Howdy vs The Roku Channel: Is $2.99 Worth It
By The Spool Editors · Published September 17, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026
Roku runs two streaming services and one of them is free, which makes the paid one a strange proposition until you understand what you are buying. Howdy is $2.99 a month and its entire pitch is that nothing in it has ads. The Roku Channel costs nothing and is built on ads. Here is what the three dollars actually gets you.
At a Glance
| Howdy | The Roku Channel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99/mo | Free |
| Ads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live channels | ✗ | Hundreds |
| On-demand hours | 10,000+ | Large library |
| Roku device required | ✗ | ✗ |
| On Prime Video Channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Originals | ✗ | Roku Originals |
| Account required | ✓ | Optional |
| Kids content | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cancel any time | ✓ | n/a |
Which One Is Right for You
The Plans That Actually Compete
Howdy has one price. The Roku Channel is free, with paid services sold inside it. Here is how each is structured.
Howdy
The Roku Channel
Price Breakdown & Hike History
Howdy is $2.99 a month with no annual option and no ad-supported tier, because being ad-free is the product. The Roku Channel is free. The only money that changes hands there is for premium subscriptions sold inside the app, Howdy among them.
Howdy: Howdy launched in August 2025 at $2.99 a month and has not raised the price since.
The Roku Channel: Free since launch. Roku monetises it with ads and with premium subscriptions sold inside the app.
What You Actually Get
Howdy holds several thousand licensed movies and series, more than 10,000 hours in total, with no advertising and no original programming. The Roku Channel runs hundreds of free ad-supported live channels alongside a large on-demand catalogue, plus Roku Originals, and acts as a storefront for other subscriptions.
You Do Not Need a Roku for Either
Both are commonly assumed to be locked to Roku hardware and neither is. The Roku Channel runs on the web, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung sets and mobile. Howdy runs on Roku devices, howdy.tv, its own mobile app and, since March 2026, Prime Video Channels, which is how most people now find it.
The Features That Decide It
| Feature | Howdy | The Roku Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.99/mo | Free/mo |
| Free trial | Occasional promos | Not needed, it is free |
| Cloud DVR | None, on-demand only | None |
| Simultaneous streams | Not published | Not published |
| Accounts / profiles | Roku account or Prime Video Channels | Free Roku account |
| 4K | Select titles | Select titles |
Add-Ons & Hidden Costs
Howdy add-ons: . Howdy is itself an add-on in two storefronts, The Roku Channel and Prime Video Channels.
The Roku Channel add-ons: Howdy, Max, Paramount+, STARZ, and AMC+. The Roku Channel sells Max, Paramount+, STARZ, AMC+ and Howdy inside the app, billed by Roku.
How to Try Each One Free
Neither runs a conventional free trial. The Roku Channel does not need one. Howdy appears in promotional offers from time to time, usually through Prime Video Channels, and at $2.99 a single month is a cheap enough test that waiting for a deal rarely pays.
The Cheapest Way to Get What You Want
Start with The Roku Channel, since it costs nothing, and see how much the advertising bothers you. If you find yourself skipping titles because of the ad breaks, $2.99 for Howdy is the smallest upgrade available in streaming. Running both is still under three dollars a month.
What Changed Recently
- March 24, 2026: Howdy launched on Prime Video Channels, which now drives most of its signups.
- August 2025: Roku launched Howdy at $2.99 a month with no advertising.
Howdy vs The Roku Channel FAQ
- What is Howdy?
- A $2.99 a month ad-free streaming service from Roku, launched in August 2025. It holds more than 10,000 hours of licensed movies and series, with no advertising and no original programming.
- Is Howdy included with The Roku Channel?
- No. The Roku Channel is free and ad-supported. Howdy is a separate paid subscription that Roku sells inside The Roku Channel, and also through Prime Video Channels and the Howdy app.
- Do I need a Roku device to watch Howdy?
- No. Howdy works on Roku devices, at howdy.tv, in the Howdy mobile app and through Prime Video Channels, which Roku added in March 2026.
- Does Howdy have live channels?
- No. Howdy is on-demand only. For free live channels you want The Roku Channel, which carries hundreds of them at no cost.
Howdy vs The Roku Channel: The Verdict
Howdy is the cheapest ad-free subscription in American streaming, and that is the whole product. Around 10,000 hours of licensed film and television, no ads, no originals, no live TV, for less than a coffee. The Roku Channel has more content and more variety, including hundreds of free live channels and Roku's own originals, and it costs nothing, but you sit through advertising to watch any of it. These are not really competitors. The honest framing is that Howdy is what you add when the ad load on free streaming starts to wear you down, and at $2.99 that is an easy yes for a lot of households.
Last updated: October 8, 2026