This post is written for Japanese anime enthusiasts who want to watch anime shows online through convenient apps. I did a review and made a list of the 10 best anime apps without ads.
Unlock the list that helps you get started instantly if you are planning to watch anime for the first time. You can enjoy ad-free shows on these apps. They also showcase high interactivity and compatibility with all mobile OS, be it Android or iOS.
So discover the Best apps to watch Anime for free without annoying Ads right on your handy mobile phones.
10 Best Free Anime Apps Without Ads
Let's jump into the 10 best apps for anime enthusiasts and enjoy your favorite anime shows easily.
Top 1: Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll ranks first among all the best anime apps for Android as well as iOS. Among all other anime streaming services and East Asian content providers, it is a frontrunner in the USA and worldwide. You may get an idea of its popularity from 50+ million registered users all over the world so far, and still counting.
Besides Anime, it offers you to watch Manga series, Music shows, and other interesting Asian content. It is easily available on the App Store, or one may also download Crunchyroll APK for Android.
It gives 14 days of free subscription for beginners, with all the premium features to enjoy for free. After 14 days, you need to select a premium plan to go Ad-free.
The App interface is so sleek and user-friendly that you can pick your favorite shows in no time. In addition, you may create a personalized 'Watch list' where you can drop your favorite shows to watch later. Apart from Android and iOS, this app runs effortlessly on Windows, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation as well.
Top 2: VRV
VRV is a unique anime streaming app that hosts several other anime streaming services and becomes a vast platform to access anime from every corner. You can watch shows from multiple channels on a single platform, which includes NickSplat, Rooster Teeth, and VRV Select.
VRV download is free, but to enjoy watching Anime shows from varied services, you need to be a subscribed member.
The App updates itself regularly to add newer shows as it is released. If you go with the free version, it shows you 1080 HD picture quality, despite the built-in ads. To watch without Ads, you may become a premium member.
Above all, it also has exclusive 'VRV select' content that you can't watch anywhere else. Apart from Android and iOS, this app runs effortlessly on Windows, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, Android TV, Apple TV, and PlayStation as well.
Top 3: Netflix
Netflix is one of the largest over-the-top streaming platforms, with exclusive shows and movies in multiple languages worldwide. However, it is not exclusively dedicated to showing Anime, but it has a popular variety of anime, including Pokémon, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter, and much more.
Sources reveal that a few years ahead, Netflix is planning to join hands with various animation studios in Japan. So, viewers might have seen a broader Anime segment on Netflix.
It is no secret that Netflix is available on all types of streaming devices and is free to download. However, to save your shows and movies to watch later, you need to be a premium member. You may avail yourself of a subscription to Premium for $22.99 per month.
If you have extra member slots (your membership is paid by the person who invited you to share your Netflix account), you can cut down on this fee to just $6.99 per month.
Top 4: Funimation Now
Note: Funimation and Crunchyroll were combined in 2022.
If you are the kind of person who loves to watch anime but wants it to have English subtitles, you may love this anime app. Funimation has a huge collection of Anime dubbed in English.
However, you may also watch subbed versions. Being one of the oldest Anime streaming services in the USA, it regularly updates its gallery in collaboration with Animation studios like BLT Productions, Ocean Studios, Pioneer, and Saban Entertainment.
As of now, the app offers around a thousand Anime titles to choose from. Funimation is the home of nostalgic anime, along with a few evergreen titles like Dragon Ball and Pokémon. With its premium subscription, you may stream simultaneously on up to 5 devices. Since it is owned by Sony, it is needless to say that all the Sony Anime series are available here.
Top 5: YouTube
For YouTube, I won't go into details. It is one of the biggest video streaming platforms where you can find almost anything in the world. Then why not try some anime with it? It is a safer option if you are not willing to subscribe to any of the specific websites or Apps.
From classic to the latest Anime, you may find all the episodes of your favorite Anime Shows. However, some exclusive series might not be available on this open platform.
All you need to do is go to the search bar and enter the name of the anime you want to watch. You may save the list of Anime to watch later or download it to watch offline without Ads. To watch it online without ads, you may become a member of YouTube Premium.
Top 6: AnimeLab
What makes AnimeLab different from the rest of the Anime Android and iOS apps is the 'Request' section. The app provides the option to request any of your favorite Anime movies or shows if it has not been added to its catalog.
However, you may choose to watch among the 700 Anime shows and movies from 30+ genres in its library.
It supports almost all TV and streaming multimedia devices, including Telstra TV, Apple AirPlay, and Sony TV. As always, the free version has limited access, but when you go premium, you may enjoy watching anime in English-dubbed HD quality. The user interface of the app is also very simple and easy to use.
Top 7: RetroCrush
As suggested by the name itself, RetroCrush's anime treasure contains all your favorite retro titles. All the classic anime is segregated into various categories, including action, comedy, romance, and many more. App developers keep the design minimalist and make it easy to browse any title through the categories.
RetroCrush is free, but 5-to-30-second ads may bother you. However, these ads won't distract you from the content. Like all other similar apps, RetroCrush also offers a subscription option to go ad-free and access unlimited content without any age restrictions. It is the ultimate destination to watch '90s animation on the go.
Top 8: Mubi
Very few people know that Mubi was originally a social network, especially designed for movie freaks, in 2007. Later in 2010, it was converted into a streaming platform, and it has never looked back since then. At present, Mubi is associated with anime champions like Studio Ghibli and lists all the top-searched anime titles under different genres.
The user interface has been designed keeping in mind the convenience of the users. The 'Now Showing' gives you all the latest episodes based on your recent watch history. You can watch the shows offline and in the best quality if your internet connection allows.
Top 9: AnyMe
AnyMe is the hub of all Japanese anime. Anime series, OVAs, movies—whatever you want to watch, everything is available here. You may watch shows with subtitles and dubs in English and Spanish.
The app has its own built-in video player, so there is no need to install any additional video player on your device.
The user interface of the app is what everybody likes about it. All the shows and movies are arranged category-wise, which makes it easy to pick the one you like among thousands of movies, shows, and episodes.
Top 10: Tubi
Tubi has an impressive collection of hard-to-find anime titles, movies, and TV shows. The app is updated frequently to add newly released anime shows and series. It is a one-stop destination to watch popular Japanese anime.
At present, Tubi TV hosts more than 50K anime titles to watch offline without ads, but it is possible through some third-party downloaders. However, if you choose to watch online, you need to tolerate ads.
It's a simple and quick UI that helps you navigate Yu-Gi-Oh! and Ronin Mecha. Apart from Android and iOS, this app runs effortlessly on Windows, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, Android TV, Apple TV, and PlayStation as well.
How to Download Anime from Online Streaming Sites?
If you prefer to watch anime online on your computer with a bigger screen, I recommend using KeepStreams Video Downloader to save your favorite anime shows and build an offline library of your favorite anime.
With the support of 180+ streaming sites, KeepStreams can help you download popular anime shows from most YT-DLP video sites. The highest output quality can be up to Full HD 1080p, and all videos will be converted into MP4/MKV format so that you can save them forever.
If you only prefer to use one anime app, such as Crunchyroll, KeepStreams also provides a single product, such as KeepStreams for Crunchyroll. Take this service as an example. Let's have a look at how to use KeepStreams to download anime shows on PC:
Your anime will be downloaded in some time, which will be ad-free. So, if you don’t find an app to watch Anime for free for some reason, use KeepStreams to download and watch ad-free content.
KeepStreams is also able to download videos from VRT MAX, and download Internet Archive videos for offline viewing. If you're interested in any of the topics, continue to read these articles.
Conclusion
Advanced and affordable internet technology today has made entertainment easily accessible on the go. In the presence of top players like HBO, Amazon Prime, and Netflix as at-home online media entertainment platforms, there is still no lack of popularity for Japanese anime.
With a record number of fans across the world, there are more than 10,000 binge-watching Anime shows at your service. If any of the Apps are not available or restricted to your device for safety reasons, you may also download the respective Anime APK. So, pick any of the above Best Free Anime Apps and enjoy watching your favorite anime anytime, anywhere!