For many years, 9Anime continued to be the top destination for anime fans to find and watch their favorite anime shows and movies. It had a loyal fan base; at its prime, it had over 170 million users monthly.
Recently, in 2024, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, a global coalition, banned 9Anime completely because of its distribution of copyrighted content. It even tried to rebrand itself to a new name, “AniWave,” but that shut down, too.
Due to this, many fans are now looking for other suitable options. If you’re one of them, keep reading to discover the 4 best legal anime sites like 9Anime to watch your favorite shows online.
Top 9Anime Alternatives: Quick List
Short on time? Here’s a quick list of the 4 best and legal platforms like 9Anime:
- Tubi: Free and legal streaming site to watch the biggest titles in the anime space.
- Anime-Planet: Created by die-hard anime fans and contains the most popular titles.
- Crunchyroll: The largest anime-based platform in the world, offering an extensive list of titles to stream.
- AnimeLab: Allows you to stream anime and other East-Asian-related media in high quality.
How to Stream Safely on Sites Like 9Anime?
Premium streaming websites are usually geo-restricted, so it can be hard to access them from some places.
However, a VPN provides a simple solution. Here’s how to bypass geo-blocks and stream content on 9Anime or its alternative sites:
- Sign up and choose a plan: Visit ExtremeVPN’s pricing page and select a plan that best suits you. Register and create an account.
- Download the app: We have dedicated apps for all operating systems, i.e., iOS, MacOS, Android, and Windows. Choose and install the ExtremeVPN app on your particular device.
- Connect to a server: Run the VPN app and select a server location. Countries like Switzerland and Poland have the most flexible stance on copyright, so it’s best to connect to them.
- Stream with peace of mind: Visit the website where you want to watch anime and enjoy streaming popular anime movies and shows.
Other steps to take:
- Use an antivirus: As most free websites are riddled with malware, they can harm your devices. Hence, it’s best to use an antivirus when accessing them. This will ensure your devices stay protected at all times.
- Get an ad-blocker: An antivirus isn’t enough, you need an ad-blocker or a script blocker too. These will improve the overall page loading speeds and stop the websites from displaying advertisements. You can use script blockers like NoScript or ad-blockers like uBlock Origin for this purpose.
What is 9Anime, and What Happened to it?
9Anime was a well-known anime streaming website that launched back in 2016. It brought anime closer and made its name popular with fans worldwide. Due to its role in the illegal but global distribution of anime, it was thus called “a major player in anime piracy.”
9Anime’s popularity largely stemmed from a growing global anime audience and extremely limited or premium anime streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Funimation, and VRV. Most fans, therefore, switched to the site and its numerous mirrors and proxies, costing studios millions of dollars. This made shutting down the 9Anime a priority for copyright enforcement organizations.
While many enforcement agencies have targeted the website, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment was the most relentless and long-lasting. They targeted the website several times, especially in 2022 and 2023. Towards the end of 2023, 9Anime started redirecting to a new website called AniWave, which also offers anime content.
In August 2025, 9Anime and several other copyright-violating websites finally went offline. This was after intense pressure from the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment and the Vietnamese police, where it’s reported that the app is based.
4 Best Legal Platforms Like 9Anime: Detailed List
1. Tubi
Tubi is a popular website that offers a vast library of anime movies and TV shows online. Not only does it host movie titles, but it also offers licensed anime content for fans. You can enjoy popular shows like Naruto, One-Punch Man, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure on this site without any legal issues.
The platform has a well-organized mobile app and website that is compatible with almost all devices and systems. It also offers limited parental control features, allowing you to record shows and even manage your watchlist.
However, Tubi only works in the US. If you’re anywhere outside of the US, you will need a VPN to access its content. Moreover, as it is a free service, it might not offer all seasons of shows, and the library can change with time.
2. Anime-Planet
Free
No ads nor inappropriate redirects
Offers a limited number of anime shows
Anime-Planet is a free and legal alternative to 9Anime. Unlike other entries on this list with no known owners or sources, it is run by fans for fans, has major social media pages, and even manages a Patreon where you can support its activities.
Due to partnerships with production studios like VIZ Media and Crunchyroll, the platform is able to offer its shows and series for free. However, this significantly limits the shows you can choose from and prevents you from accessing the trending and newest anime releases, like One Piece and Bleach (the rereleased version).
The shows on the website are available in moderately high quality. You can also create an account and join conversations around the show you just watched or start discussions. On Anime Planet, you can discover new shows, add them to your list, and see recommendations for similar series to the ones you’ve selected.
3. Crunchyroll
Free
Most comprehensive list of titles
Requires subscription fees
Crunchyroll is one of the best websites to stream any possible anime show or movie available. Already an established platform, it acquired Funimation, its closest competitor, in 2022, further expanding its dominance of the industry. Thus, it is the de facto home of anything classic or modern anime.
Crunchyroll is a legal, ad-supported platform, which means you won’t be facing any legal trouble watching content here. If you don’t want the ads, you may need to subscribe to its premium plan, costing around $7.99/month. If you want an anime title you can’t find here, it may be time to travel to Japan.
The platform provides subbed and dubbed versions of anime, catering to a diverse audience and quelling arguments. New series are added here only one hour after they air in Japan, and they are available in high quality. However, it has geo-restrictions, and you’ll need a VPN to access it from some parts of the world.
Crunchyroll even allows users to play anime-based games, adding an extra element of fun. It has been the top streaming choice for fans of anime, winning multiple awards in the process. However, as its free plan is limited, you must create an account and pay periodic subscription fees to explore premium offerings.
4. AnimeLab
Free
Allows you to download videos to watch later
Contains a lot of spammy and scammy ads
AnimeLab is among those free and legal sites that let you watch anime and other East Asian content in high quality. A treasure trove, the site offers every category of shows across different ages and genres. Streaming is almost instantaneous, and you can even download anime shows to your device to stream later.
The original site was acquired by Funimation and is now a subsidiary of Crunchyroll, further expanding its streaming empire. The current active sites look like mirror links and may not have direct ties to the original network.
So, while AnimeLab offered its services in partnership with production studios, these mirror websites display inappropriate ads and scammy redirects to stay active. This makes them extremely dangerous, and we recommend using an antivirus and a VPN when streaming here.
Why You Should Look for an Alternative to 9Anime?
9Anime has captivated many fans with its features, making it a number-one hub for anime content worldwide. These features include, but are not limited to, its global availability, ease of use, wide range of content, and high-quality videos. However, you may need an alternative for it for various reasons. These include:
- Geo-blocks: The site is blocked in various parts of the world, so you may not access it if you live in any of those regions.
- Server downtimes: Due to the lack of proper security measures, the site’s servers lag sometimes, making it difficult to watch anime episodes.
- Security and legality issues: Since 9Anime is a free website, it offers content without proper rights. Plus, it displays many ads that contain harmful software that can affect your device.
To be safe online, always ensure you’re using a top-notch VPN like ExtremeVPN. It hides your IP address and protects malicious identities to track your location.
Why Use a VPN for Streaming on Platforms Like 9Anime?
As mentioned above, free anime websites usually contain harmful advertisements and malware. Plus, most of the free sites are illegal and banned in several countries worldwide. Thus, they are often subject to shutdowns or legal concerns.
ISP throttling is another issue you might face on free services. Your internet service providers (ISPs) might throttle your internet speed to reduce bandwidth congestion. Users can also get fined for streaming on platforms that are illegal in their country.
The problems aren’t just limited to free websites, though. Even if you pick a premium platform like we mentioned in this guide, it often contains geo-blocks, like Tubi is only available in the US. So, what to do in this situation? A VPN is the most dependable tool that solves all these issues and more.
A premium VPN like ExtremeVPN protects you and your devices from online threats. It hides your IP address from internet service providers, governments, and other entities, thus preventing ISPs from throttling your internet connection and tracking your online activities.
Plus, with over 6,500 servers in 78 countries worldwide, you can easily bypass geo-restrictions. Just connect to a privacy-friendly country like Switzerland and access any platform you want from anywhere.
How to Choose the Best Sites Like 9Anime
With so many options available, choosing the right one can become difficult. Hence, we considered the following features when preparing the list:
- Legal status: We made sure what happened to 9Anime fans won’t happen again. Hence, we only picked platforms that have legal rights for what they host.
- Content catalog: Websites with a broader range of content offerings provide users with more options and have a higher chance of making this list. Some platforms that particularly excel in this area are Crunchyroll and GoGoAnime.
- Free streaming: Every website mentioned here is free, except that of Crunchyroll. This is not to say that Crunchyroll is fully paid – it offers a free plan with ads, but it requires you to make a payment to enjoy its premium experience.
- Streaming quality: All the sites on our list offer high-quality videos to enhance the streaming experience. Some let you stream in quality up to 720p, while others allow up to 1080p.
Is 9Anime Safe?
9Anime is a free streaming website that displays the same characteristics that are now typical of virtually all other free anime sites. It contains a boatload of inappropriate ads, redirects to spammy and scammy sites, and has numerous pop-ups. All of these make the platform unsafe, as they could potentially lead to data loss, data theft, or hacking.
Rather than using 9Anime, we recommend legal and safer options like Tubi and Crunchyroll, which both have strong data protection policies and some free shows. If you must use 9Anime, consider observing certain security measures, including enabling an antivirus, setting up a VPN, and avoiding dropping your personal details and information everywhere.
9Anime Proxy Sites (Updated 2025)
Although the 9Anime official website shut down due to copyright infringement, it still operates through several of its proxy websites. These websites offer the same content catalog and share a similar web design.
Here are the top 9Anime mirror sites that are working at the time of writing:
| Sr No. | Mirror/Proxy | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | https://9animetv.to/ | Active |
| 2. | https://9anime.org.lv/ | Active |
| 3. | https://9anime-tv.com/ | Active |
| 4 | https://wvv4.9anime.com.pl/ | Active |
Note: These proxy links contain malicious ads and redirects that can compromise your device’s security. If you wish to visit them, be aware and don’t click on any pop-ups or ads. Also, use an antivirus and a VPN like ExtremeVPN.
Are Alternatives to 9Anime Illegal?
Some free anime sites like Tubi, Crunchyroll, Anime-Planet, and AnimeLab are legal as they host content with proper rights. However, those sites that offer content without the consent of the owners are considered illegal in many parts of the world. They violate numerous copyright protection laws and are notorious for piracy. This is why they’re frequently targeted by enforcement agencies.
We recommend checking the site’s legality status before you wish to stream anime on any of these sites. In areas with strict copyright protection laws, you could face jail terms if caught using these websites.
Where the laws are more flexible, the penalty could be fines or light sentencing. In any case, it’s important to protect yourself by checking whether or not you’re allowed to stream on these sites.
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