Crunchyroll Store to Require Mega or Ultimate Fan Subscription Starting August 14

Crunchyroll will restrict access to its online merchandise store exclusively to Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan subscribers beginning August 14. The change removes purchasing capability for subscribers on the base Fan tier, fundamentally altering how the platform handles physical merchandise sales.

What Is Changing

Starting August 14, only subscribers on Crunchyroll's two highest-priced tiers will be able to buy from the platform's online store. The base Fan tier, priced at $9.99 per month, will reportedly retain the ability to browse the store but will lose the ability to make purchases. Gift card acceptance through the store also ends on August 14, and existing store discount benefits for Mega and Ultimate Fan members transition to a new structure on the same date.

The revamped storefront will feature what Crunchyroll describes as a curated experience, including convention-exclusive merchandise, collectibles, curated drops, and limited-release products tied to anime series available on the platform.

Tier Pricing and Store Benefits

Crunchyroll's subscription structure breaks down into three tiers in the US market. The Fan tier sits at $9.99 per month, the Mega Fan tier at $13.99 per month, and the Ultimate Fan tier at $17.99 per month.

Under the new store model, Mega Fan subscribers will receive a 10% discount on select products and free shipping on orders over $50. Ultimate Fan members get a more generous package - a 15% discount on select products, free shipping with no minimum order threshold, an annual Ultimate Fan swag bag, and access to exclusive member-only merchandise.

For anyone on the base Fan tier who wants to continue purchasing anime merchandise through Crunchyroll, the change effectively means a minimum $4 per month increase to upgrade to Mega Fan, or an $8 per month jump to reach Ultimate Fan status.

A Departure from Right Stuf's Open Model

The policy represents a notable departure from the open-access approach that defined the store's earlier incarnation. Before Crunchyroll absorbed the anime retailer Right Stuf into its ecosystem, the storefront operated as a standalone shop accessible to all customers regardless of subscription status. Fans could browse and purchase merchandise freely, without any paid membership requirement.

Tying store access to premium subscription tiers converts what was once a straightforward retail operation into a gated benefit designed to push subscribers toward higher-priced plans. The move comes against a backdrop of previous subscriber frustration with Crunchyroll's pricing and service decisions, with users having threatened cancellations over past increases.

Summer Sale Precedes the Transition

Ahead of the August 14 changeover, Crunchyroll launched a summer sale on July 14 offering 50% off select items. The sale window gives current store users - including those on the base Fan tier - a final opportunity to purchase merchandise before the access restrictions take effect.

Crunchyroll has indicated it will announce the exact cutoff date for the current version of the store separately, suggesting there may be a brief transition period around the August 14 milestone as the new curated storefront rolls out.

What Comes Next

The August 14 date is now less than two weeks away, and subscribers on the Fan tier face a straightforward choice: upgrade to a pricier plan or lose access to Crunchyroll's merchandise store entirely. Whether the curated drops and exclusive products justify the higher subscription cost will ultimately depend on what Crunchyroll stocks behind the paywall once the new store goes live.