Shudder is an on-demand service aimed at horror and thriller fans. It’s owned and operated by AMC Networks, which means one of the first Shudder alternatives to consider is AMC+, as it includes the entire Shudder catalog (and a lot more) for as low as an extra dollar a month.
Except for Disney+, most major streaming services offer a solid selection of horror titles. From Amazon Prime Video to HBO Max and from Hulu to Starz, we weighed every service’s horror catalog and picked a winner in 3 key areas of price, home theater features, and original content. We also look at the best "pure horror" alternative.
Be sure to read to the end, where we reveal our #1 overall best alternative to Shudder.
Shudder
$6.99/month
Screambox is the best alternative for pure horror
Source: Screambox
Shudder is not alone, as there are a number of horror-focused streaming services on the market. Some are free, while others are only available through Amazon or Roku, such as Fear Factory and FrightPIX. However, even though it’s got niche appeal within the genre, Screambox is the best horror channel after Shudder.
How much does Screambox cost?
Screambox has a few plans available–the free with ads plan and a premium plan.
The ad-supported content doesn’t let you watch the premium content, but finding “non-premium” content on the platform is next to impossible. Nearly everything is locked behind a Premium badge. However, that premium content is some of the cheapest you’ll find.
The premium plan can be paid 3 ways, with 2 of those offering a discount. You can pay monthly at $4.99/mo, bi-annually at $14.99 every six months (which comes to $2.50/mo), or yearly at $26.99 ever year (which comes to $2.25/mo).
Screambox offers more low-key horror
The premium plan includes a live TV channel, Bloody Disgusting TV, which offers original content, interviews, podcasts, and more. Just be aware that you won’t find big Hollywood hits on Screambox, as that doesn’t appear to be its focus.
Screambox is available on a wide range of devices, allows 2 simultaneous streams, and downloads to watch offline on mobile devices. The service currently caters to a certain type of horror fan, particularly those who like B-movies and low-budget 80s slasher films.
Paramount+ is the cheapest Shudder alternative
Shudder is pretty tough to beat in terms of price, but there are a few streamers that come close.
Apple TV+ still has a limited library and Screambox has niche appeal, so we ranked Paramount+ as the best lower-cost alternative to Shudder. It offers a great selection of popular horror movies and shows, and a huge library of general content as well, including news and sports.
How much does Paramount+ cost?
Paramount+ has 2 plans available. The basic plan, Paramount+ Essential, is ad-supported. The Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan is ad-free and lets you stream your local CBS affiliate station live, download titles, and gives you access to SHOWTIME’s full library.
Both of these plans have monthly and yearly payment options.
Paramount+ is the official streamer for Paranormal Activity
Paramount+ is the official streamer of the Paranormal Activity, A Quiet Place, and Scream (minus the 4th one), so it’s where you’ll find new entries for these franchises first. The horror library includes everything from classics to slashers to the hottest new blockbusters.
Netflix is the best Shudder alternative for original content
While Shudder produces a fair amount of original content, it’s the curated content that is the platform’s main draw. Netflix, on the other hand, produces destination content.
How much does Netflix cost?
Being one of the most expensive on-demand service on the market hasn’t stopped Netflix from raising prices, but its Standard with ads plan is luckily around the same price as Shudder.
From there you can go up to the Basic plan, giving you no-ads but only one simultaneous stream, the Standard plan which gives you two streams and download capabilities on two devices, and the Premium plan which gives you four streams and download capabilities on six devices,as well as 4K quality for certain titles.
Netflix Standard with Ads
- Stream on two screens
- On demand content
- HD video quality
- Downloads on up to two devices
$6.99/month
Netflix Standard
- No ads
- Stream on two screens
- HD video quality
- Downloads on up to two devices
$15.49/month
Netflix Premium
- No ads
- Stream on four screens
- HD and 4K video quality
- Downloads on up to six devices
$22.99/month
Netflix offers tons of original and licensed horror content
From Ozark to The Crown, Netflix is known for its outstanding original content. And when it comes to horror, it’s just as capable of delivering the goods. It also boasts a huge curated library of horror movies and shows. In addition to the list above, here are some other titles recommended for horror fans check out.
Check out our Shudder vs. Netflix article for our head-to-head matchup that covers 7 key areas.
Our verdict: Paramount+ is the best alternative to Shudder
Our top overall pick is Paramount+. It’s the same price as Shudder when going with the ad-supported version, so you’re not paying anymore than you would’ve. Not only that, titles are available in 4K, HDR, and surround sound, and there is also a huge library of non-horror content to choose from if you start to feel some horror fatigue. If you don’t want commercials, Paramount+ with Showtime is a little bit extra and gets you live local TV, sports and news as well.
Douglas Wright • Author
Douglas Wright is a freelance writer based in Japan. A former web designer and technical writer, he left beautiful Vancouver for bustling Tokyo, where he spent a decade recruiting for software and high-tech firms. No longer commuting through the world’s busiest train station, he writes fiction and a wide range of formats for clients around the world. When he gets AFK, he’s either outdoors with his two boys, streaming a show with his wife, or reading a book over a French-pressed, hand-ground coffee.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
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