10 Scary Podcasts That Will Totally Creep You Out This Halloween

“Poltergeist,” “The Ring,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” — those names alone are enough to send chills down your spine. While there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned horror movie, you know what’s just as thrilling? A scary podcast.

You might think of podcasts as being all about comedy and news, but the podcast world offers something for everyone, including the horror lovers out there. Halloween is the perfect time to grab some popcorn, turn down the lights, and get lost in a scary podcast. From terrifying true-crime stories to frightening fiction tales, these nail-biting series will make you want to leave a light on when you go to bed tonight.

If you’re ready to get spooked, check out our list of some of the best scary podcasts to listen to this Halloween.

1. Very Scary People: The Ken & Barbie Killers

Donnie Wahlberg hosts this seven-episode podcast about Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, a Toronto couple who appeared loving and wholesome but became the killers known as “Ken and Barbie” in the late ’80s to the early ’90s.

2. Lore

For the history buff who appreciates a good scare, “Lore” is for you. Now a book series and a Prime TV show, “Lore” is an award-winning podcast that tells stories about horrifying real-life events throughout history.

It’s hard to believe someone would exhume a corpse, remove and burn the heart, and then serve up a tonic made from the ashes — but it happened, and “Lore” has many more bizarre stories like this to keep you freaked out and entertained for hours.

3. Ghostwriter

In 2021, C13Features delivered the chilling podcast movie “Ghostwriter.” What exactly is a podcast movie, though? Well, it’s a full-length scripted production with cinematic sound and Hollywood actors, creating an experience that’s like listening to a blockbuster film.

“Ghostwriter” is a psychological thriller starring “House of Cards” actress Kate Mara, who plays a writer hired to ghostwrite a crime novel for a billionaire and soon learns that taking this job wasn’t the best idea.

4. Full Body Chills

There’s no sugarcoating this one: “Full Body Chills” is downright scary. This horror podcast runs yearly throughout October, making it the ideal choice to get you in the Halloween spirit.

“Full Body Chills” delivers those frightening campfire stories you heard as a kid but with intense sound effects that will get your heart racing. Fix yourself a drink before you start this one. You’re gonna need it.

5. The Last Podcast On The Left

Prefer your horror with a dose of comedy? Look no further than “The Last Podcast On The Left.” Debuting in 2011, it’s one of the longest-running horror podcasts, with creepy episodes discussing everything from werewolves to black-eyed children to serial killers.

If you want more scares, the creators also host “The Last Update On The Left,” expanding on past episodes of “The Last Podcast on the Left.”

6. Dr. Death

In 2018, GQ magazine declared “Dr. Death” the scariest podcast of the year. And for good reason! This true-crime podcast shows that real life is sometimes more terrifying than any slasher flick.

The first season of “Dr. Death” highlights the story of Christopher Duntsch, a surgeon convicted for mutilating and killing multiple patients on his operating table, and the healthcare system that turned a blind eye. It’s a fascinating story that also inspired the “Dr. Death” series on Peacock.

Season 2 is the story of hundreds of patients in Michigan, a doctor, and a poisonous secret. In Season 3, television producer Benita uncovers secrets surrounding renowned surgeon Paolo while four doctors at a prestigious medical institute make shocking discoveries of their own. And Season 4 follows a charismatic young doctor and his revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV — and a startling discovery.

7. Horror Story

Don’t be fooled by narrator Edwin Covarrubias’s calm voice: “Horror Story” is anything but soothing. This podcast will give you the creeps as Covarrubias tells scary stories based on legends and folklore. Hear tales about leprechaun sightings, a home haunted by a little girl’s ghost, the black dahlia, and more.

8. Alice Isn’t Dead

“Alice Isn’t Dead” is the perfect road trip podcast — that is, if you want to be on the edge of your seat while driving down those dark country roads. The podcast tells the story of a truck driver on the hunt for her missing wife. Along the way, she encounters strange characters and even stranger situations. The story is creepy, and the background music will give you goosebumps. Listen now at your own risk.

9. Inside The Exorcist

“Inside The Exorcist” explores the backstory and making of one of the scariest movies of all time, “The Exorcist.” Hear stellar storytelling, fictional reenactments, and over-the-top sound effects that’ll make you jump out of your seat.

This incredibly scary podcast is not for the faint of heart, but if you can make it past the hair-raising three-minute trailer, you’ll be in for an exciting audio experience.

10. Dia de Los Muertos in Hell

In the fourth installment of Audio Up’s popular Webby-nominated “In Hell” series (which has spanned across Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and prom), a band from Cancun called Mensajeros del Mictlán is invited to an unknown music festival during Dia de Los Muertos, only to find that the festival has been organized by Satan himself.

Packed with music from original Latin artists, “Dia de Los Muertos in Hell” promises to be one wild comedic adventure and journey through the depths of the underworld and beyond.