Top 12 Spine-Chilling Podcasts to Experience in the Dark, Ranked by Fear Factor

Comedians and close friends Betsy Sodaro and Marcy Jarreau share a fascination with the supernatural, which they explore on A Funny Feeling. They chat with fellow comedians, celebrities, and even their audience through voicemails, discussing encounters with ghosts, creepy dolls, strange sounds, and other mysterious phenomena. The tales feel relatable, grounded in everyday life yet bizarre enough to seem plausible. However, the real charm of A Funny Feeling lies in its humor. Betsy and Marcy inject levity into the eerie by adding their own hilarious commentary, whether they’re discussing a haunted AirBnb with guests or reacting to a listener’s UFO story.

Last Podcast on the Left features Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski, who bring larger-than-life retellings of famous hauntings, war crimes, cults, serial killers, and cryptid encounters, all laced with humor and a unique comedic flair. Each episode is meticulously researched, with multi-part series on topics like the Salem Witch Trials, the pirate Blackbeard, Black Widows, and serial killer Albert Fish, offering unparalleled depth. They also cover standalone stories of the darkest and most bizarre events, alongside weekly true crime oddities. Even if you’ve heard a story on countless other podcasts, Ben, Marcus, and Henry’s version is unlike any other—delivered with a devilish twist.

Siblings Kristen Anderson and Will Rogers grew up surrounded by mysteries, and now they share their passion through their podcast Guide to the Unknown. While they explore the same eerie, bizarre, and unsettling topics as other shows, their delivery feels like a cozy chat with friends. Their sibling banter, filled with humor and mutual curiosity, makes discussions about aliens, haunted houses, urban legends, and internet creepypastas both engaging and comforting. It’s less about edge-of-your-seat tension and more about feeling snug under a blanket, ready for a spooky yet safe adventure.

Laurah Norton hosts One Strange Thing

Phoebe Judge’s Criminal podcast focuses on storytelling rather than graphic true crime. Instead of delving into gruesome murders, it highlights psychological thrillers and character-driven narratives about individuals and their criminal actions. The archive is filled with hauntingly crafted tales that may not induce nightmares but will certainly leave you feeling uneasy. (For example, check out the episode on how to sell a haunted house.)

Mario Góngora, renowned as the voice of Fox Channels, Disney+ Latin America, and major brands like Sprint, Wendy’s, Ford, and Univision’s UniMás Network, hosts Yes, This Happened. This podcast features firsthand accounts of eerie, real-life experiences shared by individuals who insist these events truly occurred. From haunted houses and ghostly whispers to extraterrestrial encounters and mysterious energy phenomena, the stories are spine-chilling and unforgettable. What ties these tales together—aside from their unsettling nature—is their roots in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America. The show is also available in Spanish as Esto Si Ocurrio, offering a chance to expand your paranormal vocabulary, even if you’re not a native or fluent Spanish speaker.

Since 2017, Jim Harold’s Campfire has been fueled by spine-chilling tales shared by listeners who’ve lived through them. Jim Harold excels at connecting with everyday people, drawing out their most terrifying experiences—moments that suggest the paranormal world is closer than we think. From haunted houses and ghostly apparitions to bizarre encounters with the unknown, the podcast’s archive is brimming with hundreds of stories guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. (If you’ve had a paranormal experience, Jim’s line is always open for your call.)

Sapphire Sandalo, a pansexual Filipino American artist, offers a fresh perspective in the world of scary storytelling with Stories with Sapphire. Her approach emphasizes diversity and empathy, as she engages with real people to explore their eerie encounters. Sapphire provides thoughtful context, almost like a therapeutic guide, helping storytellers and listeners alike understand the meaning behind these experiences and their cultural significance. On YouTube, she also crafts and animates fictional horror tales inspired by folklore, urban legends, and real-life events. Additionally, her series Stories For Change shifts focus to real-world horrors, such as the atrocities of the Marcos regime, blending Filipino folklore, liminal spaces, and encounters with the past into a deeply unsettling narrative.

Snap Judgment is arguably the pinnacle of storytelling podcasts, blending emotional, gripping tales with the rhythmic intensity of slam poetry to create narratives that are both poetic and impactful. Its eerie offshoot, Spooked, uses similarly rich sound design to immerse listeners in terrifying stories, making you feel as though you’re living them. Host Glynn Washington, one of podcasting’s most captivating voices, opens each episode with a chilling tale to set the tone, then invites others to share their own unsettling experiences. Even the theme music is enough to transport your imagination into shadowy, mysterious realms.

While there are many fictional horror podcasts, Old Gods of Appalachia stands out as one of the finest. This horror anthology is set in an Alternate Appalachia—a haunting, untamed version of the region you might know, but teeming with ancient, monstrous entities. Crafted by a team deeply rooted in Appalachia, the podcast weaves eerie music and intricate stories tied to the area’s history and folklore. Its immersive sense of place makes it a compelling yet daunting listen. You can start anywhere, but I recommend beginning with “The Boy.”

Jim Perry’s Euphomet isn’t about cheap scares (though it might still terrify you). Instead, it delves into tales of vanishing locations, cursed objects, alien encounters, and the shadowy unknown, all while exploring the human element within these mysteries. Through conversations with ghost hunters, psychic spies, paranormal journalists, and hypnotherapists, Jim presents these stories with a quiet, artistic touch, like a haunting whisper. Each episode is a layered audio journey best experienced with quality headphones. Did you know? Mytour highlighted the episode Idol of Nightmares as one of the top 16 podcast episodes of 2018.

Radio Rental transports you to a fictional 1980s video rental store (imagine a spooky Blockbuster) managed by the quirky Terry Carnation (voiced by Rainn Wilson from The Office) and his cat MalechaiTK. Terry acts as a DJ of dread, curating real-life stories that range from chilling to downright strange, told directly by those who experienced them. Presented in a documentary-like format, the podcast features accounts of near-misses with serial killers and eerie encounters with the supernatural, making you rethink mundane interactions and stay alert to the possibility of danger lurking nearby. While Terry’s humor lightens the mood, the show still delivers enough scares to secure its place among the most terrifying podcasts.