Summary

• Female stand-up comedians on Netflix offer a mix of seasoned veterans and exciting newcomers in the comedy genre.
• Streaming services like Netflix have revolutionized the comedy industry with a plethora of hilarious stand-up specials from talented women.
• From insightful and clever analyses to raunchy and honest humor, these female comedians bring a wide range of comedy to entertain audiences.

The best female stand-up comedians on Netflix include a long list of seasoned veterans and exciting newcomers. Stand-up comedy has long been a form of entertainment in nightclubs, school functions, coffee houses, and on television. However, it has only been in the past couple of decades that pre-recorded stand-up specials have become a popular thing. With streaming, this concept really took off, and now there are dozens of comedy specials on Netflix that make audiences laugh out loud. Not only that, but women have taken the comedy genre by storm.

Some of the best female stand-up comedians on Netflix started performing in coffee houses, others were hilarious actors and writers before taking the spotlight. Netflix continues to bring fresh stand-up specials to audiences each year. New faces have been added to its catalog, like Nicole Byer, Ms. Pat, and London Hughes. Some of the funniest new stand-up comes from these up-and-coming performers and the latest material from Netflix veterans like Ali Wong. Regardless of how they may have got their start, these hilarious female stand-up comedians have specials that comedy fans should check out on Netflix right now.

For more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out the best movies on Netflix and the best TV shows on Netflix.

30 Jacqueline Novak

Get On Your Knees

Jacqueline Novak is a successful comedian, having performed for several years in shows with John Early. However, she is also an acclaimed voice in her own right, having written the memoir How to Weep in Public: Feeble Offerings on Depression from One Who Knows as well as performing on late-night shows like Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

However, the recent praise she has been receiving for her Netflix special Get on Your Knees might take her to another level of fame. The entire special is focused on one subject with Novak deconstructing everything surrounding the act of oral sex on a man. While that might sound like a juvenile and unimaginative way of getting some shock value, Novak proves her excellence as a writer through this single topic.

It is insightful, clever, and never feels cheap while she continues to find new approaches to the idea. The special was directed by actor Natasha Lyonne and was recently nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special.

29 Rachel Feinstein

The Standups, Big Guy

Rachel Feinstein is perhaps best known as a collaborator with fellow comedian Amy Schumer, having appeared in Trainwreck, I Feel Pretty, and Life & Beth. However, she has been building her own career as a stand-up comedian quite successfully having already appeared on Netflix as part of the series The Standups. That success continues as 2024 saw Feinstein get her first hour-long special on the streamer with Big Guy.

It would not be surprising to see Feinstein develop some of this material into a sitcom in the future.

Feinstein is the kind of comedian who is very successful at mining her own personal life and those in it for comedic gold. Much of the special is centered around her marriage to a New York City firefighter and the unique dynamic that relationship provides. She also has some hilarious insights and impressions of her mother and daughter, painting a rich picture of the people in her life. It would not be surprising to see Feinstein develop some of this material into a sitcom in the future.

28 Hannah Berner

We Ride At Dawn

While most of the successful stand-up comedians in the business used to come out of the typical comedy club world, things have evolved so that many different paths can be taken to reach that career. Hannah Berner has one of the most unlikely paths to the stand-up stage as she was a popular star on TikTok as well as a reality show star on Bravo’s Summer House. From there, Berner has developed her own comedy style which she showcases in her Netflix special We Ride at Dawn.

Berner brings her own fun attitude and big personality to the stage with a varied and exciting special that shows the wide range of topics she is able to tackle with confidence and humor. Berner touches on the unreal dating lessons provided by Disney princess movies while also discussing bigger topics like gun control. It is a terrific display of her talents which might surprise fans of her time on reality TV.

27 Kathleen Madigan

Bothering Jesus

While new Netflix comedy specials are always coming out, there are also some older gems worth seeking out, including specials from some of the best in the business. Kathleen Madigan is a veteran of the comedy world with her first live album going back to 1998. She is a comedian who cites the likes of Ron White and Lewis Black as inspirations, which is not hard to see with her gruff, cynical yet hilarious observations of the world.

Madigan’s style can be seen in her 2016 special Bothering Jesus, which is available on Netflix. Madigan dives into her childhood in a Catholic household, the differences she later discovered among other religions, and how this upbringing has shaped her life. It is a great look at a performer who commands the stage and her material with the utmost confidence.

Madigan can also be seen on an episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix series
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
.

26 Fern Brady

Autistic Bikini Queen

Scottish comedian Fern Brady is another hilarious voice in the comedy world who stands out for her honest depiction of her own life and struggles. She first gained prominence by reaching the finals of the comedy competition “So You Think You’re Funny” at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. From there she built a strong and acclaimed stand-up career while also writing her memoir, Strong Female Character.

In 2021, Brady was diagnosed as autistic and she has been very open about this and the changes in her life, including in her 2024 Netflix special Autistic Bikini Queen. Brady presents a stripped-down and almost intimate comedy set that touches on her childhood, her sexuality, and her autism in fascinating and funny ways, cementing her as a comedic voice that can provide a lot of eye-opening observations in her exciting career to come.

25 Tig Notaro

Happy To Be Here

Tig Notaro was a big name before Netflix signed her for a comedy special. Her album Live picked up a Best Comedy Album nomination at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and her HBO special Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted picked up a nomination for Variety Special at the 68th Annual Emmy Awards. Notaro specialized in dark comedy for years before she ended up with a breast cancer diagnosis in 2012.

This stand-up received strong acclaim from critics and audiences, helping to further boost Notaro’s star power.

Notaro said she moved on to more observational comedy after that (via Larry King Now). When it comes to Netflix, fans can catch her 2018 special Tig Notaro: Happy to Be Here, which sees her looking back at her life in a more reflective manner. This stand-up received strong acclaim from critics and audiences, helping to further boost Notaro’s star power. It even reached a point where Notaro appeared in Army of the Dead, a huge hit film for Netflix.

24 Iliza Shlesinger

Freezing Hot, Confirmed Kills, Unveiled, Elder Millennial, & Hot Forever

Irreverent and hilarious, one of the best female stand-up comedians on Netflix is Iliza Shlesinger. Shlesinger grew up in Dallas, TX, and was the winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2008. Since then, she has released six Netflix comedy specials, five of which are available for streaming right now. They include Freezing Hot, Confirmed Kills, Unveiled, Elder Millennial, and Hot Forever. Her only special not on the platform is War Paint, which debuted there but has since moved on to Prime, Peacock, and other services.

On top of those impressive stand-up specials, Netflix also has The Iliza Schlesinger Sketch Show, a hilarious take on pop culture and social commentary through wacky characters and absurd skits, available for streaming. And if audiences still can’t get enough of Shlesinger, she is also featured in the cast of the Netflix original film, Spenser Confidential.

23 Katherine Ryan

In Trouble & The Glitter Room

Katherine Ryan is a Canadian comedian living in the U.K. with her daughter and brings them into her shows on Netflix. Ryan’s roots and her family are a frequent part of her stand-up. She makes jokes about her hometown of Sarnia, Ontario, and the fact that her daughter’s British accent makes her sound like a “tiny inefficient butler.” She first gained fame when she appeared on BBC’s Live at the Apollo, which led to her leading her own starring specials.

Ryan has blown up on Netflix over the past handful of years with her stand-up specials In Trouble and The Glitter Room. She also stars in the Netflix original series The Duchess, and hosts All That Glitters. There is also Katherine Ryan: Missus, which is more recent than those other specials, though that one isn’t available on Netflix.

22 Nicole Byer

Nicole Byer: BBW

Audiences might recognize Nicole Byer from her role as host of Netflix’s Nailed It and her co-host duties alongside John Cena on Wipeout. However, longtime fans know Byer better from her appearances in the world of comedy, whether that’s in the world of stand-up or from guest roles on popular TV shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine or The Good Place. The comedian is a fan favorite as a guest on podcasts like Comedy Bang! Bang! and Doughboys when she isn’t hosting her own show Why Won’t You Date Me?

Her stand-up special Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo) came to viewers in 2021. It showcases original comedy from the entertainer, covering a breadth of subjects from her personal life to the idiosyncrasies of early lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show was such a success that it actually garnered Byer an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.

21 Ali Wong

Hard Knock Wife, Baby Cobra, & Don Wong

Ali Wong’s stand-up Netflix specials Hard Knock Wife and Baby Cobra have received critical acclaim, and she’s easily one of the best female stand-up comedians on Netflix. Wong has become a huge name in comedy for her stand-up, acting, and writing. She has served as a writer on Fresh Off The Boat, is a main cast member of American Housewives, and led the rom-com Always Be My Maybe.

Wong also starred in the miniseries Beef, shining and earning major acting awards for her performance. However, she still shines brightest on the stage. Her most recent stand-up special, Ali Wong: Don Wong was released in February 2022, and takes her comedy skills to the next level, continuing the success first garnered for Hard Knock Wife and Baby Cobra. The talented Wong still tours consistently, so fans can check her out live.

20 Ms. Pat

Ms. Pat: Y’all Wanna Hear Something Crazy?

Ms. Pat has been performing for a long time but is really starting to blow up as a star. She has appeared in several podcasts alongside the likes of Kevin Hart and Marc Maron, and her own series, The Ms. Pat Show. In terms of her stand-up routines, Ms. Pat broke out on Netflix’s series The Degenerates and participated in season 9 of Last Comic Standing.

Now, Ms. Pat can be seen in her Netflix special Ms. Pat: Y’all Wanna Hear Something Crazy? It was released in February 2022 and showcases the entertainer for an hour-long routine. In it, Ms. Pat relays her fascinating life stories with hilarious detail and memorable bits. On top of her stand-up specials on Netflix, she also has a 30-minute set on the stand-up series The Degenerates and fans are eagerly anticipating her next show.

19 Jenny Slate

Stage Fright

Jenny Slate has had roles in comedy series such as Parks and Recreation and House of Lies, voice-acted and co-wrote the critical smash Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, and even taken on a more serious role in the movie Gifted. Like so many others though, Slate has also proven to be hilarious with a microphone with her Netflix special, Stage Fright. Audiences shouldn’t go in expecting a traditional stand-up set though.

The editing makes this special unique and personal, giving it a completely different feel from anything that other talented comedians are putting out there.

Slate’s comedy special takes a unique approach that is equal parts biography and stand-up. It does this by cutting in and out of her live performance with video footage of conversations with her family and home videos from her childhood. The editing makes this special unique and personal, giving it a completely different feel from anything that other talented comedians are putting out there, proving her versatile the former SNL cast member is.

Slate also appeared in Best Picture winner
Everything Everywhere All At Once.

18 Leslie Jones

Time Machine

Many viewers know the comedy of Leslie Jones from her appearances on Saturday Night Live where her characters always found a way to stand out. Jones broke out to the point where she landed roles in major movies like Ghostbusters, Coming 2 America, and Sing, as well as a hosting gig on the rebooted version of the game show Supermarket Sweep. Like so many others though, Jones got her start on the stage back in 1987, though those performances aren’t available.

However, Leslie Jones now has her very own stand-up special on Netflix. Released in early 2020, Time Machine puts Jones in the spotlight as she speaks on the hilarity that comes with age and retrospection. No topic is off limits for the comedian, who brings the style that made her famous on SNL to the stage seamlessly.

17 Tiffany Haddish

She Ready & Black Mitzvah

Tiffany Haddish has been in the comedy game for quite some time, and she has more than one comedy special on Netflix. In her early days, she made appearances in shows such as That’s So Raven, New Girl, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Haddish was the first Black female stand-up comedian to host an episode of Saturday Night Live and her book, The Last Black Unicorn, made The New York Times bestseller list. Haddish has two comedy specials, She Ready and Black Mitzvah, on Netflix.

In fact, Black Mitzvah actually won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album, making history as the second Black woman to secure that accolade. Due to the combination of her star power and the acclaim of those two stand-up specials, Haddish has expanded her work to host, They Ready, where she handpicks comedians to show off their comedy chops.

16 London Hughes

London Hughes: To Catch A D*ck

London Hughes is a British comedian for a new age as the millennial woman tells relatable jokes that have helped her become a star. She is perhaps most known for her work on BBC’s Laughter Shock, which came to audiences in the early 2010s. On top of starring in it, the multi-talented Hughes also wrote the project. She has appeared in other British comedy shows like Newsjack, as well as hit series like Fleabag.

Since late 2020, the award-winning comedian can be seen in her own special on Netflix. London Hughes: To Catch A D*ck puts the entertainer on center stage as she unpacks the ups and downs of dating, sex, and relationships. The performance made her the first Black nominee for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Comedy Show, which is what led to the Netflix adaptation. She is slated to appear in the reboot of Perfect Strangers for Max.

15 Wanda Sykes

Not Normal And I’m An Entertainer

Wanda Sykes got her first recognition in comedy as a writer on The Chris Rock Show and has since become one of the most recognizable faces in comedy. She has acted in roles as recently as on ABC’s Black-ish and has appeared on the big screen, often in scene-stealing smaller performances, as well as proven herself a talented voice actress. Sykes was even named one of the 25 funniest people in America by Entertainment Weekly.

Despite this, Sykes’s stand-up specials, Not Normal and I’m an Entertainer, somehow remain a bit of a hidden gem on Netflix. She tackles topics such as older age, politics, and relationships. She also performs a set on Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration. Sykes’ stand-up specials date back over 20 years and though not all are on Netflix, they are all worth seeking out.

14 Sarah Silverman

A Speck Of Dust

Sarah Silverman has become known for addressing controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and politics in her comedy and inducing shock and awe from her jokes. The same could be said about her short-lived Comedy Central series, The Sarah Silverman Program. Her Netflix special A Speck of Dust is no exception, proving she’s one of the best female stand-up comedians on Netflix.

However, A Speck of Dust has a bit more of a relaxed feel than the great special, Sarah Silverman’s Jesus is Magic. It’s a new side of Silverman that perhaps has come from maturity as a comic in the industry for quite a long time, yet she still manages to retain just enough of her unique style to remain in line with what fans have come to know and love about her. Silverman also has some other modern stand-ups available on Max, including her most recent from 2023.

13 Fortune Feimster

Sweet & Salty & Good Fortune

The North Carolina-born comic Fortune Feimster saw her television debut on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2010, and now with two Netflix specials under her belt, she has proven her talent for an even larger audience. Feimster has an impressive list of projects attached to her name, such as Chelsea Lately, The Mindy Project, and Soul. However, her two Netflix stand-up specials, Sweet & Salty and Good Fortune, are her real claim to fame.

Her standup usually consists of good-natured jokes about growing up in the South, her experiences in show business, and general life stories about everything from coming out to getting engaged. Given her consistent work appearing on shows like Velma, Kenan, and opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in FUBAR, as well as hosting a Sirius radio show, it’s unclear when fans will get another stand-up from the brilliant comedian.

12 Leanne Morgan

I’m Every Woman

Leanne Morgan is a bit of an anomaly in comedy given the fact that she only recently broke out with her first stand-up special. The Tennessee-born mother of three got her first stand-up special at 57 years old and is now seeing her career flourish, which is much later than a lot of people in the industry. She had a unique start in the business, selling jewelry door to door only for her clients to begin booking her for her jokes instead.

That gives her an unmatched perspective on it all, allowing her performances to truly stand out. After years on the stage, her first special on YouTube drew in millions of views, which led to her Netflix special, I’m Every Woman. Morgan’s stand-up is highly relatable. With her iconic Tennessee drawl and harrowing tales of motherhood, Morgan finds a lot of humor in simple concepts.

11 Taylor Tomlinson

Quarter Life Crisis, Look At You, & Have It All

The current it girl for Netflix, Taylor Tomlinson has quickly become a star over the past few years. Witty and irreverent, Taylor Tomlinson discusses all the choices she’s made in her young adult life and her mental health journey in her Netflix specials, Quarter Life Crisis and Look at You. Before becoming one of the best female stand-up comedians on Netflix, Tomlinson started performing at 16 after her father signed her up for a stand-up class.

She was a finalist in Last Comic Standing and was named one of the “Top 10 Comics to Watch” by Variety. Tomlinson hosts her own podcast called Sad in the City and recently landed a gig hosting After Midnight, a late-night series on CBS. Tomlinson’s specials were met with widespread acclaim and are popular enough to land her more jobs. Her most recent special, Have It All, dives even deeper into mental health, sexual orientation, and more, all while remaining hilarious.