Recommended streaming services for cartoons (2025 edition)

Last updated on February 23rd, 2026

It’s time again for my annual look at recommended streaming services for cartoons. The past year has seen a number of major moments in the streaming landscape, including: Max getting its HBO Max name back; Netflix scoring a big hit in 2025 with “KPop Demon Hunters”; the continued purging of content; and several services caught up in the Trump administration’s ongoing authoritarianism. Yes, politics affect even cartoons on streaming services; see the White House’s criticism of a “South Park” episode.

My criteria

Here’s my usual criteria for these recommendations:

• I’m mainly looking at on demand streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.), not cable replacement streaming services like Hulu Live and YouTube TV. I’m also not covering regular YouTube, though it carries some officially uploaded cartoons.
• Also not covered are “TV Everywhere” apps that require a cable TV subscription to fully use.
• This post largely just applies to the United States, since that’s where I live.
• Information and prices below are as of this writing (early August 2025). The website JustWatch can help with finding current information about where to stream specific TV shows or movies.
• If you have a favorite movie or TV show, I recommend buying it on DVD/Blu-ray (or digital video if physical media’s absolutely not an option). Streaming’s in a constant state of flux (and price hikes), so owning your favorites is better than seeing them removed on a company’s whim.

Amazon Prime Video

Site: www.amazon.com

Amazon Prime Video carries some animated fare. As of this writing, their most famous cartoons seem to be adult-oriented ones, such as “Hazbin Hotel” and “Invincible.” Other streaming services can also be subscribed to through Prime Video as convenient add-ons. Amazon still offers Prime Video as a stand-alone service, but most people would be better off with the full Prime service (two-day shipping, etc.).

Amazon’s also gained some DC Comics animated programs, thanks to Warner Bros.’s treatment of HBO Max (but more on that below). The latest Batman cartoon, “Batman: Caped Crusader,” is available on Prime Video.

Along with the paid tier content, there’s also a number of FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channels available through Prime Video. Channels include: “Pokemon,” “Cartoon Retro” (older Warner Bros.-owned fare such as the 80s “Pac-Man” cartoon), the 80s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and others. Prime Video also carries the PBS Kids streaming channel.

For myself, I’ve found Amazon Prime Video so-so as a service, between its library and its confusing user interface. Their UI mixes Prime Video content with content that’s either from a third-party service (Paramount+, etc.) or only available to rent or buy.

Cartoons available on Prime Video include:

• Amazon originals, including “Hazbin Hotel,” “Invincible,” and the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” reboot.
• Some Cartoon Network shows, including “Ed, Edd n Eddy” and “Dexter’s Laboratory.”
• Some DC Comics based cartoons, including “Batman: Caped Crusader” and “Teen Titans.”
• Some Nickelodeon shows, including the first five seasons of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and the first two seasons of “Paw Patrol.”
• The aforementioned FAST channel content, including “Pokemon” and the 1980s “TMNT” series.

Cost: $15/month or $139/year (with ads); $18/month (without ads)

Apple TV+

Site: www.apple.com/apple-tv-plus

Apple TV+ doesn’t have as large a selection as other streaming services, but it does have some cartoons, including a few animated films and exclusive streaming rights to the “Peanuts” franchise. The service (for now) is also ad-free. However, unless you’re a big “Peanuts” fan, Apple TV+ won’t serve as your primary animation outlet.

Cartoons available on Apple TV+ include:

• The “Peanuts” specials catalog; along with the classic Halloween and Christmas specials, there’s also a few new specials, including one about Franklin. Apple TV+ also has original “Peanuts” series, such as “Camp Snoopy.”
• “Central Park,” an adult-oriented sitcom.
• “Frog and Toad,” based on the classic children’s books.
• “Harriet the Spy,” based on the classic children’s book series.

Cost: $10/month (without ads)

Crunchyroll

Site: www.crunchyroll.com

Crunchyroll is the dominant anime streaming service, thanks to a large library of programming (as well as its owner Sony buying Crunchyroll’s old rival, Funimation). One of Crunchyroll’s biggest appeals is offering new episodes as simulcasts, or shortly after they air in Japan. Some material is available for free (with ads).

Programs available on Crunchyroll include:

• “My Hero Academia”
• “Dan Da Dan”
• “One Piece”
• “The Apothecary Diaries”
• “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”

Cost: free (limited selection with ads); ad-free tiers starting at $8/month or $80/year

Disney+

Site: www.disneyplus.com

Disney+ offers the bulk of the Disney library of animated material, as well as programming from other studios they’ve bought (such as Marvel and 20^th Century Fox/Studios). This is pretty much the one service to get if you have kids, or if you’re a fan of Disney animation, Marvel, and/or “Star Wars.” Disney+ can also be obtained with Hulu as part of the “Disney Bundle”; given there’s only a slight price difference, the Bundle’s the better deal.

Cartoons on Disney+ include:

• Disney Channel programs (“Kim Possible,” “The Owl House,” “Big City Greens,” etc.).
• Disney and Pixar animated features.
• The Australian hit series “Bluey.”
• Past and current Marvel series, from “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” to “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.”
• “The Simpsons,” up to the previous season; the current season is available on Hulu.

Cost: Disney+ alone: $10/month (with ads) or $16/month / $160/year (without ads); bundled with Hulu: $11/month (with ads) or $20/month (without ads)

HBO Max

Site: www.hbomax.com

Like Disney+ being the home of Disney’s animated output, HBO Max serves a similar purpose for Warner Bros.’s massive catalog… or rather, served (past tense). Starting in 2022, HBO Max started to see numerous regressive changes, with Warner Bros. Discovery erasing numerous animated programs in the name of saving money. This has continued to this day, with even the Warner Bros. crown jewel, Looney Tunes, no longer on the not-exactly-cheap HBO Max service. Warner’s excuse is they want to veer away from children’s programming, and focus on family and adult content. As such, you can forget about Bugs Bunny or the Powerpuff Girls, but you can get… “Harry Potter.” *Sigh*.

At this point, HBO Max’s only animation strengths are: the DC Comics library; Studio Ghibli’s films; and Adult Swim. And even those aren’t safe from Warner Bros.’s mercurial attitude toward animation; “Batman: Caped Crusader” is on rival service Amazon Prime Video instead of HBO Max for… reasons.

And again, such content removals make HBO Max less appealing as a service for animation fans. At a similar price, Netflix offers a better animation catalog (including some of Warner’s own content), as does the Disney Bundle. (HBO Max does come with Disney+ and Hulu as a bundle, which might make up for the weakened HBO Max catalog for some.) Still, unless you’re a HBO fan, a hardcore fan of one of Warner’s franchises, or get HBO Max at a steep discount, it’s hard for me to recommend HBO Max at this point.

Cartoons carried on HBO Max include:

• DC Comics shows, from “Batman: The Animated Series” to the adults-only “Harley Quinn.”
• Adult Swim shows, such as “Harvey Birdman” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”
• HBO Max originals, such as “Jellystone!” and “Looney Tunes Cartoons.”
• The Studio Ghibli library.

Cost: $10/month or $100/year (with ads); $17/month or $170/year (without ads, 1080p): $21/month or $210/year (without ads, 4K)

Hulu

Site: www.hulu.com

Hulu carries a wide variety of programming. For years, Hulu served as a “catch-all” service for multiple studios. However, these days it’s pretty much Disney’s adult programming arm, with other companies yanking material for their own streaming services. A few years ago, Disney folded together Disney+ and Hulu for Disney Bundle subscribers; Disney+ now offers a Hulu tile and content.

Anime and adult animation make up Hulu’s strongest categories. Thanks to Warner Bros.’s aforementioned purges, Hulu also has gained a chunk of the recent Cartoon Network animation library.

Cartoons on Hulu include:

• The Fox Sunday animated lineup, including “Bob’s Burgers,” “Family Guy,” and current season episodes of “The Simpsons.”
• Adult-oriented programming, including “Rick and Morty,” “King of the Hill,” and a “Futurama” revival.
• A strong selection of anime, in both dubbed and subtitled versions. Shows available include “Sailor Moon,” “Dan Da Dan,” “Bakuman,” and “Vampire Knight.”
• Hulu originals, including “Solar Opposites” and a revival of “Animaniacs.”
• Various Cartoon Network shows, including “Steven Universe,” “Teen Titans Go,” “We Bare Bears,” and “Craig of the Creek.” Other Warner Bros. content includes classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons “The Flintstones” and “The Jetsons.”

Cost: $10/month (with ads); $19/month (without ads); see above for bundle pricing with Disney+

Netflix

Site: www.netflix.com

Netflix is still the most famous and popular streaming service, despite the “streaming wars” taking a toll on some of its content. There’s also some of Netflix’s more regressive changes in recent years, such as price hikes, password crackdowns, and plans to use generative AI produced ads in 2026.

That said, Netflix’s been around for a long time, and still works as a “catch-all” service, including its large animation catalog. “KPop Demon Hunters,” an animated film about a fictional Korean pop music group fighting demons, is one of Netflix’s biggest hits this year.

Cartoons on Netflix include:

• Originals such as “Love, Death & Robots” and “Castlevania: Nocturne.”
• DreamWorks is a major provider of Netflix’s cartoons. Said shows include the “She-Ra” reboot, “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts,” and a “Boss Baby” TV show spin-off.
• A sizable anime catalog.
• “BoJack Horseman.”
• “The Dragon Prince.”
• “Puffin Rock.”
• “Nimona,” a movie based on the graphic novel of the same name.
• “KPop Demon Hunters.”
• All animated Barbie TV shows and films since 2017.
• Some Nickelodeon fare, including “The Fairly OddParents,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and several made-for-TV movies based on “The Loud House” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Cost: $8/month (with ads); $18/month (without ads, 1080p); $25/month (without ads, 4K)

Paramount+ / Pluto TV

Site: www.paramountplus.com / pluto.tv

Paramount+ is the home of all things related to Nickelodeon, MTV, and Paramount. While its catalog isn’t as large as what’s on Max or Disney+, there’s still plenty of animated content here, especially for Nickelodeon fans.

Meanwhile, Pluto TV is a FAST service that offers a cable-like grid of dozens of “channels” to watch, from “Dora the Explorer” to “South Park.” As such, there’s some overlap between Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Unfortunately, this year’s been a rough one for the House of SpongeBob. The Paramount/Skydance merger has led Paramount+’s owners to make particularly egregious decisions (even for media conglomerates) in the name of knee-bending to the Trump administration. As such, even if one’s a “SpongeBob” or “South Park” fan, I wouldn’t blame one for boycotting the service (along with its free sibling Pluto TV) and finding alternatives, such as DVDs/Blu-rays. Some of Paramount’s catalog is available on other services, so you won’t necessarily miss out on “Paw Patrol” or “Fairly OddParents.”

Cartoons available on Paramount+ include:

• Nickelodeon’s back catalog. One of the service’s strongest points, this includes the entire runs (to date) of major hits like “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Rugrats,” and “The Loud House.”
• The various “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” TV shows and films.
• “Star Trek: The Animated Series” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” Meanwhile, “Star Trek: Prodigy” is available on Netflix.
• Classic MTV fare such as “Beavis and Butt-Head” and “Daria.”
• “South Park.”

Cost (Paramount+): $8/month or $60/year (with ads); $13/month or $120/year (without ads)

Cost (Pluto TV): free

PBS Kids

Site: pbskids.org

PBS Kids is famous for its educational commercial-free children’s programming. The PBS Kids streaming app offers a rotating selection of episodes of each of its shows. The PBS Kids app also offers a 24/7 live stream of the over-the-air PBS Kids digital subchannel.

Unfortunately, PBS has recently been defunded by the Trump administration. Thus, it really needs viewer support now more than ever. While PBS Passport (PBS’s streaming service) doesn’t include children’s content, those that subscribe do support PBS as a whole.

Cartoons available on PBS Kids include:

• “Cyberchase”
• “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”
• “Molly of Denali”

Cost: Free

Peacock

Site: www.peacocktv.com

Peacock, Comcast’s streaming service, has some cartoons, mostly from the DreamWorks or Illumination libraries. (Both studios are owned by Comcast.) While there’s some worthwhile material, Peacock isn’t the main service I’d go to for cartoons. Also, while Comcast owns DreamWorks and Illumination, much of their catalogs are often available elsewhere, especially on Netflix.

Add to this a recent price hike that makes Peacock as expensive for what I consider a second-tier streaming service. It now runs $11 a month with ads, or $17 a month without, basically what Netflix/Amazon Prime Video run.

Cartoons on Peacock include:

• “Curious George.”
• The “How to Train Your Dragon” movies and TV spin-offs.
• DreamWorks films, including “Shrek” and “The Croods.”
• Illumination films, including “Despicable Me,” “The Secret Life of Pets” and “Minions.”

Cost: $11/month or $110/year (with ads); $17/month or $170/year (without ads)

Tubi

Site: tubitv.com

Tubi is a FAST service owned by Fox (yes, I know), but has a large variety of material. This includes a number of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, plus various random cartoons from elsewhere.

Cartoons on Tubi include:

• Several of the flagship Hanna-Barbera shows: “The Yogi Bear Show” (half-hour compilations of Yogi’s shorts, not the original show with backup characters Yakky Doodle and Snagglepuss); “Scooby-Doo Where Are You”; and “The Flintstones.”
• The “Tom and Jerry” theatrical shorts (and some of the other MGM ones, such as “Droopy”), as half-hour compilations.
• “The Magic School Bus.”
• “Pokemon the Series: Black and White.”
• “Jem.”
• “The Critic.”
• “Looney Tunes” (as of mid-August).

Cost: free

My recommended streaming services

General viewing

• Netflix
• Disney+/Hulu (Disney Bundle)
• Amazon Prime Video
• Tubi
• PBS Kids (for those with young children)
• Total: $34/month (with ads), $56/month (without ads)

It sounds mundane that my recommended general viewing list consists of the traditional “Big Three” streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video) and Disney+. But looking at these, not only do they serve as “catch-all” services for live-action media (and why they’re popular), they do the same for animation as well. “SpongeBob,” “Batman: The Animated Series,” “The Simpsons?” They’re all here. “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Rick and Morty,” “Bluey?” Those, too. “Scooby-Doo,” “Looney Tunes,” “Dan Da Dan?” Ditto.

Hardcore fans of a specific show or genre might consider adding an extra service, or switching one of these out. If you’re looking for “Harley Quinn” or everything tied to Batman/Gotham City, you’ll want HBO Max. If you absolutely need “South Park,” there’s Paramount+ (or the DVDs). Still, for general purposes, these streaming services should work well for everyone, from children watching “Moana” to adults watching “Family Guy.”

Adult animation

• Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max bundle
• Paramount+
• Total: $25 (with ads), $43 (without ads)

These services cover the most popular adult animated programs, including “South Park,” “Harley Quinn,” “Rick and Morty” (and other Adult Swim fare), “The Simpsons,” “Futurama,” and “Family Guy.”

Anime

• Crunchyroll
• Netflix
• Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max bundle
• Total: $33 (with ads), $56 (without ads)

The above services have strong anime libraries, and should cover the viewing interests of most anime fans. Material ranges from the Studio Ghibli films to “One Piece.”

As I’m not a big anime viewer, I don’t have much more to say about this category. However, anime fans I’ve talked to (online, coworkers, etc.) seem to like Crunchyroll a lot.

On a budget

• Netflix, Disney+/Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video (ad-based versions)
• Tubi
• PBS Kids (for those with young children)
• The public library:
  • DVDs/Blu-rays
  • Hoopla
  • Kanopy
• Optional:
  • An antenna (for MeTV Toons)
  • A media server (running Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, etc.)
  • Buying DVDs and Blu-rays (plus a Blu-ray player)
• Total (excluding the optional options’ cost): $8 (Netflix) to $15 (Amazon Prime Video)

If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll probably want to stick with just one paid streaming service/bundle, and use various free services instead. For the former, I suggest sticking with one of the “catch-all” services I listed; you’re more likely to get your money’s worth from Netflix versus Peacock.

The public library is an excellent free option. Most libraries still offer DVDs and Blu-rays for checkout. Some libraries also offer access to Kanopy and Hoopla, two streaming services that’re ad-free and offer some animated content.

And of course, you can just buy DVDs and Blu-rays to play on a Blu-ray player. Used discs can be found on eBay for cheap, while there’s still places online that sell new discs.

For techies with time/money, setting up a media server is an option that might save money in the long run. Software such as Plex and Jellyfin offer a Netflix-like user interface for your own content, and you’ll be secure knowing it won’t be deleted (unless you choose to do so). That said, this option is, well, the “geeky” option, plus there’s the need to obtain material for said server (ripping DVDs and Blu-rays is the best option, and doesn’t involve piracy).

My current streaming usage probably falls between “on a budget” and “general viewing”:  Hulu (through a Black Friday sale), Peacock (free from my broadband provider), several free services, and a Jellyfin media server.

Conclusion

What do you think of my recommendations? If you have any input, additions, corrections, etc., please let me know in the comments.

Image, clockwise from top left: “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” (Disney), “Looney Tunes” (Warner Bros.), “The Loud House” (Paramount), “Molly of Denali” (PBS Kids)