Buying guide for Best Roku devices
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If you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to explore and enjoy the world of streaming entertainment, there are few better choices than a Roku device. They easily connect to most TVs, they’re small, and they’re affordable. Roku boxes and streaming sticks can connect you to top streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, Prime Video, HBO Max, and Apple TV+ as well as a slew of specialized channels.
Getting your TV via streaming used to be quite a bit cheaper than subscribing to a cable package. The costs have risen, with each streaming service charging for their content separately, but you can usually suspend, unsubscribe, and resubscribe to a streaming service quite easily. There’s plenty of free ad-supported programming available via streaming as well.
If you own an older Roku device, it might be worth upgrading to take advantage of newer features such as 4K compatibility and improved WiFi connectivity. Some models now come with the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which offers voice control, headphone jack, and rechargeable batteries — an update that, based on our testing, we recommend for every compatible Roku device. Roku even has soundbars that double as streaming devices.
We think the Roku Ultra is the top-of-the-line Roku device available. It offers 4K compatibility, the company’s best WiFi connectivity, its newest remote, and the ability to connect to a wired network. For 4K content and a voice-capable remote, the Roku Express 4K+ delivers a lot of value for the money.
Editors' picks for 2025
Roku Ultra (with Voice Remote Pro)
Editors' Favorite
Among Roku’s streaming devices, the Roku Ultra offers the most features. The most important of these is probably its Ethernet port. This allows the Roku Ultra to connect via an Ethernet cable to your internet router, providing connection speeds at the top range of what your setup can offer. Although Wi-Fi is usually reliable, it’s still not as fast or stable as wired networking. However, Ultra’s Wi-Fi also supports enhancements that make media streaming faster and more reliable than wireless.
Picture-wise, the Ultra supports 4K content with HDR10+ and the additional standard of Dolby Vision. It also supports Bluetooth for connecting wireless headphones or speakers, a USB port for playing your own media, and Dolby Atmos for 3D audio. It comes with the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which adds a headphone jack for wired headphones, customizable shortcut buttons, a rechargeable built-in battery, and a handy lost-remote finder.
Roku Express 4K+
Great Value
If you have a bigger TV, especially one with 4K resolution, you might consider the Roku Express 4K+. It’s a more advanced model than the Express that supports 4K content, which can show an image four times as sharp and detailed as 1080p. 4K resolution is becoming prevalent among TVs of 50-plus inches. And a lot of movies and TV shows on major streaming services like Disney+ and Paramount+ now come in 4K.
The Express 4K+ supports HDR10 (high dynamic range) picture quality. Like the Express, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi (both 2.5 and 5 gigahertz Wi-Fi bands) for fast and reliable connections, even with plenty of other devices. It comes with the Roku Voice Remote, which allows you to search for a program by simply saying your request. It also has buttons to control your TV so you don’t need multiple remotes.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025
Top Pick
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 continues the evolution of Roku's most portable line. This tiny gadget plugs into any TV's HDMI port and delivers 4K HD video and HDR images without even needing a power adapter, making it ideal for travelers who want their own accounts and streaming channels on the road.
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 is smaller and slimmer than previous generations of Roku Streaming Stick, measuring less than 4 inches long and 0.8 inches wide. This design allows it to fit in more TVs without blocking or being blocked by any other HDMI cables or devices, which is perfect for hotel TVs. The new design also allows the Streaming Stick Plus 2025 to draw sufficient power solely from a TV's USB port, negating a need for a power cord or power adapter.
The Streaming Stick Plus 2025 is capable of playing 4K video from any streaming service, from Netflix to HBO Max to DisneyPlus and Apple TV+. It supports HDR10+ for brighter, more detailed images. With its included Roku Voice Remote, it can search for content by voice alone and also control most TVs directly.
Roku Streaming Stick 2025
Best for HD (Non-4K) TVs
One of the best new bargains among Roku's lineup is the Roku Streaming Stick 2025. This HD streaming stick, like its Plus counterpart, is one of the smallest and most portable Roku devices yet released.
The Streaming Stick 2025 is HD only, maxing at 1080p, and doesn't support HDR. This is plenty for most people and more than enough for TVs less than 50 inches wide. Any 4K HDR content it receives from streamers like Netflix, Prime or DisneyPlus will automatically display at 1080p, so there's no work on the part of the user. It comes with the Roku Voice Remote for voice-activated searching as well.
The Roku Streaming Stick 2025 has the same dimensions as the Streaming Stick Plus 2025 and fits into almost any HDMI port regardless of port configuration, which means it’s great for hotel TVs. The Streaming Stick 2025 doesn't need a power adapter, as it’s able to run solely from the current provided by a TV's USB port.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
While the Express and Ultra models are pretty small and lightweight, the Roku Streaming Stick goes one better: It’s 3.7 inches long and plugs directly into a TV’s HDMI port. Lacking a footprint, it’s practically invisible. It can even power itself from a USB port if there’s no wall socket handy.
The Streaming Stick 4K is super-portable and great for travel. It supports 4K video and HDR10+ and Dolby Vision standards for picture contrast and quality. What’s more, it boasts Wi-Fi specially suited to long ranges and weak signals.
The Streaming Stick comes with the Roku Voice Remote so you can control your TV and use speech to search for movies and shows. The Streaming Stick 4K lacks Dolby Atmos or any way to connect speakers or headphones, though, so if you want to use headphones, you’ll have to use the Roku app. Still, its design and picture quality make it a great model to consider — especially for road warriors.
Roku Express
The Roku Express is the basic Roku streaming box. It’s a small, unobtrusive device that sits near your TV and connects via an included HDMI cable. It streams video in HD resolution up to 1080p — suitable for any TV under 40 inches — and connects to the internet over Wi-Fi.
With its small size and low cost, the Express is a great way to watch streaming channels or add streaming to a second or third TV.
In our testing, we found the Roku OS and interface, with its colorful grid of channels and viral-hit screensaver, easy to understand and navigate. We found the Roku remote, a small and comfortable device with far fewer buttons than many other remotes, to be simple yet powerful and easy to learn. The basic Roku remote that comes with the Express doesn’t have volume or channel controls, though, so it can’t control your TV like more advanced Roku remotes.
Roku TVs
If you’re in the market for a TV, you have the choice of buying a TV with Roku’s streaming system built in. Roku TVs come from several affordable brands and use the Roku OS as a platform for all their functions, including live over-the-air TV, cable and the different inputs.
You do give up the ability to change Roku hardware often, and you might still want a Roku streaming stick for travel. But Roku TVs get software updates as frequently as standalone Roku devices do, and they’re extremely convenient for anyone who wants a low-cost, full-featured smart TV.
Other Roku devices
Other models, like the Express 4K, the Roku Premiere and Premiere Plus and the Ultra LT can still be found. But generally speaking, they’ve been replaced by the main models we’ve mentioned.
The Ultra LT shares a lot with the top-notch Ultra, especially its Ethernet port and internal specs, but it lacks a USB port and doesn’t come with the Voice Remote Pro. If you know you don’t need those capabilities, it may be worth saving $20 over the Ultra.
How we tested
After researching what each Roku device offers, we tested the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ to see how it did in the following areas.
Ease of use
- Setup: We tested the entire setup process, from opening the package to plugging in the devices to setting up a user account and logging into streaming channels.
- Remote control: The Roku remote is a major part of the Roku system. We tested how easy and intuitive it was to use and how simple it was to link to a TV for volume and other functions.
- Interface: We evaluated the Roku OS interface and how clear or obvious it was to do things like pick a streaming service, search for specific titles and change settings. We noted any stutters, hangs, or crashes we experienced with the interface.
Quality
- Picture quality: We paid close attention to the picture quality a Roku could deliver to our TV, including 4K content, smoothness, clarity, contrast, and color.
- Streaming apps: We tested several of the most popular streaming apps, such as Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+, and HBO Max, to see how quickly they loaded and how well they performed on the Roku platform.
Advanced features
- Private listening: We checked Roku’s ability to stream audio via the Roku app for smartphones in sync with whatever we were watching onscreen.
- Smart assistants: We tested how well Roku interacts with smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant.
FAQ
Q. Which is better: Firestick or Roku?
A. The Amazon Firestick resembles the Roku Streaming Stick in many ways, and both make it easy to add streaming capability to your TV. We found in our testing of a Roku streaming stick that the Roku’s interface was easier to use than the Firestick, with a lot less advertising. What’s more, the Roku platform has thousands of available channels, whereas the Firestick has several hundred.
Q. Is there a monthly fee for Roku?
A. Having a Roku account is free, as is viewing Roku’s free channels like Pluto TV and its own Roku Channel. However, you would have to pay separate subscription fees to access popular streaming channels such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max, Sling TV, Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
Q. Can you get ABC, NBC and CBS on Roku?
A. The main U.S. television networks — ABC, NBC, and CBS — don’t have their standard programming on Roku. Instead, you can access them via cable or for free over the air with an antenna.
The networks do have free streaming news channels, including local news, on the Roku Channel and other free services like Pluto TV. Many of their shows are also available on their related streaming channels, Disney+, Peacock, and Paramount+ as well as Hulu. However, those usually require subscription fees.
