Roku Grows to 70 Million Active Users, Passes 87.4 Billion Hours Streamed in 2022
While many companies in the streaming world are anxiously watching as their subscriber growth slows or customer base begins to shrink, others are seeing their user totals continue to climb. While the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) segment of the industry is undergoing what could be the first major correction in its history, the free ad-supported TV (FAST) portion of streaming is continuing to thrive, and perhaps no company is engaging more new cord-cutters than Roku.
On Thursday, the streaming platform announced that it is now home to more than 70 million active accounts around the globe, an increase of just under 10 million users year-over-year. The fourth quarter alone saw an approximate 4.6M user increase over the previously reported total of 65.4M from October. Roku is the top streaming platform in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With 2022 officially in the books, the streaming platform reported that it closed the calendar year with 23.9 billion hours streamed in the fourth quarter to up its yearlong total to 87.4 billion hours. The quarterly total represents a 2B-hour increase over Q3. The company will provide a full breakdown of active users, hours streamed, and more when it releases its Q4 2022 earnings report next month.
“As consumers continue the shift to TV streaming, we’re excited that a growing number of people are taking the journey with Roku, and we’re proud to reach this meaningful milestone today,” Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood said. “Roku is laser-focused on delivering affordable, easy-to-use products and an operating system that makes streaming accessible to all. We look forward to continuing to bring innovative and delightful experiences to more and more viewers this year.”
The announcement comes just one day after Roku revealed plans to launch its first-ever in-house line of smart TVs. The Roku Select and Roku Plus Series TVs will be the first units to be both designed and made by Roku and will be available in the U.S. in spring 2023.
Additionally, the streaming hub reports that its own FAST channel The Roku Channel was a top-five channel on the platform by both active account reach and streaming hour engagement in the first three quarters of 2022. Last year, the streamer made a splash with its first original movie, “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” and added Roku Originals like “The Great American Baking Show,” “Martha Gardens,” and “Emeril Cooks,” and exclusive content like becoming the new home for daily sports-talk show “The Rich Eisen Show.”
In 2023, The Roku Channel will continue to bring new programming to users, including the Miss Universe pageant, which will stream exclusively on The Roku Channel on Jan. 14.
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