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What's better than streaming video content on demand? Streaming it for free, of course. And free streaming is the name of the game with ad-supported services like Crackle. The free streaming is the big appeal here, but there's a lot more to know about Crackle — which is why we're here with a complete Crackle guide.

So what is Crackle, and what does it have to offer? What movies are on Crackle? How can you sign up for a Crackle free trial — or, better yet, a whole free Crackle account? Do you know how to cancel Sony Crackle? We're here with solutions and answers in our complete guide to Crackle.

Guide to Sony Crackle - Crackle vs. Sony Crackle
Crackle was briefly known as “Sony Crackle,” but it's back to being just plain “Crackle” now.

What shows and movies are on Crackle?

Crackle is free, which is great. But “free” isn't everything — after all, there are plenty of free things in life that aren't worth your time or interest. For Crackle to be worth its non-existent price, it has to offer us something that we actually want to watch! So the question becomes: what can you watch on Crackle, anyway?

There's a lot to like in Crackle's library, but we think you should manage your expectations. Crackle's library doesn't have tons of exclusives in the way that Netflix‘s library does. Crackle has also not shown a great ability to generate (or at least retain) top-notch original content. But that may be changing, as Crackle has ramped up its original and exclusive offerings a bit since 2019 (that's when a company called Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment — yes, like those Chicken Soup for the Soul books — took control of the service).

Crackle also has a relatively robust library of shows and movies that Netflix happens to be missing. And Crackle's lack of exclusives doesn't necessarily put it in a bad light when you consider that the service's library overlaps with high-profile services that charge subscribers: There are movies on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video that you can watch for free (with ads, of course) on Crackle.

Crackle isn't the most impressive Netflix alternative, but it works very nicely as a Netflix supplement. As we explained in our Crackle review, free services like Crackle aren't that good at replacing paid services, but they can do a nice job of adding onto them. Of course, how you ultimately use services like Crackle is all up to you!

What devices can I use to watch Sony Crackle?

For Crackle to be worth something to you, it will need to be available on the devices that you use to stream video. We've got some good news on this front: Crackle has apps for most of our favorite streaming boxes, smartphones, and tablets.

Streaming platforms and devices

  • Android TV
  • Apple TV
  • Chromecast
  • Fire TV
  • Roku

Video game consoles

  • PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4
  • Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Mobile devices

  • Android
  • iOS

Other

  • In-browser app (computers)
  • Select Smart TVs, including Vizio and Samsung

That's a pretty strong selection of devices. You can download Crackle for any of these devices, then log in with your account or sign up for a new account.

How much does Crackle cost?

How much does Crackle cost? Is Crackle free? Folks, it is indeed free: Sony Crackle has ads, but no subscriber fees whatsoever.

That means that you can hop on Sony Crackle's app and use it without entering any payment information at all.

Of course, you can set up an account if you so desire – as we mentioned earlier, “signing up” for Crackle will give you access to perks like a watch list and syncing across the apps on different platforms, among other features. But signing up for Crackle does not mean signing up for bills and payments. Even with a full account, Crackle is free.

Again, you don't need an account to watch Crackle, but making the account is free. With an account, Crackle can keep track of what you were watching and what you want to watch. That means that, for instance, you can switch from using Crackle on your iPhone to using it on your Roku and will find that Crackle remembers important things like where you left off in the show that you were watching, which shows and movies are on your watch list, and more. Perks like this are why you should consider a free account.

You can sign up for Crackle here.

Deals on Crackle

Crackle is free, so there's no reason to look for special deals and promotions! But keep in mind that Cordcutting.com is always looking out for ways for you to save on streaming and cord-cutting services. There are plenty of services out there that aren't free, so be sure to check our homepage for the latest news about promotions and deals. And, in the meantime, enjoy paying nothing for Crackle.

Getting a Crackle free trial

A Crackle free trial? Hmm, it feels like you're not listening. Crackle is free! F-R-E-E! But, hey, if it's free trials you crave, we've got 'em. Check out our coverage of skinny bundles, subscription on-demand services, and more for lots of links to great free trials.

Crackle contracts

There's no commitment or annual payments involved in Crackle because it's free. So there's really no reason to cancel your Crackle account. Heck, even if you do cancel your account, you can still watch Crackle without it. You can't stop Sony Crackle from offering you free content. It's just what Crackle does.

How to cancel Crackle

Again, there's nothing really to “cancel” about Crackle – the service is free, so you're not going to get any bills whether you choose to cancel or not. But what if you just want to get rid of your (free) account for some reason? Can you delete a Crackle account?

Actually, you can! To delete your Crackle account, just go to Crackle's website and navigate to Profile/Account, which you'll find under your name in the top-right of your browser window once you're logged in. Under the “Personal Information” section of that page, you should find a Deactivate button. Hit that to deactivate your account.

Keep in mind that you will be losing your personalized account if you do this. Since Crackle is free, there's not necessarily any reason to delete your account – but, hey, to each their own!

All about Crackle

Our guide to Crackle has covered a lot of ground, but there's still plenty more to learn about Crackle and what's available through the service! Check out our other Crackle-related content, including reviews, tips on what to watch, and more. You'll find links to our Crackle coverage here on this page and can check out even more by searching for “Crackle” in our Cordcutting.com search bar. Don't forget to check out our social media pages and the Cordcutting.com home page for more tips, news, how-tos, reviews, and more from all around the cord cutting world.