Roku’s $3 streaming service Howdy reaches 1 million subscribers, according to a recent report

Roku’s latest streaming bet is off to a strong start. Affordable subscription service Howdy has now surpassed 1 million subscribers, according to data from research firm Antenna. This is a major milestone for a platform that’s still fairly new, and suggests it’s striking a chord with viewers tired of paying for yet another expensive subscription.

Launching in August 2025, Howdy is Roku’s first real push into ad-free, paid streaming. At just $2.99 ​​per month, Howdy targets people who want something extra to watch for less.

The service includes about 10,000 hours of content, with a mix of old movies and TV shows, thanks to deals with studios like Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Discovery. This includes titles like “The Blind Side,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “Weeds.”

In addition to its budget-friendly cost, Roku has also made it easier to access. Howdy recently expanded into a standalone mobile app and launched on Amazon Prime Video, making it available to a wider audience. This wider reach likely helped it reach the million mark fairly quickly.

According to Antenna, Roku’s Howdy attracted nearly 300,000 subscribers in its first month alone, and then continued to grow steadily, adding at least 100,000 more subscribers every month after that.

Additionally, among users who signed up for Howdy in August and September 2025, Antenna estimates that 51% of users are still subscribers six months later. This puts Howdy ahead in average six-month retention rate for both premium SVOD services (47%) and niche SVOD platforms (38%). (“Niche” platforms refer to ALLBLK, AMC+, Crunchyroll, etc.)

Howdy’s subscriber base remains a small sliver compared to giants like Netflix and Disney+, as well as free, ad-supported platforms like Tubi. However, Roku has made it clear that Howdy isn’t meant to compete head-to-head with streaming heavyweights, but instead serve as a cheap, ad-free option that complements other subscriptions.

However, it is still early. If new Antenna data is any indication, this kind of simple, low-commitment offer could be what sticks with viewers, especially at a time when prices are rising everywhere.