What better way to spend a dark, sleepless night than watching your favorite horror YouTuber? Or is that just me? In any case, if you’re the type of person who loves spooky content and can’t get enough of it, this list of the best horror YouTube channels is for you.
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As an avid fan of the genre myself, I regularly explore what YouTube has to offer and I’m always on the lookout for new channels to follow. I’ve listed some of my favorites below, and I’ve also tried to give attention to some lesser-known YouTubers who deserve more viewers – at least in my opinion.
What Are the Best Horror YouTube Channels to Follow?
Finding a good horror YouTube channel isn’t that hard if you don’t have too many specific preferences. But if you enjoy certain types of horror more than others, you might have to spend more time searching for that ideal channel to follow.
The ones below provide a good mix of various types of horror videos. Some are based on real stories, others are entirely fictional. One thing unites them though – they are all great for binging!
I’ve tried to be selective about the kinds of channels I cover, focusing on ones that prioritize quality content over monetization. While every big YouTuber is trying to earn something for their work (and you can too, if you’re interested!), not all are okay with compromising their production quality in the name of some extra money.
ReignBot
It’s impossible to talk about good horror YouTube channels without mentioning ReignBot. Most avid fans of the genre are already familiar with the name. And while the frequency of uploads is not the best, the channel more than makes up for that with the high quality of its videos and the detailed approach to production.
All stories covered by ReignBot are based in reality. The channel is quite varied in this regard, with a balance between classic unsolved mysteries and more recent stories that have left investigators puzzled. There are also some compilation videos based on specific themes, as well as some more bizarre stories like a video that explores the phenomenon of cattle mutilation.
One interesting point about ReignBot is that the channel goes into a lot of detail about social media’s role in the modern investigative scene. Find out how TikTok and similar platforms have been involved in some of these stories!
Nexpo
Nexpo is another famous horror YouTuber who mostly focuses on debunking mysteries and analyzing horror media. The channel has an entire playlist dedicated to dissecting the horror elements of classic games, among other things.
He also touches on some more unique topics, like the disturbing aspects of artificial intelligence and its prevalence in modern society. As the owner of the channel puts it, the main theme of the videos revolves around exposing the scary aspects of the internet as it is today.
Some videos are pretty short and abstract, while others run for over an hour. No matter what your style of watching YouTube is, you should find at least a few videos that grab your attention right away.
ScareTheater
ScareTheater has many similarities to Nexpo in the type of content covered, but the channel has a more unique presentation style and is a bit more active in uploading. Like Nexpo, ScareTheater’s videos range from very short to over an hour long. Some start off on an unrelated note and creep up on you without you even realizing.
There are several videos dedicated to internet mysteries and sensations, which I find particularly exciting and I occasionally come back to revisit them. While some of the titles might sound a bit clickbait-y, the actual content more than makes up for that and delivers accordingly. And in some cases, the thumbnail and title are specifically designed to leave you scratching your head. Why would they upload something like this? Then you start the video and it all makes sense shortly after.
Lazy Masquerade
A channel that has a little bit of everything, Lazy Masquerade is one of the classic horror channels on YouTube, and it’s still going strong today. The channel has been running for over 15 years at this point, which is pretty impressive for a YouTube channel in general, let alone for a more niche one like a horror channel.
Lazy Masquerade also focuses on real-life cases, with a special emphasis on unsolved mysteries and cases that have long gone cold. You’ll also find various investigations into internet mysteries, as well as some more unique videos like one that explores classic childhood horrors.
Keep in mind that this channel really hits hard with some videos. It’s a bit more serious than some of the others on this list, so you might want to hold off on starting it if you prefer more fictional horror for now. But at some point, you owe it to yourself to enter the world of Lazy Masquerade and all the thrilling mysteries covered by it.
MrCreepyPasta
It should be no surprise that the popularity of creepypasta exploded in the last decade, which included the creation of multiple YouTube channels dedicated to the subject. Among those, MrCreepyPasta is probably the most prominent right now, and remains one of the most active channels on that front.
And who doesn’t love a good serving of creepypasta? If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s a general name for short, scary stories that mostly circulate around the internet. Some of these started their life online, while others are just rehashes of old, classic horror tales that you might have heard as a kid.
This is the perfect podcast-style channel to fall asleep to, as all videos are about the audio. The narration is top notch, and has improved significantly over the last couple of years in particular. Some of the stories are pretty short, while others run for 10-20 minutes and even more. You’ll also find several compilation videos that are several hours long if you want something longer.
Dead Meat
While Dead Meat is not your traditional horror channel, I don’t think I can make a post like this without including it. The channel has a very specific focus – it mostly analyzes horror movies, and is famous for its “kill count” compilation videos from popular franchises. How many people were killed in “Scream 3”? Test your fan knowledge and find out!
Dead Meat has also been experimenting with some alternative content, including podcast episodes. The main podcast already features an extensive collection of episodes – they’ll soon hit the 200 mark.
This channel is a must-watch for any fan of classic slasher horrors. It tends to focus more on older films, though it also explores some more recent releases from time to time. Even if you’re tired of watching these kinds of films at this point, it can still be quite fun to revisit them from a different perspective and dig into them with some analysis.
Nick Crowley
Nick Crowley is similar to Nexpo, but his channel has its own unique style and presentation, despite occasionally touching on similar topics. This is another channel that primarily focuses on internet mysteries and hoaxes, including compilations of some of the darkest internet moments and similar topics.
Some of the issues covered by the channel are pretty fresh, such as conspiracies around TikTok and other social media platforms. Some also talk about mysteries surrounding YouTube itself. The channel also attempts to debunk some popular YouTube hoaxes, including some that are not specifically related to horror – such as a video exposing staged animal rescue videos.
There are also plenty of memorable classics, like “People That Slipped Out of Reality”. This is a channel that frequently messes with my head, to the point where I’ve sometimes had to turn it off and switch to something lighter for a bit. But if you can stomach these kinds of discussions, you will find many hours of quality entertainment here.
Rob Gavagan
Rob Gavagan quickly rose to the top of the charts with his meticulous presentation and detailed analysis. This is one of the most popular channels that focuses on real-life mysteries and cold cases. It covers anything from modern mysteries to classic old cases that have been all but forgotten by now. Many people have heard of the Hinterkaifeck case, for example – but did you know that there are still active debates around some aspects of the case?
While many of Rob Gavagan’s videos are long-form, there are also a few bite-sized pieces for those quick breaks. Some of the videos are pretty disturbing, not due to any graphical content but rather because of the stories they explore, including stalkers, online predators, black magic serial killers, and more.
I know that there is no shortage of real-life mystery channels to follow out there, but if you’re a fan of that field, Rob Gavagan should definitely be on your watch list.
Dark5
Dark5’s presentation might seem a bit dated at this point, with the classic “red arrow pointing at a red circle” thumbnail formula, but the channel’s content is still very enjoyable. It’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into crafting and editing those videos, and the research behind some of them is simply mind-blowing.
If you can look past the initial presentation and give some of Dark5’s videos a chance, you will be hooked in no time. And lucky for you, the channel already has a lot of content to go through. Just set your expectations accordingly and try not to pay too much attention to the thumbnails before going into a video.
One thing I enjoy about Dark5 is that the videos are clearly made with a lot of passion for the mysterious and unknown, especially when it comes to internet mysteries and similar topics. If you consider yourself a fan of online culture and the history of the internet, you’ll find a lot of content worth checking out here.
Shrouded Hand
And finally, we come to another classic in the genre, Shrouded Hand. This might seem like yet another channel related to real-life mysteries and creepy encounters, but what sets it apart is the more mature tone of most of the videos. As much as I enjoy Shrouded Hand’s videos, they are not the kind of content I would fall asleep to, and I have no shame in admitting that.
I especially enjoy some of the more unusual videos that have been posted over the years, like “analysis” of common dream scenarios, weird encounters, and other situations that many of us can probably relate to. The channel is styled like a classic horror flick in some regards, further adding to its appeal for me.
There are also a few videos specifically dedicated to those of you who like to fall asleep to horror stories – and they’re long enough to keep your mind occupied even if you’re the type of person who needs a lot of time to enter the world of dreams.
Do These Channels Have Any Educational Value, or Are They Pure Entertainment?
I’d say it’s a mix of both. While some channels on this list are clearly intended to entertain, some also touch on more serious subjects and do a lot of research into the topics they cover. If you enjoy watching YouTube to learn something new, there’s definitely no shortage of useful content that you can go through in these channels. And if you’re looking for something more serious, you should also check out my list of what I consider to be the best science channels on YouTube right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are these channels too scary to fall asleep to?
A: I enjoy falling asleep to scary content, but I realize that’s not for everyone. And as I said above, some of these channels are too much even for me. I’d advise checking out some of the podcast-style channels like MrCreepyPasta if you’re primarily looking for some background noise to fall asleep to.
Q: Do some of these channels accept fan submissions?
A: If you have a scary story that you believe deserves attention, you are definitely encouraged to reach out to the people behind these channels. Not all of them work with community submissions, but some will definitely be interested in some additional content that’s unique to their own channel.
Nathaniell
What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!
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