There are many options for how you can stream Netflix, Hulu, and other services on your TV, but one brand has dominated cord cutting: Roku.
Last month Cord Cutters News surveyed more than 1,000 of our readers about how they cut the cord. From the Spring 2024 survey, Roku is the clear leader in the world of cord cutting and is almost twice as popular as its next competitor, the Amazon Fire TV.
In our survey, we asked our readers to list all the devices they use to stream content. (Adding the numbers up won’t add up to 100%, as many people use multiple types of devices.) According to our readers, 62% use a Roku, 36% use a smart TV, and 32% use a Fire TV. In fourth place were laptops and PCs at 25%. In fifth place was the Apple TV with 20% of the market, and in sixth place was Chromecast—all versions—at 15%.
How did Roku get to this point where it dominates cord cutting? Let’s look at the history of Roku and what our readers had to say.
How Roku came to dominate cord cutting:
When looking at Roku’s success you cannot ignore the fact that Roku was one of the first streaming players on the market. It was originally a project by Netflix: a way to make streaming Netflix on your TV easier. Yet when what we now know as Roku was ready Netflix decided to walk away from the project out of fear it would mean other device manufacturers wouldn’t work with them. The technology that would become the first Roku player was handed over to the owner of Roku who helped build it.
Being early is always a huge help in any project but Roku’s success according to our readers has a lot more to do with the device itself.
According to our readers the #1 reason Roku is so popular is its ease of use. A simple user interface and an easy to use remote make it stand out. The second reason it’s so popular is the price. Basic Roku players start under $30.
A super simple streaming player with a great price is a winning formula according to our readers.
Many readers who have tried other devices and switched to Roku have told Cord Cutters News that the cluttered user interface on other devices and/or high cost were reasons they switched.
For now, as long as Roku keeps the cheap price and the simple user interface it will continue to dominate cord cutting going forward.
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