Howdy from Roku.
Final week, Roku launched Howdy, an ad-free subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service for $2.99 per 30 days, and the corporate thinks it’s precisely what audiences are searching for.
The brand new platform provides subscribers limitless entry to 1000’s of titles and practically 10,000 hours of leisure from its inaugural companions, which embrace Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, together with choose Roku Unique titles.
A number of the film and sequence titles subscribers can look forward to finding on the service embrace Mad Max: Fury Highway, The Blind Aspect, Weeds, and Children within the Corridor, in addition to a full slate of romcoms, medical dramas, ‘90s comedy classics, and extra. Subscribers have the power to cancel any time.
However why is Roku going the ad-free route whereas so many different streamers are shifting to extra ad-supported buildings? Moreover, why did the corporate are available in at a low worth level when most SVODs have risen in worth?
In accordance with Roku, the corporate noticed a spot within the streaming market amid the rising value of ad-free leisure. Howdy is an answer the corporate believes will enchantment to each premium subscription and free TV audiences as a low-cost complement to these different companies.
“We’ve got a powerful finger on the heart beat of the streaming ecosystem and noticed that there actually wasn’t one other service at that worth level that delivered an uninterrupted streaming expertise,” a Roku spokesperson instructed ADWEEK. “Howdy fills this hole particularly for viewers who need an uninterrupted expertise with high-quality content material and a low worth.”
The spokesperson mentioned the $2.99 per 30 days value units it other than different rivals, citing that no different premium streaming companies have these choices at a worth level for this worth and high quality of programming.
In fact, Amazon Prime Video additionally prices $2.99 for its ad-free choice. Nevertheless, that’s on prime of the common subscription value of $14.99 per 30 days or $139 yearly.
Roku introduced firstly of 2025 that it surpassed 90 million streaming households within the first week of January. And in response to the spokesperson, Howdy is a “pure step” as the corporate grows its platform income. Nevertheless, additionally they emphasised that, whereas the ad-free service is assembly a “particular want,” there’s nonetheless a really robust viewers for ad-supported TV streaming.
“The Roku Channel is poised to maintain its robust development, main the shift towards a future the place viewers can select when and the way they expertise leisure—whether or not that’s free and ad-supported, premium ad-supported, or ad-free,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Our platform hosts dozens of streaming companies that cater to totally different audiences and provide all kinds of promoting alternatives.”
Moreover, the spokesperson famous the brand new platform provides IP companions one other technique to monetize content material and attain extra viewers.
“Howdy expands viewer alternative with out undermining free and ad-supported tiers,” the spokesperson mentioned. “We consider Howdy will enchantment to a really particular phase of the market—premium subscribers who’re searching for a low-cost, ad-free complement to dearer choices with status content material. We additionally see Howdy interesting to FAST audiences who’re excited about an reasonably priced ad-free expertise alongside their free, ad-supported choices.”
To advertise the platform, guests who cross via Instances Sq. shall be greeted with a “howdy” via a branded takeover of digital billboards from Aug. 5 to Aug. 31.
As for the title of the ad-free service, Roku mentioned it pays homage to the greeting that Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wooden typically makes use of.
“Priced at lower than a cup of espresso, Howdy is ad-free and designed to enrich, not compete with, premium companies,” Wooden mentioned in an announcement. “We’re assembly an actual want for shoppers who wish to unwind with their favourite motion pictures and exhibits uninterrupted and on their phrases. Howdy is a pure step for us at Roku, extending our mission to make higher TV for everybody, by making it reasonably priced, accessible, and constructed for a way individuals watch immediately.”
