Yes, it's getting more expensive.
Summary:
- Multiple Crunchyroll subscription plans are getting more expensive.
- The new benefits include discounts in Crunchyroll Store and access to their game library, but this isn't enough.
- Fans feel like Crunchyroll has more important things to focus on.
Fans have been complaining about anime streaming services getting worse and worse. HIDIVE had a terrible UI update and Funimation merged with Crunchyroll. Now, Crunchyroll has updated its prices for multiple subscription plans. These updates, of course, make Crunchyroll more expensive — and fans are upset about them.
The Subscription Is Getting More Expensive
According to Crunchyroll, the changes will take place in "Argentina, Colombia, France, Portugal, the United States and select additional countries." Among the changes in the US specifically, there are updates to "Mega Fan" and "Ultimate Fan" tiers, which are the most popular subscription plans for the service.
The Mega Fan tier is going to cost $11.99/month (it was $9.99), and the Ultimate Fan tier is going to be $15.99/month (it was $14.99). These cost updates aren't that significant, and the Fan tier is keeping its price, but otaku are still upset, as they believe the new benefits aren't worth it.
As if this wasn't enough, the free trial period is reduced to one week — from two weeks, which the service previously provided. This is a big deal, as one week is essentially only one newly-released episode of an airing anime.
Fans Hate The Price Update, and The Hatred Is Justified
The price updates, of course, come with additional benefits for fans. The plans that got more expensive now also include discounts for the Crunchyroll Store (and free shipping under certain conditions) and the ability to access a library of games.
That said, fans don't believe that these tier updates are worth it, as most people don't actually use Crunchyroll Store and don't care about their selection of games.
Overall, fans think this update is just a price hike. Moreover, the update also addresses countries other than the United States, and in many of those, the changes are way more severe.
In Argentina, the yearly price for the Mega Fan plan went to 44000 pesos (roughly $50 USD) — a more than 1000% update from 3800 pesos it was. Granted, this was done to reflect the recent hyperinflation in the country, but many Argentinian fans still said they're probably going to drop the service.
Some point out that Crunchyroll kept the same prices for the ever-expanding catalog of anime for the last few years, unlike Netflix, which changed their price multiple times. Still, fans don't believe the price increase is justified, especially with how much of a disaster some recent decisions by Crunchyroll were.
The main concern, of course, is the merger with Funimation, where a lot of anime was simply not imported despite the promises by both platforms.