The best streaming services for horror movie fans, from Netflix to Amazon Prime Video to Shudder

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The best streaming services for horror movie fans, from Netflix to Amazon Prime Video to Shudder

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  • Halloween is right around the corner and streaming database Reelgood analyzed 13 streaming services to determine which is the best option for horror movies fans.
  • Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video ranked high on the list, but there were also some surprises.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's almost Halloween and this year there are more options for streaming scary movies than ever.

With streaming wars heating up, streaming search engine Reelgood crunched the data to determine the best streaming service for horror enthusiasts.

The rankings, which Reelgood shared with Business Insider, are based on the number of horror movies available on each service that are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. To be certified fresh, films need to meet certain requirements, like maintaining a steady score of at least 75% and accumulating at least five reviews from "top critics."

From the sprawling catalogs of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to Shudder, a service built specifically for horror fans, here's where to turn to stream your favorite scary content this Halloween season:

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12. HBO

12. HBO

HBO Now is the most expensive streaming option on the market, but this service and HBO Go contain only one horror move that's certified fresh by Rotten Tomatoes: the 2018 blockbuster "Halloween."

11. Cinemax

11. Cinemax

Cinemax streaming service Max Go landed fairly low down on the list, with only three horror movies certified fresh.

If you use Cinemax to stream, choose from "The Descent," "Teeth," and "Red Eye" for the best horror move experience this year.

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10. FX

10. FX

If you stream using the FXNow app, the good news is that FX is home to "Get Out," the Jordan Peele film that won the Academy Award for best original screenplay in 2018.

"Get Out" is certified 98% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and is not available on Netflix or Hulu, so FX streamers are in luck.

The bad news is that FX only has four other highly ranked titles, although they're all fairly recent releases: "Don't Breathe," "Ouija: Origin of Evil," "Split," and "Goosebumps."

9. Showtime

9. Showtime

Showtime clocked in with six certified fresh horror movies, including "Evil Dead II" and "The Babadook," which each earned a Rotten Tomatoes ranking of 98% fresh.

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8. Fandor

8. Fandor

Fandor, a subscription streaming service for films and documentaries, provides seven certified fresh horror movies to choose from, including two with 100% ratings.

"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" is the most highly rated, but other popular titles include "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Exorcist," and a couple of vampire films.

7. Epix

7. Epix

The Epix library has eight certified fresh options for fans of horror to choose from.

That's not nearly as many as streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, nor does it compare to the range of options on Shudder, but streamers will still find plenty of familiar titles on Epix.

John Krasinski's 2018 thriller "A Quiet Place" is a popular pick, as are "Rosemary's Baby," "Night of the Living Dead," and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

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6. Starz

6. Starz

Starz has 10 certified fresh horror films in its library, the most recently released being "Let Me In" from 2010.

Starz users can also stream the dark comedy "Shaun of the Dead" for some comic relief, as well as "The Blair Witch Project" for anyone looking for something more mysterious.

5. The Criterion Channel

5. The Criterion Channel

Criterion's streaming service has 12 horror flicks available, most of them older releases like the 1954 version of "Godzilla" and "Night of the Living Dead" from 1968.

In fact, the only horror movies from the 21st century on the Criterion Channel are "The Love Witch" and "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night," but this service has more to offer for anyone looking for slightly older horror options.

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4. Hulu

4. Hulu

Hulu is the streaming giant lowest down on the horror list, with 14 choices for users to get in the Halloween spirit.

Hulu users have access to a good range of films, though, from the classic 1968 film "Rosemary's Baby," to "The Evil Dead" and "Evil Dead II" from the 80s, to "A Quiet Place" from last year.

3. Netflix

3. Netflix

Netflix clocks in just above Hulu, with 20 horror moves certified fresh.

If you like supernatural themes and ghosts you can watch "The Conjuring," and if you've been meaning to watch "Carrie" you can stream that on Netflix as well.

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2. Shudder

2. Shudder

Shudder is a streaming service specifically for horror, thriller, and supernatural content, so it's no surprise this is a good choice for horror buffs.

The service's scary movie collection features 25 options that have been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, including South Korean film "Train to Busan" and horror must-see "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," which is not available on any other major streaming services.

1. Amazon Prime Video

1. Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video beat out Netflix and Hulu when it comes to horror, providing users with a choice of 32 certified fresh films to become the No. 1 paid streaming service for the Halloween season.

"Hereditary" is a newer option that's only available to stream on Prime Video and Kanopy, but Amazon's library goes all the way back to "The Phantom of the Opera" from 1925.

But the Reelgood data also pointed to one more suggestion with even more options than Prime Video.

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BONUS: Free streaming services

BONUS: Free streaming services

If you can stomach ads, you might not have to pay for a subscription at all to watch great horror.

If you want more options for scary movies, the Reelgood data suggests turning to a free service like Sony Crackle, IMDb TV, or Tubi.

These services house a combined 37 certified fresh horror films like the 1979 Francis Ford Coppola movie "Apocalypse Now" and the two most recent options, "Tales of Halloween" and "Buzzard," both from 2015.