Crackle

Pioneer AVOD platform that was an early entrant in free ad-supported streaming but was ultimately absorbed and shut down amid parent company bankruptcy

Originally launched by Grouper Networks and later acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Crackle operated as one of the earliest free, ad-supported streaming video platforms in the United States. The service distinguished itself by offering a curated library of Hollywood movies and TV shows at no cost to viewers, monetizing through traditional video advertising. At its peak, Crackle also produced original content, including the critically noted series 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' with Jerry Seinfeld, positioning itself as a legitimate competitor in the growing AVOD (Advertising-based Video on Demand) space. In March/May 2019, Sony Pictures Television contributed its U.S. Crackle assets into a joint venture with Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE), forming Crackle Plus. The Sony Crackle brand was absorbed into this new entity, which expanded to operate multiple AVOD and FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels under the Crackle Plus umbrella. CSSE subsequently acquired Redbox and other streaming assets, building out a broader free streaming portfolio. However, the combined entity faced severe financial headwinds in the competitive streaming landscape. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2024, triggering the wind-down of its streaming operations. The Crackle service ceased operations in mid-April 2025, and the Crackle trademarks were auctioned on April 23, 2025. The platform's closure marked the end of one of the pioneering AVOD services in the United States, leaving a legacy as an early innovator in free, advertiser-supported streaming video at a time when the model has since been widely adopted across the industry.