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Entertainment · head to head

Paramount+ vs Roku

Paramount+ logo

Paramount+

Entertainment

A mountain of entertainment

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Roku has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Paramount+ the App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.; Roku roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Paramount+ covers Streaming, Roku covers Streaming aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paramount+ and Roku actually diverge.

Attributes where Paramount+ and Roku differ
AttributeParamount+Roku
Starting price$5.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tvRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android
Founded20212002

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 Paramount+

  • Streaming
  • Live sports
  • CBS shows
  • Nickelodeon
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Profile management
  • Web support

Only in Roku

  • Streaming aggregation
  • Free content
  • Voice search
  • Private listening
  • All major streaming apps
  • Smart home
  • PIN protection
  • Roku-devices support

Both cover

  • Parental controls
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Smart-tv support

What people use each for

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

Paramount+

  • TV streaming
  • Sportsnot Roku
  • Kids contentnot Roku

Roku

  • TV streaming
  • Content discoverynot Paramount+
  • Free entertainmentnot Paramount+

Both are used for tv streaming, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Paramount+

  • The App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
  • The App Store listing states the base Paramount+ plan carries ads and does not include ad-free viewing, offline downloads, or a local CBS station live stream, which are reserved for the Premium plan.

Roku

  • Roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Paramount+

$5.99/month
  • Essential$5.99/month
    • Limited ads
    • Full library
  • With Showtime$11.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Showtime
    • Downloads

Roku

Free
  • FreeFree
    • The Roku Channel
    • Free content
    • Ad-supported

Which should you pick?

Choose Paramount+ if

  • You need streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
  • You also want live sports.
Paramount+ review

Choose Roku if

  • You need streaming aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
  • You also want free content.
Roku review

Questions people ask

Is Paramount+ or Roku better?
Neither clearly leads. Paramount+ starts at $5.99/month and Roku at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paramount+ or Roku?
Roku has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5.99/month for Paramount+ and Free for Roku.
Does Paramount+ or Roku run on more platforms?
Paramount+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv. Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
Can I use Roku for free?
Yes. Roku has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paramount+ starts at $5.99/month.
What is Paramount+ best used for?
Paramount+ is most often used for tv streaming, sports, kids content. Of those, sports and kids content are not what Roku is typically brought in for.
What can Paramount+ do that Roku cannot?
Paramount+ covers Streaming, Live sports, CBS shows, Nickelodeon. Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening. Both handle Parental controls, Ios support, Android support, Smart-tv support.
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