More people watch streaming than ever. Sound familiar?
The growth of streaming TV has been so dependable in recent years that it can be easy to forget just how much viewing activity has now migrated over from linear TV. Luckily, every so often our industry crosses a big milestone that puts all that accumulated growth into context.
This summer delivered just such a milestone, as streaming on Roku-powered devices accounted for 21.4% of all TV viewing in July, compared to 18.4% for broadcast TV, according to Nielsen data.¹ That’s right: For the third consecutive month, U.S. viewers spent more time streaming content on Roku-powered devices than watching traditional broadcast television.²
“When we first said that ‘all TV will be streamed,’ it was a bold prediction. That day is closer than ever,” said Anthony Wood, Founder and CEO of Roku. “Now that the shift to streaming is well underway, with Roku at the forefront, we’re focusing on the next chapter: making streaming easier, more personal, and more impactful for viewers, creators, and all our partners.”
Along with the growth of the Roku platform, Roku’s own free, ad-supported streaming service continued to increase in watch time as well. According to Nielsen's monthly The Gauge report, The Roku Channel alone accounts for 2.8% of all TV viewing. While the Roku Channel viewership increased 7.5% in July, surpassing the growth rate of all other steaming services in The Gauge, it still does not represent the full scale of streaming on Roku-powered devices as a whole.
Roku remains the leading destination for streaming overall, by usage and TV unit sales. The Roku OS powers streaming on smart TVs and devices in over half of all internet-enabled households in the U.S., underscoring Roku’s central role in the streaming ecosystem and its ability to connect tens of millions of viewers to the content they love.
With streaming content and attention so atomized, Roku's growing popularity is great news for advertisers; it means that TV still has a “front door.”
“In broadcast’s heyday, TV guides directed us to ‘must-see’ television and the pop cultural moments we shared,” said Charlie Collier, President, Roku Media. “Today, the streaming platform is the guide, and the moments shaping culture are happening on Roku. We’re the ‘lead-in’ to TV for millions of viewers’ and partners’ journeys, connecting them to the content, live events, and experiences that define the streaming era.”
Read the full press release here
¹ The data analyzed from Nielsen is representative of all apps on the Roku platform including apps that contain Live TV such as YouTube TV and Hulu Live.
² Nielsen Gauge, July 2025 | Roku analysis of Nielsen data, July 2025
