Original: The Best Streaming Services for Horror Fans
True horror fans know that Friday night frights aren’t just for Halloween. Why wait until October to enjoy a horror movie marathon or monster mash? If you’re in the mood for spooky streaming this weekend, we might have just the recommendation for you. Here are the best streaming services for horror.
Unique streaming services for horror fans
Shudder
Shudder, a streaming site dedicated to horror, the supernatural, and thrillers, is a frighteningly good deal for hardcore fans, coming in at just $5 per month. The site boasts the largest and fastest growing selection of new releases and genre-defining classics, curated by humans, and a flexible membership option.
The site has a collection of some classics, but the service is geared toward horror fans that appreciate a good film, whether it was a hit or not.
This is fan-club streaming at its finest. RogerEbert.com called Shudder “one of the best streaming services in the world,” while Thrillist said the service was “pretty much everything a horror fan could want.”
Die-hard horror fans have already checked out this site.
Pros
- A massive assortment of horror television shows and movies
- Intuitive design
- Affordable
Cons
- Light on the blockbusters
- Indy films mean high-definition isn’t always guaranteed
- There are no offline downloads available for mobile devices
- Subtitles are challenging to use
Screambox
Of course, you can’t talk about the best streaming services for horror without mentioning Screambox. Screambox provides a unique assortment of horror films in a low-cost, no-frills package, but it lacks most category staples. However, most horror fans will be pleased with the Rob Zombie-esque collection. While Screambox doesn’t have the blockbuster titles you’d find at Prime or Netflix, it’s got a great selection of B-movies and breakout hits like Sharknado and A Grim Becoming.
What’s excellent about Screambox, like Shudder, is that true horror fans maintain the service. This is most evident in the genre section of the site, which includes Anthologies, Backwater Butchers, Body Horror, Brutal and Disturbing, Classics, Humorous Horror, Just Plain Weird, J-Horror, Madness & Paranoia, Monster Mayhem, The Whole Damn Thing, Supernatural Power, They Came From Out Of Space, Torture, Vampires!, Crime & Giallo, Documentary, Found Footage, Ghosts & Spirits, Home Invasion, Possession & Demons, Psychological, Psychotic, Shocking Series, Slashers, When Nature Attacks, and Witches, Occult, and Religion – if that gives you an idea.
Pros
- Simple to use
- Cheap (there is both a free and premium option)
- Created by true horror fans
Cons
- Selection is limited compared to Shudder
- No support for Apple TV
- Significant complaints on iOS since the company was sold
Free streaming services for horror fans
Tubi
Tubi is, overall, our favorite free streaming service – head to head with Pluto, depending on your preference for sports. But Tubi also happens to have an excellent collection of horror films.
And not just B-movie horror, either. With well-known hits like The Lost Boys, The Devil’s Rejects, and Jaws, Tubi also appears to have leaned into its role as the go-to for horror among free premium streaming services. In fact, when you Google “Tubi,” underneath their landing page link, the first sub-navigation item listed below their name is the genre horror (as of this writing).
Unfortunately for the little fish in the sea, Tubi can do this because, relatively speaking in terms of their horror competition, Tubi has much more buying power. Tubi boasts over 40,000 programs and is a subsidiary of Fox Entertainment, which gives it exclusive access to Fox titles and a bigger purse to keep content fresh.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Tubi, you certainly should. The service is free and runs as smoothly as Netflix or Hulu, no matter what type of device you’re streaming from.
Pros
- You can terrify yourself throughout the day and night with over 450 original films and television series
- Cult blockbusters from the 1980s and 1990s, like Master Puppeteer and Bride of Chucky, are abundant, while newer hits like Creation, Insidious, Slender Man, and 2022’s The Jack in the Box are available as well
- Broad app support for mobile viewing
- Creating an account gives you premium-like features
Cons
- Current broadcast resolution of 720p
- No free add option
Premium streaming services for horror fans
Netflix
Of course, you can’t go wrong with the OG in streaming. Netflix has invested in horror like no one has in recent years. And while Prime offers great B-movies and uniquely unusual Sci-Fi Horror like The Outer Range, Netflix is hands-down the place for premium horror content.
Netflix has so much horror; there are lists created on the internet about them – some 50 titles or more. From Raw, The Nightmare on Elm Street, Midnight Mass, to The Conjuring, Netflix just won’t let others in their space. Netflix is so devoted to horror they gave the Resident Evil reboot (series) an unlimited budget none of us asked for (but we still love them).
Netflix is widely supported on every major platform, allows viewers to download content, and has an exceptional user interface. But the best comes with a cost. With the lowest Netflix monthly membership hovering at $10 and the highest at $20, the Twitter-sphere has kept the long-running jokes about Netflix fees fresh and entertaining. Still, the simple fact remains, Netflix delivers the most content and the best bang for your buck in streaming. If you don’t believe that, be sure to check out our weekly release posts, Netflix takes up a lot of space, and we only publish “new” releases.
Pros
- Excellent selection of hit horror films
- Widely supported across devices and platforms
- Consistent new release schedule
- Downloadable content
Cons
- Relatively expensive compared to sites dedicated to the genre
Final words: which streaming services for horror are best?
Horror fans come in all shapes and sizes. While Netflix may be too pop for some, Tubi is a great way to jump into the world of horror without sacrificing the comfort of a premium service. At the same time, Shudder is loved by fans, and Screambox is for the die-hard among us who don’t mind a minor inconvenience for the low-cost access to some pretty awesome horror flicks.
That wraps up our list of best streaming services for horror fans.
The question is: which horror films will you be streaming this weekend?