Whenever there is a new technology, it gives birth to new devices and generations and constant competition, especially for which is the best streaming device. To be the best streaming device, the developers are releasing the updated versions regularly. In that aspect, Amazon & Roku are becoming arch-rivals and fighting with each other to become the best streaming device. Read the below article to know everything about the Roku vs Amazon Firestick and find out which is the best streaming device.
What is Roku?
Roku is a streaming device that can be used to watch online content on TV. In the Roku device, you can install apps to watch movies and series, install games to play on the TV, and much more. Roku has three streaming players in its gazette. Roku Express, Roku Premiere, and Roku Streaming Stick+. Each device is unique on its own. In the streaming device section, Roku plays a major role.
Tip-off !!
Streaming without a VPN exposes your IP address, making you vulnerable to privacy breaches and hacker attacks. Without encryption, your online activities are more susceptible to monitoring by ISPs, snoopers, and the government. Lastly, accessing geo-restricted content may be impossible without a VPN, limiting your entertainment options. Hence, it is recommended to use a VPN.
Of all the available VPNs, I recommend NordVPN if you ever want to watch the desired movies, TV shows, or sports events on your Firestick without risking your privacy. NordVPN is the fastest and best VPN service provider with global coverage. You can now avail yourself of the New Year's deal of 67% off + 3 Months Extra of NordVPN to stay anonymous.
With NordVPN on Firestick, your internet traffic gets encrypted, so your IP and identity stay anonymous. You can stream the desired content while staying away from the government and other online intruders.
What is Firestick?
Firestick by Amazon is one of the best streaming devices in the market. The Firestick is the easiest to operate as it runs on OS, which is similar to Android. OS is one of the major reasons for Firestick’s success. You can easily install apps on your Firestick from the Amazon store or any Android APK app store. Below is the comparison between Roku VS Firestick.
Firestick vs Roku: Setup
After finishing the external port connection, you need to finish the on-screen setup process. You need to choose a language on the setup process, connect the device to the home network, download the latest software, display type, remote setup, and create a Roku account. The setup process for Roku is easy and simple.
The setup of Amazon Firestick device is almost similar to the Roku Setup. You need to choose the language, connect to the home Wi-Fi network, create or add an Amazon Account, and Parental Controls. You don’t need to set up or pair the Firestick remote manually as it will be automatically paired to your Firestick during setup. Downloading the latest software and display type are the missing setup properties in Amazon Firestick. These properties are already set up in the device, if you want, you can change them after the activation process.
On comparing the setup steps, Amazon Firestick has the minimal steps required to finish the on-screen setup. So, in this case, Amazon Firestick is the best streaming device when compared to Roku.
Firestick vs Roku: Design
Roku is a small rectangular-shaped device that is easy to carry. The remote controller is in the standard design which is rectangular shaped. The remote control is easy to carry and operate. One of the interesting facts about the Roku remote is that it has dedicated buttons named Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Sling TV. Clicking these preset app buttons will directly launch the app. Roku remote differs from different Roku devices.
Firestick almost has the same remote shape for its devices. The preset buttons are not available on the Firestick Remote. Instead, it has Alexa voice control. You can control all the Firestick functions with the Alexa Voice Control. Voice control is absent in Roku devices.
In the design contest, both the devices are similar shapes. On comparing the design, it is a tie between the Roku and Amazon Firestick.
Firestick vs Roku: Control
Roku Streaming device can be controlled by its Roku remote. On the remote, it has preset buttons for important streaming apps. Clicking on the button will directly open the respective app. Preset buttons are the key feature in Roku Remote. Other than the Remote, you can control the device with the smartphone app called Roku TV Remote Control. By installing the app, you can control your Roku device from your smartphone. The app is available for both iOS and Android smartphones.
The Firestick has a similar remote as Roku. The remote has the same rectangular shape with control buttons like off/on, volume, home, menu, back, navigation, select/ok, voice search, forward, play/pause, rewind, and mute button. The pre-set buttons are the missing feature in Firestick Remote. Amazon Firestick also has a smartphone app to control the device. The app is available for iOS and Android smartphones.
Thus, Roku has the preset buttons which are absent in Firestick. Both devices are having smartphone apps to control the devices. With the preset buttons, Roku is an easier device to control.
Amazon Fire TV Stick vs Roku: UI
The User Interface of Roku will be a new experience for anyone as it runs on Roku OS which is an independent OS. In Roku, the on-screen keyboard is the one thing that varies a lot. The keyboard keys are not in the QWERTY format instead the keys are arranged in alphabetical order. Operating the on-screen keyboard is a tough task.
On the other hand, Amazon Firestick has Fire OS which is a fork of Android. You won’t feel much difference in Firestick’s User Interface. It also has the ABCD format on-screen keyboard. Entering search terms using the on-screen keyboard is not a cakewalk. But the Fire OS is so easy to use and navigate.
When comparing the User Interface of the two devices, Amazon Firestick is the best streaming device as it has an OS similar to Android. Roku has its own independent OS which is new to operate.
Roku vs Fire TV: App Ecosystem
For a streaming device, supported apps are one of the main things to be considered. The maximum number of apps means that you can stream a variety of content.
For the Roku Streaming device, it has its own app store called Roku Channel Store. In the channel store, it has apps in categories like Most Popular, Top Free, Featured, 4K UHD Content, New & Notable, Cable Alternative, Games, Movies & TV, Watch with Cable, Music, and so on. In addition to that, you can also search for channels. All the popular streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Apple TV. Apart from the apps on Roku Channel Store, you can also install apps from third-party sources.
Amazon has its own app store for its streaming devices, Amazon App Store. The app store has almost all the apps that are available on the Google Play Store. The app store is very similar to the Amazon shopping app. The search bar, UI, customization options are all the same as the shopping app. Firestick also has the option to sideload apps that are not available on the Amazon App Store.
List of Best Apps to Install on Firestick
In the apps section, both the devices are going neck to neck. But the Amazon Firestick stands a little above on apps ecosystem as its having the most user comfort than in Roku.
Roku vs Amazon Firestick: Streaming Quality
The highest streaming quality on Roku devices is 4K Ultra HD. In streaming, Roku is doing the best for its consumers. The internal storage is the main issue. Roku has nothing sort of any internal storage, you need to insert a micro SD card if you want internal storage. The absence of internal storage may be a big issue when you stream high-quality videos.
In the case of Firestick, it can also stream 4K videos. The output quality of Amazon Firestick is 1080p. Firestick has an internal memory of up to 8 GB which is absent in the Roku device. With the internal storage, the high-quality videos are pre-loaded which will eliminate the buffering as much as possible. You can also store any information on your Firestick.
In streaming quality, Amazon Firestick is the winner because of the presence of internal storage.
Firestick vs Roku: Price
Talking about prices, Roku is the cheapest device. But you can’t say that the cheapest device is the best device. Roku is definitely worth its costs but it lacks some common features like internal storage. For $45, Amazon Firestick has all the common features that a streaming device must-have.
Related: Comparison between Amazon Firestick vs Google Chromecast.
Final Verdict
By considering all the aspects of streaming devices, Amazon Firestick is the best streaming device. But Roku is giving a good competition to Firestick in all aspects. The absence of internal storage is one of the factors that caused the downfall of Roku. Apart from that, Roku is also one of the good streaming devices. So, now it is up to you to choose a device that best suits you with the details furnished above.