In a move that feels both bold and slightly unhinged, Roku — best known for its TV streaming devices — has thrown its hat into the crowded streaming ring with a new service called Howdy, launched in August 2025.
Priced at an astonishingly low $2.99 per month, Howdy is ad-free and promises a hefty library of movies and TV shows. Roku claims this price is here to stay, with no plans for hikes — though in the cutthroat world of streaming, such promises are often more hopeful than ironclad. Time will tell if Roku’s optimism holds up.
Howdy’s library boasts nearly 10,000 hours of content, blending Roku Originals with licensed titles from heavyweights like Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and FilmRise.
Expect familiar favorites like *Mad Max: Fury Road*, *Back to the Future*, *Weeds*, and *Kids in the Hall* — comfort viewing rather than prestige blockbusters.
Roku’s CEO is upfront about Howdy’s positioning: it’s not here to slug it out with Netflix or HBO Max.
Instead, it’s pitched as a budget-friendly, no-frills complement to pricier services, perfect for unwinding after a long day.
Think of it as the streaming equivalent of a cozy diner, not a Michelin-starred restaurant.
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Available initially on Roku devices, with plans to expand to mobile and other platforms soon, Howdy taps into Roku’s massive reach — 125 million daily users and 90 million streaming households. The service joins Roku’s existing ad-supported Roku Channel and its recent acquisitions, signaling a broader push into content.
At $3, it’s cheaper than a Starbucks Americano and undercuts ad-free tiers from competitors like Netflix or Hulu. But with a library leaning on older, licensed content, will it convince subscription-fatigued viewers to bite? Roku’s betting that affordability and simplicity still have a place in a market obsessed with premium exclusives.
