Struggling to find something new to watch? Roku has a fix.

The US company has just unveiled — a cheerfully-named new streaming service that's designed to take on more established players like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, and Apple TV+, to name just a few.

In such a crowded marketplace, how does the new kid on the block hope to stand out? Price.

Howdy costs just $2.99 a month, that's roughly £2.40, although Roku hasn't confirmed a UK release date or price yet. Despite costing almost half the standard subscription for Disney+, Prime Video or Netflix, Howdy is promising access to 10,000 hours of TV shows, films, and documentaries from major entertainment brands, like Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and FilmRise. Better still, parent company Roku insists the $2.99 fee is here to stay — this isn't an eye-catching introductory rate that'll skyrocket in a few months.

The newly-launched 2025 Roku Streaming Stick Plus is a powerful streaming device with a sleek, compact design, voice control, stunning 4K resolution, and vivid HDR colour. Powered directly by your TV, it offers a smooth setup and smart, personalised recommendations across thousands of top streaming services

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a compact, powerful streaming device that plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port. It supports stunning 4K resolution, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision for vivid picture quality. With fast Wi‑Fi performance and a voice remote that controls your TV, it offers an easy and seamless way to stream all your favourite shows across platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video

Subscribers to Howdy will be able to enjoy films such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Elvis, The Blind Side, Reservoir Dogs, and Dirty Dancing, alongside television series like Weeds, Party Down, Nurse Jackie, and Kids in the Hall. Roku says to expect iconic rom-coms, medical dramas, ‘90s comedy, and feel-good classics in the library too.

Howdy is only available on Roku hardware at the moment, like the newly-launched Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus, but is expected to roll-out to more platforms in the coming weeks and months

Every Roku Original — boxsets and blockbusters produced by Roku, like Weird: The Al Yankovic Story — will also be included in the catalogue.

Howdy has launched in the United States this month, positioning itself as a wallet-friendly alternative to pricier competitors. Interestingly, you have a Roku device to access Howdy, whether that's a Roku-powered Smart TV, streaming stick, or the company's mobile app.

For now, Howdy won't be available on competing devices like Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, or Fire TV Stick, although expansion to additional platforms is planned in the coming months.

Roku will debut Howdy in the United States to begin with, before rolling out to the UK, mainland Europe, and other countries

“Priced at less than a cup of coffee, Howdy is ad-free and designed to complement, not compete with, premium services,” said Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood. “We’re meeting a real need for consumers who want to unwind with their favorite movies and shows uninterrupted and on their terms. Howdy is a natural step for us at Roku, extending our mission to make better TV for everyone, by making it affordable, accessible, and built for how people watch today.”

Howdy will offer ad-free viewing, so you can watch its library of TV shows and films without interuption. There are also no contracts or hidden fees — so you can cancel and walk away at any time.

“We’re excited to continue our longstanding collaboration with Roku on innovative ways to connect with audiences,” said Jim Packer, President of Worldwide Television Distribution, Lionsgate. “With engagement of over 125 million people a day, Roku is the perfect partner to launch a more accessible complement to the higher-priced SVODs. This service has the ability to scale quickly while providing us with a new way to monetize our content, and we’re proud to be part of this new streaming experience.”

This isn't the first time that Roku has launched a streaming service.

You might already be familiar with The Roku Channel, the company's free streaming platform supported by advertisements, which launched in 2017 and has gone on to become the second most popular app on Roku in the United States by streaming hours. Roku Channel is also and , as well as other devices.

Howdy is a departure for the brand as it's not a FAST (Free Ad-upported Streaming TV) channel. These channels are becoming increasingly popular. In the last two years alone, the number of FAST channels worldwide has jumped from about 800 to over 1,600, with UK viewers now choosing to watch more than 500 channels. In the UK, roughly 1 in 5 people tune in each month, and experts predict FAST audiences will exceed 20 million by 2027.

However, .

Roku manufactures its own Smart TVs as well as set-top boxes and HDMI dongles that bring streaming services, games, and other smart features to any telly. A number of brands, including TCL and Hisense, also offer TVs powered by Roku | ROKU PRESS OFFICE

Roku is the top streaming platform in the United States, Canada, and Mexico based on hours streamed. The brand recently launched two new streaming gadgets in the UK, .

It also , a subscription streaming service that combines live TV, on-demand video, and cloud-based recordings, in an eye-watering £136m deal.

And finally, the US brand — which rivals the likes of Fire TV Stick, Apple TV 4K, and Google TV Streamer (née Chromecast) — confirmed that its new Roku TVs will rely on Freely, the successor to Freeview, which . This next-generation platform will let television owners stream live terrestrial television over a Wi-Fi connection on its next generation of Smart TVs.