroll also offers some free viewing outside Premium, including its free 24/7 Crunchyroll Channel on select platforms and titles listed as Free New Episodes. None of these is a student-specific discount.
Why did Crunchyroll get more expensive in 2026?
Crunchyroll ended its free, ad-supported tier on December 31, 2025, then raised prices on all three paid tiers by $2/mo. each on February 2, 2026, bringing Fan to $9.99, Mega Fan to $13.99, and Ultimate Fan to $17.99. Crunchyroll’s pricing announcement highlighted recent and upcoming features including multiple profiles, teen profiles with PIN protection, skip intro and credits, and expanded device compatibility.
What's the cheapest way to subscribe to Crunchyroll?
Paying annually is the most reliable discount available, bringing the Fan plan down to $99.99/yr., or about $8.33/mo., compared with $9.99/mo. billed monthly. Crunchyroll also runs limited-time annual promotions that can lower the first-year cost further.
Which anime streaming service has the best student discount?
Among major streamers, the Disney+, Hulu Student Bundle is a standout for anime fans, offering both services for $6.49/mo. with ads while you remain an eligible student. Hulu carries a solid selection of popular anime and some simulcasts, but Crunchyroll has a significantly larger anime library and is stronger for recent simulcasts. Read CableTV.com's Crunchyroll review to compare libraries before deciding which service is worth paying full price for.
CableTV.com editors created this article using original analysis and proprietary inputs, with AI tools assisting in drafting. The final content was reviewed and edited for accuracy and quality.
