Recommended streaming services for cartoons (2024 edition)
It’s time once again for my annual recommended streaming services for cartoons post. 2024 has brought plenty of changes in the streaming and TV landscape. While some of this list is a repeat of previous years, other entries are quite different. Among other major changes over the past year: the increase of streaming bundles (Disney+, Hulu, Max, etc.); the increasing popularity of free ad-supported (FAST) streaming services; the launch of MeTV Toons; and the demise of Boomerang’s streaming service.
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 here 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 is as of this writing (early August 2024). 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/digital video. Streaming’s constantly shifting, so owning your favorites is better than seeing them removed on a company’s whim.
Amazon Prime Video
Site: www.amazon.com
Amazon’s Prime Video service carries some animated fare. Other streaming services can also be subscribed to through Prime Video as convenient add-ons. Along with the paid tier content, there’s also free ad-supported content (under the “Freevee” banner), both on-demand and live streaming in “channels” like Pluto TV.
For myself, I’ve found Amazon Prime Video so-so as a service, between its library and its confusing user interface. Amazon has vowed to make improvements on the latter, however. Prime Video and Freevee have also gained more content, including shows from Warner Bros. (but more on that below).
Cartoons available on Prime Video include:
Full seasons of some PBS Kids shows, including “Wild Kratts,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” and “Cyberchase.”
Imports from other studios, such as Warner Bros.’s “Batman: Caped Crusader” and “Teen Titans.”
Some Amazon Originals, such as the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” reboot.
Some Nickelodeon shows, including the first six seasons of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and the first four seasons of “Paw Patrol.”
Via Freevee, there’s various random cartoons available, ranging from the 90s “Sonic the Hedgehog” to Nelvana’s “6Teen.”
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. Apple TV+ is also producing 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 buying its old rival, Funimation). One of Crunchyroll’s biggest appeals is offering new episodes shortly after they air in Japan. Some material is available for free (with ads).
Programs available on Crunchyroll include:
“My Hero Academia”
“Attack on Titan”
“One Piece”
Cost: free (limited selection with ads); ad-free tiers starting at $8/month
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 or Fox). This is pretty much the one service to get if you have kids, are a Disney animation fan, are a Marvel fan, and/or are a “Star Wars” fan. Disney+ can also be obtained with Hulu as part of the “Disney Bundle.”
Cartoons on Disney+ include:
Disney Channel programs (“Kim Possible,” “The Owl House,” etc.).
Disney and Pixar animated features.
Australian import “Bluey.”
Past and current Marvel series, from “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” to “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.”
“The Simpsons.”
Cost: Disney+ alone: $8/month (with ads) or $14/month / $140/year (without ads); bundled with Hulu: $10/month (with ads) or $20/month (without ads)
Hulu
Site: www.hulu.com
Hulu carries a variety of programming; for years, it 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. Recently, Disney’s folded together Disney+ and Hulu for Disney Bundle subscribers; Disney+ offers a Hulu tile and content.
Anime and adult animation make up Hulu’s strongest categories. However, 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.
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.” Recent additions also include classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons “The Flintstones” and “The Jetsons.”
A strong selection of anime, in both dubbed and subtitled versions. Shows available include “Sailor Moon,” “Bleach,” “Bakuman,” and “Vampire Knight.”
Cost: $8/month (with ads); $18/month (without ads); see above for bundle pricing with Disney+
Max
Site: www.max.com
Like Disney+ being the home of Disney’s animated output, Max serves a similar purpose for Warner Bros.’s massive catalog… or at least Max is supposed to. In 2022, Max started to see numerous regressive changes, with Warner Bros. Discovery erasing numerous animated programs in the name of saving money. Some of the removed shows are present on other services, including Hulu and even Tubi.
At this point, Max’s main animation strengths are: the DC Comics library; Studio Ghibli’s films; and Adult Swim/adult programming. And even those aren’t safe from Warner Bros. Discovery’s corporate cost-cutting; “Batman: Caped Crusader” is on rival service Amazon Prime Video instead of Max for… reasons.
Cartoons carried on Max include:
Cartoon Network programs, including “Craig of the Creek” and “Steven Universe.”
“Looney Tunes,” though the classic shorts’ treatment on Max leaves much to be desired.
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.”
Max originals, such as “Jellystone!" and “Looney Tunes Cartoons.”
The Studio Ghibli library.
“South Park” (though it goes back to Paramount+ in 2025).
Boomerang, Warners’ vintage cartoon streaming service, is shutting down. It’s expected that at least some or most of the material will get transferred to Max, so the above list of available shows might change.
Cost: $10/month or $100/year (with ads); $17/month or $170/year (without ads, 1080p): $21/month or $210/year (without ads, 4K)
Netflix
Site: www.netflix.com
Netflix is still the most famous and popular streaming service, despite the “streaming wars.” Netflix’s been around for a long time, and has built up a large catalog of cartoons, including its own originals. That said, Netflix has lost some of its luster, between price hikes, password sharing crackdowns, questionable content choices (Joe Rogan comedy specials?!), and removing some content.
Cartoons on Netflix include:
DreamWorks. The animation studio 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” spin-off.
“BoJack Horseman.”
“The Dragon Prince.”
“Puffin Rock.”
“Nimona,” a movie based on the graphic novel of the same name.
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: $7/month (with ads); $15.49/month (without ads, 1080p); $23/month (without ads, 4K)
Paramount+
Site: www.paramountplus.com
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.
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.”
Several “South Park” specials; the original series will return to Paramount+ in 2025.
Cost: $6/month or $60/year (with ads); $12/month or $120/year (without ads)
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.
Cartoons available on PBS Kids include:
“Cyberchase”
“Daniel Tiger 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.
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.” (“The “Super Mario Bros. Movie” is currently on Netflix.)
Cost: $8/month or $80/year (with ads); $14/month or $140/year (without ads)
Pluto TV
Site: pluto.tv
Pluto TV is owned by Paramount, and is a free ad-supported streaming service that relies on the Paramount library. Unlike Tubi, Pluto TV streams most content live as separate “channels,” similar to basic cable. However, a handful of material is available on demand.
Some of the “channels” include:
Nick Jr.: Nickelodeon’s preschool shows. Basically heavy amounts of “Paw Patrol.”
“Dora the Explorer.”
Nick on Pluto: Various Nickelodeon shows; the cartoons are basically “SpongeBob,” “Fairly OddParents,” and “The Loud House.”
90s Kids: “Rugrats” and similar older fare.
Totally Turtles: Originally a TMNT channel, but now seems to be streaming “Avatar: The Last Airbender” upon my inspection.
“Transformers.”
Lego Kids TV: Includes shows like “Lego Ninjago.”
On demand content includes:
Various “Transformers” cartoons.
“Garfield and Friends.”
“Sabrina the Animated Series.”
“Strawberry Shortcake.”
“Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventures” (the 90s animated spin-off of the movie).
Anime, including “Naruto,” “Sailor Moon,” and “Lupin the 3rd.”
Cost: Free
Tubi
Site: tubitv.com
Tubi is a free, ad-supported on-demand streaming service owned by Fox. However, most of the material comes from a number of studios. Tubi carries a number of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, plus various random cartoons from elsewhere.
Cartoons on Tubi include:
The flagship Hanna-Barbera shows: “The Yogi Bear Show” (Yogi’s shorts, not backup characters Yakky Doodle or Snagglepuss), “Scooby-Doo,” “The Flintstones,” “The Jetsons,” and “Jonny Quest.”
The “Tom and Jerry” theatrical shorts (and some of the other MGM ones, such as “Droopy”).
“The Magic School Bus.”
“Osmosis Jones.”
“Pokemon the Series: Black and White.”
“Jem.”
“Dangermouse”
“The Critic.”
“The Freak Brothers,” a rare Tubi original.
Cost: Free
My recommended streaming services
Below are my recommendations by category for various streaming services. Again, prices are as of this writing; and yes, going completely ad-free is increasingly expensive.
General viewing
Netflix
Disney+/Hulu (Disney Bundle)
Amazon Prime Video
Tubi
Pluto TV
PBS Kids (for those with young children)
Total: $32/month (with ads), $53.50 (without ads)
It sounds oddly mundane that my recommended general viewing list is the traditional “Big Three” services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video) plus 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,” “Moana?” They’re all here. “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Rick and Morty,” “Bluey?” Those, too. “Scooby-Doo,” “The Simpsons,” “Paw Patrol?” Ditto.
Hardcore fans of a specific show or genre might not be satisfied, of course. If you’re looking for “Harley Quinn” or everything tied to Batman/Gotham City, you’ll definitely want Max instead of Netflix. If you absolutely need the newest episodes of “Paw Patrol” or “SpongeBob,” those will be on Paramount+. Still, for general purposes, these streaming services should work well for everyone.
The major traditional studios
Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle
Peacock
Paramount+
Total: $31/month (with ads), $56/month (without ads)
This list covers the major traditional Western animation outlets and studios: Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney/Pixar, and DreamWorks/Illumination. Basically, almost everything the general public thinks of when they think of a Western cartoon: Looney Tunes, “Scooby-Doo,” Disney/Pixar feature films, “The Simpsons,” “SpongeBob,” “South Park,” “Batman: The Animated Series,” “Despicable Me,” “Rick and Morty,” etc. If you don’t care about Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, but do want the major traditional animation outlets, this category is for you.
Adult animation
Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle
Paramount+
Total: $23 (with ads), $49 (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.”
I listed Disney+ here since A) the price difference versus stand-alone Hulu is only a few dollars, and B) Disney+ has the “Simpsons” catalog.
Anime
Crunchyroll
Netflix
Hulu
Max
Total: $25 (with ads), $58.50 (without ads)
The above services should cover the viewing interests of most anime fans, from the Studio Ghibli films to “One Piece.”
For kids
Disney+
Netflix
Paramount+
PBS Kids
Total: $21 (with ads), $41.50 (without ads)
While the “general viewing” and “traditional studios” categories may also work, these are probably the most popular services for kids content (besides YouTube, to be honest).
I’d also strongly recommend PBS Kids for younger kids: it’s free, noncommercial, and isn’t trying to sell kids stuff (besides the virtues of math and reading)?
On a budget
Netflix, Max, Disney+/Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video (ad-based versions)
Tubi
Pluto TV
PBS Kids (for those with young children)
The public library (DVDs/Blu-rays; library-based streaming services like Hoopla and Kanopy)
An antenna (for MeTV Toons)
Total: $7 (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 using various free ad-supported 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 animation-wise from Netflix versus Peacock.
The public library is another good free option; they 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.
Conclusion
What do you make of this list? Do you have any favorite streaming services, or like ones I didn’t mention? If so, feel free to list them in the comments.