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Entertainment · head to head

Roku vs Stellarium

Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stellarium logo

Stellarium

Education

Free open source desktop planetarium software, distinct from the paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app

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); Stellarium it is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.
  • They diverge on capability: Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Roku and Stellarium actually diverge.

Attributes where Roku and Stellarium differ
AttributeRokuStellarium
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryEntertainmentEducation
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Stellarium

  • Photorealistic sky rendering
  • Large object catalogue
  • Telescope control
  • Scripting engine
  • Free and open source
  • Plugin ecosystem

What people use each for

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

Roku

  • TV streamingnot Stellarium
  • Content discoverynot Stellarium
  • Free entertainmentnot Stellarium

Stellarium

  • A student or educator wanting a serious, scriptable planetarium tool without a budget line itemnot Roku
  • An amateur astronomer wanting telescope control from desktop software they can inspect and modifynot Roku
  • Someone running a planetarium display or public astronomy event on a scripted shownot Roku
  • A hobbyist who wants a large object catalogue without paying a subscription, and does not need a phone appnot 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)

Stellarium

  • It is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.
  • As a volunteer-maintained open source project, support is community-based rather than a guaranteed commercial help desk.
  • The interface, while capable, is less immediately intuitive for a first-time user than a polished commercial phone app.
  • Telescope control and some advanced plugins require additional setup that a non-technical user may find fiddly.
  • Because it shares a name with the unrelated paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app, buyers researching pricing online can easily conflate the two products.

Pricing, plan by plan

Roku

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

Stellarium

Free
  • Stellarium DesktopFree
    • Full software, GPL licensed
    • No account, ads or subscription
    • Community-developed plugins

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 Stellarium if

  • You need photorealistic sky rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large object catalogue.
Stellarium review

Questions people ask

Is Roku or Stellarium better?
Neither clearly leads. Roku starts at Free and Stellarium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Roku or Stellarium?
Roku starts at Free and Stellarium at Free.
Does Roku or Stellarium run on more platforms?
Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android. Stellarium runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Stellarium is typically brought in for.
What can Roku do that Stellarium cannot?
Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening. Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering, Large object catalogue, Telescope control, Scripting engine.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stellarium: Is Stellarium really free?

The desktop software is free and open source under the GPL licence. The separate mobile app, Stellarium Mobile Plus, is a different paid product.

Stellarium: Is the mobile app made by the same team?

No. Stellarium Mobile Plus is built by Noctua Software, a different company, and is sold on subscription.

Stellarium: What platforms does the free version run on?

Windows, macOS and Linux desktop.

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