50 Best Streaming Services on Roku

cord-cutting › best streaming service on roku • May 13, 2024 • The Staff

The first step to cutting the cord is getting a good streaming device, and you've done just that.

Getting a Roku device is only the beginning, there are so many great streaming services that you can subscribe to that will unlock the full potential of your device.

Some Roku streaming services give you a free trial, but many don't. In this list, we have ranked every streaming service on the stick. We have also specified which services offer a free trial, how much each costs and for the cord-cutting services what kind of channel line-up they offer.

Row8

Like Vudu and Amazon, Row8 is a video rental service that gives users access to films that are currently screening in theaters and have yet to be available online. But perhaps unlike other rental services, Row8 prioritizes quality for quantity; it doesn't have as many titles, but it carefully curates its updated lineup, which is generally compromised of Hollywood blockbusters, indie darlings, and even some foreign films. The most interesting thing about Row8, though, is its "Movie Love Guarantee," which allows you to swap whatever movie you've rented or purchased for a different title within the first 30 minutes of viewing. This is to make sure that whatever you're watching, you're having a good time. Another nifty cost-saving feature? Upon your fourth rental or purchase, you get $1 off on all movies labeled "Home Cinema." It's worth checking out if you like watching the latest releases while saving a pretty penny.

Go to Row8

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Android, Apple TV, Google TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Vizio Smart TV

Revry

Revry is a streaming service for LGBTQ+ content. It offers a free selection, consisting especially of four "channels" that play their content back to back: Revry One, Revry Her, Revry News, Revry Latinx, and Revry Brasil. They also have a premium subscription that allows you to access more on-demand movies and shows.

Go to Revry

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Website

RetroCrush

RetroCrush is a free streaming platform fully dedicated to vintage anime. If you're a hardcore fan in desperate search of a discontinued series, a 90s classic, or an obscure show that practically no one has heard of, chances are you'll find all of what you're looking for and more in this treasure trove of a platform. RetroCrush gives you access to a number of shows without charge, but if you want to stream even more titles ad-free, you can opt to sign up for a premium account that costs $4.99 a month, with a free 14-day-trial.

Go to RetroCrush

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, iOS, Roku, Website

Redbox

No longer just a physical DVD kiosk, Redbox has expanded to become an online space where you can rent and purchase films and TV shows as well as watch live channels for free. Like Vudu and Amazon Prime, Redbox gives you access to a plethora of movies, including fan favorites and indie gems (these can cost anywhere from $2 to $5) and movies currently screening in cinemas (these usually cost more, around $20). Redbox also has a live TV streaming feature that you can access even without a registered account. Although most of the channels are not that notable, they cover the essential categories: news, sports, and entertainment.

Go to Redbox

Price: free for 18 channels available

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG, LG Smart TV, LG TV, Roku, Samsung, Vizio, Vizio TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: America's Test Kitchen, beIN Sports Extra, Billiard TV, Bloomberg, CBC News, Cheddar, Family Feud TV, Glory Kickboxing, Hard Knocks, Johnny Carson TV, Now This News, Outdoor America, Pac-12 Insider, Scripps News, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, Vogue TV, World Poker Tour

Rakuten TV

Rakuten TV (previously wuaki) is a Japanese-owned online streaming service that provides access to movies and TV shows—a heady mix of high-profile and independent media—either for a subscription fee or a rental fee.

Currently, it's only available in Japan and select countries in Europe, so if you're in the area and want a streaming service similar to Netflix, then this is for you. Launched in 2009, Rakuten TV offers subscriptions for $4.99/month for ad-supported content and $9.99/month for an ad-free plus pass.

Go to Rakuten TV

Price: $4.99/month

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Chromecast, iOS, Website, Xbox One

Play

Google Play Movies & TV, or simply Play, is a video-on-demand store that allows you to rent or purchase various films and TV shows online. A rental can cost as low as $1 (these are usually TV movies and old films) while purchases can cost up to $20 (these are often blockbusters that are fresh from theaters). Play lets you watch on most major streaming devices, but you have to remember to log in with the same account you used to purchase the titles. On your smartphone, you can access the titles via the Google TV or YouTube app, while on your smart TV, you can use access them via the Play, YouTube, or Movies Anywhere apps. You can also watch them via the Play website but do take note that Play doesn't offer HD and 4k viewing on PCs.

Go to Play

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Chromecast, Google TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Website

Peacock Premium Plus

Peacock Premium Plus is the highest streaming tier Peacock offers, but it's still one of the cheapest packages you'll find right now. For just $12/month, you get access to a vast selection of TV shows (many from NBC and Bravo), movies, live channels, and of course, sports.

Premium Plus subscribers also get offline downloads, ad-free viewing, and access to their local NBC channel.

Go to Peacock Premium Plus

Price: $11.99/month

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Visio TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: 80’s Mixtape, American Greed, Caso Cerrado, CNBC Ka-Ching, CNBC Make It, D&D Live, Fail Army, Fallon Tonight, Food52, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, Hell’s Kitchen, In It To Win It, Kiss Me Deadly, Laugh Here, NatureVision TV, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Sports on Peacock, Office Shorts, Olympic Channel, Out of This World, Peacock Reality, People Are Awesome, Saved by the Bell, Seth Meyers Now, Sky News, SNL Vault, Telemundo Series, The Choice, The Pet Collective, The Rotten Tomatoes Channel, TODAY All Day, True Crime, Unsolved Mysteries, USGA, Weather Spy, WWE Network

Peacock AMEX bundle

If you're a carrier of the American Express Platinum Card, you'll be happy to know that you can get up to $20 in statement credits each month if you purchase a Peacock subscription using your card. Peacock has two plans: Premium, which costs $5.99/month and gives you access to NBC and Bravo shows, Peacock originals, sporting events, and live channels, Premium Plus, which costs $11.99/month. Plus has everything Premium has plus your local NBC channel, offline downloads, and zero ads.

To get the Peacock and AMEX bundle, the rules are simple: you have to sign up directly on Peacock's website without using a third-party app or e-wallet, and you have to sign up for a standalone subscription. In other words, it shouldn't be part of a cable or other streaming service bundle. You'll also have to enroll your card on the AMEX website. Once all that's done, you can start getting your monthly $20 credit (or annual $240 credit). Just be sure to check that it's there; if it's still not posted 8 weeks after the date of purchase, you should call the number on the back of your card.

Go to Peacock AMEX bundle

Price: $5.99/month

Device availability: Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Visio TV, Xbox

PBS App

PBS channels around the country are free on television, and thanks to the PBS app, they're now free to stream as well. The PBS app gives you on-demand access to many of the network's famously educational shows, including Nova and PBS News Hour, as well as the nearest local station in your area. You don't need an account to start watching on the PBS app, although you might have to activate it beforehand. Again, PBS is free, but if you want to support your local PBS station and gain extended access to even more films and TV shows, then you can purchase a PBS Passport membership, which costs around $5/month or $60/year.

Go to PBS App

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire Tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Comcast, iOS, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Vizio

Pantaflix

Pantaflix is an internet-based, video-on-demand service that lets you pick and watch what you want among its wide variety of offers, which includes films, documentaries, TV shows, and children’s entertainment. This is for the viewer who wants to stream but would rather rent individual content rather than pay for a full-blown subscription. Pantaflix boasts no commitments and guarantees easy access to content you like. The service was launched in Germany in 2016.

Go to Pantaflix

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG, Medion/Vestel, Panasonic, Samsung Smart TV, Website

< 1 … 5

Row8

Revry

RetroCrush

Redbox

Rakuten TV

Play

Peacock Premium Plus

Peacock AMEX bundle

PBS App

Pantaflix

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