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Entertainment · head to head

ESPN+ vs The Roku Channel

ESPN+ logo

ESPN+

Entertainment

Stream live sports, original shows, and exclusive content

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Roku Channel logo

The Roku Channel

Entertainment

Free ad-supported streaming from Roku, with an optional paid live TV add-on layer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only The Roku Channel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ESPN+ pricing page not publicly accessible; The Roku Channel the free tier does not include major broadcast network live feeds or sports in most markets, so it does not replace a bundle like fuboTV or DirecTV Stream for live sports or local news.
  • They diverge on capability: ESPN+ covers Live sports, The Roku Channel covers Free ad-supported live channels.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ESPN+ and The Roku Channel actually diverge.

Attributes where ESPN+ and The Roku Channel differ
AttributeESPN+The Roku Channel
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree, ad-supported; individual paid channel add-ons
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tvRoku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ESPN+

  • Live sports
  • Original shows
  • Exclusive content
  • Replays
  • Analysis
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security

Only in The Roku Channel

  • Free ad-supported live channels
  • On-demand library
  • Premium channel add-ons
  • Cross-platform app
  • No Roku hardware required
  • Unified billing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ESPN+

  • Sports streamingnot The Roku Channel
  • Live event watchingnot The Roku Channel

The Roku Channel

  • A cord-cutter who wants free ad-supported background TV without any subscription commitmentnot ESPN+
  • Someone who wants one or two specific premium channels like Starz without a full live TV bundlenot ESPN+
  • A household that already has Netflix and Hulu and wants free supplementary live channels at no extra costnot ESPN+
  • Someone testing whether they need a full live TV bundle before committing to fuboTV or DirecTV Streamnot ESPN+

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ESPN+

  • Pricing page not publicly accessible

The Roku Channel

  • The free tier does not include major broadcast network live feeds or sports in most markets, so it does not replace a bundle like fuboTV or DirecTV Stream for live sports or local news.
  • Assembling several premium add-ons individually can add up to a similar or higher monthly cost than a bundled live TV service, without the same single unified guide.
  • It depends on advertising to stay free, so the on-demand and live library carries ad breaks that paid competitors without ads do not have on certain content.
  • Channel and content availability shifts fairly often as licensing deals change, so a title or channel available one month may not be the next.
  • It is most tightly integrated with Roku hardware; the experience on other platforms, while functional, is a secondary product to Roku hardware itself.

Pricing, plan by plan

ESPN+

$10.99/month
  • ESPN+$10.99/month
    • Live sports
    • Exclusive content
    • Original shows
  • Bundle$13.99/month
    • ESPN+
    • Disney+
    • Hulu

The Roku Channel

Free
  • The Roku ChannelFree
    • Free live linear channels
    • Free ad-supported on-demand library
    • No sports or major broadcast network feeds included
  • Premium add-ons$undefined/month
    • Individually priced channels such as Starz or Showtime
    • Sports and news bundles priced separately
    • Billed per add-on, not as one package

Which should you pick?

Choose ESPN+ if

  • You need live sports.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want original shows.
ESPN+ review

Choose The Roku Channel if

  • You need free ad-supported live channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV.
  • You also want on-demand library.
The Roku Channel review

Questions people ask

Is ESPN+ or The Roku Channel better?
Neither clearly leads. ESPN+ starts at $10.99/month and The Roku Channel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ESPN+ or The Roku Channel?
The Roku Channel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for ESPN+ and Free for The Roku Channel.
Does ESPN+ or The Roku Channel run on more platforms?
ESPN+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. The Roku Channel runs on Roku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV.
Can I use The Roku Channel for free?
Yes. The Roku Channel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ESPN+ starts at $10.99/month.
What is ESPN+ best used for?
ESPN+ is most often used for sports streaming, live event watching. Of those, sports streaming and live event watching are not what The Roku Channel is typically brought in for.
What can ESPN+ do that The Roku Channel cannot?
ESPN+ covers Live sports, Original shows, Exclusive content, Replays. The Roku Channel covers Free ad-supported live channels, On-demand library, Premium channel add-ons, Cross-platform app.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ESPN+: How much does ESPN+ cost?

ESPN+ pricing information is not publicly accessible through standard browsing. Users must navigate the ESPN+ application or account page to view current subscription rates.

Source
The Roku Channel: Is The Roku Channel the same as owning a Roku device?

No, Roku the device platform is a separate product; The Roku Channel is the free content service that runs on it and elsewhere.

The Roku Channel: Does it include sports?

Not in the free tier; sports are available only through separately priced add-on subscriptions.

The Roku Channel: Do I need Roku hardware to use it?

No, the app is also available on iOS, Android, Fire TV and other platforms.

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