24 Best Niche Streaming Services for Every Viewer
As services like Netflix and Disney+ continue to rise in price all the time , it can be difficult to justify the cost of all your subscriptions, especially if you’re likely only interested in a small portion of a given service’s library of shows and movies. . Instead, why not subscribe to Laser, a streaming service that caters to your niche interests? Mirroring the old cable TV model, it’s no surprise that there’s a niche streaming service for just about every viewer. Below, I’ve rounded up 24 of the best options for different types of programming, including both paid and free offerings (though if you’re only focused on free streaming services, you’ll have plenty to choose from ). Whether you’re a budding otaku or a die-hard movie snob, you’ll find something here that’s worth the monthly fee.
The Best Streaming Services If You Love Classic Movies
Criterion Channel From the very beginning of the Laserdisc era until today, The Criterion Collection has been considered the gold standard of film labels among those who consider themselves film buffs, but its streaming service launched after Filmstruck closed in 2018 – it may be even better . Offering a rotating monthly catalog of classics from around the world, not to mention plenty of recent critical favorites, it offers films for every mood and a high level of curation – films are grouped by monthly themes or paired together. the associated “double features” make exploration fun (and compensate for the slightly confusing way of sorting sentences). I also love Criterion’s 24/7 live streaming, which allows you to watch a great movie that’s already playing and recreate the late-night cable experience . Cost: $10.99/month or $99.99/year with 7-day free trial.
TCM Center on Max All the bad press Max has received lately (from movies being abandoned due to tax write-offs to too many canceled shows to count) has overshadowed the fact that it’s still one of the best services for film lovers – and for lovers of classic films in particular. Max’s content is sorted into various subsections or “hubs”, and one of them collects content from Turner Classic Movies. While not as comprehensive as The Criterion Channel’s offerings (TCM’s hub is more than worth exploring if you’re looking for films from Hollywood’s Golden Age, the content is sorted by decade and subject, from “The Nightmare Stuff” to “Remastered and Remastered”). Restored.”
Cost: $9.99/month with ads, $16.99/month without ads, $20.99/month without ads 4K.
Best Anime Streaming Services
CrunchyRoll If you’re a fan of Japanese animation, CrunchyRoll is a must-have, especially after recently merging with its main competitor Funimation into one megastreamer ). The service has an extensive catalog of older series, and it’s the easiest way to keep up with what’s new and noteworthy, since many shows are added to the service shortly after they air in Japan—if they’re not actually airing at the same time. While there is a free TV series, it’s fairly limited, with a lot of advertising and a greatly reduced catalog that only contains a few episodes of most shows. If you want products, you will need to subscribe. A number of paid tiers offer access to additional benefits such as more simultaneous broadcasts, streaming games and product discounts.
Cost: Free with ads or $7.99 to $15.99 per month depending on plan, 7-day free trial.
RetroCrush There’s a ton of anime out there, and while you can search CrunchyRoll for what’s new and trending, you might want to look elsewhere for the rarest titles from the golden age of anime. This is where RetroCrush comes to the rescue. This is a new service created as a place to find forgotten jewelry and deep cuts. Considering its super niche vintage anime, it has a more niche library, but a large volume of movies and series that you simply won’t find anywhere else. Paid subscribers get ad-free access to their library, as well as exclusive (and euphemistically named) age-restricted content. If you’re looking for a combination of niche and nostalgia, RetroCrush might be just what you need.
Cost: Free with ads, $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year without ads.
The Best Streaming Services If You Love Horror
Shudder This Netflix for horror fans, owned by the AMC network, is an absolute must if you want to stream the scariest horrors and most blood-curdling screams. Content ranges from popular franchises like Friday the 13th to quirky cult classics and high-quality originals like the Zoom-based quarantine-themed chiller Host . If you’re looking for truly classic films – older than the 1960s or so – the selection is limited, but there is plenty to choose from when it comes to the dark side of cinema from the 70s and 80s to the present day. The material could be better organized, but there are several curated collections, as well as TV and podcast offerings. Cost: $6.99/month or $71.88/year, 7-day free trial of Screambox While not as high-profile as Shudder, which bills itself as “made by fans, for fans,” Screambox is full of authenticity. The main difference is that you won’t be able to find as many movies as you will find on Screambox. With the exception of a few stone-cold classics like Audition , many of the films that span the sub-genres are B-movies, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to horror. You can access limited content for free (including live streaming) or subscribe for ad-free viewing and access to the entire catalogue. Cost: $6.99 per month or $59.99 per year (plus 7 days free).
The Best Streaming Services If You Love Independent Film
MUBI This carefully curated streamer is a filmmaker’s dream and a solution to the “endless scrolling” problem caused by services filled with too much content. MUBI’s “curated” collection is limited to just 30 titles and changes every single day, with one title added and another removed. [ Correction: While the service was originally limited to 30 titles per month – and the Now Showing section still highlights 30 titles – MUBI now offers a much larger collection of previous selections in the Library section.] The unpredictable, limited lineup makes you want to watch. and the quirky selection, from recent indie films to deep cuts from acclaimed auteurs and imports, means there’s always something new to enjoy. (If you live somewhere with a participating movie theater, the more expensive MUBI Go option gives you a free movie ticket every week, but that service is limited to just nine U.S. cities.) Cost: $14.99 per month or $119.99/year, 7 days. free trial of IndieFlix Hey, wait! IndieFlix also claims to offer the best curated lineup of movies. Well, it’s certainly a worthy competitor: in addition to its collection of classics and Hollywood films, the service offers thousands of much more obscure independent and foreign films, as well as documentaries and TV series. A quirky organizational system sorts them not by genre but into broad categories such as “Social Impact” (films with a social justice message) and “Snack” (short films under half an hour). The site also partners with film festivals, such as the 2020 Stony Brook Film Festival, allowing you to attend exclusive screenings. Cost: $4.99/month or $49.99/year (good), 7-day free trial.
The Best Streaming Services If You’re Looking for Black Creators
Brown Sugar Brown Sugar calls itself “the largest collection of the worst movies ever” and offers the nostalgic viewer a library of Black-led films. The most fun you’ll get from browsing Brown Sugar is perhaps finding titles featuring famous celebrities filmed before their careers took off (such as Kevin Hart’s 2011 Vehicle 35 and Tick ), or longtime celebrities like Method Man in movies you’ve never heard of. for example, the 2015 sports comedy #Lucky Numbers . Expect a lot of old Robin Givens and Jeremy Hines films, as well as old Blaxploitation films like Blacula . This is definitely the best place for older viewers to find ” black ” celebrities – people every black person knows but unknown to most non-black people. Cost: $3.99/month, 7-day free trial.
Urban Movie Channel , founded in 2014 by BET founder Robert L. Johnson, the Urban Movie Channel features both films and ongoing series starring Black talent. It has its own original programs, such as the soap opera A House Divided and the documentary series Behind Her Faith , as well as some outside network programs such as WE tv’s Growing Up Hip Hop and OWN’s Black Love . New content is added every week. Cost: Limited ad-supported viewing or $5.99/month with 7-day free trial.
kweliTV Former journalist DeShuna Spencer launched kweliTV as a place to highlight the work of Black thought leaders and filmmakers. Here you can find everything from indie films and web series to children’s programs and live events. KweliTV, which means “truth” in Swahili, strives to offer a more truthful representation of the global black experience than what is often most visible in pop culture. He claims that more than 90% of their films have been officially selected at film festivals, and more than half of them have won awards. Expect not only films about black Americans, but also works by people from the African diaspora. kweliKIDS is a lower-cost limited subscription that includes only kids’ programming without ads. Cost: $2.99/month with ads, $5.99/month without ads, or $49.99/year (60% of your subscription goes to supporting filmmakers featured on the service), 7-day free trial ; $1.99/month for kweliKIDS with ads.
The Best Streaming Services If You Have Weird Taste
Kino Film Collection Film distributor Kino Lorber launched a free, ad-supported service called Kino Cult in 2021, serving as a haven for eclectic classic and contemporary film lovers. Unfortunately, it was closed last year, and Kino’s digital offerings are now limited to the paid service Kino Film Collection. For $6 a month or $60 a year, you’ll get access to hundreds of films from the company’s back catalog, as well as early access to new theatrical releases. There are plenty of indie and non-English language films on offer, so if you have a broad taste or interest in world cinema, the 7-day free trial is worth checking out. Cost: $5.99/month or $59.99/year with 7-day free trial of Night Flight Plus. Originating from the iconic 1980s late-night television series that aired on the then-nascent USA Network, Night Flight Plus is the streaming equivalent of the back alley. a gift shop run by an introverted weirdo, and that’s what the internet was made for. There’s a wide variety of weird videos here, from cult films to extremely specific documentaries ( “The Sacred Triangle: Bowie, Iggy and Lou, 1971-1973 “), music videos and more. The carefully curated lineup (which AV Club likened to a pop culture fever dream ) offers something for… well, not everyone , and definitely not everyone , but it’s pretty great. Cost: $5.99/month or $49.99/year with 7-day free trial.
Shout Factory TV The name says TV, but this streaming offshoot of the beloved boutique DVD label also includes a slew of movies. Of course, their crown jewel unites them both: here you’ll find streaming episodes of the legendary bad movie series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . But there are also a ton of great films, most of which the company has also released on DVD, from fantasy schlock like 1982’s The Wiz to my favorite animated film of all time , The Last Unicorn . You can stream a limited selection of ad-supported content for free, or subscribe to receive the full catalog. Cost: Free streaming with ads, $3.99/month or $39.99/year, 7-day free trial.
The best streaming services if you just want to watch something for free
Free streaming site Tubi, Tubi Lifehacker’s self-proclaimed pick for the greatest streaming service ever , offers movies and TV shows from several major studios with minimal (sometimes zero) advertising. The catch is that, based on a spot check, desktop streaming is limited to SD resolutions. But the real appeal of Tubi is its vast catalog of ready-made content; a wide range of options – more than 50,000 – covers every conceivable viewing niche. There are several genre lists to help you browse the large catalog, and even a dedicated section dedicated to ” Not on Netflix ” movies. Cost: $0
Crackle Crackle is often overlooked when people discuss free online media streaming, but you can use the service on a range of mobile devices and set-top boxes . You’ll need to sign up for an account, but once you do, you can easily create a watchlist, get recommendations for new shows to stream, and browse Crackle’s full library of TV shows and movies. These include the films Charlie’s Angels, Black Snake Moan and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), as well as TV series like That Girl! , 21 Jump Street and 3rd Rock from the Sun. That’s the beauty of Crackle: you’re sure to find movies you’ve heard about, shows you really want to watch, and even original content. Cost: $0
Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) Paid streaming service Fandango at Home (formerly known as Vudu ) has a free section offering a wide selection of recognizable films among less familiar titles. You’ll need to sign up for a free account and watch some ads (some movies are only available in SD, which isn’t great), but you’ll get access to over 5,400 movies on your computer, phone, or streaming. device . You’ll find a ton of movies from the 80s and 90s (since the rights to them have gotten cheaper), as well as a ton of stuff you’ve never heard of before (mostly that, to be honest). But there are also some decent hidden gems. Cost: $0 (more or less)
The Best Streaming Services If You’re a Documentary Buff
Curiosity Stream If you like the Discovery or History Channel, Curiosity Stream could be the streaming service for you. It’s a documentary streaming platform with nature and science programming, where you can find films like The Age of Big Cats, Scanning the Pyramids, and The Story of Food . As the name suggests, it is intended for the intellectually curious viewer who is interested in the untold stories and discoveries of our planet. Cost: $4.99/year or $39.99/year.
Documentary+ Documentary +, XTR’s free documentary streaming service , is available online, through a dedicated app, and as a streaming channel on various services . It offers documentaries sorted into categories ranging from True Crime to Puppy Culture to The Royals, all of which are free to watch (with ads).
Cost: $0
Kanopy Kanopy is a hub for genre documentaries. Like Hulu and Netflix, Kanopy categorizes its movies with a wide selection of titles—categories that include historical perspectives, art and artists, ethnicity and identity, and more. A great platform for indie and documentary lovers, you can expect everything from indie series to hit films like For the Love of Spock . Content is selected for its educational value, and Kanopy is free for librarians and students. Cost: $0. Register using your student ID or library membership . If you don’t fit into any of these boxes, you’re out of luck.
The Best Streaming Services If You Love Reality TV
Hayu Hayu is an international streaming service offering reality TV content from the US to the UK and across Europe. Although it specializes in providing American content abroad and is technically not available in the US, if you use a VPN to change your geolocation, you can still access it from the US to watch all the reality shows you want without a cable subscription TV. It primarily focuses on shows in the style of The Real Housewives, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Love and Hip Hop (you know, the cool stuff), with episodes released shortly after their first airing in the US . Cost: €4.99 per month or €43.99 per year plus whatever you pay for the VPN.
Sling Sling is not a dedicated reality TV streaming service, but it does have access to a wide range of reality TV programming. Sling partners with stations like TLC, known for their reality shows, and includes Here Comes Honey Boo Boo , Toddlers in Tiaras and Say Yes to the Dress . It costs more than some of the other options on this list, but you also get over fifty other channels to choose from, although you’ll have to check which channels are included in the various service offerings to choose the one that’s best suited. (or pay $15 extra per month to get it all). Cost: $40 per month, half off first month.
The Best Streaming Services If You Love Comedy
Next Up Next Up is a British streaming service specializing in comedy. Its options include on-demand, where you can choose between sketch, observational, character, alternative and other styles of comedy, and there’s also live streaming for tuning into stand-up comedy in real time (once comedy clubs reopen, there’s .) My favorite part of this platform is that they split their income 50/50 with the content creators. Since it’s based in the UK, you might not see the usual comedians from the states you know, but you’re sure to find some laughs. Cost: £45/6 months or £60/year.
The Best Streaming Services for Sports Lives
Fubo TV If you’re missing sports after ending your cable subscription, Fubo TV offers over a hundred channels of live and on-demand TV. If your entertainment needs are high, the number of channels at an affordable price makes FuboTV a contender for the most bang for your buck. Unfortunately, however, you’ll still have to pay extra to watch any Hulu, Netflix, or Prime original content, so you’ll need to compare cable and streaming costs to decide whether FuboTV is worth paying for. Cost: Plans start at $79.99 per month.
This article was originally published in October 2020 and updated on August 16, 2024 to update prices and remove outdated information.