Entertainment · head to head
Paramount+ vs The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel
Entertainment
Free ad-supported streaming from Roku, with an optional paid live TV add-on layer
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only The Roku Channel 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.; 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: Paramount+ covers Streaming, 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 Paramount+ and The Roku Channel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Paramount+ | The Roku Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Free, ad-supported; individual paid channel add-ons |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv | Roku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV |
| Founded | 2021 | Unknown |
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
- Parental controls
- Profile management
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.
Paramount+
- TV streamingnot The Roku Channel
- Sportsnot The Roku Channel
- Kids contentnot The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel
- A cord-cutter who wants free ad-supported background TV without any subscription commitmentnot Paramount+
- Someone who wants one or two specific premium channels like Starz without a full live TV bundlenot Paramount+
- A household that already has Netflix and Hulu and wants free supplementary live channels at no extra costnot Paramount+
- Someone testing whether they need a full live TV bundle before committing to fuboTV or DirecTV Streamnot Paramount+
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.
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
Paramount+
$5.99/month- Essential$5.99/month
- Limited ads
- Full library
- With Showtime$11.99/month
- Ad-free
- Showtime
- Downloads
The Roku Channel
Free- The Roku ChannelFree
- Free live linear channels
- Free ad-supported on-demand library
- No sports or major broadcast network feeds included
- Premium add-ons$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 Paramount+ if
- You need streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
- You also want live sports.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Paramount+ or The Roku Channel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Paramount+ starts at $5.99/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, Paramount+ or The Roku Channel?
- The Roku Channel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5.99/month for Paramount+ and Free for The Roku Channel.
- Does Paramount+ or The Roku Channel run on more platforms?
- Paramount+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-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. 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, tv streaming and sports are not what The Roku Channel is typically brought in for.
- What can Paramount+ do that The Roku Channel cannot?
- Paramount+ covers Streaming, Live sports, CBS shows, Nickelodeon. 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
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.
Related pages
More on The Roku Channel
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