Roku vs Fire Stick: Which one is best for your streaming needs in 2024?

If, like many of us, you want to cut the cord and enhance your streaming TV experience, you may wonder which device best fits you. Two of the most popular options are the Amazon Fire TV Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick. However, there are some key differences to consider before making a purchase.

Also: The best Black Friday Roku deals 2024: Early sales available now

Amazon and Roku strive to provide the best streaming experience possible through their plug-in sticks, branded televisions, and streaming boxes. Choosing the right device, however, involves more than just comparing price tags.

In this article, we'll delve into Amazon Fire TV Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick -- with additional information on each company's other streaming devices -- to help you determine which one aligns with your needs and preferences.

Specifications

You should buy a Fire TV Stick 4K if...

1. You want the most features for less money

When you compare the tech specifications of a Fire TV Stick 4K against the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, you'll find that both devices are very similar, even down to the price. One thing is certain, however: Amazon offers bigger discounts more often on its Fire Stick than Roku does. This means you can typically find the Fire TV Stick 4K for a lower price than the Roku.

Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Week, the Fire Stick 4K has dropped to just $22, while the Roku Streaming Stick only went down to $33. Both are discounted, but the former is clearly the better deal.

Also: Snag the 75-inch Amazon Omni Fire TV for almost $300 off ahead of Black Friday

Amazon also features other Fire TV Stick models that range between $30 and $140 at regular price, while the Roku lineup ranges from $30 to $130. In a head-to-head match between the two higher-end sticks, the Roku Express 4K Pro and Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the two have similar features, although the Amazon player is $19 cheaper. Plus, the Fire Stick is Wi-Fi 6-compatible, while Roku isn't yet, for extra value

2. You use Alexa in your smart home

Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant, seems to be a must on every Amazon device, and the Fire TV Stick 4K is no exception. The Alexa-enabled remote included with this streaming device has a button to press and hold to ask Alexa questions. Though the Roku also comes with a voice remote that you can use for navigation within the Roku platform, the Alexa remote can go beyond searching for your favorite TV show.

Also: Amazon launches new Fire TV Stick to replace two current options

If you have Alexa-enabled devices as part of your smart home setup, you can tell Alexa via your Fire TV Stick remote to turn on a smart light or change the room temperature on your smart thermostat. You can even ask the voice assistant to show you compatible security cameras on your TV. 

Roku has a line of smart home products that can integrate its camera feeds with Roku TVs or streaming devices, but the feature is still pretty new and limited to its own Roku Home devices. It is important to note that the Roku Express 4K with Voice Remote Pro is compatible with an Alexa device and the product is available on Amazon.

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

Unsurprisingly, the Fire TV platform is more focused on Prime Video. The streaming service comes pre-installed on the device, offering access to a load of great exclusive programming. These include but are not limited to hit shows like The Boys, The Grand Tour, and The Marvelous Ms. Maisel. Of course, not everything is geared to just adults, as there are plenty of kid-friendly shows such as Tumble Leaf.

Being an Amazon product, it's also not surprising that you'll find many ads while navigating the system. I personally don't mind the ads so much; I ignore most of them. But if you're an avid watcher of Prime Video content, you'll find the ads to be geared to users like you. 

Also: Snag the 75-inch Amazon Omni Fire TV for almost $300 off ahead of Black Friday

Roku devices do offer access to Prime Video. However, the service does not come pre-installed. You'll have to go to the Roku Channel Store, download the Prime Video app, register said app, write down a six-digit code, and enter that code into Amazon's MyTV webpage. It's a whole process that can take a while to complete. Meanwhile, on the Fire Stick, all you have to do is log into your account to begin watching.

You should buy a Roku Streaming Stick 4K if...

1. You prefer a more user-friendly platform

The Fire TV menu is visually attractive, but it's simply not as straightforward or user-friendly as the Roku platform. It's a sleek design, but you often have to take extra steps to do something compared with doing it on a Roku.

Another noteworthy feature of the Roku platform is the universal search, which the Fire TV platform executes poorly. Universal search lets you search for a title and have your Roku show you all the different apps you can watch it on, along with how much it costs to rent or buy, if applicable. 

Also: The best Black Friday Roku deals 2024: Early sales available now

Universal search is underrated, but it's extremely useful. Unfortunately, I've fallen victim to its poor performance on the Fire TV platform -- when I had paid to rent a movie, only to find that it was included in my Netflix subscription the next day. 

Fire TV's search results require more work to sift through, too. You're given one primary channel and must select "more ways to watch" to see all the other options. Multiple options are often available, but clicking on them may lead to a paywall or a dead end. 

2. You want an easier-to-use remote control

Admittedly, Fire TV remotes have come a long way in becoming more user-friendly and, in the process, more like the Roku remote. However, I still find the Roku remote easier to use than its competitor. 

Also: This Roku soundbar turned my old TV into an immersive 4K theater experience

It's the buttons for me; give me good old arrows, and I know where to go. I don't want to sound like a dinosaur here, but I'd choose the Roku remote if I had to choose between it, my Fire TV, and Apple TV 4K remotes.

The Roku remote is rounder and thicker than the Fire TV remote, which is thin and easy to lose between the couch cushions. The Roku remote also has old-school arrows and an "OK" button, whereas the Fire TV remote has a circle with a round "OK" button in the middle and, you guessed it, no letters or arrows in this navigation wheel, which makes it a little less intuitive for someone getting familiar with it.

Aside from this, both remotes are pretty similar: Both have mute and volume buttons to control compatible televisions, your regular navigation buttons, and four-channel shortcut buttons that are not reprogrammable on either remote. Also, both devices have a mobile app that enables your phone to double as a remote should you lose your physical remote control.

3. You need the long-range Wi-Fi feature

If you have a bigger home or want to put your streaming device on any TV around your house, then you may be interested in Roku's long-range Wi-Fi feature.

The Roku Stick 4K has a larger antenna than previous devices, allowing four times the wireless range. This is due to the included USB power cable with a Wi-Fi receiver, which holds the Wi-Fi hardware on the line farther away from the device for less wireless interference.

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