Amazon Fire TV Vs. Roku: Which Streaming Stick Is Best For Your Entertainment Needs?
The Roku Streaming Stick and Amazon Fire TV Stick are two of the most popular products of their type. They give you a way to stream content and popular apps like YouTube and Plex even on a non-smart TV, and you can unplug them and pop them into your pocket when you're traveling to a friend's or even a hotel. Getting a streaming stick, in general, is a no-brainer, but which of the two should you get?
With similar price points and plenty of similar features, there isn't an obvious answer, but if you look a little closer, there are some pros and cons to consider for each product. With different priorities such as content, affordability, and UI quality to keep in mind, we'll go through which stick has the best rep for different kinds of consumers.
As a side note, both services include free and premium content. When you buy the physical product, you might get a deal or a free trial of the paid-for videos. But after it's over, you'll need to decide whether the free stuff is enough for you or if you'll need to subscribe to get access to more. And, of course, while you can use your stick to access other streaming apps like Disney+ or Netflix, you'll need a separate account for those to sign in and use them.
The best stick for affordability
Being such popular products, both the Roku and the Fire Stick are sold in all sorts of stores and go on sale very often. Before you buy whichever you decide on, it's well worth searching the web to see if anyone is doing a deal right now. This includes checking Roku and Amazon directly because they also put up plenty of sales, and often at the same time since one tends to react to the other to stay in the competition.
The 4K Roku Streaming Stick and the 4K Amazon Fire Stick both cost $49.99 at full price, which, again, is no coincidence. Because they're direct competitors, neither wants their core product to be more expensive than the other. Both also offer a range of different versions of the product at different price points. There's the Roku Express and Fire TV Stick Lite, both selling for $29.99 and the Roku's Streambar retailing at $129.99 against the Fire TV Cube for $139.99.
If you are looking to get the best cheap stick, there are a few ways that the Roku Express and Fire TV Stick Lite differ. Firstly, the Amazon remote doesn't include power and volume controls for your TV, so you'll have to keep the original remote nearby. The Roku Express does have these buttons but doesn't have voice control like the Amazon. There is a Roku app you can use for voice controls instead, though.
The best stick for free content
Amazon is a huge company with a huge streaming service, so it naturally has the upper hand when it comes to content. Amazon Freevee, despite being free, even makes its own original shows and films. However, another thing Amazon has a lot of is adverts. The home screen for the Fire Stick promotes Prime Video content, and when you search, it's not just Prime Video results you have to sift through. It also shows rental titles, shows for purchase, and shows you need a separate subscription for (like Funimation).
One nice thing about Roku, on the other hand, is that its home screen and search feature prioritize ease of use instead of adverts. The home screen is just a grid of apps for you to choose from, and when you search, Roku ranks free content and content you're already subscribed to above options that require extra money. If you always know exactly what you want to watch, this might not matter much, but if you're a serial browser, the false positives Amazon throws up can be quite aggravating. Plus, Roku does have access to a good selection of free channels and content as well, including its own Roku Channel.
The best stick for voice control
With Alexa under their belt, it's probably no surprise that Amazon takes the lead when it comes to voice controls. Alexa is built right into the remote and can handle context-based questions as well as straight-up show titles. Roku includes voice remotes with their mid-range to high-range sticks, but it's known to be not quite up to scratch. According to The Verge, it should be able to handle title queries, but it's not so good with natural language.
So, if you are a fan of voice control, you probably ought to be leaning toward the Amazon Fire TV Stick. However, not everyone is into voice search. Alexa or not, some people still don't feel the tech is smooth enough yet, and they don't want to sit around repeating themselves. For them, Roku might be the better option, thanks to its mobile app. The app, as well as letting any Roku stick use voice commands, also lets you search using your phone's keyboard. It's quick, it's easy, and it's far more accurate.
A couple of cool things each stick can do
Because the Fire TV Stick is connected to Alexa, it can do more than just search for TV shows and films. You can control smart home devices, ask about the weather, and anything else you usually like to ask Alexa. With speakers like the Echo Dot, you can turn on the TV, choose a show, and adjust the volume, all with your voice — no remote even necessary.
If you're into watching the TV with headphones on, then Roku has you covered. The more expensive models have a headphone jack built right into the remote so you can plug in and enjoy perfect lag-free audio no matter how far your coach is from the TV. If you have one of the low or mid-range models, you can still listen with your headphones using the Roku app, which lets you plug your headphones into your phone and listen that way. It's fast, easy, and works really well.