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Entertainment · head to head

Roku vs The Roku Channel

Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: 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); 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: Roku covers Streaming aggregation, 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 Roku and The Roku Channel actually diverge.

Attributes where Roku and The Roku Channel differ
AttributeRokuThe Roku Channel
Pricing modelfreemiumFree, ad-supported; individual paid channel add-ons
PlatformsRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, AndroidRoku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Roku

  • Streaming aggregation
  • Free content
  • Voice search
  • Private listening
  • All major streaming apps
  • Smart home
  • PIN protection
  • Parental controls

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.

Roku

  • TV streamingnot The Roku Channel
  • Content discoverynot The Roku Channel
  • Free entertainmentnot The Roku Channel

The Roku Channel

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

Where each one falls short

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

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)

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

Roku

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

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 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

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 Roku or The Roku Channel better?
Neither clearly leads. Roku starts at Free and The Roku Channel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Roku or The Roku Channel?
Roku starts at Free and The Roku Channel at Free.
Does Roku or The Roku Channel run on more platforms?
Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android. The Roku Channel runs on Roku, iOS, Android, Web, Fire TV, Apple TV.
Can I use Roku for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Roku best used for?
Roku is most often used for tv streaming, content discovery, free entertainment. Of those, tv streaming and content discovery are not what The Roku Channel is typically brought in for.
What can Roku do that The Roku Channel cannot?
Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening. 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.

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