15 Best Anime Apps for iOS and Android Devices

Crunchyroll is the best anime app for both iOS and And,”acf_accord_groups_8_acf_accord_group_title”:”Is Tubi good for anime?”,”_acf_accord_groups_8_acf_accord_group_title”:”field_acf_accord_group_title”,”acf_accord_groups_8_acf_accord_group_content”:”\u003cp\u003eYes, Tubi is one of the best free options for anime. It has titles like Naruto, One Punch Man, and Akira, all completely free with ads. No account required. The anime catalog is smaller than Crunchyroll\u0027s, but for a free service with no sign-up, it\u0027s excellent.\u003c/p\u003e”,”_acf_accord_groups_8_acf_accord_group_content”:”field_acf_accord_group_content”,”acf_accord_groups_9_acf_accord_group_title”:”What happened to VRV and AnimeLab?”,”_acf_accord_groups_9_acf_accord_group_title”:”field_acf_accord_group_title”,”acf_accord_groups_9_acf_accord_group_content”:”\u003cp\u003eVRV shut down in November 2023 and AnimeLab merged into Funimation in 2021. Since Funimation itself merged into Crunchyroll in 2024, all content from VRV, AnimeLab, and Funimation is now available on Crunchyroll. If you used any of these services, Crunchyroll is the replacement.\u003c/p\u003e”,”_acf_accord_groups_9_acf_accord_group_content”:”field_acf_accord_group_content”roid in 2026. It has 1,000+ titles, same-day simulcasts from Japan, and a free ad-supported tier. For a completely free option, Tubi carries a solid anime selection with no subscription required.

I’ve tested every major anime app on my iPhone and Android devices over the past two years. Some have shut down (VRV, AnimeLab), others merged (Funimation folded into Crunchyroll), and several new options have emerged. This list covers the best anime apps that are actually worth installing right now, with iOS and Android download links for each. I’ve also added a section on discontinued apps so you know where their content ended up.

Best Anime Apps for iOS & Android

Here are the best anime apps you can install on your iPhone, iPad, Android, or smart TVs (Android TV, Samsung TV, Apple TV). I have tested each one and listed what makes it worth your time.

Quick Navigation

• Crunchyroll
• Hulu
• Netflix
• HIDIVE
• MyAnimeList
• Anime-Planet
• Amazon Prime Video
• Viki
• Kitsu
• Cartoon Network
• Tubi
• Disney+
• Bilibili
• RetroCrush
• Muse Asia

Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is a popular platform among anime fans and receives more than 20 million monthly visits. It features over 1,000 titles in its library with subtitles (for non-Japanese speakers), including popular shows such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Dr. Stone, and Black Clover.

The app has a handy Simulcasts feature that lets you watch an episode's broadcast on the same day it broadcasts in Japan. Apart from anime, Crunchyroll also offers a massive library of digital Manga, making it one of the best apps for reading Manga on Android and iPhone.

Get Crunchyroll for iOS / Get Crunchyroll for Android

Hulu

Hulu is one of the world's leading streaming platforms and has a reputation of being an excellent alternative to Netflix. It has also grown popular among anime fans by hosting a decent amount of anime content in its library. It has nearly all of the popular anime that a newcomer would want to watch, such as Attack on Titan, Naruto, Demon Slayer, and more.

You will find all the basic genres of anime at Hulu, including seinen, shounen, shoujo, and isekai. Apart from anime, you will also get access to a vast collection of movies and TV shows over there. For users interested in adult animated shows, Hulu has a lot of popular titles such as Family Guy, Rick and Morty, and The Simpsons.

Get Hulu for iOS / Get Hulu for Android

Netflix

Netflix, of course, needs no introduction; it is one of the leading streaming TV services today. It has an excellent user-friendly interface and a rich collection of movies and shows, including anime. It features a separate anime section where you can find all the anime that the platform has to offer.

Although the library is relatively small compared to other apps, you can find many classic titles such as Death Note, Demon Slayer, and Naruto in there. All the titles come with subtitles, and some of them include English dubs as well. Also, Netflix allows you to download these shows and watch them later at your leisure.

Get Netflix for iOS / Get Netflix for Android

HIDIVE

HIDIVE is a relative newcomer to the list of anime sites offering free anime. Unlike Crunchyroll and Funimation, which offer a large amount of anime to choose from, HIDIVE gives its users a small sample group similar to Crunchyroll Collection's YouTube channel.

You will notice the free episodes section when you visit the HIDIVE website. In this section, you can only watch the first episode of each show. These free single episodes demonstrate HIDIVE's tag system to give you a better taste of the service's range. After sampling all the available episodes, you can try out HIDIVE's 14-day trial or subscribe for $4.99 per month.

Get HIDIVE for iOS / Get HIDIVE for Android

MyAnimeList

Launched in November 2004 by Garrett Gyssler, MyAnimeList (usually abbreviated as MAL) is a large anime and manga social networking and social cataloging application website run by volunteers. It provides its users with a list-like system to organize and score anime and manga.

MyAnimeList also helps you find users who share your tastes. It provides a massive database of anime and manga. As of 2008, the website claimed to have 4.4 million anime and 775,000 manga entries.

Get MyAnimeList for iOS / Get MyAnimeList for Android

Anime-Planet

Anime-Planet is another legal streaming platform that allows users to watch anime for free. Although it does not provide access to its entire anime library for free, it does host popular anime such as Naruto Shippuden, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Noblesse, and Tower of God for you to stream for free.

Similar to VRV, most anime series on Anime-Planet are available via a partnership with Crunchyroll and HIDIVE. Although the website supports all the premium content, you can only access it by becoming a premium member. It has a neat user interface similar to Crunchyroll and features a community section for anime fans to share anime list reviews.

Note: Anime-Planet's mobile apps aren't available on either Play or App Store. But you can watch videos using their mobile-first website online.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime is one of the most popular streaming platforms today, though its anime library is somewhat limited compared to other platforms. If you already have an Amazon Prime membership, you might find Prime Video to be quite useful – especially if you are a newcomer. Although it does not have many popular animes, it includes a few popular TV series like Dororo, Hunter x Hunter, Vinland Saga, GTO, and Psycho-Pass.

Because Prime Video has a limited anime library, it might not be the best alternative if you need to sign up for a new membership. But if you have already subscribed to Prime for one-day deliveries or Prime Gaming for free rewards, you can check out their anime library and make use of the limited content available on Prime Video.

Get Amazon Prime Video Apps

Viki

Viki is a popular streaming service that offers a wide selection of Asian dramas, including many popular anime shows and movies. It has a large library of content including Asian dramas, movies, and TV shows from Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand.

You can stream TV series and movies for free or subscribe to Viki Pass for an ad-free HD experience. The Viki mobile app supports subtitles in up to 150 languages and features a dedicated discussion panel for global fans.

Get Viki for iOS / Get Viki for Android

Kitsu

Kitsu is a popular website and mobile app to watch all your favorite anime movies and series. It is well-known for its minimalistic design and lets you search for new animes by their genres.

It has a large database of content and allows users to create lists of their favorite shows and movies, as well as rate and review them. Also, it provides details of individual episodes such as the release date, cover photo, and description.

Get Kitsu for iOS / Get Kitsu for Android

Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network is a television network and mobile app that is one of the oldest providers of kids' entertainment. It played an important role in popularizing anime in India. It hosts a wide range of animated shows and movies, including many popular anime shows and movies such as Dragon Ball and Digimon. It has a vast library of content and allows users to watch their favorite shows and movies on demand.

Get Cartoon Network for iOS / Get Cartoon Network for Android

Tubi

Tubi is a completely free, ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation. It has quietly built one of the better free anime libraries available. You won’t find simulcasts here, but the catalog includes solid titles like Naruto, One Punch Man, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Akira.

The app works without any sign-up or subscription. Just install and start watching. The ads are less intrusive than most free services. If you want legal free anime without creating an account, Tubi is hard to beat.

Get Tubi for iOS / Get Tubi for Android

Disney+

Disney+ doesn’t come to mind first for anime, but it has been expanding its catalog since acquiring exclusive streaming rights for several anime titles in Asia and beyond. The platform now carries series like Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Tokyo Revengers, and Summer Time Rendering.

The anime selection varies by region. In Southeast Asia and Japan, Disney+ (via the Star hub) has a much larger anime catalog than in the US. If you already subscribe for Marvel and Star Wars content, check the anime section before paying for another service.

Get Disney+ for iOS / Get Disney+ for Android

Bilibili

Bilibili is China’s largest anime and ACG (anime, comics, games) platform with over 300 million monthly active users. The international version offers a growing library of licensed anime with English subtitles, including many Chinese-produced donghua titles you won’t find anywhere else.

The app is free with ads. It also features a unique scrolling comment system (danmaku) where viewer comments float across the screen in real time. It takes some getting used to, but many fans love the communal viewing experience. Best for fans interested in Chinese animation (donghua) alongside Japanese anime.

Get Bilibili for iOS / Get Bilibili for Android

RetroCrush

RetroCrush is a free, ad-supported streaming service that specializes in classic and retro anime. If you grew up watching Lupin III, Astro Boy, or Galaxy Express 999, this app is built for you. It focuses entirely on older titles from the 1960s through the early 2000s.

The catalog is small compared to Crunchyroll, but every title is a classic. No account required to start watching. RetroCrush fills a niche that bigger platforms ignore: legally streaming vintage anime that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Get RetroCrush for iOS / Get RetroCrush for Android

Muse Asia (YouTube)

Muse Asia is a YouTube channel operated by Muse Communication, one of Asia’s largest anime distributors. It streams full episodes of currently airing anime for free, with English subtitles. New episodes go live within hours of their Japan broadcast.

The catch: it’s geo-restricted to select Asian countries (India, Southeast Asia, parts of the Middle East). If you’re in one of those regions, Muse Asia is one of the best free legal anime sources available. Just subscribe to the YouTube channel and watch directly in the YouTube app. No separate app needed.

Watch on Muse Asia YouTube Channel (Free, geo-restricted to select Asian regions)

Anime Apps That No Longer Exist

The anime streaming landscape has changed significantly over the past few years. Several popular apps have shut down or merged into other platforms. If you’re searching for any of these, here’s where their content ended up.

Funimation (Merged into Crunchyroll, 2024)

Funimation was the go-to app for English dubbed anime for over a decade. It had 800+ titles, including Attack on Titan, One Piece, and My Hero Academia. Its SimulDubs feature delivered English dubs on the same day episodes aired in Japan.

After Sony acquired both Crunchyroll and Funimation, the company merged Funimation’s entire catalog into Crunchyroll in 2024. The Funimation app and website now redirect to Crunchyroll. All SimulDub content, dubbed back catalog, and exclusive titles are available on Crunchyroll. If you had a Funimation subscription, you need a Crunchyroll subscription now.

VRV (Shut Down, November 2023)

VRV was a unique bundle service that combined Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Rooster Teeth, and other niche channels into one app for $9.99/month. It was popular for offering multiple streaming services at a discounted rate through a single interface.

Crunchyroll’s parent company shut down VRV in November 2023 to consolidate the anime streaming market under the Crunchyroll brand. All anime content from VRV moved to Crunchyroll. Non-anime channels like Rooster Teeth have since also shut down.

AnimeLab (Merged into Funimation, 2021)

AnimeLab was a free anime streaming service popular in Australia and New Zealand. It offered simulcast episodes and a solid free tier with ads. The app had a clean interface and was one of the few legal free anime options in the ANZ region.

Funimation acquired AnimeLab and merged it into the Funimation platform in 2021. When Funimation itself merged into Crunchyroll in 2024, all former AnimeLab content became part of Crunchyroll’s library. ANZ users now use Crunchyroll for the same content.

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