Best Crunchyroll Downloaders for Windows and Mac Users
Summary: In this guide we have mentioned the best Crunchyroll downloaders available online and explained their major features and pricers.
Table of Contents
Hey there! Let's be real for a second. You're trying to download your favorite anime from Crunchyroll for a long flight, a commute, or just to build your personal collection. You search for a solution, and what do you find? An out-dated guide to download Funimation anime and a dozen websites all screaming they're the "best," but they feel more like thinly veiled ads than honest reviews.
You've probably felt that frustration, right? Clicking a download button only to have it fail due to the DRM protection, discovering the downloaded files are a jumbled mess with a green or black error screen, or worse, the subtitles are completely missing or just plain, ugly text. I've been there, and honestly, it's a huge pain.
As a tech creator and a massive anime fan myself, I got tired of the misinformation. So, I rolled up my sleeves and dedicated over 40 hours to a single mission: to personally test the most popular Crunchyroll downloaders out there, from the slick paid software to the powerful free command-line tools. This guide is the result of that deep dive. No marketing fluff, no biased recommendations. Just my honest, hands-on findings to help you find a tool that actually works.
Top GUI-Based Crunchyroll Downloaders
For most people, a simple, user-friendly app with a graphical user interface (GUI) is the way to go. You point, you click, you download. Here are the best options I tested, along with their honest pros and cons.
1. StreamFab Crunchyroll Downloader
StreamFab is one of the biggest names in this space, and based on my results, its features are impressive. It has a built-in browser that makes finding and queuing up downloads feel seamless, as well as outputting Crunchyroll to MP4 or MKV. But honestly, where it just blew me away in my re-testing is its new subtitle game. It's on a whole other level for anime fans.
Easy-to-use interface for beginners, with 1080p quality and new, pro-level subtitle features.
When I tried it, the download speeds were decent, and it successfully downloaded Dan Da Dan Season 2 in 1080p. However, based on Subreddit comments, it may occasionally be unreliable. In such cases, I checked their updates page and noticed they actively address these issues, averaging about two updates per week, including DRM compatibility fixes.
- Clean, integrated browser interface
- Supports batch downloading and entire seasons
- Offers high-quality 1080p downloads with AAC audio
- Pro Subtitle Support (New Feature): Offers 4 modes: external ASS/SRT, Hard Subs, and MKV Remux (soft ASS subs).
- Supports all available audio tracks & subtitle languages
- Ad-removal for all Crunchyroll account tiers
- It's a subscription service, which might be a turn-off for some
- Crunchyroll DRM update causes the requirement of a software update
- My Verdict: The base tool was already solid, but these new subtitle features are an absolute game-changer for anime fans. The ability to get a perfect MKV Remux with styled ASS subs is something I've wanted for ages. If you're a subtitle purist or just want your downloads to work on any device, StreamFab has pulled way ahead of the pack. Use the free trial and test the new subtitle options—they'll probably sell you on it immediately.
Choose the streaming service
Sign in to your Crunchyroll account and play the video you want to download via this program. Now choose the video quality, audio, and your preferred subtitle format (ASS, SRT, Hardsub, etc.).
Customize the file
Finally, click on the "Download Now" button. After that, the video will start downloading; once the downloading is complete, you can find the video in the downloading section.
2. CleverGet Crunchyroll Downloader
CleverGet feels very similar to StreamFab in many ways. Some users in the community even speculate it might be a "clone" using similar underlying technology. In my tests, it performed comparably, offering a straightforward way to download Crunchyroll episodes through its built-in browser.
It successfully downloaded my test season in 1080p MP4 format, and I found its interface slightly cleaner than StreamFab's. However, for some titles, only a 720p option was available. After researching the issue, I concluded that the core method is web-rip rather than web-DL. This means it will screen record Crunchyroll videos in its built-in browser before re-encoding them into a standard format, often resulting in quality loss.
- The interface is clean and easy for beginners to understand
- Download Crunchyroll anime in either MP4 or MKV format
- It's also a paid tool with a subscription model
- It's affected by DRM updates from Crunchyroll
- The trial version is quite limited, pushing you towards a purchase
- Damaged resolution output due to incomplete DRM compatibility
- Subtitle options are very basic compared to updated competitors
- My Verdict: CleverGet is a lighter alternative to StreamFab in my experience. If you're looking for a simple GUI tool, this would be a recommendation to try as well.
3. Y2Mate Crunchyroll Downloader
Now, let's talk about a special case: Y2Mate Crunchyroll Downloader, a desktop software. Please note, this is not the same as that infamous website Y2Mate.
When I tried to research it, I discovered that, across the entire internet, there was almost no independent, credible evaluation or community discussion about it. So I tested it in person for almost 6 hours, and glad to tell, it's also a qualified Crunchyroll downloader, with enough stablity to rip from Crunchyroll.
- Easy to use interface, which is best for non-tech users
- High download speed
- Looks like a clone product
- Also a paid Crunchyroll downloader
- Reliablity & safety require further tests and validation
- Lacks advanced subtitle features
- My Verdict: Y2Mate isn't as well-known as StreamFab or CleverGet. It worked fine when I gave it a quick try, but *honestly*, you'd still want to be careful and maybe check around to see if it's safe and keeps working reliably.
For the More Tech-Minded: CLI & Open-Source Tools
Right, for those of you who aren't afraid of a command prompt and prefer free, open-source software, this section's for you. If you're comfortable typing commands, these tools are probably the most powerful and flexible ways out there to watch Crunchyroll offline.
- Maybe think about it like this:
- • Using a GUI (the ones with buttons and menus) is kinda like driving an automatic car—pretty easy, you see what you're doing, gets you there without much fuss.
- • Using a CLI (the command line thing) is more like driving stick shift—takes a bit more practice, gotta know the commands, but hey, you get total control over how it works.
If you just wanna grab shows fast and easy, stick with the GUI tools. But if you actually like messing around with settings and want maximum control over formats, codecs, and how your files are organized, then the CLI world might be for you. (Though, with StreamFab's new subtitle options, that gap in 'control' is closing fast!)
1. yt-dlp for Crunchyroll
yt-dlp... yeah, that one's pretty famous in the open-source world. To be honest, it's the tool I actually use myself for most video downloading. It's a fork, you know, based on the old `youtube-dl` project. It's just really capable, fast, and the community behind it is awesome at keeping it updated.
It can look kind of intimidating at first glance, but it's honestly not as complicated as it appears.
- Totally free and open-source, which is awesome
- Super powerful and lets you tweak everything. You get full control over quality, format, how files are named, etc.
- It can download from tons of other sites too, not just Crunchyroll
- You have to use the command line, which can definitely feel scary for beginners
- Getting it set up takes a couple of extra steps, like pulling your browser cookies so it can log into your premium account
- Managing subtitle formats (like getting styled ASS subs and muxing them) requires complex commands and is not intuitive
- My Verdict: If you're okay spending maybe 15 minutes (could be more or less, depends on you!) figuring out the basics, yt-dlp is seriously one of the most solid and powerful ways to download... *if* you're willing to fight with command lines, especially for complex tasks like managing subtitle formats. It's powerful, but a GUI tool like StreamFab now does the hard stuff for you in a click.
2. Crunchy-Downloader on GitHub
For folks who want something made just for Crunchyroll, there are some great open-source projects over on GitHub, like crunchy-cli (which isn't maintained anymore, sadly) and Crunchy-Downloader (this one still works!). These are often built by really dedicated developers within the anime community.
These tools are tailored to handle Crunchyroll's specific structure, offering excellent subtitle and multi-language audio support. However, they sometimes require a bit more technical setup, such as manually acquiring DRM keys from your browser, which can be a huge technical hurdle for some users.
- Free and specifically optimized for Crunchyroll
- Excellent handling of multi-language audio and subtitle tracks
- Can be even more complex to set up than yt-dlp
- Requires you to source your own DRM decryption keys, which is a significant barrier for most users
- My Verdict: A great option for hobbyists and developers, but I recommend starting with yt-dlp if you're set on a free tool. But honestly, the setup to get styled subs working correctly is a technical hurdle that most people won't want to jump.
Critical Guide: Is Downloading from Crunchyroll Legal & Safe?
I see this question a *lot*, and yeah, it's important. Let's try and tackle it in two parts: is it legal, and is it actually safe?
The Legal Question: Terms of Service vs. Copyright Law
Okay, let me just say upfront: I'm *not* a lawyer, and this isn't official legal advice. You really should check the specific laws where you live.
That being said, here's the usual situation. They offer an official offline viewing feature on their mobile apps for this purpose. Downloading videos from Crunchyroll with third-party downloaders to make personal backups usually is silently acceptable.
The Safety Risk: How "Free" Online Downloaders Can Harm You
Now, let's chat about safety. You might be really tempted to use one of those "free" online video downloader sites where you just paste a URL. Seriously, please don't do that.
I'm singling out sites like Keepvid here because they are a perfect example of the risks. While the site itself might not be a virus, it's often supported by extremely aggressive and malicious advertising networks.
- Fake "Download" buttons that lead to shady websites or try to install unwanted software
- Aggressive pop-ups and redirects that can lead to phishing scams or adware
My advice is simple: stay away from web-based downloaders. The risk just isn't worth it when safer options like yt-dlp (free) or a reputable paid app (with a free trial) like StreamFab exist.
Overall Comparison of The 5 Best Crunchyroll Downloaders
| Feature | StreamFab | CleverGet | Y2Mate | yt-dlp | Crunchy-Downloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download Quality | 1080p + AAC 2.0 | 1080p/720p + Regular audio | 1080p + Regular audio | 1080p/720p + Regular audio | 1080p + Regular audio |
| Download Speed | 6~8MB/s | 6~7MB/s | 5~7MB/s | 6~7MB/s | 5~7MB/s |
| Success Rate | 90%+ (11/12 episodes) | 75% (9/12 episodes) | 80% (10/12 episodes) | 20%~80% (3~10 episodes, depending on DRM) | 65% (8/12 episodes) |
| Subtitles & Audio | Total Control (ASS, SRT, Hardsub, MKV Remux) | Basic Subtitle Support | Basic Subtitle Support | Multiple language selectable (requires complex commands) | Multiple language selectable (requires complex commands) |
Also, I've made a radar chart to show how they performed exactly, and a selection flowchart for you to make a wise decision on which one is the most suitable Crunchyroll downloader. Given StreamFab's recent subtitle update, its 'Features' and 'Subtitle' scores on that chart would now be significantly higher.
FAQs
Can I use a free Crunchyroll account to download videos?
Generally, yes. But the range of downloadable titles is pretty narrow, since the downloaders, no matter whether a GUI or CLI Crunchyroll downloader, they can download the titles which are accessible by your account.
The CLI Crunchyroll downloaders may require you to provide your credentials or export your browser's login cookies for the tool to access the 1080p streams and the full library.
How can I download Crunchyroll videos to my phone?
The simplest way, and the one Crunchyroll actually supports, is just using the download button inside the Crunchyroll mobile app.
Now, if you want a file that doesn't expire and you can keep forever, your best move is probably to download the video onto your computer (PC or Mac) with one of the tools we talked about, and then just copy that MP4 or MKV file over to your phone using a USB cable or something like Google Drive. (Pro-tip: Use the 'Hard Sub' option in a tool like StreamFab to guarantee it plays perfectly on your phone).
Can I use a VPN with these downloaders?
Yes, and it can sometimes be helpful! If a show is available in another country's Crunchyroll library but not yours, you can use a VPN to change your location before launching the downloader. However, some tools can be finicky with VPNs, so your mileage may vary.
AWhat are .ASS subtitles and why are they better for anime?
ASS (Advanced SubStation Alpha) is a subtitle format that, unlike basic .SRT files, supports rich styling. This includes custom fonts, colors, positioning, and special effects—like the karaoke-style lyrics for opening/ending songs or styled text for signs, which are very common in anime. This downloader lets you save those rich styles for a more authentic viewing experience.
AConclusion
Alright, we've journeyed together through this lengthy evaluation. From powerful paid software to mysterious unknown tools, and then to stable and reliable open-source gems. So, how should you choose? This is the final point. My answer is: the one that suits you best is the best.
- If you prioritize simplicity, power, and especially subtitle quality:
StreamFab is now the clear front-runner, period. The new update adding external ASS, MKV Remux, and Hard Sub options covers literally every single use case, from the quality-obsessed purist to the person just trying to cast to their TV. It takes the most complex parts of anime downloading (styled subs, muxing) and makes it a one-click job. If you're willing to pay for the best and most convenient tool, this is it.
- If you seek zero cost and are a technical hobbyist:
yt-dlp is still your best choice. Once you master it, you’ll have a powerful tool, but be prepared to spend time on forums figuring out the right commands to get those styled ASS subtitles and mux them correctly—something StreamFab now does automatically.
- If you just need a basic, simple GUI:
CleverGet is an option to look into. It's not as advanced as StreamFab, especially in the subtitle department, but it can get the job done for simple downloads. Just weigh the good and bad before you buy.
- If you come across something like the "Keepvid Online Crunchyroll Downloader" or other unheard-of software:
Close the webpage immediately and do not download it. Protecting your device’s safety should always come first. Unless widely verified by the community and independent reviewers, do not expose your computer to unknown risks
I hope this evaluation report, into which I've poured immense effort, can genuinely assist you and dispel any hesitation on your path of choice. Now, you possess all the necessary information to make a wise decision.
