At a Glance
- Roku will expand its $2.99/month ad-free Howdy channel beyond Roku devices
- CEO Anthony Wood says the service targets the lost low-cost, no-ads segment
- Launch details remain undisclosed, but Wood vows “we want to distribute it everywhere”
- Why it matters: Viewers priced out by rising ad loads and fees could soon access Howdy on phones, web, or rival TVs
Roku’s experiment with a bargain, ad-free streamer is about to leave the walled garden. At CES 2026, the company confirmed plans to take Howdy beyond its own hardware.
The Market Gap
Wood told the Variety Entertainment Summit that mainstream services keep hiking prices and stuffing in ads, erasing the entry-level tier that originally drew users to streaming.
> “The part of the market where it actually started – low-cost and no ads – is gone now. There’s no streaming services that address that portion of the market.”
Howdy, introduced last August, offers library content for $2.99 per month without commercials.
Off-Platform Future
While the channel debuted exclusively on Roku, Wood signaled a broader push ahead.
> “We will take it off-platform as well.”
When pressed by TechCrunch for specifics-mobile apps, web browsers, smart TVs-he replied:
> “We want to distribute it everywhere.”
The company has not named launch platforms or dates and declined to release subscriber figures, though Wood predicted:
> “It’s going to be a big streaming service.”
Key Takeaways
- Howdy undercuts rivals with a $2.99 ad-free plan
- Expansion aims to reach viewers on any device
- No timeline or platform list has been set
- Roku sees untapped demand for budget, ad-free viewing
If the rollout materializes, budget-conscious viewers could gain a new cross-device option amid an increasingly expensive streaming landscape.
