Roku Rolls Out Howdy Mobile App, Bringing Its $2.99 Ad-Free Tier To iPhones And Android Phones

Roku has released a standalone mobile app for Howdy, its budget ad-free streaming option, making the service accessible on iOS and Android devices across the U.S. The app lets subscribers stream Howdy’s catalog away from Roku players for the first time, and the service remains priced at $2.99 a month — just under $3 — positioning it as one of the lowest-cost ad-free offerings available.

The service, which debuted in August 2025, carries roughly 10,000 hours of programming drawn from a mix of big studios and independent distributors as well as a handful of Roku-produced shows. Viewers will find everything from family animation and medical dramas to offbeat comedies and older feature films, plus a rotating assortment of niche titles curated for casual and budget-minded streamers.

A Roku subscriptions executive said the app launch is meant to extend Howdy beyond the company’s own hardware and to lower the price barrier for viewers who want no ads. “We built Howdy so people can get ad-free viewing without a hefty monthly bill, and making it available on phones is a natural next step,” the executive told reporters in a briefing. The company also recently added Howdy as an add-on through another major platform, expanding the service’s reach past Roku devices.

The move comes amid several strategic shifts for Roku: the company paid $185 million last year for Frndly TV, which offers live channels and cloud DVR, and it struck a data-sharing arrangement with Amazon around connected-TV advertising. Roku also continues to promote The Roku Channel, its free ad-supported service that the company says attracts about 125 million users daily, and executives have emphasized Howdy as a complement to — not a replacement for — higher-priced subscription services.

Roku reported a fourth-quarter 2025 profit of about $80.5 million and has said it will introduce new streaming bundles as part of efforts to broaden revenue sources. For consumers, the new Howdy mobile app simply means a cheap, ad-free option they can carry in their pocket.