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FunimationNow streaming review: Product, price and features.
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A trusted name in anime gets in the game with their $7.99-a-month streaming service.
FunimationNow streaming service offers a number of anime titles under three service plans. Though it offers many titles and lots of options when it comes to how much you stream, many prefer its rival service Crunchyroll for its bigger library and faster, subtitle releases.
What's in this review?
FunimationNow pros and cons
Pros
- Free, ad-supported version available
- Trusted US anime brand since the 90s
- Large catalog of anime shows and films
Cons
- Competitor Crunchyroll has more options and is more popular
- Users often complain of problems with the apps, site crashing and other glitches
What features does FunimationNow offer?
FunimationNow offers a number of features, including a large library, exclusive content, a large store and ultrafast dubbing.
FunimationNow’s library
The vast catalogue includes both films and television shows. But it’s not as large as its competitor Crunchyroll, with a mammoth 950 streaming selections — many niche options. Funimation’s library focused on nostalgic fair.
Exclusive content
If you’re looking for certain options you can’t find anywhere else like Dragon Ball, FunimationNow owns exclusive rights to this title. That means it’s the only place to legally stream it.
Online store
Funimation’s online store has a vast catalog of videos, collectibles, apparel and toys. It offers exclusive sales to subscribers for items you can’t find anywhere else.
Ultrafast dubbing
Get quick and easy access to dubs with FunimationNow. Though it offers subtitles as well, its focus is on releasing dubbed titles.
What devices is FunimationNow compatible with?
Watch FunimationNow’s entire catalogue on your browser or on a number of other platforms. The $5.99 premium service offers 2 simultaneous streams while the $7.99 premium plus service offers five simultaneous streams.
- Smart TV devices
- Amazon Fire TV
- AndroidTV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- LG Smart TV
- Roku
- Samsung
- Other devices
- Amazon Kindle
- Mobile devices
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- Gaming consoles
- PS3
- PS4
- PS Vita
- Xbox One
- Xbox 360
How much does FunimationNow cost?
Paid streaming with FunimationNow starts at $5.99, with options to pay annually. a month and increases to $7.99 monthly for its premium plus option. Purchased for the year at $59.99 and $79.99, respectively. Finally, serious subscribers can utilize the premium plus ultra option at $99.99 per year.
| Name | Pricing | Ad-free | Simultaneous streams | Download for offline viewing | Members-only offers | Free shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium |
| When and where available | 2 | No | No | No |
| Premium Plus |
| When and where available | 5 | Yes | Yes | Orders $20+ |
| Premium Plus Ultra |
| When and where available | 5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Free trial
Premium Plus option offers a 14-day free trial. Sign up with your email and credit card information, and Funimation will charge your card if you decide to continue after the trial is up.
Funimation’s free streaming service only requires your email. It includes ads and offers less content.
Are Premium Plus or Premium Plus Ultra worth it?
For $2 more per month, Premium Plus offers more simultaneous streams as well as many of the benefits of Premium Plus Ultra. This is probably the most beneficial option, but you probably shouldn’t worry about switching to Premium Plus Ultra unless you think you’ll use your two free rentals per year.
What can I watch with FunimationNow?
FunimationNow offers a few exclusive options, most notably Dragon Ball. However, it offers most of the same choices as their rival Crunchyroll, which has more titles.
FunimationNow focuses on some of the more nostalgic choices, including many of the anime you watched as a kid. It also has the fastest updates in terms of dubbed anime, so if this is your preference, it might be a perfect match.
How much data does FunimationNow use?
Like all streaming services, FunimationNow requires quite a bit of data to stream. According to its website, Roku requires streaming speed 2 Mbps for SD and 5 Mbps for 720p and 1080p to avoid buffering.
If you have buffering issues or you want to use less data, the simplest answer is to lower the video quality. Or if you have Premium Plus or Ultra, you can download content to watch later.
Compare streaming services
If you’re looking to learn more about other streaming services, you can check out our Internet TV page and find the right service for you.
Frequently asked questions
Expert review
Review by
Kelly Waggoner
kelly.waggoner@finder.comKelly Waggoner is editor-in-chief of Finder US. She's worked with publishers, magazines and nonprofits throughout New York City, including ghostwriting a how-to on copyediting for the Dummies series. Between projects, she toys with words, flips through style guides and fantasizes about the serial comma's world domination.
Expert review
Unfortunately, Funimation’s options are somewhat limited beyond the scope of dubbed anime and Dragon Ball. Many anime fans prefer subtitled works, which allow them to hear the original voice actors and still understand what’s happening. What’s more, they have a faster turnaround because they require less work.
However, subtitled options — and more titles in general — can be found on Crunchyroll for $7.99: the same price as Funimation’s Premium Plus.
All in all, there’s a reason why Crunchyroll is more popular … although if you want quick access to dubbed content, you might consider getting both.