What Is Roku?

Roku is one of the most popular brands in the digital media player industry. Its streaming devices have helped shape the way we now consume video content. But Roku is more than just a device. It’s also an operating system, an advertising platform, and a production company.

Jump to:

• How to use Roku
• Roku devices
• Roku vs. the competition
• Roku’s open platform

What is Roku?

The Roku streaming player is an open-source platform available to developers and content providers alike. It offers more than 1,200 channels of entertainment ranging from movies and television shows, a world of professional and amateur sports, outdoors and fitness programs, religious and spirituality offerings, and tons of family and children’s entertainment, including games.

The Roku media player leverages your high-speed internet connection to access thousands of hours of premium, hybrid, and free content and presents it in an easy-to-use format that makes navigation as simple as pressing a couple of buttons and arrow keys.

When you combine Roku with your cable subscription, you have the world at your fingertips.

How Roku works

You can purchase a Roku media player from any big box store or online. Every Roku model is different, but the setup process is simple no matter which one you buy.

Within minutes of unpacking the box, you can be watching your favorite movie, streaming news from around the world, playing ridiculously fun games, and possibly discovering something awesome you didn’t know existed five minutes earlier.

A Roku device itself can’t replace traditional cable and satellite TV service. But it works best as a TV supplement with access to more than 1,200 channels of extra content. Roku users will find easy access to on-demand content, pay-per-view and subscription sports services like NBA League Pass and MLB.TV, and the deepest collection of fresh and never-before-seen programming from innovative creators and developers.

Roku devices

Roku streaming players

The Roku streaming player comes in three distinct models.

• Roku Express: This entry-level media player offers video resolution as high as 1080p HD with wireless internet connectivity. It works on virtually any HD TV with an HDMI cable. The Roku Express retails for $29.99.
• Roku Streaming Stick 4K: The latest mid-level product from Roku is the Streaming Stick 4K which retails for $49.99. This compact device plugs directly into the HDMI port on your HD TV and includes 4K video resolution with long-range Wi-Fi. It boots up fast and comes with a voice remote with basic TV controls.
• Roku Ultra: This is Roku’s high-end streaming media player, which retails for $99.99. It has an Ethernet slot for faster internet speeds, comes with headphones that plug into the remote for private listening, and offers Bluetooth connectivity. There’s a lot more to the Roku Ultra, which is why it tops our Best Streaming TV Devices guide.

Roku TV

Since 2014, the Roku operating system has been available on smart TVs manufactured by companies like TCL, Hisense, and Philips. However, as of 2023, you can also buy smart TVs built by Roku. The company offers three series of TVs exclusively at Best Buy: Roku Select Series HD, Roku Select Series 4K, and Roku Plus Series 4K.

Roku vs. the competition

No media player can quite keep up with what a cable or satellite subscription offers, but no media player in the industry offers anywhere near the number of channels available on Roku.

Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Chromecast are other popular streaming media players in the marketplace, and each offers something a little different from Roku. They all offer the ability to tap into the most popular entertainment sources for movies, news, television shows, sports, and weather.

Apple TV and Google TV are available through other sources like select Blu-ray players and Smart TVs. Though, Roku is also available through several different brands of Smart TVs through its Roku TV deals with the likes of TV brands such as Westinghouse, Hitachi, and Magnavox. Roku TV gives consumers the power of Roku without the need to purchase a separate media player.

Roku’s open platform

The open platform approach makes Roku distinct in the streaming media player marketplace. Its freely-distributed software developer kit (SDK) allows anyone to create their own Roku channel. This has attracted some of the largest content owners and media companies, including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu + Live TV, Max, Pandora, and Spotify.

Its real strength since its inception, however, has been its ability to appeal to smaller media companies seeking a larger audience at a fraction of the cost of starting a cable or premium channel. This has given Roku users access to some of the most interesting and unique content available anywhere in the world.

Is Roku worth it?

If you’re considering enhancing the current offerings of your traditional cable or satellite TV provider, Roku will serve as a great set-top streaming media player. Its sheer volume of entertainment options makes it one of the best values in the streaming media-player marketplace, and its open-source platform ensures continued access to leading-edge content creators.

What Is Roku? FAQ

Methodology

At CableTV.com, we spend every day scouring the web for the best deals and the most up-to-date information on streaming services and devices. For more information on our process, check out How We Rank.

Disclaimer

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.