Sometimes, we can get sick of the Hollywood pazazz. We crave something more insightful, down-to-earth, and demonstrative of unique and raw talent. For those of us who value these, independent movies seem to scratch an itch unlike any major film production.
Lucky for us, there are a variety of streaming services that offer a choice selection of really fantastic indie movies. Here is a list of the best streaming services with excellent taste.
Film lovers will be happy to know that they can rent (and in some instances, purchase) the latest indie and film fest darlings, as well as hard-to-find classics and international gems, with Kino Now. The platform is powered by the New York-based film company Kino Lorber, so it has more than a thousand titles to its name, all of which are carefully curated in playlists like "Cannes Winners," "New York Times Critcis’ Picks," "Visionary Black Directors," and "Women Filmmakers." They also have collections from visionaries like Jean-Luc Godard, Jafar Panahi, Jia Zhangke, Joanna Hogg, and Alfred Hitchcock. You don't need an account to start renting the titles, and you can pay using any credit card recognized in the US as it uses Stripe to process payments. Rented movies are available for seven days from the time of purchase.
Price: free for channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, 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
FlixFling is a flexible video on-demand streaming platform available in the US.
A subscription costs $7.99 per month (or $95 per year) and includes streaming access across 5 different devices and access to movies and shows on the on-demand library.
Without a subscription, you can still access on-demand rentals/purchases that range from $0.99 to $7.99. Meanwhile, on-demand subscribers have to pay for some titles that are available only as premium rentals.
FlixFling works across devices, smart TVs and media services.
Price: $7.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox
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
Fandor is a paid subscription streaming service that curates independent, foreign, award-winning, and classic films, as well as documentaries from all over the world, making it a standout option for cinephiles. Depending on your location, it also offers a number of free movie titles. But Fandor doesn't only cater to fans; rookie directors also get some love as the service allows them to debut their work on the platform. It's a great option for film lovers and makers alike.
Price: $5.99/month
Free Trial: 14 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Roku
True to its name, Documentary+ is a free ad-supported service that streams documentaries as well as non-fiction shorts and series. It has a straightforward interface that has categories like "award winners," "true crime," "festival darlings," "women stories," and "Black stories," as well as films from renowned directors including Werner Herzog, Spike Jonze, Kathryn Bigelow, and Terrence Malick.
Interestingly, the service also has a live channel you can put on anytime. It’s compatible with all major streaming devices, but you can also access it as a channel on live TV services like Amazon’s freevee and Sling’s freestream.
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
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.
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.