Okay, let's talk about Crackle—the streaming service you've probably scrolled past a hundred times while paying for Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Max, Paramount+, and whatever else is draining your bank account this month.
Crackle is a completely free streaming platform owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (yes, really). No subscription, no credit card, just ads. Think of it as the Pluto TV of on-demand content—you watch some commercials, you get access to a rotating library of movies and shows. The selection isn't massive, and it's definitely not going to have the latest Pixar release, but for families trying to cut costs or just looking for something different, it's worth knowing what's actually on there.
The kids' section is smaller than what you'd find on the big streamers, but here's the thing: smaller doesn't mean worse. Sometimes a curated selection beats endless scrolling through 47 mediocre options while your kids fight over the remote.
Let's be real—streaming fatigue is real, and so is subscription fatigue. Between all the services, you're probably spending $80-100+ a month just to have access to content your kids will inevitably ignore in favor of watching the same three YouTube videos on repeat.
Crackle offers a genuine alternative for:
- Budget-conscious families who've maxed out their streaming budgets
- Parents looking for "new" content without adding another subscription
- Backup options when the Wi-Fi goes out and you need downloaded content (Crackle has offline viewing)
- Grandparents' houses or vacation rentals where you don't want to log into your accounts
The ads are the trade-off, and yeah, they're there. But honestly? Kids who've grown up with YouTube are already ad-literate. A few commercial breaks might actually be less disruptive than the algorithmic chaos of free YouTube.
Crackle's library rotates, so what's available changes. As of early 2025, here's what's actually worth your time:
Blinky Bill: The Movie (2015)
Ages 5-10. This Australian animated film about a young koala searching for his missing father is genuinely sweet without being saccharine. The animation is solid (not Pixar-level, but perfectly watchable), and the story has real heart. It's also refreshingly not American, which means different humor, different pacing, and a nice change from the usual Disney formula.
The Boxtrolls (2014)
Ages 8+. If your kids loved Coraline or Kubo and the Two Strings, this Laika Studios stop-motion film is a winner. It's quirky, visually stunning, and has some genuinely clever humor. Fair warning: it has some mild scares and themes about class warfare (yes, really), so younger sensitive kids might find it intense.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Ages 6+. This one's a classic for a reason. Fast-paced, genuinely funny for both kids and adults, and the animation still holds up. If you haven't seen it, it's about an inventor whose machine makes food fall from the sky. Chaos ensues. It's silly in the best way, and the father-son relationship at the center is actually touching.
The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)
Ages 7+. Another Aardman Animations gem (the Wallace & Gromit folks). It's stop-motion, British, and absolutely packed with visual gags that kids will miss but you'll appreciate. Hugh Grant voices a pirate captain trying to win "Pirate of the Year." It's absurd and delightful.
Open Season (2006)
Ages 6-10. A domesticated grizzly bear gets released into the wild right before hunting season. It's not groundbreaking, but it's competent, has some good messages about friendship, and Martin Lawrence's voice work is solid. This is your "I need something safe and predictable" option.
Surf's Up (2007)
Ages 6+. Mockumentary-style animated film about a surfing penguin. Yes, really. It's actually clever—the documentary format gives it a different energy than typical kids' movies, and Shia LaBeouf and Jeff Bridges are surprisingly good in it. If your kids are into Happy Feet or penguin content in general, this is a solid pick.
Crackle sometimes has older family films in rotation—think 80s and 90s live-action movies that your kids have never heard of. These can be hit or miss:
The Good: Movies like The NeverEnding Story or Labyrinth (when available) introduce kids to practical effects and storytelling that feels genuinely different from modern CGI-heavy films.
The Bad: Some of these older films have pacing that feels glacial to kids raised on YouTube and TikTok. Also, be prepared for some dated attitudes about gender roles, race, and other issues. Not saying don't watch them—just maybe watch with your kids so you can talk through the weird parts.
Let's address this head-on: yes, there are ads, and yes, they're annoying. Crackle typically runs 3-4 commercial breaks during a 90-minute movie, with 2-3 ads per break. It's not as bad as traditional TV, but it's definitely more than your kids are used to if they've only known Netflix.
The upside? The ads are generally pretty tame. Crackle knows families are watching, so you're not getting beer commercials or dating app ads during kids' content. Mostly it's other movies, mobile games, and general consumer products.
If ads are a dealbreaker for your family, this isn't the platform for you. But if you're trying to teach kids that "free" content comes with trade-offs, this is actually a pretty good real-world example.
Ages 4-6: Stick with Blinky Bill and maybe Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The rest might be too intense or have humor that goes over their heads.
Ages 7-10: Pretty much everything listed above works. The Boxtrolls might be the upper edge depending on your kid's tolerance for mild scares.
Ages 11+: Honestly, they'll probably find most of these too young. Crackle's kids' section skews younger. You might have better luck exploring the general movie section together and finding age-appropriate action or adventure films.
Set it up properly: Create a profile for your kids if the platform allows it (Crackle's interface varies by device). This helps keep their viewing separate from yours and makes it easier to find kid-friendly content.
Download for offline viewing: If you're using the mobile app, you can download movies for offline viewing. This is clutch for road trips, flights, or anywhere your internet is sketchy.
Check the ratings: Crackle displays MPAA ratings. Don't assume everything in the "kids" section is G-rated—some are PG and might have content you want to preview first.
Rotate with other free options: Combine Crackle with PBS Kids, YouTube Kids (with heavy curation), and your library's free streaming service (many libraries offer Hoopla or Kanopy with kids' sections). You can actually build a pretty solid free streaming rotation.
Crackle isn't going to replace Disney+ or Netflix in your household, and that's fine. But as a free supplementary option, it's genuinely useful—especially if you're trying to reduce screen spending or just want something different.
The kids' movie selection is limited but surprisingly decent. The Boxtrolls, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and The Pirates! Band of Misfits are legitimately good films that hold up against paid streaming options. The ads are the price of admission, but they're manageable.
Is it perfect? No. Will your kids complain about the commercials? Probably. But will you save $8-15 a month? Yes. And in a world where every media company wants a piece of your wallet, that's worth something.
Next step: Download the Crackle app, browse what's currently available (remember, the library rotates), and maybe start with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on a Friday night. See how your kids handle the ad breaks. If they can deal, you've just added a free streaming option to your rotation. If they can't, well, at least you tried.