If you’ve been watching Crunchyroll with a VPN and it’s no longer working, then Crunchyroll has managed to block the IP address your VPN has given you.
This has happened because your VPN can no longer stay one step ahead of Crunchyroll’s VPN blocking techniques.
But don’t panic. There’s several fixes you can try to resolve this problem.
This article will explain how you can fix Crunchyroll not working with VPN and how you can prevent these issues from happening again in the future.
See also:
- How to watch Crunchyroll outside the US? It’s EASY and only takes 2-minutes! (2023)
- Funimation not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (2023)
Crunchyroll not working with VPN: Quick Fixes
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Delete Cookies
Cookies are small files that online services use to make your experience better. You may have noticed some websites or apps ask you to accept Cookies.
They aren’t malicious. However, they sometimes contain information about your location. If the location stored on this information is different from the location you’re using with your VPN, Crunchyroll will see this difference and know you’re using a VPN. It will then block your connection.
When trying to fix Crunchyroll not working with VPN, a good place to start is deleting your Cookies. It’s a good idea to do this, even if you don’t remember accepting Cookies.
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Change to a different server
Try changing to a different server if you’re still running into issues watching Crunchyroll with your VPN.
If Crunchyroll has stopped working and you’re coming across errors, the IP address your VPN has given you has been blocked.
Changing to a different server will give you a new IP address, and if Crunchyroll hasn’t blocked that one, you’ll be able to watch Crunchyroll with your VPN again.
The full Crunchyroll library is only available in the US. Try changing to a server in the US and see if that fixes the issue.
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Upgrade to a better VPN
If changing to a different server didn’t fix the problem, then Crunchyroll has managed to block all of your VPNs IP addresses.
From here, there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can wait for your VPN to release new IP addresses that Crunchyroll hasn’t blocked. However, there’s no telling how long this will take. Also, seeing as you’ve run into this problem already, your VPN doesn’t have measures in place to stay ahead of Crunchyroll’ blocks. And inevitably, the new IPs will get blocked as well.
The best way to fix Crunchyroll not working with VPN is to upgrade to a VPN that’s still compatible with the streaming service.
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) works well with Crunchyroll because it plays a game of cat and mouse with the streaming service.When Crunchyroll identifies an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) it will close that IP address and open a new one.
This will prevent you from running into the issues you’ve come across with your current VPN, and it will allow you to watch Crunchyroll reliably anywhere in the world.
Why am I getting “Error 1015” when trying to watch Crunchyroll?
If you’re getting “Error 1015” or “Error 1006” errors when trying to watch Crunchyroll, it’s a sign that the streaming service has blocked the IP address your VPN has given you.
Crunchyroll blocks VPNs because it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast all of its content internationally. The US Crunchyroll service has different shows to other countries around the world. This is because Crunchyroll doesn’t have the rights to broadcast all its content everywhere.
If you’re using a VPN to watch the US version of Crunchyroll, it could result in Crunchyroll breaching the copyright and licensing agreements it has with its content partners. Breaches like this often result in massive financial repercussions.
To prevent that from happening, Crunchyroll blocks VPNs from accessing its service. This is why your VPN is no longer working.
How does Crunchyroll block VPNs?
Crunchyroll blocks VPNs using three main techniques:
- The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than the number of IP addresses they can provide; this means that customers can use the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When Crunchyroll sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN, and it blocks it.
- Crunchyroll monitors for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
- Crunchyroll teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, Crunchyroll will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from, and it will block you.
Lesser VPN struggle to get around these blocks, and subsequently, all of their IP addresses get blacklisted by Crunchyroll. This is what has most likely happened to your VPN, and it’s why you’re coming across errors.
Does Crunchyroll still work with VPNs?
Crunchyroll still works with VPNs. However, you need to use a VPN that can stay ahead of Crunchyroll’s VPN blocks.
VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and NordVPN ($3.19/month) are very good at this. These VPNs work reliably with Crunchyroll because they play a game and cat and mouse with the streaming service.
Inevitably Crunchyroll will sometimes identify an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and NordVPN ($3.19/month); however, when these IP addresses are blocked, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and NordVPN ($3.19/month) will close them and open a new unblocked one.
This means there will always be an IP address for you to connect to, allowing you to stream Crunchyroll from anywhere in the world reliably.
The best VPNs to watch Crunchyroll
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
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Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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2. NordVPN 🥈
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
Read our NordVPN review.
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3. Private Internet Access
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
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5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
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Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
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Is watching Crunchyroll with a VPN legal?
Yes, watching Crunchyroll with a VPN is legal, so long as you aren’t based in one of these countries: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.
These nations heavily restrict or ban VPNs, and using a VPN in these locations isn’t advised.
The good news is if you aren’t based in one of these countries, using a VPN to watch Crunchyroll is legal. However, it’s important to know that it does go against Crunchyroll’s terms of service.
What this means is if you use a VPN to watch Crunchyroll, the streaming service is within its rights to block and or ban your account.
But, given the wide-spread use of VPNs, plus the many legitimate and legal use cases for VPNs, it’s fair to suggest that banning customers for using a VPN would be an extremely costly policy for Crunchyroll to enforce.
In theory, if you’re trying to watch Crunchyroll in a region where it does not traditionally operate, you risk having your account banned. However, as the best VPNs use military-grade encryption, it’s impossible for Crunchyroll to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from.
There’s one final thing to note on the subject: Crunchyroll has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.
For more information you can check out article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?
