Key Takeaways
- The Roku Channel closed 2025 with a record high 3% share of all U.S. TV viewership.
- The Roku Channel share of TV time is up 45% year‑over‑year vs. December 2024 and up 190% vs. two years ago, making it the fastest growing streaming service according to Nielsen.
- The Roku Channel is distributed across streaming devices and platforms, including the Roku operating system.
- According to Nielsen, over 21% of all TV viewing time happens on the Roku platform.
The Shift to Platform-First Viewing
According to the December 2025 Nielsen Gauge report, the Roku Channel has captured a record high 3% of all U.S. TV viewership, outpacing major competitors in year-over-year growth. Only 4 other streaming services have reached this milestone on The Gauge.
This milestone is all the more remarkable given the stiff competition for attention in December. In fact, hit shows and live sports helped Christmas Day 2025 set a record for the most-streamed day in history with more than 55 billion viewing minutes.
But Roku’s growth trajectory tells an even more compelling story. By capturing 3% of total TV usage, the Roku Channel joined a select group of media companies, including YouTube, Disney and Netflix, to reach that share of watch time.
The Roku Channel's Historic Growth Trajectory
The Roku Channel isn't just a “free alternative” anymore; it has become a true destination for US TV viewers in its own right.
Of the streaming services measured in The Gauge, the Roku Channel is the fastest growing, earning a 45% higher share than this time last year and a whopping 190% growth over December 2023.
The Roku Channel offers a free viewing experience with access to original and licensed shows, classic movies, and live TV, featuring more than 10,000 shows, 80,000 movies, and 500 FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels. From 2020 to 2025, FAST viewership on the Roku Channel has grown 262x faster than the total TV Streaming market, according to our recent research with Horizon.
What's the difference between The Roku Channel, Roku OS, and Roku as a platform?
- The Roku Channel is Roku’s owned and operated free ad supported streaming service available on the Roku OS and other OEMs and digital destinations.
- The Roku OS powers smart TVs and streaming players, hosting thousands of apps including Netflix, Disney+, and The Roku Channel.
- In December 2025, 21.2% of all TV viewing took place on the Roku platform, according to Nielsen.
This means that Americans spent more time streaming on Roku powered devices in December 2025 than watching Cable TV, and neck and neck with consumption on Broadcast TV.
It’s going to be another exciting year for streaming TV—for viewers, creators, and advertisers alike. We can’t wait to see how many records will be shattered in 2026.
