Roku's ad-free streaming platform, Howdy, has broadened its reach by becoming available on Amazon's Prime Video Channels. This move signifies a significant expansion for the $2.99 monthly service, which was previously exclusive to the Roku Channel. Howdy offers an extensive library of content, including thousands of movies and TV shows from prominent partners such as Disney, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, alongside original Roku productions. This strategic partnership aims to enhance accessibility to quality entertainment for a wider audience, solidifying Howdy's position as a compelling add-on subscription rather than a direct competitor to established streaming giants.
Roku's Howdy Service Now Accessible via Amazon Prime Video Channels
In a significant development for the streaming landscape, Roku's budget-friendly, ad-free streaming service, Howdy, has officially launched on Amazon's Prime Video Channels. This pivotal expansion, announced on a crisp spring morning, March 24, 2026, at 6:00 AM PT, marks the first instance of Howdy's availability beyond Roku's native platform. Initially introduced in the summer of the previous year exclusively on the Roku Channel, Howdy boasts a vast collection of entertainment, comprising over 10,000 hours of movies and television series. This impressive catalog includes popular films such as "A Haunting in Venice," "Sleepless in Seattle," "A Star Is Born" (2018), "Now You See Me 2," "The Graduate," "The Hurt Locker," "White Chicks," and "Ice Age." Additionally, it features beloved TV series like "Nashville," "Forensic Files," "Longmire," and Roku's own "The Great American Baking Show." To access Howdy through Prime Video Channels, subscribers will need an existing Amazon Prime membership, which costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually, or a standalone Prime Video subscription priced at $8.99 per month with advertisements. While the specific financial terms of this distribution agreement remain undisclosed, industry practices suggest Amazon typically retains a 30% share of revenue from such partnerships. Gil Fuchsberg, President of Subscriptions, Partnerships, and Corporate Development at Roku, emphasized the company's commitment to making quality entertainment more accessible. Ryan Pirozzi, head of Prime Video Channels in the U.S., echoed this sentiment, highlighting that the launch of Howdy at an affordable price point aligns with Prime Video's mission to offer premium content to its customers. Since its debut in August 2025, Roku has expressed satisfaction with Howdy's performance and audience reception, although specific subscription numbers have not been released. In addition to Howdy, Roku's portfolio of first-party streaming services includes the highly-watched free ad-supported TV (FAST) service, the Roku Channel, and Frndly TV, a low-cost live TV subscription service acquired by Roku a year prior for $185 million.
The integration of Roku's Howdy into Amazon's Prime Video Channels represents a shrewd strategic move in the increasingly competitive streaming market. It underscores a growing trend of content providers seeking broader distribution avenues to reach diverse audiences. This partnership not only enhances Howdy's visibility but also offers consumers greater flexibility and choice in how they access their entertainment. It highlights the evolving landscape of streaming, where collaborations can unlock new growth opportunities and deliver value to subscribers by consolidating content offerings. Ultimately, this development benefits viewers by providing more accessible and affordable options for high-quality, ad-free programming, further enriching the digital entertainment ecosystem.
