At a time when mainstream streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ stretch their coverage to the utmost limit, it's nice to know that there are plenty of alternative platforms out there that carefully curate movies and series for their small but dedicated fanbase. Whether that means streaming cult and horror titles (our picks are Shudder and Screambox), East Asian dramas (Viki and Asian Crush), independent cinema (Criterion and Mubi), or the oldest TV shows you can think of (Shout TV), a good non-conventional service knows its bounds well and treats content like the specialty that it is. Below, we list the best niche streaming services that are available right now, plus some other information (like price and device compatibility) you might want to know.
40 Best Niche Streaming Services Available Right Now
Magnolia Selects can be accessed via an array of iOS and Android phones and tablets as well as desktops and Roku devices. It is also available as a channel through Sling TV and Amazon Prime Video.
Subscriptions with unlimited access to Magnolia Selects cost $4.99 per month or a discounted $49.99 per year.
Another plan is available for “sub-genre subscriptions” that gives access to specific genres (action, comedy, horror, documentary) for only $2.99 per month.
Mubi is a movie-streaming service featuring a curated selection of 30 movies on a daily rotation, as well as a large library of movies from previous rotations. The subscription costs $10.99 per month or $95.88 for an annual subscription. If you just want to browse the database before paying up front, you can sign up for a free account for access. Mubi has a Now Showing section, with the newest entries to the library on a given day (the library is updated daily), and a Library section featuring a back-catalog of other highlights and previously “showing” movies. You may see a section called 'Live' for live broadcasts once in a while. Aside from the options to stream via web browser, Mubi also has mobile apps for Android and iOS, media streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), and you can subscribe to Mubi as a Prime Video channel. While Mubi is not available on the Xbox One, you can access the service on a PlayStation 4 console.
Price: $10.99/month
Free Trial: 30 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV
Britbox is a streaming service born out of an alliance between two British broadcasters: BBC and iTV. If you like British humour, British detective shows, or anything British TV, it's the place for you. You won't be the only one, by October 2020, the platform had 1.5 million subscribers, a number that's growing.
Price: $8.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV
WOW Present Plus is an online streaming service that offers a wide variety of LGBTQI+ content, including Drag Race, UNHhhh, and other World of Wonder originals. World of Wonder launched this subscription-based streaming service in 2017. It offers exclusive access to content that concerns pop culture and the LGBTQI+ community. If you love drag, queer shows, and live-streamed events, then this service is for you. According to their website, WOW Present Plus is the only service that offers Drag Race as one of its streaming options as it is no longer available on Netflix.
If you like Korean drama or Asian content any general, this is the platform for you. There are even watch parties so you can feel like you are attending events for your favorite shows.
A lot of content is free, but most of the new releases are paid. So you will have to either get a paid subscription or wait until what you want to watch goes free.
Price: $4.99/month
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV
True Story is an online streaming service that focuses on documentaries from all over the globe. The nature of the films seem to focus on relationships amongst real-life people in specific and unique contexts. If you enjoy exploring the complexities of interpersonal relationships while also learning surprising things about the world in an interesting and moving way, then this streamer is for you. The subscription is $8.49/month. True Story was launched in 2020.
Spamflix is a video rental service dedicated to showcasing the most offbeat and avant-garde films. The service prides itself on its absurd line-up of titles, which it claims will "surprise, shock, entertain and amaze" users. These genre films span borders and come from all parts of the world; upon purchase, which usually starts at $5, they will be available to watch for 72 hours or 3 whole days. Spamflix also offers themed film packs, online games, and for true-blue fanatics, an updated movie newsletter.
Price: free for channels available
Device availability: Android, Android TV, Chromecast, iOS, Website
Originally founded in 2002, Shout Factory is a long-standing leader in independent film and television distribution. They have recently started a streaming service called ShoutFactory that streams their content as well as some "live channels" - for the most part lineups of their series that play on repeat.
Revry is a streaming service for LGBTQ+ content. It offers a free selection, consisting especially of four "channels" that play their content back to back: Revry One, Revry Her, Revry News, Revry Latinx, and Revry Brasil. They also have a premium subscription that allows you to access more on-demand movies and shows.
Price: free for channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Website
RetroCrush is a free streaming platform fully dedicated to vintage anime. If you're a hardcore fan in desperate search of a discontinued series, a 90s classic, or an obscure show that practically no one has heard of, chances are you'll find all of what you're looking for and more in this treasure trove of a platform. RetroCrush gives you access to a number of shows without charge, but if you want to stream even more titles ad-free, you can opt to sign up for a premium account that costs $4.99 a month, with a free 14-day-trial.
Price: free for channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, iOS, Roku, Website
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.