20 Best Topic Alternatives Right Now

With its selection of quality indie films, hard-hitting documentaries, and crime anthologies, Topic makes for an excellent streaming service for cinephiles and true-crime enthusiasts alike. It brands itself as an alternative to platforms like Netflix, offering little-known but well-regarded titles for only $5.99 a month. 

Topic is competitive in these regards, but its appeal and selection remain niche. Mainstream audiences may find it lacking compared to bigshots like Amazon Prime, affordable services like Philo, and free streamers like Tubi, the latter two of which showcase more content in addition to live TV channels. 

Whether you're looking to expand your selection of indies and thrillers or seeking new TV options, you might want to check out other streamers that offer more of the same. Below, we curated the best Topic alternatives available right now to help you find the platform that best suits your needs. 

Our recommended five best topic alternatives right now:
Hulu $7.99 Watch
Philo $25 Watch
Discovery+ $4.99 Watch
Tubi free Watch
Max $9.99 Watch
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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

Lifetime Movie Club is a subscription video service that gives you access to thousands of original titles, many of which can also be found on its cable counterpart the Lifetime Channel. Lifetime movies are known for being unapologetically dramatic and occasionally sinister, so if you're one to indulge in such content, then this might be for you. Lifetime Movie Club also welcomes new movies to its library every Friday, as well as hosts a handful of syndicated shows, including the much-beloved Grey's Anatomy.

Price: $3.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Android, Apple TV, iOS, Roku

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

It won't give you access to the live broadcast of the Hallmark Channel but it will give you the next best thing: on-demand access to Hallmark movies. The streamer has many of the fan favorites and beloved classics of its cable counterpart, The Hallmark Channel, while also featuring exclusive movies, shows, documentaries, and short films. Aside from being ad-free, all these titles are sure to have a PG rating, so you don't have to worry about leaving them on when there are kids around.

Price: $5.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

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

GuideDoc is a global online streaming and distributing service for documentary films.

The service is currently available for US$7.99 per month and can be accessed from anywhere in the world. 

GuideDoc apps exist for iPhone, iPad, Android phones, Android Tablets, Google TV, Apple TV, ChromeCast and Airplay. At the time of writing, GuideDoc does not offer an app for other services like Roku, Fire TV and game consoles. 

Price: $7.99/month

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

CuriosityStream is an American streaming services that focuses on documentary movies and shows and is available in more than 175 countries.

In the US, pricing starts at $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year for the basic plan, with an upgrade to the 4K Monthly plan available for $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. 

CuriosityStream can be accessed via web browser as well as Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, and has a mobile app that is compatible across Apple and PC computers, and Android and iOS phones and tablets. 

Price: $4.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

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

Criterion Channel is a curated movie-streaming service that offers ad-free and on-demand access to films from The Criterion Collection in HD. It is currently only available in the US and Canada. The subscription costs $10.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Like Netflix, the Criterion Channel also offers a physical rental service. The number of movies you can rent each month, for a flat monthly rate, depends on how quickly you can return them. You don't need to subscribe to The Criterion Channel to buy or rent physical media on DVD and Blu-ray, but subscribers may get discounts.

Price: $10.99/month

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

Arrow is a streaming service for cult cinema, with a particular focus on horror and classics. If you love niche films and hidden gems, then this is for you. You'll also appreciate Arrow Player if you're into hand-picked content as it boasts a highly curated and carefully refined selection of titles. 

Quentin Tarantino has recommended the service a few times!

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 30 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox One

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 Topic Alternatives Right Now!