Note: Horror Press is neither sponsored by nor promoting any streaming service entity. What follows are unbiased observations of a horror fan and writer who loves to stream horror content.

Today more people are going “unplugged,” opting for streaming services rather than cable. Megaliths HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ are considered the best streaming services and appeal to horror fans by offering titles such as Freaky, American Horror Story, Stranger Things, and Hocus Pocus 2, respectively.

But lovers of all things horror can find a home in their own scary streaming services. Though there are many options for horror streaming, Shudder and Screambox demand our attention.

Shudder was founded in 2015 and has over one million subscribers. Meanwhile, Screambox has also been around since 2015 but only recently was Screambox acquired by Cinedigm (the same folks who own Bloody Disgusting.) This new ownership is breathing life into this Shudder competitor as Cinedigm announced its plans to reach one million subscribers within three years of acquiring the horror streaming service.

With so many streaming services, a duel of the scary streaming services is in order.

Horror Press Presents: Shudder Versus Screambox.

How Much Does Shudder or Screambox Cost?

Getting right down to brass tacks, the answer to the question of how much something costs can make or break someone’s decision to sign up for a streaming service. The available prices for Screambox and Shudder are as follows:

Subscription Tiers and Pricing*

*Note: These prices are accurate for US pricing only. Prices in Canada, where applicable, may vary.

Not only does Screambox offer a free version where anyone can view some of their content without logging in, but Screambox is cheaper and offers an annual subscription, saving customers money. Under this yearly option, viewers average $2.99 per month before applicable taxes.

Two points to Screambox for both offering utterly free content and low monthly subscription costs.

Live Streams

As of this writing, Screambox offers live television through BloodyDisgustingTV. Screambox’s option is comparable to Shudder TV, where Shudder consistently broadcasts live movies. However, Shudder’s live events give them a leg up on the competition.

While they may have some bugs to work out, as live events tend to start a bit dodgy (like when Psycho Goreman aired instead of the first 20 minutes of the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards), the live events allow horror fans to come together and share the experience. One example of this comes from the ever-popular Friday night airing of The Last Drive-In w/ Joe Bob Briggs and his co-host Darcy, the Mail Girl aka Diana Prince, where in addition to a live show, the two hosts interact with tweets from fans. Because this is an invaluable experience that brings the horror community together, Shudder wins this round.

One point to Shudder for offering live streaming events.

Devices Compatible with Screambox and Shudder

Though the edge is slight, Shudder once again has a leg up on the competition as Screambox reportedly cannot be accessed on Xbox or Apple TV. They both so far have been unable to permeate PlayStation TV & Video. However, a workaround does exist to access Shudder on Playstation.

Since Amazon Prime allows customers to subscribe to Shudder through them, any device that supports Amazon Prime will then be able to open Shudder. (Note: this method does come with drawbacks as this route does not offer an annual subscription option, nor does it grant access to Shudder’s live content.) For Screambox, though, no such workaround exists.

One point to Shudder for being accessible on (almost) all devices.

How Many Screens Can Stream at Once?

With Screambox, you can simultaneously stream on five devices at once. However, the catch is that only five devices can ever be registered to a Screambox account. This means you cannot stream on anything outside the five-device limit.

Shudder, however, only guarantees one screen in use at a time. However, there have been reports of people being able to stream from the same account on three or more devices at once. Since this is not guaranteed, and five is undoubtedly more than three, point for Screambox.

One point to Screambox for allowing simultaneous streaming.

Country Availability

Currently, Shudder is accessible in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States. Meanwhile, Screambox is only available in the United States (for now).

One point to Shudder for being available in six countries.

Shudder and Screambox’s Exclusive and Original Content

One of the temptations streaming services offer is their unique content, making signing up with the service worthwhile as customers are given access to titles they would not have had otherwise. In this case, both Shudder and Screambox have exclusive content. Screambox’s content appears under the aptly titled “Only on Screambox,” whereas Shudder Exclusives can be found in the Shudder catalog under “Exclusive & Original.”

Shudder boasts well over one hundred titles in this section, with popular hits such as Glorious, The Dark and The Wicked, Mad God, and The Sadness, to name a few. This does not include Shudder’s original hit series such as Creepshow, Cursed Films, or The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula.

The Screambox selection is much more modest, with titles including Welcome to Hell (Bienvenidos al Infierno), Pennywise: The Story of It, and Suicide Forest Village, which was directed by Takashi Shimizu, the director of Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) as well as The Grudge (2004).

Although the winner of this section is clear, it is vital to understand Cinedigm’s vision for Screambox. Erick Opeka, the chief strategy officer of Cinedigm, explained: “Despite more than 145,000 horror films listed [on IMDB], less than 5% of the genre is currently available for fans to enjoy in a subscription environment.”

Cinedigm has big things in store for Screambox, but for now, Shudder wins this round.

One point to Shudder for a tremendous collection of original and exclusive content.

Shudder versus Screambox: Final Tally

Despite Shudder’s long and successful run, the tally was surprisingly close. Screambox offers a better price point, a free ad-supported version, and simultaneous streaming on devices. Meanwhile, Shudder offers services on more devices, in more countries, with live programs and exclusives that create a horror community experience.

Remember that Screambox entered this match as an underdog since it is under recent ownership changes, whereas Shudder has been owned by the already successful AMC Network from launch. It’s worth pondering that while we have an idea of what to expect from Shudder at this point, Screambox, under new ownership, still has the potential to surprise us. It is a streaming service to keep an eye on.

Whether either of these streaming services is for you is up to you and given that they both offer the ability to try them out at no cost, check out the free version of Screambox or sign up for a free trial of Shudder today. Come back and tell us, which is your favorite?