Best Streaming Services for Horror Fans in 2023

If you appreciate a good horror movie marathon, you’re in luck because there are several streaming services allow you to get your spooky kicks whenever you want. Some even offer original TV series. These services allow you to record any John Carpenter, Wes Craven or A24 movie you want.

Instead of going to the theater for every new drop, you can stream from the comfort of your couch — and you can leave the lights on. These will keep spooky new releases and old classics in rotation. Here are some of the best places to stream everything from zombie thrillers to spooky encounters to monster attacks and iconic classics.

Shudder

If you’re looking for an all-you-can-eat horror buffet, then Shudder is a great place to get your fill — and all without ads. The niche streaming platform owned by AMC Networks has more than 350 horror movies as well as TV series in its library. Shudder offers a quality selection of originals, classics, international gems and modern horrors including The Seed, Hellraiser, Children of the Corn and Train to Busan. Choose from aliens, slashers, vampires, haunted, horror comedies and more.

You can sign up for Shudder as a standalone subscription for $6 per month and get a seven-day free trial. It’s also part of the AMC Plus five-channel bundle, which costs $7, and Shudder is a Prime Video add-on channel, which costs $6 per month. A handful of titles are available for free on the Roku Channel, but you’ll have to pay to access the bulk of Shudder’s library. We recommend downloading the Shudder app directly to your phone, tablet, FireTV device, or Smart TV.

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A free streaming service, Tubi offers much more than a B-movie horror selection. With a special category housing over 450 terrifying titles including originals, famous franchises and retro favourites, you can spook your head day or night. You’ll find cult hits from the 1980s and ’90s like Puppet Master and The Shining alongside Blade, the Final Destination films, Wrong Turn and The Terrifier.

Although Tubi is an ad-supported service, you can watch it on practically any device. Register an account to access the entire catalogue.

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WarnerMedia’s streaming service gives you access to the Warner Bros. catalog and content from DC and HBO. In addition, the app is lightweight and easy to use on any device. If you love scary movies, there’s plenty to see on HBO Max.

HBO Max’s selection ranges from older classics to newer horror releases, including Eraserhead, The Fly, Hereditary, Sweeney Todd, Malignant, Piranha 3D, Shutter, Annabelle and more. There’s also more light-hearted fare like Gremlins and the original Godzilla films, as well as horror mysteries like Last Night in Soho. HBO Max also has an easy-to-find horror collection where you can access groups of franchise movies with one click.

Just open the app and navigate to the horror section to start your binge watching session. HBO Max is $10 per month (with ads) or $15 for the ad-free experience.

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Granted, Crackle is something of a B-movie paradise where you can stack your watchlist with movies like Killer Mermaid, Malevolence 2, Return of the Scarecrow and Lake Placid: The Final Chapter. But the streaming service is free and also carries more mainstream titles like An American Werewolf in Paris. And if you’re a fan of mutant monsters wreaking havoc, you’ll find Sharktopus movies, giant spiders and piranhas. Crackle has movies from the 1950s (like The Blob) to 2021, and you can click through horror subgenres like comedy, action, mystery, or monsters for easier navigation.

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Prime Video has a plethora of movie titles and its horror offering includes exclusive original releases from Blumhouse, the production company known for projects like Get Out, Paranormal Activity, The Purge, Happy Death Day and Ma. In addition to streaming Amazon Originals like Evil Eye and Suspiria, you can watch free movies on Freevee or other movies like Freaky or Rosemary’s Baby included with your Prime membership.

You also have the option to buy or rent the latest titles available on Prime Video. Watch 2022 movies like The Black Phone or rent releases from years past like A Quiet Place II. Browse Prime Video’s rotating selection by clicking on the horror category, or check out our picks for the best scary movies on the platform.

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Paramount Plus might not be the first streamer to come to mind for horror, but it’s home to several well-loved franchises, including Scream, A Quiet Place, and Paranormal Activity. You can stream any movie from any series.

But the service also has a few nostalgic classics in the vault like Carnival of Souls, Candyman, Night of the Living Dead, and The Ring. Viewers can find around 200 scary movies on Paramount Plus, many of which are new, like Smile. While Orphan and World War Z are well-known titles, there is also a selection of lesser-known films. Paramount Plus costs $5 for the ad-supported version.

Other services we tested

Naturally Netflix has his share captivating horror movies too, but we wanted to focus on services that are either free or deeply invested in the genre – like Shudder. We also looked at each other peacock and it’s appealing for its Universal Pictures and SyFy catalog, but its library is smaller than most at around 160 films.

We also checked out show time And starz. While both services offer a solid list of new and old horrors, the price isn’t necessarily worth it when you can stream many of their titles on other services. However, HBO Max and Paramount Plus have made it because they own their own heavy franchise collections. HBO Max also excels at animated and family-friendly scary movies.

Frequently asked questions about the horror movie streaming service

Do suspense thrillers count in this horror streaming series?

No. Although horror subgenres like comedy (Shaun of the Dead), which includes paranormal, psychopathic killers and alien invasions, we didn’t count thrillers like Black Swan and Joker for this category. Instead, this listing focuses on platforms with a variety of simple horror titles.

Which service has the most classic horror movies?

If you want to watch some movies from eras past for free, Tubi is your best bet, but if you don’t mind paying for old-school creepiness, consider rolling with Shudder.

Which service is best for blockbuster horror titles?

You’ll come across some big-name movies on pretty much every streaming service, but when it comes to the latest blockbusters, you’re at a premium. Services like Prime Video, HBO Max, and Paramount Plus usually offer the films for rent or with your paid subscription during or after their theatrical releases.

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