Roku Vs. Fire Stick: I Compared The Best Streaming Devices In 2025, And Here's The Winner

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If you want to cut nan cord and heighten your streaming TV experience, you whitethorn wonderment which instrumentality is champion suited for you. The Amazon Fire TV Stick and nan Roku Streaming Stick are 2 of nan astir celebrated options connected nan marketplace -- and they're some connected waste correct now. However, location are immoderate cardinal differences to see earlier pulling nan plug.

Also: Black Friday streaming deals 2025

Amazon Fire TV and Roku strive to supply the best streaming experience possible done dongles, branded televisions, and streaming boxes. Choosing nan correct device, however, involves much than conscionable comparing value tags. I'll delve into nan awesome differences betwixt Fire TV and nan Roku streaming level to thief you find which 1 champion suits your needs and preferences, utilizing nan comparable Roku Streaming Stick Plus and Fire TV Stick 4K Plus arsenic examples.

Specifications

You should bargain a Fire TV Stick 4K Plus if...

Amazon

1. You want much features, though not for little money (right now)

When you comparison nan tech specifications of a Fire TV Stick 4K Plus against nan Roku Streaming Stick Plus, you'll find that some devices are very similar. Amazon typically offers bigger discounts much often connected its Fire TV Stick than Roku does, though not currently. While nan erstwhile is now disposable for half disconnected astatine $25, nan Roku Streaming Stick Plus conscionable dropped to $19. The Fire TV whitethorn beryllium a amended woody if you worth Dolby Vision and seamless Alexa integrations, which brings maine to my adjacent point.

Also: I changed 10 settings connected my Fire TV to importantly amended nan performance

2. You usage Alexa successful your smart home

Alexa, Amazon's sound assistant, has go a must connected almost each Amazon device, and nan Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is nary exception. The Alexa-enabled distant included pinch this streaming instrumentality features a fastener that tin beryllium pressed and held to inquire Alexa questions. Though nan Roku besides comes pinch a sound distant that you tin usage for navigation wrong nan Roku platform, nan Alexa distant tin spell beyond searching for your favourite TV show.

If you person Alexa-enabled devices arsenic portion of your smart location setup, you tin usage your Fire TV Stick distant to show Alexa to move connected a smart light or set nan room somesthesia connected your smart thermostat. You tin moreover inquire nan sound adjunct to show you compatible security cameras on your TV. 

Also: 12+ powerful Alexa commands you should commencement utilizing astatine location (no subscriptions required)

Roku offers a line of smart location products that tin merge its camera feeds pinch Roku TVs aliases streaming devices; however, nan characteristic is presently constricted to Roku Home devices. Roku is rolling retired an updated Roku Voice characteristic pinch a akin virtual adjunct to Alexa, but that update hasn't been released yet.

3. You watch chiefly Prime Video (and don't mind ads)

Unsurprisingly, nan Fire TV level is much focused connected Prime Video. The streaming work comes preinstalled connected nan device, offering entree to awesome exclusive programming. These include, but are not constricted to, deed shows for illustration Fallout, The Boys, and nan upcoming Steal. Of course, not everything is geared toward adults, arsenic location are plentifulness of kid-friendly shows, specified arsenic Tumble Leaf and nan newer BatFam, which my kids love.

As nan Fire TV is an Amazon product, it's not astonishing that you'll find many ads while navigating nan system. I personally don't mind nan ads truthful much; I disregard astir of them. However, if you're an avid spectator of Prime Video content, you'll find nan ads tailored to users for illustration you. 

Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why it makes specified a large difference)

Roku devices connection entree to Prime Video, but nan work is not preinstalled. You'll request to sojourn nan Roku Channel Store, download nan Prime Video app, registry nan app, grounds a six-digit code, and participate that codification into Amazon's MyTV webpage. The process is straightforward, but it tin return immoderate clip to complete. Meanwhile, connected nan Fire TV Stick, simply log successful to your relationship to commencement watching.

You should bargain a Roku Streaming Stick Plus if...

Artie Beaty/ZDNET

1. You for illustration a much user-friendly platform

The Fire TV paper is visually attractive, but it's not arsenic straightforward aliases user-friendly arsenic nan Roku platform. You often person to return other steps to execute thing compared to what tin beryllium completed successful a azygous measurement connected a Roku.

Also: Try this 30-second refresh connected your Roku TV earlier replacing it for good

The Roku operating strategy is not only easier to navigate for mundane users but besides for guests who aren't acquainted pinch it, including children and older people. The strategy uses tiles that make it much intuitive to find what you need, and it doesn't autoplay ads while you're connected nan location screen, while you're deciding what to watch.

2. You want a foolproof distant control

Admittedly, Fire TV remotes person travel a agelong measurement successful becoming much user-friendly and, successful nan process, much for illustration nan Roku remote. However, I still find nan Roku distant easier to usage than its competitor. 

Also: I watched Roku's free unrecorded TV channels, and it felt for illustration nan cablegram I grew up with

It's nan buttons for me; springiness maine bully aged arrows, and I cognize wherever to go. I don't want to sound for illustration a dinosaur here, but I'd take nan Roku distant if I had to take betwixt it, my Fire TV, Google TV Streamer, and Apple TV 4K remotes.

My Roku distant (left) doesn't get mislaid successful my sofa cushions astir arsenic often arsenic nan Fire TV Stick distant (right).

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The Roku distant is rounder and thicker than nan Fire TV remote, which is thinner and much prone to getting mislaid betwixt nan sofa cushions. The Roku distant besides has old-school arrows and an "OK" button, whereas nan Fire TV distant has a circle pinch a information "OK" fastener successful nan mediate and, you guessed it, nary letters aliases arrows successful this navigation wheel, which makes it a small little intuitive for personification getting acquainted pinch it.

Also: How to reset your Roku: 4 easy ways

Aside from this, some remotes are rather similar: they some person shut up and measurement buttons to power compatible televisions, modular navigation buttons, and four-channel shortcut buttons that are not reprogrammable connected either remote. Additionally, some devices characteristic a mobile app that allows your telephone to service arsenic a distant power successful lawsuit you suffer your beingness remote.

3. You want to return your Roku anywhere

The newest Roku Streaming Stick HD and Plus models characteristic a convenient use that makes them nan astir travel-friendly streaming devices: they're powered by your TV's HDMI port. Aside from nan Stick itself and nan remote, location are nary other cables aliases add-ons to nan Roku Stick Plus.

Also: Which Roku streaming instrumentality should you bargain successful 2025?

This not only makes installation easier than ever, but besides makes it easy to transportation astir if you want to return it pinch you connected a trip. Taking your Roku lets you usage your ain streaming instrumentality and subscriptions astatine a edifice aliases short-term rental without having to log successful to them or, worse, forgetting to log retired earlier leaving. 

Alternatives to consider

A streaming instrumentality whitethorn not beryllium nan cleanable solution for each applications, but it's a small, portable, and inexpensive solution to move a modular TV into a smart one. 

There's besides nan action of a much costly alternative, specified arsenic buying a smart TV that's already Wi-Fi-integrated and equipped pinch nan astir celebrated streaming apps. However, nan finance is acold much than nan costs of a $50 TV stick.