Raven Wu
Updated on: October 28, 2024
Fact-checked by Eric Goldstein
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for Crunchyroll in 2024:
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🥇 ExpressVPN
: It works with Crunchyroll 100% of the time and has tons of US server locations that access the US library, which has the most anime in its catalog. Plus, it offers lightning-fast speeds for high-quality and buffer-free streams and offers easy-to-use apps for all major platforms. All subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I tested all the top VPNs and put together a list of the best VPNs for Crunchyroll. Every VPN I recommend can access Crunchyroll’s entire catalog, including its US catalog, which hosts the most popular anime available on the platform. The VPNs on my list also offer very fast speeds for smooth HD streaming and let you enjoy Crunchyroll content on any device.
My #1 recommendation is ExpressVPN. It works consistently with Crunchyroll’s site and app, has a huge server network, and provides super-fast speeds for uninterrupted streams. Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs for Crunchyroll
Editor’s Note: The VPNs I recommend all have strict no-logs policies, meaning they don’t track when, how, or what you stream on Crunchyroll. This makes you responsible for how you use them. I recommend following Crunchyroll’s Terms of Service.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Crunchyroll in 2024
Approved by our experts
ExpressVPN is the #1 VPN for Crunchyroll in 2024. It offers serves in 105 countries that work with many different Crunchyroll catalogs, including 24+ US server locations that can access Crunchyroll’s largest catalog.
It’s the fastest VPN on the market, which makes it ideal for streaming anime in HD on Crunchyroll. In my tests, videos always loaded instantly, and I was able to stream in HD quality without any buffering, even when I skipped through the video. ExpressVPN’s super-fast speeds are due to its proprietary Lightway protocol, which consistently outperforms the fastest common VPN protocol, WireGuard.
This provider is a great pick for streaming Crunchyroll content on any platform. It has easy-to-use apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. It also has apps for Android TV and Fire TV, so you can watch on the big screen. Additionally, it’s one of the only VPNs out there with a dedicated router app. This makes it super easy to set up on your router, so you can watch Crunchyroll on devices without native VPN support, such as gaming consoles and certain smart TVs.
I like that ExpressVPN comes with a smart DNS tool as well. Smart DNS lets you change your location without hiding your IP address or encrypting your data. This gives you faster speeds for streaming on slow networks, and it’s another way to watch Crunchyroll on your TV or gaming console without having to set up the VPN on your router.
This VPN comes with some other useful extras for streaming on Crunchyroll. Its split-tunneling feature lets you route your Crunchyroll app traffic through the VPN, while the rest of your apps use your regular internet traffic — this is useful if you have apps that require your real geolocation, like food delivery services. Every subscription also comes with a password manager (ExpressVPN Keys) to help you securely store and auto-fill your Crunchyroll account info.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at £4.20 / month, and it backs all subscriptions with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN works reliably with Crunchyroll and has a great server network in the US that accesses the platform’s US catalog. It’s also the fastest VPN on the market, has easy-to-use apps for all major platforms (including routers), and comes with great extra features, like a smart DNS tool, split-tunneling, and a password manager. Plus, it backs all subscriptions with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Flexible + Great for Streaming Crunchyroll in the US
Private Internet Access (PIA) is really good for streaming Crunchyroll in the US because it has servers in every state. This allows it to access Crunchyroll’s biggest anime catalog and makes it easy for you to find a nearby server to connect to for the fastest possible speeds.
This VPN gives you many ways to customize your connections for the best streaming experience on Crunchyroll. For example, you can adjust the encryption level, switching from 256-bit to 128-bit AES encryption, which will give you faster speeds on slower networks. You can also change the maximum packet size (MTU). Reducing this value may improve your performance when streaming on less reliable connections, such as public Wi-Fi networks.
PIA doesn’t have a dedicated router app, like ExpressVPN. If you want to watch Crunchyroll on a device that’s not VPN-compatible, you’ll have to perform a manual configuration on your router. Luckily, this is pretty easy thanks to the great guides on PIA’s website. In my tests, it only took me approximately 10 minutes to get the VPN up and running on my router. PIA also has a smart DNS tool that can access Crunchyroll’s US library.
In terms of extra features, PIA comes with a data breach monitor called Identity Guard, which helps protect your Crunchyroll account by alerting you if any of your personal information has been compromised in a data breach. It also has a great split-tunneling tool that works for both the Crunchyroll site and app — most VPNs’s split-tunneling feature only works for apps.
Private Internet Access is affordably priced, starting at just £1.57 / month, and it backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is great for streaming on Crunchyroll in the US, as it has servers in every state. Plus, it lets you customize your connections to get the best experience on different networks. It’s also pretty easy to set up on routers and has a smart DNS tool. Additionally, it comes with a data breach monitor and an advanced split-tunneling tool. PIA backs all subscriptions with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Streaming-Optimized Server for Crunchyroll + Good Automation
CyberGhost VPN has a server location specifically for streaming on Crunchyroll in the US. This server is tested frequently to ensure that it can always access the platform, so you never have to worry about being blocked. It’s also easy to find and connect to since CyberGhost’s streaming-optimized servers are all placed in a separate tab and are clearly labeled with the service that they’re optimized for.
The regular servers, located in 100 countries worldwide, also work with Crunchyroll, so you won’t be short on options.
I’m a big fan of its Smart Rules feature as well. Smart Rules allows you to automate your VPN connections, streamlining the process of using a VPN for Crunchyroll. You can set it up so that whenever you launch the Crunchyroll app, CyberGhost auto-connects to its streaming-optimized server. Conversely, you can configure it so that it automatically launches the Crunchyroll app after you connect to the Crunchyroll server.
Unfortunately, CyberGhost’s smart DNS tool doesn’t work with Crunchyroll (ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access’s smart DNS tools do). However, it’s pretty easy to manually set up CyberGhost on your router with the help of its guides if you want to watch Crunchyroll on your gaming console or smart TV.
This provider has a data breach monitor and a split-tunneling feature. But its split-tunneling feature is only available on its Android app. On Windows, you can use the Exceptions tool under Smart Rules, but this only allows you to exclude websites.
CyberGhost’s plans start at £1.78 / month, and it backs all purchases with a money-back guarantee (up to 45 days for long-term plans).
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN has a dedicated streaming server for Crunchyroll in the US, along with servers in 100 countries worldwide that also work with the streaming platform. Additionally, it offers a great set of automation tools and a data breach monitor. Every CyberGhost subscription comes with a money-back guarantee (up to 45 days for annual plans).
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
4. NordVPN — Great for Streaming Crunchyroll More Securely
NordVPN has convenient security features for safely streaming on Crunchyroll, like its app-based kill switch. Most VPN kill switches shut down your entire internet connection if your VPN disconnects unexpectedly. However, NordVPN’s app-based kill switch lets you selectively shut down specific apps, like your Crunchyroll app or the browser where you watch it, to minimize disruptions to other online activities that don’t need this failsafe.
Besides an app-based kill switch, NordVPN comes with Vulnerability detection, which alerts you if the Crunchyroll app on your Windows PC needs to be updated to fix a security flaw that a bad actor could exploit. In addition, you get a data breach monitor and split-tunneling.
This provider has servers in 111 countries that work with Crunchyroll, including in 15+ cities in the US, so you can connect to a nearby server for faster speeds and find all of your favorite shows on Crunchyroll.
One downside of NordVPN though is that its smart DNS tool doesn’t support streaming on Crunchyroll, so if you want to stream on your gaming console or smart TV, you’ll have to set the VPN up on your router. For comparison, both ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access’s smart DNS tools can access Crunchyroll’s US library.
NordVPN’s plans start at £2.59 / month, and all of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN has some great security features for protecting your privacy while watching Crunchyroll content. These features include an app-based kill switch, a data breach monitor, and a split-tunneling tool. It’ll also alert you if your Crunchyroll app on Windows is vulnerable to threat actors. NordVPN also includes a good server network in the US. All subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Beginner-Friendly VPN for Streaming on Crunchyroll
Surfshark has very intuitive apps, so it’s great for Crunchyroll if you’re new to using VPNs. Its quick-connect feature can be customized to connect you to the closest server location for streaming Crunchyroll content with a single click. Plus, it allows you to favorite server locations, which pins them to the home screen, making it easy to reconnect in seconds.
On top of offering servers in 100 countries, it comes with 22+ server locations in the US that can access Crunchyroll’s app and site, which is roughly on par with top competitors, like ExpressVPN.
One unique feature that Surfshark offers is Override GPS Location. This Android feature ensures that your GPS data matches the location of the VPN server you connect to, so your real location isn’t exposed. It also has a feature called Alternative ID. This creates a fake online identity (including an email address) that you can use for your Crunchyroll account to enhance your privacy. Additionally, Surfshark comes with a split-tunneling tool that works for both apps and sites (like Private Internet Access).
Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN that starts at a low £1.52 / month. Plus, all of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is a beginner-friendly VPN for Crunchyroll. It comes with convenient features like quick-connect. It also has Override GPS Location, which makes it a lot harder for Crunchyroll to block your access on Android, as well as the Alternative ID tool, which provides an extra layer of privacy. Surfshark’s plans all come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Quick Comparison Table
Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I followed our proven testing methodology to create this list of the best VPNs for Crunchyroll — on top of researching all of the top VPNs on the market, I paid particular attention to whether each provider worked consistently with Crunchyroll and if they offered fast speeds for streaming. I also took into account other factors, such as the VPN’s ease of use, security, and more. Learn more about the criteria I used to rank and compare the VPNs on my list below:
- I picked VPNs that work consistently with Crunchyroll. Like many streaming sites, Crunchyroll blocks some VPN traffic, but all of the VPNs I recommend work with the platform 100% of the time.
- I chose VPNs with a large server network. I only recommend VPNs with plenty of servers in the US because it has the biggest Crunchyroll catalog. These providers also have good server coverage worldwide, so it’s easy to find a nearby location to connect to for the best possible speeds.
- I tested each VPN’s speeds. Using any VPN will reduce your connection speeds slightly due to the time it takes to encrypt your data and route it through the provider’s servers. I only picked VPNs that maintain fast enough speeds for streaming on Crunchyroll in HD without buffering. ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds in my tests.
- I looked for VPNs with strong security features. Every VPN I recommend has industry-standard security features for streaming on Crunchyroll more securely. These features include military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy (the provider doesn’t keep records of what you do online), and a kill switch to prevent accidental data leaks.
- I evaluated each VPN’s overall value. I picked VPNs that have reasonably-priced plans, allow multiple simultaneous connections, and come with useful extra features, like split-tunneling and a smart DNS tool. Plus, all of the providers on my list back subscriptions with a money-back guarantee, so you can try them out risk-free.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. PrivateVPN can consistently access Crunchyroll and has a decently-sized US server network. However, it lacks useful extra features for streaming, like split-tunneling, and it isn’t as secure as the VPNs on my list.
- TunnelBear. This VPN is easy to use and has a decent free plan that supports streaming on Crunchyroll. But its free plan restricts you to a measly 2 GB per month, so you’d only be able to stream a few episodes before hitting the cap. I also don’t like how its paid plans lack a money-back guarantee and it doesn’t work with routers.
- VyprVPN. It’s a highly secure VPN that works well with Crunchyroll. However, it only has 8+ server locations in the US, which is not a lot compared to the VPNs I recommend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to use a VPN for Crunchyroll?
Yes, it’s legal to use a VPN for Crunchyroll, so long as VPNs are legal in your country. There’s nothing inherently shady about using a VPN — it’s just a tool to enhance your online privacy and security. What matters is what you choose to do with it.
That said, using a VPN may break Crunchyroll’s Terms of Service. Crunchyroll also blocks some VPN traffic and could (though unlikely) block your account for violating its rules. I confirmed that all of the VPNs on my list work consistently with the platform.
What country is best for Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll’s US catalog has the most shows, which makes sense given that it’s a US streaming platform. A good VPN has servers in the US and can access Crunchyroll, which would give you access to the US catalog.
How do I use a VPN for Crunchyroll?
Using a VPN for Crunchyroll is really simple — just follow these 3 simple steps:
- Get a good VPN for Crunchyroll. ExpressVPN is my #1 recommendation because it works reliably with the platform, offers blazing-fast speeds, and is really easy to use.
- Connect to a VPN server. Choosing a nearby location will get you faster speeds for buffer-free streams.
- Log into your Crunchyroll account. You’re all set! You can now stream on Crunchyroll more securely.
Can I use a free VPN for Crunchyroll?
Maybe, but I don’t recommend it. Most free VPNs don’t support streaming at all or can’t access Crunchyroll. Free VPNs also tend to have strict data caps, a limited server selection, and slower connection speeds. Additionally, some free VPNs log user activity and sell that information to third parties (like advertisers), compromising your privacy. For a safe and reliable streaming experience, it’s best to invest in a reputable paid VPN.
