Shudder, a new horror movie streaming service, hopes you’ll pay $5 a month to get access to their streaming library of curated horror movies. But how does the upstart horror streamer compare to the selection already on offer at Netflix?

Horror Movies Streaming Service Head-to-Head

So what exactly is Shudder?

Here’s how they describe themselves:

“Shudder is the diabolical new streaming service devoted exclusively to things that go bump in the night. On Shudder, you'll discover a growing, ghoulish library of horror films from around the world and across the decades. Curated by horror aficionados with a deep love and respect for the many peculiar varieties and genres of horror, Shudder Collections present films you never knew existed along with old favorites that never fail to frighten. ”

A visit to the Shudder site backs up their characterization. This is a streaming service tailored for horror movie people. Not only is it divided into horror movie subgenres (“Collections”) like “Haunted Habitations,” Gross Anatomy,” and “Alien Intruders,” but it also presents famous horror movie quotes on loading screens and offers a 24 hour streaming Shudder.TV channel.

But really all that matters is the movies. Shudder may have the marketing and design down, but how about Netflix vs. Shudder on movie selection?

Shudder Vs. Netflix

Right off the bat, Shudder is at a bit of a disadvantage. By my count Shudder has a streaming horror movie library of 265 movies compared to 435 available horror movies on Netflix.

Still, with Netflix larded with useless garbage like Killer Mermaid, Alice in Murderland, and Hayride 2, just numbers doesn’t tell the whole story. Anyone can buy up the worst of the Asylum Films movie library.

Comparing the Netflix and Shudder streaming horror movie libraries gives a better sense of the horror movies exclusive to each service.

Out of a random sample of 40 horror movies streaming on Shudder only 12 are also available on Netflix. And it’s not just junk either. Two of the movies only available on Shudder from our comparative sample (two random pages from the library) include An American Werewolf in London and Basket Case.

Here are some of the best horror movies available on Shudder but not streaming on Netflix:

• Deep Red
• An American Werewolf in London
• C.H.U.D.
• Spider Baby
• Basket Case
• The Evil Dead
• Deathdream
• Dead and Buried
• The Hills Have Eyes
• Sleepaway Camp
• Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu
• Dark Star
• Don’t Torture a Duckling
• House
• Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
• Horror Express
• Kill List
• The Stuff
• Maniac Cop

That said, Netflix also has horror movies Shudder does not. If you want to watch classics like Scream, Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen, and The Exorcist you won’t be able to ditch Netflix for Shudder. Netflix is also a little better about recent hit indie horror movies like A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night and The Babadook.

Still, for $5 a month Shudder could be a great deal. Spending just a little time with the Shudder library shows it’s not a cash-grab or a repository for junk, but a well-curated list of horror movies that you mostly can’t get on Netflix.

Right now Shudder is available on iOS, Android, and Roku.