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Does Roku charge a monthly fee, or is it free? If, like many people before you, want to get the most out this top streaming device, then you’re in the right place!
Roku monthly fees are a myth because the company doesn’t charge a monthly subscription fee for a device you have already bought. But many streaming platforms you can watch using Roku carry a monthly fee.
Don’t let the numbers bog you. In this post, we’ll walk you through how much you’d be set back financially when you opt to be entertained using a Roku device, so you better read up.
How much is a Roku device?
The prices of Roku devices will vary depending on their model since many carry different features to offer. With such variety, you’ll be sure to find the Roku device that will fit your entertainment needs within the budget range that works for you.
Since several Roku device models are available in the market, it’s best to compare their features and capabilities to pick the one that suits you. As such, we’ve created a table listing all the Roku devices, their notable features, and retail prices.
With this, you can see if a feature-rich Roku device is suitable for you or if a more affordable option is right up your alley. In short, the table below should get you going.
| Image Quality | Supported Audio | Networking | Remote Control | RAM | Price | |
| Roku Express | 1080p HD with 720p upscaling | Digital stereo over HDMI; DTS Digital Surround | Fast WiFi | Roku Simple Remote (IR) | 512 MB | $29.99 |
| Roku Express 4K | HDR10/10+; HLG; 4K 60fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling | Digital stereo over HDMI; DTS Digital Surround | Fast WiFi | Roku Voice Remote with TV power, mute, and volume buttons | 1 GB | $39.99 |
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K | HDR10/10+; HLG; 4K 60fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling; Dolby Vision | Digital stereo over HDMI; DTS Digital Surround | Fast and Long-range WiFi | Roku Voice Remote with TV power, mute, and volume buttons | 1 GB | $49.99 |
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ | HDR10/10+; HLG; 4K 60fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling; Dolby Vision | Digital stereo over HDMI; DTS Digital Surround | Fast and Long-range WiFi | Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro | 1 GB | $69.99 |
| Roku Ultra | HDR10/10+; HLG; 4K 60fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling; Dolby Vision | Digital stereo over HDMI; DTS Digital Surround; Dolby Atmos | Best WiFi and Ethernet | Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro | 2 GB | $99.99 |
| Roku Streambar | HDR10; 4K 60 fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling | PCM Dolby Audio; built-in speaker with 4 1.9” full-range drivers | Best WiFi and Ethernet | Roku Voice Remote with TV power, mute, and volume buttons | 1 GB | $129.99 |
| Roku Streambar Pro | HDR10; 4K 60fps with 1080p and 720p upscaling; 1080p HD with 720p upscaling | PCM Dolby Audio; built-in speaker with 4 2.5” full-range drivers | Best WiFi and Ethernet | Roku Voice Remote with TV power, mute, and volume buttons; personal shortcuts; headphone jack | 1 GB | $179.99 |
Now, don’t get us wrong. Roku TV is a totally different animal than Roku streaming devices as the former is a Roku-enabled smart TV; the latter is a streaming device (just like Chromecast and FireStick) you can connect to a smart/non-smart TV.
If you’re in the market for a Roku TV, you can head to the Roku product page for a list of available models and their prices instead. Roku TV prices are harder to compile in one list since over 10 TV brands have licenses to Roku TVs.
We recommend checking online stores like Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Walmart, and Target. You can shop in these stores for Roku TVs from Element, Hisense, JVC, Magnavox, Onn, Philips, RCA, Roku, Sanyo, Sharp, TCL, and Westinghouse.
Is there a monthly subscription fee for using a Roku device?
Straight off the bat, know there’s no Roku monthly fee for using any of their current and discontinued devices. Roku TVs, streaming players, and soundbars require only a one-time purchase, meaning you have full ownership of these devices.
As such, you can continue using your Roku device without paying a monthly fee or buying a separate subscription plan. Unfortunately, the same thing can’t be said about the premium streaming apps you might deploy (e.g., Netflix, Disney+).
These streaming apps require you to purchase a subscription plan before accessing their content on your Roku device. After all, the services offered by these streaming apps are separate from the streaming devices that Roku sells.
You can think of apps like Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, etc., as mere add-ons since they do not need your Roku device to function. The free live channels that Roku gives you should be enough if you’re not willing to spend money for extra content.
The only reason we would recommend getting a subscription for a premium streaming app is if there’s exclusive content that you want to watch.
Otherwise, you can find different content that will satisfy your entertainment needs from the free Roku channels.
Why is Roku charging me?
As mentioned earlier, using any Roku device is free once you’ve paid for its one-time purchase, but some streaming apps may require a monthly subscription fee.
Subscribing to these premium apps is the only reason that you’ll be charged a Roku monthly fee. So it should be perfectly clear in your mind that it’s the services when using your Roku that rack up monthly fees and not the Roku device itself.
Once a subscription plan has been purchased for a premium streaming app, your Roku account will be charged using the payment method selected on your billing information.
| NOTICE: Check the list of active subscriptions on the manage subscription page of your Roku account’s official website. Manage your subscriptions if you want to make some changes or if you want to stop it entirely. |
Thus, we recommend checking your Roku account to see if you have an active subscription.
You’ll need to turn off auto-renew on your active subscription to stop Roku from charging you for a new plan after the current one expires. Please refer to the instructions below for canceling your premium subscriptions on your Roku device.
How does one cancel a premium subscription plan on Roku?
Canceling a premium subscription plan is the best way to stop being automatically charged a Roku monthly fee. You can cancel the active premium subscriptions on your Roku device from the channel menu or on their official website.
If you want to cancel your active subscription plans from the Roku website, you can do it on your smartphone, laptop, or computer. Doing so will not disable your current plan with your streaming apps, but will stop it from being renewed after it expires.
As such, you can continue using your premium streaming apps until the date it’s set to expire. This action simply cancels the automatic renewal of your subscription plans to prevent Roku from billing your account every month.
Use the Roku device’s menu to cancel your premium subscription plan.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 7 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Roku remote controlA working internet connection |
Step 1: Press home on your Roku device’s remote control to proceed to its home screen. |
Step 2: Scroll right to the Roku device’s channel list and navigate it to highlight your desired streaming app. |
Step 3: Press options on your Roku device’s remote control while your desired streaming app is highlighted to load the channel’s information. |
Step 4: Scroll up and click Manage Subscription to change the app’s subscription settings. |
Step 5: Click Cancel Subscription to end your subscription plan with the app. |
Step 6: Click Done to exit once the cancellation process is complete. |
| Step 7: Repeat steps 2 to 6 until you’ve canceled the premium subscription plans on all your desired apps. |
Use your Roku account to cancel your active premium subscription plans.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 40 seconds |
| Things Needed | A smartphone or PCA working internet connection |
Step 1: Use a web browser on your smartphone or PC to visit the official Roku web page. |
Step 2: Click the “Sign in” button on the upper-right corner of the page and log in using your Roku account credentials if you aren’t signed in yet. Note: Skip this step if this isn’t your first time visiting the official Roku web page and your account is already signed in. |
Step 3: Click the profile icon and select My Account to open your account page. |
Step 4: Click “Manage your subscriptions.”  |
Step 5: Click the “Manage subscription” button beside your desired app. |
Step 6: Set to “Turn off auto-renew” and click the Confirm changes button below to apply your desired action. |
Step 7: Click Continue to proceed. |
| Step 8: Repeat steps 5 to 7 until you’ve canceled the premium subscription plans on all your desired apps. |
That certainly looks like a tall order but it’s a must if you’re really keen about cancelling streaming services under Roku. Note that there are goodies for everyone in terms of streaming choices so it’s just a matter of finding suitable channels.
What are the prices for using Roku channels?
The prices of subscription plans on Roku channels will vary depending on the service and the type of plan you’re paying for.
With that said, know that premium streaming apps or channels on Roku offer affordable subscription plans if the higher-tier ones aren’t in your budget range.
Alternatively, you can also use free Roku channels, so you don’t have to worry about being charged a monthly subscription fee.
Paid Roku Channels
Since Roku devices offer the most extensive library of streaming apps, you can expect to find the most popular streaming platforms here.
Below is a rundown of the most popular paid Roku channels or streaming apps, along with the prices for their subscription plans.
1. Netflix – Netflix is one of the best, if not the best, streaming services in the market. With their vast selection of hit TV series and movies, you can always count on Netflix to hit the home run with another successful exclusive program.
| Subscription Plan | Inclusion | Price |
| Standard (with ads) | Limited ad-supported movies and TV shows at Full HD quality Unlimited mobile games Supports 2 devices | $6.99 per month |
| Basic | Unlimited ad-free movies and TV shows in HD Unlimited mobile games Supports 1 device | $9.99 per month |
| Standard | Unlimited ad-free movies and TV shows in Full HD Unlimited mobile games Supports 2 devices with an option to add 1 user outside your household Download support on 2 devices | $15.49 per month |
| Premium | Unlimited ad-free movies and TV shows in Ultra HD Unlimited mobile games Supports 4 devices with an option to add 2 users outside your household Download support on 6 devices Netflix spatial audio support | $19.99 per month |
2. Disney+ – The Disney+ app is your gateway to the “House of Mouse” on your Roku device. With this, you can access beloved Disney TV shows and movies, including those from popular franchises like Marvel and Star Wars.
| Subscription Plan | Inclusion | Price |
| Disney+ Basic (with ads) | Thousands of ad-supported Disney TV shows and movies Up to 4K with HDR and Dolby Vision on select titles Supports 4 devices | $8 per month |
| Disney+ Premium | Thousands of ad-free Disney TV shows and movies Up to 4K with HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos on select titles Supports 4 devices Unlimited downloads GroupWatch feature for syncing with other users | $11 per month or$110 per year |
| Disney+ bundle (Hulu and/or ESPN) | Disney+ Basic or Premium Plan bundled with Hulu and/or ESPN | $10 to $83 per month based on the add-ons |
3. FuboTV – FuboTV is the best streaming application for sports channels and live sporting events. If you’re a big sports fan, the FuboTV app is a treasure trove of quality sports programming you can enjoy to your heart’s content.
| Subscription Plan | Inclusion | Price |
| Latino | 57 Fubo Latino channels and 100+ sporting events Cloud DVR with 250 hours worth of storage space Standard Share for 2 devices | $32.99 per month |
| Pro | 162 Fubo channels and 100+ 4K sporting events in Cloud DVR with 1000 hours worth of storage space Unlimited Screens for 10 devices | $74.99 per month |
| Elite | 230 Fubo channels and 130+ 4K sporting events with 56 Fubo Extra and 12 News Plus channels Cloud DVR with 1000 hours worth of storage space Unlimited Screens for 10 devices | $84.99 per month |
| Premier | 230 Fubo channels and 130+ 4K sporting events with 56 Fubo Extra and 12 News Plus channels Cloud DVR with 1000 hours worth of storage space Unlimited Screens for 10 devices SHOWTIME live and on-demand | $94.99 per month |
4. Max – This streaming service is a must-have for all fans of HBO programs and movies. With Max, you get everything that HBO Max has to offer and more, which is enough to drown you in a flash flood of exclusive TV shows and movies.
| Subscription Plan | Inclusion | Price |
| Max With Ads | Stream Max exclusives in Full HD Supports 2 devices | $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year |
| Max Ad Free | Stream Max exclusives in Full HD Supports 2 devices 30 downloads for offline viewing | $15.99 per month or$149.99 per year |
| Max Ultimate Ad Free | Stream Max exclusives in 4KU HD with Dolby Atmos on select titles Supports 4 devices 100 downloads for offline viewing | $19.99 per month or$199.99 per year |
Free Roku Channels
With free Roku channels, you don’t have to worry about any fees since you’re not required to pay for a subscription to stream their content. Once you buy your Roku device, you can download and install these apps to enjoy a free viewing experience.
Roku has a channel that offers exclusive and premium content for free on your device. You can head to their official channel store page to check all the free TV and movie channels you can download and install on your Roku device.
Since these channels are all free to use, you’re guaranteed not to be charged a Roku monthly fee when streaming with them on your device.
Do I need cable TV to use Roku?
Cable isn’t needed to use a Roku device, but you can still connect a cable box on a Roku TV if you want to. It’s not ideal since you already have access to various free local TV channels and streaming apps on your Roku device by default.
We simply think it’s pointless since the purpose of getting a streaming device like Roku for most people is to cut the cord in favor of online streaming. We recommend not using a cable box on your Roku TV unless you’ve already got one beforehand.
FAQs about Monthly Fees on Roku Devices
What’s on Roku for free?
Various local TV channels and shows are available for free on all Roku devices. We recommend checking the Roku channel store page for the complete list of TV and movie channels you can enjoy on your device for free.
Why did Roku charge me 100 dollars?
An active subscription to a premium streaming channel such as Netflix or Disney+ will cause Roku to charge your billing account. You must cancel your active subscriptions to prevent Roku from changing you due to automatic renewal.
If you don’t have any active subscriptions, you can contact Roku support so they can shed some light on your situation. You can use agent support at the bottom of their support page to get in touch with one of the customer service agents.
Is Netflix free on Roku?
Netflix is free to download and install on Roku but using its services requires you to purchase a subscription plan. You can choose between their Standard with ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium plans to start streaming the content on their platform.
The same holds true for Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, and other streaming apps. You’ll have to pay a monthly fee to avail of their shows.
Does Roku charge for activation?
Roku doesn’t charge for activating your devices, and no fee is needed to continue using it after it’s bought. Anyone who says you need to pay a certain fee to activate your Roku device is trying to mislead or scam you for your money.
