Today with the advanced technology many streaming players have emerged in the market some are Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, Fire Stick, etc.
When we talk about Amazon Fire Stick vs Roku both amazing streaming players to watch your favorite movies and TV shows on the big screen of TV, it is very difficult to choose between these two as both have fascinating features, you have to choose based on your requirement.
So, here is a comparison between these two devices among different features.
Both have easy-to-use remotes and let you give commands with your voice and also we can control both of them using mobile apps.
Table of Contents
Connections
Both Roku and Amazon Fire TV Sticks plug into the HDMI port of the TV and work on the principle of the wireless network.
Which Is Better Roku or Firestick
1. Apps
Roku
If you want to watch many movies and TV shows for free then Roku is a better option for you, you can even play games on your TV using a Roku stick as it provides hundreds of games. It doesn’t care which streaming service you are using and makes almost all of them available on its hardware because it is platform agnostic.
If you are not familiar with streaming devices then Roku is a good option for you because it is easy to use as the main menu of Roku has a grid of icons showing popular apps or channels.
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon Fire Sticks provide more games than Roku, so if you want to play unlimited games on your TV then Amazon Fire Stick is a good option.
To watch content on a Fire Stick you need to be an Amazon Prime member to access Amazon movies.
Amazon Fire TV is quite harder to use than a Roku stick.
2. Remote
Both Roku and Amazon Fire sticks come with smart remote controllers which can also control your TV so you don’t have to switch remotes for using TV and for streaming.
Roku
Roku remote has various shortcuts for the most used channels like Netflix, Disney, etc, Roku remotes also have a microphone button to search for movies vocally with the remote.
If you want to watch movies on TV without disturbing other family members then the Roku remote also has a headphone jack in it, you can connect your earphones to the jack to watch TV without disturbing anyone.
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV remote does not have any shortcuts to open any channel but it has a mute button. Amazon Fire TV remote does not have any headphone jack to connect earphones in it, you will need a Bluetooth earphone to connect them to your TV with WiFi.
Its remote is also Alexa enabled, which means we can also give commands to the remote vocally.
3. Voice Control
Roku
Roku supports both Alexa and Google, so Roku is a better option for you if you already have Google smart speakers.
Amazon Fire Stick
It supports Alexa but not Google, so if you have an Alexa speaker already in the home then you must go for a Fire Stick, you can also control other smart devices in your home with the help of this smart remote.
4. HDR Formats
The support for the new HDR formats is also an important key point for comparison.
Roku
Roku does not support the HDR10+ format, it only supports the HDR10 format.
Amazon Fire Stick
Fire Stick supports both HDR10 and HDR10+ formats.
Price
Roku
The cheapest Roku player “Roku Express” costs $25, if you want a more advanced Roku then you can go for “Roku Premiere” which costs $35, and the most expensive one “Flagship Roku Ultra” will cost $99.
Amazon fire stick
The cheapest Fire Stick “The Amazon Fire TV Stick” costs $25 only while a slightly more advanced one “Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K” costs $39, and the most expensive and advanced Fire Stick “Amazon Fire TV Cube” just costs $79.
You can also get these devices at lower prices in a sale, so if you want to save your money then wait for a sale to purchase.
It depends on your preferences which device you should purchase to fulfill your requirements.
If you are a first-time user of streaming devices, then Roku will be easier to use, on the other hand, if you want a good HD experience then you must go for Amazon Fire Stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can I connect a fire stick with a TV without an HDMI port?
Yes, if your TV does not have an HDMI port, then you can use an HDMI converter to connect the Firestick with the TV but you will also need RCA cables for connection.
Q2: Can I have more than one Fire Stick on one account?
Yes, you can have multiple Fire Sticks with only one account.
Q3: I don’t want to have subscriptions to channels, which device should I use?
If you don’t want to have a subscription to apps then you should buy a Roku device as it provides more free channels than Amazon Fire Stick.