The 28 Best Channels for Your Brand-New Roku
(Roku)
Hey, you got a Roku! This means you instantly have access to thousands of channels — many of which are absolutely free. But as you begin to browse through those thousands of options, you’ll recognize that the Roku community specializes in very … niche programming, ranging from “diabetic living” to evangelical sermons straight from Jacksonville, Florida.
We at Yahoo Tech have sifted through that noise to bring you a list of the best possible subscriptions you can find on the network.
But first! A quick explainer on the difference between Roku’s “public” and “private” channels.
Public channels are all the free things you can browse through in Roku’s vast library. Beware, however, because some of these “free” channels include movies you must pay to watch. If you stream and drink, it’s probably better that you just unlink the credit card info you must include when you set up your Roku. Here’s a full list of them.
Private channels, on the other hand, don’t show up in Roku’s standard list. You must download them from third-party websites or enter a special code on your device to activate them. Here’s a full list.
Now that we’ve covered all that, on to our picks!
For movies and TV
1. Netflix (free with subscription)
The first lesson a Roku owner learns is that just because you have a set top or streaming stick for your TV doesn’t mean you’re done spending money. Yes, you must subscribe to some of the big content pushers in order to gain access to the good stuff. This includes a $7.99-a-month fee for Netflix, which is probably the best option of them all. Netflix adds new, relevant movie and TV shows every month and has some of the most solid original programming of all, including House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, and Arrested Development.
2. Amazon Instant Video (free with subscription to Amazon Prime or à la carte)
Anyone willing to shell out $99 a year for an Amazon Prime subscription will also be able to stream certain shows and movies via Amazon Prime. And thanks to a recent partnership with HBO, this includes a binge-worthy catalog of classics, including The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Wire. Not to mention a good collection of high-quality TV shows and movies, including Broad City and The Wolf of Wall Street. The online retailer is even catching up to Netflix in the category of original programming with Transparent, which was recently nominated for two Golden Globes.
But if you’d rather just pay per episode, HD rentals for shows cost around $5, while movies average around $13.
3. Hulu Plus (free with subscription)
Probably the best part of the $7.99 a month Hulu Plus subscription is how dang quick it is to upload recently aired episodes from its partner networks, including FOX, NBC, and BBC. This is particularly helpful if you’re a late-night TV fan, as you’ll have full access to new episodes of The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, and all the evening talk show episodes the morning after they run. Hulu Plus has also sunk its talons into Scandal, which is clutch for any Olivia Pope superfan. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, you’ve got access to classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Daria. Not very strong in the movie category, though.
4. HBO GO (free with subscription)
Though HBO recently announced that it would offer a separate online streaming subscription service for cord-cutters, there’s no telling when in 2015 it’ll come out or how much it’ll cost. So, in the meantime, this app is available only to those who subscribe to HBO through their cable package. Or, you know, anyone who can finagle a login from her roommate’s parents’ family’s friends.
Once you’re in, you can stream HBO’s mediocre movie catalog and all the latest episodes of its original content. In some cases, you can even stream an episode while it’s airing for the first time on TV. Though during the last Game of Thrones season, an overwhelming number of streamers made this feature choppy.
5. Crackle (free with ads)
If you’re willing to sit through a few commercials in exchange for free viewing of cheesy comedies and action flicks, Crackle is your channel. The lineup changes pretty frequently, but expect a lot of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Will Ferrell-type stuff.
6. YouTube (free)
All those cute cat videos and deep-frying drones, but streamed to your TV screen. As Dr. Brule says, it’s not any more complicated than that.
7. Google Play
No need to own a Chromecast to access Google Play (Google’s answer to iTunes): It’s on your Roku, too. Its store has a few good deals from time to time, but nothing that’s entirely exclusive. Watch for giveaways every once in a while; sometimes you can get a big blockbuster film for nothin’ at all.
8. M-Go (à la carte)
This is Roku’s very own movie and TV show streaming service, which means it’s generally much better designed than the other apps out there. Rentals cost about $5, and purchases run at an average of $15. You can search for content in very specific categories, and descriptions are imported from respected review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. And if you’re a new user, you’ll be gifted some rentals. So, at the very least, use it while it’s free.
9. Vimeo (free with subscription)
As YouTube’s younger, indie-er competitor, Vimeo is the place to watch high-brow music videos, gorgeous stop-motion nature scenes, and, now, a very hilarious original series called High Maintenance. Though the first round of episodes is free, after that you’ll have to pay $1.99 per episode, or subscribe to Vimeo On Demand, which costs just $8 a year.
10. Nick Reboot (free)
This private channel continuously streams old Nickelodeon content from the late ’90s and early aughts, including The Ren & Stimpy Show, Doug, and Pinky and the Brain. It’s all random, but it’ll give you its lineup two hours into the future. And if you set up an account, it’ll send you email alerts when your favorite shows are about to be aired. And if you’re an old-time-Nick superfan, you can subscribe to Nick Reboot On Demand for $3.99 a month. And if you were always more of a Cartoon Network type of person, Cartoon Network Reboot offers the same exact service.
11. Animal Planet LIVE (free)
Yet another amazing private channel, Animal Planet LIVE offers an extensive number of live animal cams, capturing the lives of everything from kittens to clownfish. And if you’re looking for that sweet, sweet goat content, look no further than the free private channel Goats Live.
12. Funny or Die (free)
Home to classics such as Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns and Drunk History, this private channel is full of good short nuggets for no-commitment watching.
For anything you’ve downloaded
13. Plex
Perhaps you have your own library of home movies that you’ve made, downloaded, or ripped (we won’t ask!). Plex allows you to load all of those into its app and stream them on your TV. Very convenient.
For music
14. Spotify (free with subscription)
If you pay $9.99 a month for a premium Spotify subscription, you can also stream the music and play it through your TV. It’s a nice option if you’re cooking and want to see what’s playing (and control it with a remote).
15. Pandora (free)
Otherwise, your best bet is Pandora, which is free and basically does the same thing. The only difference is you must listen by genre rather than having complete control over what you’re listening to. If you’re still on a Christmas song kick, be sure to check out our ranking of the best holiday playlists. Otherwise, check out these little-known Pandora genres.
16. iTunes Podcasts (free)
If you’re still reeling from the “Serial” finale and need to scratch your podcast itch, you can browse and download the entire iTunes Podcast library with this app. Here’s a good list of stuff to download if you’re looking for alternatives.
17. iHeartRadio (free)
You can link your iHeartRadio account directly to its Roku app, so it’ll load all your favorite stations after one quick login. Otherwise, the app will find radio stations nearby based on your Internet’s IP address. Or you can browse the app’s approximately 1,500 live stations based on state, city, or genre. It’s a pretty great alternative to Pandora if you still prefer radio stations hosted by real human beings.
For sports
18. WatchESPN (free with subscription)
Though you’ll need a cable or satellite subscription to watch it, once you’re in, you’ll have access to pretty much every ESPN channel under the sun. You can also stream recorded football, baseball, basketball, and tennis games. Content-wise, there’s really no difference between the cable channel and the Roku app, other than the fact that you can browse by category in the latter.
19. MLB.TV ($20 a month or free with a subscription)
As Major League Baseball’s official streaming app, MLB.TV offers pretty much every recorded game played by its 30 teams. (Except for those playing on major networks like ESPN.) You’re not required to have a cable subscription to use it, but it is on the pricier side at $19.99 a month. Still, cheaper than cable!
20. NBA Game Time ($200 a season)
The NBA has a similar situation but instead charges a whopping $200 a season for access to its streaming app. The upside is that you can watch most major basketball games live (except the ones playing on ESPN, NBATV, and TNT). You can also see live scores, team stats, and catch a recap or two.
For kids
21. PBS Kids (free)
For the younger part of the population, there’s PBS Kids, which offers all your classic titles like Arthur, Curious George, and Sesame Street. All the programming is pretty educational, but it is skewed toward younger kids.
22. Disney Channel (free with subscription)
Cable subscribers have access to the Disney Channel, which is typically annoying to adults but like candy for kids. It has live programming and prerecorded shows to choose from, but nothing that different from the regular channel.
23. National Geographic Kids (free with subscription)
This one also requires a cable login, but — unlike the Disney Channel — is less annoying for adults to watch along. Lots of cute programs about animals and geology, but still aimed at young’uns.
Nostalgia
All these private channels are good to put on in the background at parties, or to half-watch over wine.
24. American Cowboy Classics (free)
Just what you’d think! Guys on horses being semi-racist!
25. American Pop (free)
Public-domain films from the 20th century. You’re bound to stumble on a classic here and there.
26. Awesome Sci-Fi (free)
Old school sci-fi flicks. Hilariously bad costumes and special effects.
27. Drive-In Classics (free)
All the stuff you’d imagine the kids from Grease watched, including zombie movies, gang movies, and robot movies.
28. SalsaBeat TV (free)
This very special channel confusingly streams salsa music and ’70s television news reports, commercials, and programming. Multidimensional, you might say.
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