The 5 Best Anime Streaming Apps for Android
Would anyone disagree with me when I say: Having your favorite anime released and not being able to watch it sucks! Maybe, you’re going gaga over when you want to watch anime and finding the best anime tv app so you could watch it online for free on your smartphone.
But, here’s a fact: The internet is swarming with app recommendations for watching and downloading anime online. Although more often than not, these apps fail to reach their users’ expectations. It’s either that they have too limited anime options or they take too long to buffer when you want to watch your series.
To help you narrow down your search, I put together a list of the top apps that you can enjoy for free.
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5 Best Live Streaming Apps for Android
Anime streaming
This is a process of watching anime on your computer or handheld device without having the actual video file. It’s the same as watching a 20-minute Youtube video online!
Before I start digging into the list, let me share with you one of my favorite anime quotes:
“In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that’s true, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.”
– Hatake, Kakashi
If you’re going to ask why, it’s because at the end of every day, no man is an island and real friendships are essential in life! Moving on, let’s jump straight to our list!
Also Read: 5 Best Live Streaming Apps for Android
5 Best Anime Streaming Apps for Android
| Best in anime library | Crunchyroll |
| Best in subtitled and dubbed anime | Funimation |
| Best in variety | Netflix |
| Best in offline viewing | Amazon Prime Video |
| Best in simulcast | AnimeLab |
These are the top 5 Anime streaming apps for Android. Read on to know more about these amazing apps!
1. Crunchyroll
Features
– Largest Anime Library
– Crunchyroll originals
– Full access to new anime shows
– Free premium for 14 days
Premium features
– No ads
– New episodes one hour after they air in Japan
– Streaming on up to 6 screens at once
– Offline viewing
Price
– Premium – $79.99 per year
– Premium+ – $99.95 per year
Ask anyone for their best go-to app and they’ll tell you this first thing. Crunchyroll is hailed as one of the most famous (or infamous) apps for phones. And it is also one of the best. With millions of downloads on Google Play store, Crunchyroll has the largest anime library for you like My Hero Academia to enjoy. And you can also enjoy offline viewing in the app.
It has over 25,000 episodes of the greatest anime series which you can binge-watch. If watching isn’t enough for you, you can also read your favorite manga through this app.
Crunchyroll has a user-friendly interface so you will not get lost while using the app. Search anime movies alphabetically, by popularity, or by genres.
If you’re alright with seeing ads, you can enjoy this app for free. But if you want an ad-free, HD streaming experience, you can download a premium anime hd app with a 14-day free trial feature.
Hardcore anime fans can join their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
| Pros | Cons |
| Crunchyroll releases new episodes one hour after they air in Japan. | It crashes constantly and plays an ad every time it crashes. |
| It has access to download and read offline. | There is a constant error message regarding connectivity issues that appears as a red banner at the bottom of the screen. |
| A premium app with a 14-day free trial feature can be downloaded. | This application has some buffering issues. |
2. Funimation
Features
– Free premium for 14 days
– Subtitled and dubbed anime movies
Premium features
– Watch ad-free
– Offline viewing
– Full playback control
– Classics and top-trending anime shows
Price
– Premium – $59.99 / year
– Premium Plus – $79.99 / year
– Premium Plus Ultra – $99.99 / year
Next on the list is Funimation which also has a library packed with subbed and dubbed anime movies. App users love Funimation because it has the fastest turnaround time when it comes to dubbing. Simulcast anime movies from Japan right through this app without any delay. And offline viewing is also available.
Free users can watch limited HD movies with ads. Or if you prefer, premium users can enjoy hundreds of movies without constant ad-popping. Watch like My Hero Academia here and have an enjoyable time.
Pay a monthly rate of $5.99 or subscribe to a yearly plan of $59.99 to enjoy the hottest anime there is. Premium users can also simultaneously watch 2 streams at the same time.
Recently, Funimation has released a new feature where app users can download the episodes to watch them offline. Also, they had bug fixes and performance upgrades for a more comfortable streaming experience.
Although this anime app for android tv is a good choice for anime lovers, the download feature is limited to only a few countries.
| Pros | Cons |
| Funimation has Classics and top-trending anime shows. | App constantly crashes and glitches which can be pretty annoying to its users. |
| It gives the user a perfect experience with Full playback control. | It has too many ads, 6 ads in 4 plotted timestamps. |
| It has subtitles for every dubbed anime movie. | It has issues with casting it in smart television. |
3. Netflix
Premium features
– Watch ad-free
– Personalized recommendations
– Download and watch offline
– Multi-user profiles
Price
– Basic – $8.99 / month
– Standard – $13.99 / month
– Premium – $17.99 / month
Ironically, Netflix, the most popular streaming service online, is also a great place to watch anime. Using the Netflix app, you can binge-watch a wide list of anime available for you to stream, and also it is capable of offline viewing.
However, you need to pay a subscription fee to be able to start watching.
Additionally, Netflix may be a great streaming service but the company sometimes lacks the latest anime and the collection can actually be pretty mediocre for some regions.
| Pros | Cons |
| Netflix suggests you Personalized recommendations. | You need to pay a subscription fee to be able to start watching. |
| It has access to download and read offline. | It does not have a filtering option. |
| It accesses multi-user profiles. | It sometimes shows a blank screen with error number 1009. |
4. Amazon Prime Video
Premium features
– Watch ad-free
– Cast from phone to big screen
– Personalized recommendations
– Download and watch offline
– Multi-user profiles
Price
– Premium – $8.99 / month
– Prime Monthly (Amazon Prime Membership) – $12.99
– Prime Annual (Amazon Prime Membership) – $119.00
Another great streaming service that has been around for quite some time is the Amazon Prime Video.
Not only does it contain a great list of TV shows and movies, but it also offers a wide list of anime to watch. You’ll be able to binge-watch all the old and latest anime episodes available. Offline viewing is also one of its features.
If you haven’t heard or have not used Amazon Prime Video service, then you can enjoy a free trial period of 7 days.
After that, you have to pay a monthly subscription to continue enjoying their streaming services.
| Pros | Cons |
| It has access to download and read offline. | You can’t switch to the next or previous episode once it is loaded. |
| Amazon Prime Video has access to multi-user profiles. | Subtitles synchronization is either late or a little too early which irritates the user. |
| You can cast the phone screen into a smart television screen. | It sometimes crashes, and buffers even with the highest internet speed, the video freezes while the audio keeps playing. |
The app is also available for download on the Amazon AppStore.
5. AnimeLab
Features
– Pre/mid-roll ads
– Simulcast delayed 1 week
– Only subtitles, no dubs
– Standard definition
– Online streaming only available
– Standard support
Premium features
– No ads
– Simulcast without delay
– Both subs. and dubs available
– High definition
– Android & iOS streaming available
– Priority support
Price
– Premium – 7.95 AUD
Hi, JOA readers from Australia and New Zealand! I included AnimeLab on this list of the top best anime apps for android!
Although AnimeLab is exclusive to certain locations at the moment, anime fans should watch out because developers are working their way to you. However, the availability of the app in the USA is uncertain owing to a deal with Funimation.
AnimeLab has thousand of episodes already available on the app with new anime shows added every week. It even simulcasts directly from Japan in HD. And also offline viewing is one of its perks.
| Pros | Cons |
| AnimeLab is an easy-to-navigate app. | No option for offline streaming. |
| It has a lot of different and better options to use in terms of streaming. | It plays ads at the beginning or at the mid-rolls. |
| It s smooth to use on Xbox, phone, and pc. | It has only subtitles and has no dubbing. |
This anime app for android tv has a 4.1-star review in Google Play Store, solid evidence that this app is an amazing choice.
Grab a copy of Classic and the Latest Anime Titles at Viz Media!
Are you looking for a Blu-ray or a DVD copy of your favorite animes? Look no further than VIZ Media. VIZ Media offers a wide selection of anime in Blue-Ray and DVD available for purchase on Amazon.com.
From JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, they got it all! They also have collectibles and manga.
FAQs
Is it legal to watch Anime on these apps?
Depending on the rules and regulations of the country that you are residing in, all of the apps on our list have legal rights to stream selected animes. Otherwise, any form of illegal action or copyright violation will surely ban the listed apps from the Google Play store.
Are Anime Streaming Apps free?
Some anime streaming apps let you watch for free, but expect to see ads here and there. You can avoid pesky ads by paying a subscription fee or upgrading your membership with the streaming app you’re using.
Is AnimeLab available in the USA?
Currently, AnimeLab is only available for download in Australia and New Zealand. AnimeLab may never come to the USA as Funimation has withdrawn from Australia and New Zealand as a part of the deal between the two which also doesn’t allow AnimeLab to operate in the USA.
Is AnimeLab bought by Funimation?
Aniplex and Sony Pictures Television consolidated their streaming servcies with Funimation, Madman anime group, and Wakanim in 2019 and thus AnimeLab became a direct subsidiary of Funimation.
Android apps to binge watch and stream anime online
The quest for the best app is a tricky task. If you are aiming for free apps, lower your expectations on the ads. Instead, look for an app that has good streaming quality.
All the anime we watch are products of hard labor, passion, and creativity. As much as we would love to watch anime for free, we should think of the artists and writers that created our favorite animes.
Have you tried downloading other apps but they didn’t reach your expectations? Do you have anything else to add to the list? What are you most particular about in looking for an online streaming app?
Related: The Best Android Browser for Downloading
Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Hi I am the developer of Gotardo Anime app. Thank you so much for the article about my app.
The App showcase is little old in you blog. Please update the photos of my app to its latest.
And thanks for the post.
One suggestion: Could you please put the download link of that app so they can download fast,
Hi Kamal Shrestha, thank you too for commenting here.
We’ve updated the article and did your request. Do let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with.
Yes, Thank you so much.
I am very please to hear from you.
We added no ads subscription just for $2 and download video. While playing video you can find the download button which will take you to a download website.
AniNet must be on 1st place
The first app u suggested was good but it doesn’t have fairy tail plzzz tell me taht where can I watch fairy tail plzzz tell