15
Best Horror Movies on Streaming Services Right Now
It’s 2 a.m. The lights are off. You’re alone. The wind rattles the window. And you’re wondering: what’s the one horror movie that’ll make your heart stop, but still be worth the sleepless night? Streaming services have more horror than ever - but not all of it is worth your time. Some are cheap jump scares. Others are slow burns that drag. A few? They stick with you long after the credits roll.
If you’re looking for the real stuff - the ones that haunt your thoughts, not just your screen - here’s where to find them in December 2025.
Netflix: The Quiet Ones Still Haunt
Netflix doesn’t always lead with the biggest screams, but it knows how to build dread. Right now, The Wailing (2016) is the hidden gem you’re not talking about. A Korean folk horror about a stranger arriving in a small village, bringing madness and death with him. It’s three hours long. It doesn’t rush. And by the end, you’ll question everything you thought you knew about good and evil. No jump scares. Just creeping unease.
Also worth your time: Hereditary (2018). Ari Aster’s debut still holds up. It’s about grief turning into something ancient, something hungry. The family’s unraveling feels real - until it doesn’t. The final 20 minutes? You’ll need to sit in silence after.
Don’t overlook Train to Busan (2016). It’s a zombie movie, yes - but it’s also about a father trying to save his daughter while the world collapses. The action is brutal. The emotion is raw. And the ending? It doesn’t give you closure. It gives you chills.
Amazon Prime Video: Weird, Wild, and Worth It
Amazon’s horror library is messy - but that’s where the gold hides. It Follows (2014) is still the gold standard for atmospheric dread. The monster? It walks. Always. And it can look like anyone. A friend. A stranger. Your reflection. The rule? If you have sex with it, it passes to you. No cheap gore. Just a slow, inevitable chase that never lets up.
Then there’s The Lighthouse (2019). Two lighthouse keepers. One storm. Two men losing their minds. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe give performances that feel like they’re tearing themselves apart. Shot in black and white, in a 4:3 aspect ratio - it looks like an old film that shouldn’t exist anymore. And somehow, that makes it scarier.
And don’t sleep on Antlers (2021). A schoolteacher and her brother discover a boy hiding something monstrous in the woods. It’s not just about the creature. It’s about abuse, silence, and the things we bury. The town feels like it’s rotting from the inside. And the ending? It doesn’t end. It lingers.
Hulu: The Modern Classics You Forgot About
Hulu’s horror section is leaner, but sharper. Get Out (2017) still belongs on every list. Jordan Peele didn’t just make a horror movie - he made a cultural mirror. The social anxiety, the microaggressions, the slow realization that something’s wrong - it’s all there. And the twist? It doesn’t feel like a twist. It feels inevitable.
Then there’s The Babadook (2014). A single mother, a grieving child, and a shadowy book that won’t stay shut. It’s not about a monster. It’s about depression. About the guilt of not being the parent you think you should be. The Babadook doesn’t jump out. It waits. It breathes. And it never leaves.
Also on Hulu: Prey (2022). Yes, it’s a Predator movie - but set in 1719. A Comanche warrior fights the alien with nothing but a bow, her wits, and her clan. It’s lean. Brutal. And the best action-horror in years. The sound design? The silence between growls? Chilling.
Max: For the Fans Who Want It All
Max has the deep cuts. The cult favorites. The ones you can’t find anywhere else. The Witch (2015) is still the most accurate period horror ever made. A Puritan family in 1630s New England. A goat. A baby gone missing. And a mother slowly losing her grip on faith. The dialogue? It’s in old English. The pacing? Glacial. The payoff? Devastating.
Then there’s Session 9 (2001). Shot in an abandoned mental hospital. No music. No monsters. Just a crew of asbestos removers who start hearing voices. The film uses real audio recordings from the hospital’s past patients. You’ll swear you hear someone whispering your name in the dark.
And if you’re feeling nostalgic, Poltergeist (1982) is back. Still one of the most unsettling haunted house stories ever made. The TV static. The tree reaching through the window. The voice saying, “They’re here.” That’s not CGI. That’s fear you can feel in your bones.
Apple TV+: The Psychological Edge
Apple doesn’t make many horror films - but when they do, they’re precise. Swallow (2019) isn’t about ghosts or demons. It’s about control. A wealthy housewife begins swallowing random objects - coins, marbles, a thumbtack. Why? No one knows. Not even her. The film builds tension like a slow-burning fuse. And the ending? It’s not about survival. It’s about reclaiming your body.
Also on Apple TV+: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). A surgeon’s family starts getting sick. And he knows why. A teenage boy he’s taken under his wing is punishing him. No explanation. No monster. Just cold, quiet revenge. Colin Farrell gives one of his best performances. And the silence between lines? It’s louder than any scream.
Where to Start If You’re New to Horror
If you’ve never watched a horror movie that made you check the locks twice, start here:
- For atmosphere: The Wailing (Netflix)
- For psychological dread: The Babadook (Hulu)
- For social horror: Get Out (Hulu)
- For pure dread: It Follows (Amazon Prime)
- For action with heart: Prey (Hulu)
Don’t chase the latest releases. Don’t watch what’s trending. Watch what lingers. The best horror doesn’t scare you in the moment - it stays with you. It shows up in your dreams. It makes you pause before turning off the light.
What Makes a Horror Movie Truly Great?
Not the blood. Not the screams. Not the jump scares.
It’s what happens after the movie ends.
Some horror films leave you laughing. Others leave you numb. The best ones leave you wondering - was that just a story? Or was it something you’ve felt before?
Real horror doesn’t come from monsters under the bed. It comes from the silence after the phone stops ringing. From the face in the mirror that didn’t blink when you did. From the voice you swear you heard - but no one else did.
That’s why these movies work. They don’t just show you fear. They make you remember it.
What’s the scariest horror movie on streaming right now?
The scariest isn’t always the loudest. For many, The Wailing on Netflix is the most unsettling - it doesn’t rely on shocks, but on creeping dread that builds over three hours. The Babadook on Hulu is equally terrifying, but for different reasons: it turns grief into something monstrous. Both leave you feeling exposed long after the credits roll.
Are there any horror movies on streaming that aren’t just jump scares?
Absolutely. Movies like It Follows, The Witch, and Hereditary avoid cheap scares. They build tension through atmosphere, sound design, and emotional weight. You’ll feel dread before you see anything scary. That’s what makes them stick with you.
Which streaming service has the best horror selection?
It depends on what you like. Netflix has the most variety - from global films like The Wailing to modern classics like Hereditary. Hulu leads in psychological horror with Get Out and The Babadook. Amazon Prime has the weirdest picks like The Lighthouse. Max has the deepest catalog of cult and classic horror. If you want breadth, go Netflix. If you want depth, go Max.
Is there a horror movie on streaming that’s good for beginners?
Yes. Start with Get Out on Hulu. It’s smart, socially relevant, and has a clear story with escalating tension. It’s scary, but not overwhelming. After that, try Prey on Hulu - it’s fast-paced, action-packed, and has a strong emotional core. Both are accessible without sacrificing scares.
Why do some horror movies feel scarier than others?
The scariest horror movies tap into real fears - isolation, loss of control, being trapped, or the unknown. Movies like Session 9 or Swallow don’t need monsters. They use silence, lighting, and human behavior to create unease. Real fear comes from recognition - when you see yourself in the character’s panic. That’s why these films haunt you longer than any CGI monster ever could.
What to Watch Next
If you’ve seen all of these, dig deeper. Try The Invitation (2015) on Paramount+. A dinner party where something feels… off. Or Saint Maud (2019) on Apple TV+ - a nurse’s descent into religious obsession. Both are quiet. Both are devastating. Both will make you look at the dark differently.
Horror isn’t about what’s on screen. It’s about what’s inside you. The best movies don’t scare you with monsters. They hand you a mirror - and then turn off the light.
