Best Streaming Services You May Not Have Heard Of
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and NOW TV are some of the biggest names in the TV streaming industry, but did you know there are loads of other up-and-coming services out there too? Discover some of the best TV streaming services you've probably never heard of below.
BFI Player
Price: £4.99 per month
Free trial: 14 days free
Great for: Lovers of classic and cult films
Created by the British Film Institute, BFI Player is a must if you're looking for critically acclaimed entertainment that you won't find anywhere else. BFI Player stands out from other on-demand streaming services thanks to its unique and vast collection of independent, cult and indie films and television - it even features archive shorts and some of the finest world cinema.
A subscription to BFI Player costs £4.99 a month, and you can access content online or through the BFI app. Users with a subscription can view anything with a gold label or green label. Red label content can be rented through the app, on a pay as you go basis.
Perhaps the best way to start exploring BFI Player is by browsing through its many collections. From controversial classics once banned from cinemas to French classics, silent movies and films created by icons like Werner Herzog, Andrew Köttting and Ingmar Bergman, BFI Player is a brilliant way to start sinking your teeth into some of the most influential and ground-breaking cinema to ever be made.
Shudder
Price: Plans start at £3.99 per month
Free trial: 7 days free
Great for: Fans of horror who want both the classics, newer films and lesser known titles.
If you love horror, Shudder is for you. The on-demand streaming subscription purely focusing on horror, thrills and suspense, Shudder features an interesting and varied mix of films, TV shows, originals, podcasts and even live streaming events.
You'll find all the classic horrors on Shudder, alongside modern, experimental content and even brand-new entertainment exclusive to Shudder. Whether you're new to horror or well-versed in the genre, you're guaranteed to find a huge range of titles to keep you on your toes. There are films from every horror sub-genre, and the podcasts add an interesting twist to the usual streaming service offering.
There's also curated lists from special guests such as Elijah Wood and Kirk Hammett on Shudder - it's a great place to start exploring when you first buy your subscription.
Shudder plans start at £3.99 a month, and a 7-day trial is available to all new customers. If you're an existing Amazon Prime Video customer, you can also add Shudder onto your subscription.
STARZPLAY
Price: £4.99
Free trial: 7 days free
Great for: Watching exclusive STARZ content tin the UK, including same-day premieres.
STARZPLAY gives UK viewers exclusive access to entertainment created by US TV producers STARZ, who are known for hits like American Gods, Outlanders and Torchwood: A Miracle Day.
For £4.99 a month, you'll have access to a wide selection of STARZ content, and you'll even be able to watch premieres of brand-new episodes on the same day that they air in America. The selection of movies and TV shows on STARZPLAY is vast, covering all genres, and a great mix of the old and the new.
Hit movies like Vanilla Sky, Watchmen and Clueless are yours to enjoy whenever you please, alongside many STARZ Originals. Standout shows including Deadly Class (a coming of age drama set in the 1980s), The Spanish Princess (a historical drama based on the novels by Philippa Gregory) and Harlots (a scandalously brilliant 18th century period drama set in a brothel in London).
New titles are added every month, and unlimited downloads and HD streaming are included with every subscription. You can view content on four devices at the same time too.
In the UK, you can access STARZPLAY through the app (available for Android and iPhone), on your TV through a Chromecast, on Virgin Media or through an existing Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+ subscription - you simply need to add STARZPLAY as a new channel and you'll be charged £4.99 a month on top of your usual monthly payment.
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