The Roku Channel app is free, and you do not need any Roku hardware to use it. Roku’s official availability list covers Amazon Fire TVs, Google TVs, and Samsung TVs, plus Fire TV and Google TV streaming players, iPhone, Android, and any browser at TheRokuChannel.com.
The service works in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on streaming devices, web, and mobile. Mexico gets Roku streaming devices only. The free catalog matches everywhere: 500+ live channels, Roku Originals, and a rotating lineup of free movies and TV shows.
One restriction follows you across platforms: Premium Subscriptions, the add-on feature for paid services inside the app, only exists in the United States, and it is not available on Samsung TVs or Fire TV devices, according to Roku’s support documentation, last updated June 23, 2026.
On phones, the same catalog lives inside the Roku mobile app for iOS and Android, which doubles as a remote for Roku players.
| Platform | The Roku Channel app | Premium Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Roku TVs and players | Yes | Yes, US only |
| Samsung TVs | Yes | No |
| Amazon Fire TV devices | Yes, US only | No |
| Google TVs and players | Yes | Yes, US only |
| Web (TheRokuChannel.com) | Yes | Yes, US only |
| Roku mobile app (iOS, Android) | Yes | Yes, US only |
How to install it on a Samsung TV
Press the Smart Hub or Home button on your Samsung remote, then move down to Apps. Search for “Roku” and wait for The Roku Channel to appear, then select it and choose Download. Roku notes the steps vary between some Samsung models.
You can start watching the moment the install finishes, with no sign-in screen in the way. Create the free account later if you want to pause a show on the Samsung TV and resume it on another signed-in device.
How to add it on Amazon Fire TV
On Fire TV, the app installs on streaming devices, Fire TV Edition smart TVs, and Fire TV Edition soundbars, but only in the United States. Open the top menu, select Apps, then Categories, then Movies & TV, and pick The Roku Channel from the list.
Two shortcuts skip the menus entirely. Search for it with the magnifying glass, or say “Alexa, open The Roku Channel” into your Fire TV remote.
Once installed, the app sits on your Fire TV home screen like any other. Amazon’s own Appstore listing carries it as a free download, and full platform-by-platform steps live in Roku’s official setup guide.
What you give up without Roku hardware
Premium Subscriptions stay locked down. Add a paid channel through the web player, the mobile app, or a Roku device instead. Samsung TVs and Fire TV devices sit outside that feature entirely.
Actual Roku hardware also handles subscriptions differently, since apps attach to your Roku account rather than to one device. Cancel once and it disappears everywhere.
If you stream daily, the platform gaps get old fast. Our breakdown of what a Roku TV actually is covers when buying into the hardware makes sense.
Is The Roku Channel app free?
Yes. The live channels, Roku Originals, and the full movie library are ad-supported and cost nothing to watch. You only pay for Premium Subscriptions, which need a Roku account, a US location, and a device other than a Samsung TV or Fire TV.
Do you need a Roku account on a Samsung TV?
No. Samsung viewers can start watching immediately after installing the app, no sign-in required. A free Roku account only becomes useful if you want to pause a show on the Samsung TV and pick it up later on another device signed into that account.
Which countries get The Roku Channel?
The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom get it on streaming devices, the web player, and mobile. Mexico only gets it on Roku streaming devices, and Premium Subscriptions stay limited to the United States, per Roku’s own support documentation.
