Netflix, Prime Video, Now TV and even newcomer Disney+, are all brilliant, but what if you’re looking for something a little different from the standard fare offered by these services? In that case, you’re going to want to have a look at some of the alternative services and channels that are just waiting for you to log on, and dive in. Below, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best.
These alternative streaming services are available in a few forms. Some, like Shudder or BFI Player, are accessible directly through the provider or as an additional subscription channel, via the Prime Video platform. There are also those, such as Curzon Home Cinema and Crunchyroll, that are only accessible through direct browser and app access.
Without further ado, here are 11 alternative streaming services:
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Alternative Streaming Services
1 of 11Shudder
Shudder is a service dedicated to horrors, thrillers and supernatural creepers for anyone with an insatiable desire for fear. Their catalogue includes essential horrors, cult classics and hyperbolic gorefests, along with a selection of Shudder originals. Catalogue highlights: Ring 2, VHS, REC 2 and The Devil's Rejects, and Shudder originals Revenge and Creepshow. Stream with Prime Video. £0.99 for 3 months, £4.99 p/m thereafter. Stream with Shudder. 7-day free trial, £4.99 p/m.
2 of 11BFI Player
A streaming service courtesy of the Blighty's very own British Film Institute. The BFI Player offers rentals of the latest in acclaimed cinema, as well as free access to the expansive BFI Archive which boasts thousands of digitised short films. A monthly subscription to the BFI Player grants users access to an ever-changing selection of classic and cult movies from across the years, and also includes a small selection of films chosen and introduced by the film critic Mark Kermode. Catalogue highlights: To rent - Knives Out, Sorry We Missed You and Vivarium. Via the BFI subscription - Lady Vengeance, Bait and Taxi Tehran. Stream with Prime Video. 30-day free-trial, £4.99 p/m.Stream with BFI. 14-day free trial, £4.99 p/m.
3 of 11MUBI
MUBI, rather than picking great movies, curates important cinema. The service prides itself on locating brilliant and intellectual cinema from across the globe, no matters its market success, and bringing it home to a discerning audience. Films are only available for 30 days, and offers up playlists around certain themes, be it 'Perfect Failures', 'Undiscovered', or a Jean-Luc Godard retrospective.Catalogue highlights: Oldboy, Army of Shadows, The Daughter of Fire, Pharos Of Chaos and Sisters.Stream with Prime Video. 30-day free-trial, £7.99 p/m.Stream with MUBI. 7-day free trial, £9.99 p/m.
4 of 11Arrow TV
Arrow TV is home of the Nordic noir television series. Scandinavian-centric crime dramas hosted here have torn traditional British and American crime dramas a new one, with their stunning noir cinematography and hard, cold narratives drawing huge dedicated followings from around the world. The success may also have something to do with the fact that "whodunit" sounds much cooler in Swedish. Catalogue highlights: The Killing, The Bridge, Gomorrah and Don't Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves. Stream with Prime Video. 30-day free-trial, £4.99 p/m.
5 of 11Arrow Video
Arrow Video, well-known for their stunning collectable Blu-ray editions, offer their very own channel on Amazon Prime dedicated to horror, both classic and cult. Their service boasts titles of the sleeping-with-the-lights-on terrifying hits, to the tongue-in-cheek grindhouse B-movies, with a bounty of zombie flicks in between. Catalogue highlights: Hellraiser, Ring, Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark, City Of The Living Dead and Nekromantik. Stream with Prime Video.30-day free trial, £4.99 p/m.
6 of 11Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the place to go for subbed anime, Asian drama and digitised manga, and is home to over two million members. Most users will want to head here for the extensive anime library and up to date. There are two ways of watching, for free with ad-breaks and a restricted catalogue, or via the premium subscription membership with unlimited content access. Catalogue highlights: My Hero Academia, One Piece, Boruto, Dragon Ball Super, Sword Art Online and Bleach.Stream with Crunchyroll. 14-day free trial, £6.50 p/m.
7 of 11Funimation
Funimation is a dubbed-anime streaming channel, loaded with the latest and greatest titles from Japan. The library has something to suit any otaku in any mood, with essential anima titles from the comedy, action, drama, sci-fi, fantasy and romance genres. The real treat within this service is that new dubbed episodes are available within 14-days of their original Japanese broadcast. Catalogue highlights: Attack On Titan, My Hero Academia, Tokyo Ghoul, Fairytail, Devil May Cry, Psycho-Pass and I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. Stream with Prime Video.14-day free trial, £4.99 p/m. Stream with Funimation. 14-day free trial, £4.99 p/m.
8 of 11Curzon Home Cinema
Curzon Home Cinema is a rental streaming service provided by, you guessed it, art-house purveyors Curzon Cinemas. The London based company is renowned for picking up the stunning releases that often struggle to get traction in larger cinema chains, and with this service it's a great way for anyone who doesn't live in London to gain access to some truly special cinema.Curzon Cinemas members will also be able to access and stream the Curzon12, a monthly selection of 12 films curated around a theme. For example, April's "All About My Mother" included Call Girl, Out Little Sister, The Banishment and The Commune. Catalogue highlights: Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, And Then We Danced, Escape Form Pretoria and Fire Will Come. Rent and stream with Curzon Home Cinema. From £7.99, discount available for Curzon Cinema Members.
9 of 11Sundance Now
Sundance Now is a channel for must-watch content, plain and simple. The catalogue offered is a combination of series, some of which are Sundance originals, and unmissable films.Catalogue highlights: In The Mood For Love, Oldboy, The Machinist and The Bureau. Stream with Prime Video. 30-day free trial, £5.99 p/m.
10 of 11Quibi
Quibi is fresh out of the box. Launching in April 2020, this experimental streaming service focuses on delivering the user content specifically produced for mobile devices, with short episodes being viewable in landscape and portrait modes. The Quibi library is split into 'Daily Essentials', 'Unscripted and Docs' and 'Movies In Chapters'. It's certainly an interesting concept and worth keeping an eye on.Catalogue highlights: Steven Spielberg's After Dark, Survive and Most Dangerous Game.Download the app from Google Play or Apple App Store. 90-day free trial, £7.99 p/m.
11 of 11Stingray Qello
Stringray Qello is committed to bringing their viewers thousands of live concerts and award-winning, tell-all music documentaries.Catalogue highlights: Live shows - Queen, The Doors, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Lily Allen, Fall Out Boy and Snoop Dogg. Documentaries - Black Sabbath: Pop Shop, Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster and David Bowie: Up Close And Personal. Stream with Prime Video.30-day free trial, £5.99 p/m.
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