The Roku Channel
Free movies, shows, and live TV on web and devices—no Roku hardware required in many regions.
Quick facts
- Price model
- Free
- Starting price
- Free (ads)
- Best for
- Free live channels · Movie night on a budget · Web and Roku TV viewing
- Replaces
- Cable news bundles, Background streaming subs
- Platforms
- WebiOSAndroidMacWindows
- Last verified
- 2026-06-22
Why it's listed
Works beyond Roku hardware—official site and app-store installs only.
The Roku Channel offers ad-supported movies, TV series, and live news and entertainment channels. Watch in a browser at therokuchannel.roku.com or through official Roku and smart TV apps. A solid free layer alongside Tubi, Pluto, and library apps.
The catch
Catalog varies by country; paid rentals inside the app are optional—stay in free sections.
Good fit for
- Roku households
- Browser-based free TV
Not ideal for
- Premium original chasers
Alternatives
Tubi
Fox-owned free streaming with a massive library of movies and TV—ads, no subscription.
Replaces: Background cable packages, Cheap paid streamers
Pluto TV
Paramount-owned free TV with hundreds of live curated channels plus on-demand movies.
Replaces: Live TV streaming bundles, Cable
Xumo Play
Free live TV channels and on-demand titles from Comcast's Xumo platform.
Replaces: Live TV streaming bundles, Cable-lite packages
Streaming Rotation Strategy
Subscribe to one streaming service at a time, binge what you want, then switch.
Replaces: Paying for Netflix, Disney+, HBO, and Apple TV+ all at once