Crunchyroll Announces First Streaming Bundle for U.S. Subscribers
Crunchyroll just announced its first-ever streaming bundle for U.S. subscribers. The anime service is now available in a bundle with Starz for $16.99/month, but the bundle is only purchasable through Prime Video.
Crunchyroll offers three different plans through its own streaming website. Per Amazon's press release, the bundle offers a savings of 23%. That savings percentage suggests the bundle is based on the standard ‘Fan’ tier of Crunchyroll, which typically costs $9.99/mo. Starz, on the other hand, only has one standalone plan at $11.99/mo.
Prime Video’s Director of U.S. Channels, Matt Huntley, spoke on the somewhat unconventional combination of services coming to Amazon: “Whether it’s premium dramas, blockbuster films, or world-class anime, Prime Video is making it seamless for customers to access the entertainment they want, all in one place.”
Both services are also currently offering their own standalone deals. Starz is offering new subscribers three months at $5.99/mo, while Crunchyroll is knocking 17% off annual plans until the end of July. Two of the more niche streamers certainly seem to be making an aggressive push for subscriber growth.
Crunchyroll currently stands as the largest anime streaming service in North America, boasting over 21 million subscribers. Most major changes to the service have occurred since it was controversially acquired by and merged with Funimation back in 2021. Now, Crunchyroll is technically a joint venture between the U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex Inc., both of which are subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
Under the Sony banner, Crunchyroll has expanded its offerings beyond anime streaming. Crunchyroll Manga was rolled out late in 2025, and the service has been doubling down on getting new additions into its Crunchyroll Game Vault.
More recently, the service announced it will be restricting access to the Crunchyroll Store to subscribers of its most expensive subscription tiers. Given that the new streaming bundle seemingly combines the Fan tier and is also exclusive to Prime Video, it’s most likely that subscribers to this specific bundle will not get access to these other Crunchyroll services.
Other recent changes to Crunchyroll include the removal of its free ad-supported streaming tier at the end of last year, soon followed by a price hike that went into effect this past March. One thing the service surprisingly hasn’t gotten rid of is a seven-day free trial.
While this is the first Crunchroll streaming bundle available in the U.S., Starz is available in bundles with a number of other streaming services, including Hallmark+, HBO Max, and MGM+. The service last reported crossing over 17.6 million subscribers, and is home to original series like Outlander as well as new releases from Lionsgate Films and Universal Pictures.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.