12 Best Shows Like The Challenge to Watch Next (2026)
Find competition series with strategy, alliances, and high-stakes eliminations, from Survivor and The Challenge: All Stars to The Devil's Plan.
If you’re searching for shows like The Challenge, you probably want competition series that mix strategy, pressure, and physical or mental tests. This list gives you that energy across reality TV and game-show formats, with picks like The Challenge: All Stars, Survivor, and The Devil's Plan leading the way. You’ll also find social-strategy watches such as The Influencer and Love Island USA, plus skill-based options like Iron Chef and Top Chef. Whether you want alliances, elimination drama, or a contest built around one clear goal, these titles cover a wide range of competitive styles without losing that tense, keep-you-guessing feel.
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01
Battle Camp
game-show · reality-tv
Netflix reality stars duke it out in hair-raising physical challenges and scheme to avoid elimination to win $250K in this adventurous competition show.
Why watch: If you enjoy reality stars competing under pressure, this one fits well with its physical challenges and elimination-focused setup. The cash prize adds a clear goal for viewers who like rivalry-driven competition.
Cast Taylor Lewan, Avori Henderson, Georgia Hassarati, Gio Helou, Louis RussellNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
02
Deal or No Deal Island
game-show · reality-tv
A group of 13 contestants compete in dangerous games on a private island for a cash prize in an intense season-long reality competition overseen by an enigmatic Banker.
Why watch: If you want a season-long competition with danger, strategy, and a private-island setting, this is an easy fit. It should appeal to viewers who like games built around elimination and a steady cash-prize chase.
Directed by Joe GuidryCast Joe Manganiello, Ben Crofchick, Kamari Love, Rob Mariano, David GenatPeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
03
The Influencer
game-show · reality-tv
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram — 77 elite influencers flaunt their skills to strategically draw the most attention in this high-stakes social survival show.
Why watch: If you like social maneuvering as much as competition, this may be a good choice. Its focus on influencers, attention, and strategy makes it a natural pick for fans of personality-driven game shows.
Directed by Leah Patterson, Jaeseok Lee, Soo-Jeong SonCast Esmée Ko, Victoria Grace, Anzu Lawson, Monica Young, Dawn AndersonNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
The Challenge: All Stars
adventure · game-show · reality-tv
Challenge alumni return to complete to live together and compete in shorter stints for a cash prize.
Why watch: If you want a format that brings back familiar competitors, this is a strong match. The shorter stints and cash-prize format make it appealing for viewers who want a quicker version of a challenge-style reunion.
Cast T.J. LavinParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
05
Star Search
game-show · reality-tv
Talented performers showcase their skills in music, dance, comedy, and youth categories while viewers vote to decide who advances to the next round.
Why watch: If you prefer performance competition over physical contests, this one may suit you. It leans into music, dance, comedy, and youth categories, with viewers helping decide who moves on.
Directed by Alex RudzinskiCast Alexa Blair RobertsonNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
06
The Devil's Plan
game-show · reality-tv
It's the ultimate showdown of wits, brains, strategy, and alliances for a chance to win 500 million won.
Why watch: If you like games centered on wit, brains, and alliances, this is a standout option. It should appeal to viewers who enjoy strategy-first competition with a big prize at stake.
Directed by Jung Jong-YeonCast Andrew Ge, Emily Sun, Cori BaikNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
07
Iron Chef
game-show · reality-tv
Iron Chef is a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1993, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended on September 24, 1999, although occasional specials were produced until 2002. The series aired 309 episodes. Repeats are regularly aired on the Cooking Channel in the United States and on Special Broadcasting Service in Australia. Fuji TV will air a new version of the show, titled Iron Chef, beginning in October 26, 2012.
Why watch: If cooking contests are your thing, this is a solid pick. The timed battles and theme-ingredient format give it the same competitive pressure many fans want from game shows.
Directed by Takanobu Masatsugu, Taku Ohtani, Keiichi TanakaCast Hiroyuki Sakai, Wayne LeGette, Rokusaburô Michiba, Koumei Nakamura, Masaharu MorimotoAmazon Prime VideoTubiPeacock PremiumFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
08
Love Island USA
1 Emmy nomination
game-show · reality-tv
American version of the British dating reality competition in which ten singles come to stay in a villa for a few weeks and have to couple up with one another. Over the course of those weeks, they face the public vote and might be eliminated from the show. Other islanders join and try to break up the couples.
Why watch: If you enjoy relationship-driven reality competition, this is worth a look. The villa setting, coupling strategy, and public vote make it a fit for viewers who like social gameplay.
Directed by Ben Thursby, Reinhardt Vermeulen, Marty Denholm, Peter Leeson, Paul NewtonCast Arielle Vandenberg, Sarah Hyland, Iain Stirling, Matthew Hoffman, Ariana MadixHuluPeacock PremiumParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
09
Survivor
Won 7 Emmys 78 nominations
adventure · game-show · reality-tv
A reality show contest where sixteen or more castaways split between two or more “Tribes” are taken to a remote isolated location and are forced to live off the land with meager supplies for roughly 39 days. Frequent physical challenges are used to pit the tribes against each other for rewards, such as food or luxuries, or for “Immunity”, forcing the other tribe to attend “Tribal Council”, where they must vote off one of their players.
Why watch: If survival competition is what draws you in, this is one of the closest matches here. The tribal format, physical challenges, and vote-offs will feel familiar to fans of high-pressure reality contests.
Directed by Michael Simon, Don Roy King, Glenn Weiss, Joe DeMaio, Bill BradyCast Kelly Czarnecki, Jacquie Berg, Lana BussardHuluParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
10
World's Wildest Police Videos
action & adventure · crime · documentary · reality tv
An American reality TV series that deals with police videos from across the world. Video footage of car chases, subsequent arrests, robberies, riots and other crimes appears on the show.
Why watch: If you want reality footage with an action-and-crime angle, this may be interesting. It’s a different kind of watch, but the fast-moving clips give it a strong adrenaline-driven feel.
Directed by Tim GibbonsCast Merrilyn CrouchFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
11
Top Chef
Won 2 Emmys 6x Outstanding Reality Competition Program · 58 nominations
game-show · reality-tv
Aspiring chefs are judged by a panel of food and wine experts while competing against one another for a shot at culinary stardom.
Why watch: If you like judged competitions with professional standards, this is a good fit. It pairs culinary skill with expert feedback, which should appeal to fans of structured reality contests.
Directed by Paul Starkman, Ariel Boles, David Kangas, David A. Kleiler Jr., Anna MoulaisonCast Keriann Von Raesfeld, Stacy Cogswell, Katie Weinner, Aaron Grissom, Curtis StonePeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
12
Second Chance Stage
game-show · reality-tv
Ordinary people with extraordinary talents bring their dreams back to life with this talent competition that offers a second chance at the spotlight.
Why watch: If you enjoy talent shows with a redemption angle, this could be a good match. It focuses on ordinary people trying to bring their dreams back into the spotlight.
Directed by Chris 'Stotty' StottCast Miranda Louis, Brian S. Davis, Porter Barnett, Payton Barnett, Rich ReedyMaxMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
The best part of this list is how many different ways it approaches competition, from survival and strategy to talent, food, and social gameplay. If you liked the mix of physical and mental pressure in The Challenge, you can use this page to find a next watch that fits your mood. Bookmark it and come back when you want another round of competitive reality TV, because this page is updated regularly with new additions and fresh picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these shows similar to The Challenge?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.