Home Streaming Crackle Review 2023: Everything You Need to Know
Samuel Gitt Streaming Expert Author expertise
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The streaming services industry is growing day by day. Today, there are many streaming platforms in the industry. While some have been serving users for many years with more content and features, others are new but offer unique user experiences.

Crackle is one of the fastest-rising streaming services in the industry. If you are new to it or have never heard about it, you are at the right place. Here is a comprehensive review of Crackle. The page describes the service, its cost, the contents available, the platforms it supports, etc.

What is Crackle?

What is Crackle

Crackle is an American streaming service provider that is now a worldwide phenomenon. However, it is only available for a few other territories around them.

At first, Crackle was available for Latin Americans and Canadian territories but was discontinued for some reason. The platform allows users to watch movies and TV shows from different devices. With Crackle, selecting the film genre you want to watch is easy. 

Users with Rom-com fantasies have a place on this platform, along with others who love action movies. Other genres, like comedy specials, crime, horror, sci-fi, etc., are on the forum. Compared to other leading streaming services, it has a small library with enough content to entertain you.

Is Crackle Available in Your Country? Find Out Here!

Countries
United States
Pro tip: Employ a VPN service to access Crackle’s content outside its limited regions. Connect to a US server to unlock a vast library of free movies and TV shows, regardless of your actual location.

Content Selection and Quality

Content 

What can you find on Crackle? Crackle has little content, unlike other well-known streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV Plus. Although it is entertaining, it has lagged for a while now.  

It currently has over 100 TV series and over 700 movies. Notably, some episodes and seasons of the Crackle TV series are not on the platform. The movies on the platforms are old, but they make an interesting watch. 

Crackle has a few intriguing shows on it, too, ranging from animations to drama. Cowboy Bebop is one of the jaw-dropping anime on the platform. But for some reason, the content on the streaming service is of low quality if you compare it to major players in the field.

The library has not improved in a few years now. This is probably because other competitors are making more content deals than Crackle. Some old users complain of reshuffling the same set of content over and over again on Crackle.

Crackle Pros and Cons: Is It Right for You?

As much as there are good things to associate the streaming service with, there are also a few disadvantages.

Pros

  • It’s Free!
  • The streaming platform is reliable. It doesn’t have glitches, allowing you to watch movies smoothly.
  • Its movie library arrangement is decent. Every movie is lined up according to its genre, making it easy for users to pick movies.

Cons

  • Low-quality content on the platform is more than high-quality ones. 
  • The ads on the platform are many.

Streaming Quality on Crackle: What to Expect

If you are interested in only HD standard for pictures, you won’t like Crackle. About 98% of the movies on this platform stream at 480p, which is very low compared to other platforms. 

This has been a big turn-off for many people. Regardless of how interesting the movie is, users struggle to see the characters clearly at some point, and it might make them lose interest in the movie.

Supported Platforms and Devices 

Platforms and Devices 

Crackle is available on a wide range of devices. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and many more. It also has an app version and a web version. Let’s check out all the platforms you can get Crackle on.

Platforms

  • The WebsiteCrackle has an easy web version and is fast to operate. You can sign up and save space on your device. To get this version, open your web browser and type ‘www.crackle.com.’ It will take you to the sign-up page. Follow the prompt, sign up, and start using it.
  • The ApplicationThis platform is the easiest to stream on with the app. It is faster, and you can download movies on the app. Although it takes up your device space, it is worth it.
    To get the app, open your Google Play Store or App Store, search for the app, click on install or get, and allow the app to download.

Devices 

  • Android Devices  – Crackle is available on every Android device. You can access the platform with your smartphones of any brand and your tablet, too.
  • RokuSticks, smart TVs, set-top boxes, and a few others make up Roku, and they make watching Crackle easy. They mostly have the platform built into them or provide a means by which you can get it.
  • iOS devices – Crackle is also available on iOS devices; you can get the application on the App Store. Also, you will need the web version to access the streaming service on iOS devices. You can use the platform for iPhones, iPads, and other iOS devices.
  • Game Console  – Game consoles also support Crackle, even if not all of them. Consoles like PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and others support Crackle.

Crackle’s Price Tag: It’s All Free, but at What Cost? 

Cost 

Crackle is free to download and use. It doesn’t have any subscription fee or paid version. Also, no section on the platform requires money to access. It is an entirely free streaming service. This could be why its contents are not as high as some others. 

You might be wondering how it makes money enough to exist still. Crackle packs its platform with ads from various companies, which is how it makes money.

Exploring Crackle’s Features

Features

Crackle has many interesting features. Some of them include:

Parental Control

Parental control is an important feature on streaming platforms, and Crackle has it. It helps parents and guardians monitor and control what their children watch on the app. 

To activate this feature, click Parental Control in the account settings section. Next, follow the prompt to activate it. You can add a password to the feature so that it would be just you with access to it.

The Watch Later Queue

This feature helps you save a movie you would like to watch but probably don’t have time. Once you add the movie or series to the Watch Later queue, you can play it when you can. 

Download to Watch Offline

You can download movies on Crackle and watch them late when you are out of data. For many people, it is a good way to save data.

Subtitles

Unlike some streaming platforms, you can watch any movie on Crackle with subtitles. It can help you understand the movie if it is not English. To activate it, go to your profile settings and click on the subtitle option. 

Genre Movie Selection

A section on Crackle lists all the genres on the platform. You can click on any of the genres, and the movies under them will appear, making it easy to pick the kind of movies you like. 

View on Different Devices

This feature is not on many other platforms, but Crackle supports it. With it, you start seeing a movie with one device on your account and continue the same movie on another device from the exact spot you stopped

Log in on Multiple Devices

This Crackle feature makes sure you are not limited to just one device

Personalized Recommendations

From the previous movies and TV series you have watched, Crackle can suggest movies that might interest you. 90% of the time, the recommendations are accurate. 

User-friendly Interface

One feature that attracts people to platforms is the interface they use. Crackle has a user-friendly interface, making it easy to operate for first-timers. 

Original Content 

Crackle is well-known for its original content. The movies and series on the platform are Crackle’s. The company produces its movies, and every original content you see on it is exclusive. This means you can’t find them on any other platforms.

Crackle and VPN: Accessing Content from Anywhere

Crackle and VPN

VPNs are the ultimate way to protect one’s online identity. They also work actively to let users access geo-restricted content from all over the world. There are free as well as premium VPN services available for users. However, when using a free VPN to access content, some websites use strong detection and can detect and block user access. Also, free VPNs are not good enough to protect users while accessing the internet. Users are vulnerable to hackers and ISPs and can face data throttling and breaches.

Crackle is only available in the US. So, if you’re outside the US and want to access its content, you must use a premium VPN service. When selecting a VPN, you must prioritize one with robust encryption and security features, fast speeds, and an extensive server network. Express VPN stands out as the best VPN service provider in the industry. Its encryption and fast servers ensure that users are secure and can enjoy fast and throttle-free streaming.

How Does Crackle Compare With Other Streaming Services

Streaming Service Availability Price (Per month) Best For Free Trial
Crackle The United States Free Handpicked TV shows, movies,  and original content Free
Sling TV The United States $40/month Variety of content No
Youtube TV All Major countries $64.99/month Vast channels Yes
Netflix Worldwide $8.99/month Vast library and original content No
Amazon Prime Video Worldwide $8.99/month Original content and a vast library Yes
Crunchyroll The United States $7.99/month Special anime movies and shows Yes
Disney+ Almost Major countries $7.99/month Kids and Animation Content Yes
HBO Max Latin America $19.99/month Original shows and movies No
Shudder Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia $4.75/month Horror shows and movies Yes
Hulu USA $5.99/month Extensive movies and TV shows library Yes
Tubi TV US, Canada, Australia, and Mexico Free Entirely free-of-cost service Free

Other Streaming Services to Consider

Today, there are many streaming services available. You can watch anything worldwide using different streaming services in different countries. Below are our reviews of other streaming services you can consider streaming.

Verdict: Is Crackle worth it?

Crackle is among the pioneers in the video-streaming brands in the industry, as it came into existence in 2004. The platform is only available in the US and nearby regions. However, some Americans can’t access it because of the geo-restriction.

Since Crackle is free, there is no financial incentive to avoid it. Like other free services, there is no way to remove the adverts. A pay option to get rid of adverts and add extra functionality is what users would want. Like similar free streaming providers, Crackle adds lower-quality content to its library to fill the gaps. Compared to rivals like Tubi TV, this content is generally less common and less useful. That’s good since it makes navigating Crackle easier and finding the next high-quality movie.

It is good as Crackle provides free apps on many different platforms. You can easily access it on the web, mobile devices, gaming platforms, streaming media players, and smart TVs. Like Pluto and Tubi TV, Crackle doesn’t require creating an account to access its shows on any platform.

FAQs

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Is Crackle any good?

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How to access Crackle on Smart TV?

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Samuel Gitt Streaming Expert

Samuel Gitt Streaming Expert

Due to his tendency to research extensively, Samuel Gitt is the go-to person to tell you what's happening in streaming town. And so he does. A serial binge-watcher with an opinionated attitude toward web freedom for all; you name it, he's got it.