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Roku Channel Now Available on Google TV Devices as Ad-Supported Streaming Giant Continues to Expand Reach

Roku Channel Now Available on Google TV Devices as Ad-Supported Streaming Giant Continues to Expand Reach

With a background in sports and entertainment reporting, he’s covered everything from Broadway to college football. He cut the cord in 2014 and has a sharp eye for streaming trends and a soft spot for Hallmark movies.

In May, the free streaming platform The Roku Channel hit a milestone eclipsing 1% of total TV viewing time in Nielsen’s monthly analysis for the first time. It now appears that the free ad-supported streaming provider is looking to increase its overall percentage. On Wednesday, Roku announced that its streaming platform could now be found on Google TVs via the Google Play Store.

To download The Roku Channel, you can click here or search for the channel in the Google Play Store. Then, simply download the app and start streaming. While you can sign up for premium streaming services on the platform, there is no subscription required to stream via The Roku Channel. The service features over 80,000 free titles including the acclaimed mock-biopic “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story,” the action comedy series “Die Hart,” the rebooted “The Great American Baking Show,” and much more.

In addition to those on-demand titles, The Roku Channel also features over 350 free, live, linear channels that provide around-the-clock programming featuring news, sports, classic TV and movies, and more. And, beginning in January, the platform will become the lead broadcaster of Formula E World Championship racing, marking the company’s first live sports rights. CBS will continue to air select races on its linear channels through the season.

Following the first quarter of 2023, The Roku Channel reported that it had 71.6 million active users who accounted for 25.1 billion hours streamed. With Google TV adding support for the platform, undoubtedly those numbers will continue to increase. The company is banking on its ever-expanding user base as it is beginning to roll out new features across its array of advertising products. Earlier this week, the company announced that it would be teaming up with e-commerce platform Shopify in order to allow viewers to purchase products seen in ads on their screens, using only their remotes.

By virtue of the fact that Roku is the largest streaming operating system in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, its reach is already massive, but by continuing to introduce its app onto smart TVs that employ other platforms, the company is setting itself up to be an even more dominant force in both streaming and — perhaps more importantly — advertising.

Roku Channel

The Roku Channel is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a broad mix of movies, TV shows, live linear channels, and original programming. Available to all viewers — not just Roku device owners — the service features licensed content from major studios alongside Roku Originals, which include exclusive series, movies, and specials previously produced for Quibi, as well as new original projects developed specifically for the platform.

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Programming on The Roku Channel spans multiple genres, including drama, comedy, reality TV, news, and family-friendly content. Popular titles and originals include “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” “Die Hart,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” and a rotating library of classic films and TV series. The platform also offers live news channels, sports highlights, and themed FAST channels covering everything from classic TV to lifestyle programming.

Viewers can watch The Roku Channel for free on Roku devices, smart TVs, streaming players, mobile devices, and web browsers, with no subscription required. The service is also available on platforms like Amazon Fire TV and Samsung smart TVs, expanding its reach beyond the Roku ecosystem. While ads are included, the experience is designed to be lighter than traditional broadcast television.

With its combination of free access, original content, live channels, and on-demand entertainment, The Roku Channel has become one of the most widely available and accessible streaming destinations for viewers looking to watch without a monthly subscription.


Matt Tamanini is the News Editor at The Streamable, where he oversees daily news coverage and editorial strategy, with a particular focus on breaking stories, streaming comparisons, and major industry events. A well-rounded journalist with a diverse background, Matt joined The Streamable in 2022 after holding key editorial roles at several high-profile outlets. He has an extensive career in sports and entertainment journalism, having served as a senior editor for BroadwayWorld, the world’s largest theater website, and as managing editor for Land-Grant Holy Land, which covers Ohio State sports.

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