20 Best Criterion Channel Alternatives Right Now

There is a lot to love about the Criterion Channel. Its collection of niche and underrated titles gives viewers a break from repetitive Hollywood blockbusters, and its quality curation has honed film buffs and filmmakers alike since it includes only the best of the best among its lineup. 

But despite its wide array of feature-length films, documentaries, commentary tracks, interviews, and even personal picks from celebrity cinephiles, the Criterion Chanel is not without its problems. For one, the streaming service is only available in the US and Canada, and for another, it is quite pricey compared to other similar platforms. 

If these issues affect you, you might want to check our list of the best Criterion Channel alternatives below. Some lean more on genre, others on classics, and even others on indie, but you can rest easy knowing that they're more accessible. It's up to you to decide which best fits your needs.

Our recommended five best criterion channel alternatives right now:
Hulu $7.99 Watch
Paramount+ Premium $11.99 Watch
Max $9.99 Watch
Magnolia Selects $4.99 Watch
Tubi free Watch

Screambox as its name would indicate is a horror-themed streaming service that offers up a selection of chilling titles to keep you entertained through the darkest nights. They try to offer a mix of indie and classic movies and shows.

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Website

Features: annual subscription, offline downloads, on-demand content, up to three concurrent streams

If you lived through the '80s, you may have heard of Night Flight, the nighttime cable channel that aired punk rock music videos, low-budget monster flicks, psychedelic documentaries, and adult cartoons, among many others. It went under at the turn of the '90s but has recently returned to join the streaming wars, seemingly bigger and better than ever. As a subscription-based streaming service, Night Flight Plus gives you access to classic gems, plus new content from partner studio companies. It's basically a time capsule with extra room for all the new niche movies it could've aired during its prime. If you're looking for carefully curated nostalgic picks, Night Flight Plus is a great choice to consider.

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, Roku, Website

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, unlimited simultaneous streams

IndieFlix is an online streaming service dedicated to independent filmmaking and is available in 85 countries. 

In the US, you can access IndieFlix for $6.99 per month, or a one-year subscription at a discounted $69. Patrons of IndieFlix may access IndieFlix free of charge. 

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, trial

Flix Premiere is a subscription-based service that streams underrated and hard-to-find independent films. Founded in 2015 by Martin Warner, Flix Premiere is a treasure trove of fresh but forgotten gems—movies deemed too small or unprofitable are finally given a fighting chance here. The company states that it sources much of its content from prestigious festivals like Berlinale, Cannes, TIFF, and more.

The streamer, currently available in the US and the UK only, is for hardcore cinephiles and anyone who prefers films over TV shows. The subscription is at $6.99/month, and the service offers a 30-day free trial.

Price: $6.99/month

Free Trial: 30 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Roku, Website, Xbox

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, trial

Film Movement Plus is a video on-demand platform dedicated to independent and foreign films, and is currently available in the US and Canada.

In the US, it costs $5.99 a month (after a 14-day free trial) and can be accessed via any device, including IOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku.

Price: $5.99/month

Free Trial: 14 days

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, trial

Docsville’s focus is on documentaries sourced from around the world, originally launched by award-winning documentarian Lawrence Elmen and his business partner, Nick Fraser, who worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation. This streaming service is for those doc junkies who can’t get enough of real-world exploration and have a thirst for knowledge about many different aspects of our planet and the human race. Topics include climate change, inequality and racism, inspiring real-life tales, and true crime. Most of the documentaries offered are independent films.

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 3 days

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, iPhone, Roku TV, Website

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, unlimited simultaneous streams

Curzon Home Media is an internet streamer that provides access to films through rentals. It releases many of its films on the same date they are available to watch in cinemas, so you can rest assured its selection is fresh. 

Currently, the video-on-demand service is limited to the UK and Ireland, so if you're in the area looking for a regularly updated library that also happens to contain quality art-house, foreign, and lesser-known films, then this is for you. Curzon Home Media, launched in 2010, is owned and operated by the London-based Curzon World Group.  

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Website

Features: annual subscription, on-demand content, rent

With its curated lineup of over 100 hand-picked, top-quality independent films every month, Curia indulges viewers with seasonal and permanent film collections for only $3.99 a month. The service ensures an experience less reliant on the impersonal algorithm that has dominated the likes of Netflix, and more on the personal recommendation setup where friends and experts help you pick out the next best watch. Aside from thoughtful curations, signing up also gets you unlimited access to award-winning feature-length and short films from beloved festivals around the world, all in the comfort of your home. 

Price: $3.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Website

Features: on-demand content, trial

Cultpix is a streaming subscription service made especially for genre fans. But not only does it cover the entire gamut of old, weird, and beloved cinema (it has everything from horror, sci-fi, erotica, martial arts, and fantasy from before the '90s), it also collects such titles from all around the world, giving it a unique global edge over the many other cult streaming services out there. Japanese Kaij, Danish erotica, Italian Westerns—you name it, Cultpix most likely has it. 

Price: $6.66/month

Device availability: Airplay, Chromecast, Website

Features: on-demand content

As the name suggests, Classix is the ultimate repository of vintage titles; from film noir and screwball comedies to westerns and cartoons, it's all here. The service is completely free of charge, a true haven for classic fans, but for a one-time charge of $3.99 (no renewal fee) users can get access to even more titles, including full seasons of shows like Bonanza and The Pink Panther. The streamer works well on most major devices, and even though the films don't have the crisp, restored resolution of their more popular contemporaries, they're still a ball to watch.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Android, Apple TV, iOS, Website

Features: free, offline downloads, on-demand content

Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.

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The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.

That's all from us for the 20 Best Criterion Channel Alternatives Right Now!