Roku’s low-cost streaming service, Howdy, has reached more than 1 million subscribers, according to research firm Antenna.
After launching in August 2025, Antenna estimates that the $2.99-a-month service added nearly 300,000 subscribers in its first month, with 100,000 or more subscribers added each subsequent month. The streaming research company also estimates that 51 percent of subscribers who signed up for Howdy in August and September are still subscribed, giving it a higher retention rate than many other streaming platforms.
Roku itself hasn’t released subscriber numbers for the streaming platform, but a spokesperson said the company is “encouraged by the momentum.”
“We’re pleased with Howdy’s strong early performance. Although we can’t confirm any third-party data, we’re encouraged by the momentum we’re seeing so far and the positive reception from streamers. Howdy meets growing demand for a low-cost, ad-free subscription streaming service, and it’s clearly resonating with viewers,” the spokesperson said.
Antenna notes that the high retention rate is likely due to the low price point, which comes with the higher costs of other premium streaming services. The average premium streaming platform has a 47 percent retention rate, while niche streaming platforms average 38 percent, according to the company.
The 1 million subscriber count is still dwarfed by subscription giants like Netflix, which has surpassed 325 million global paid subscribers, and even free services like Tubi, which last reported 100 million monthly active users, but they have the added benefit of being free.
However, Howdy’s distribution strategy appears to have helped build momentum, as Howdy was initially only available through Roku and was heavily advertised to Roku’s base of over 100 million streaming households. In March, Howdy expanded its distribution base by launching on Amazon Prime.
Howdy offers much of the same content found on The Roku Channel, but without the ads. Lisa Holm, head of content at Roku, said the company also plans to bring more recent movies to Howdy in the near future. Hollywood Reporter In February.
“The vast majority of Howdy subscribers are Roku Channel viewers who are now adding Howdy on top as another part of the ecosystem,” Hulme said at the time.
