Roku has kicked off its Black Friday deals early this year, with price cuts across all three UK streaming sticks – and some of these discounts are among the best we’ve seen since the devices launched.
The deals apply to the entire current lineup, from the premium 4K stick to the entry-level HD model and the 4K “Plus” model, both released this year.
These early Black Friday prices are live now on Amazon, and whilst we don’t have a confirmed end date, they might remain available through the Black Friday period and possibly beyond.
While we’ve already seen discounts on the newly launched Roku sticks back in August – some of the discounts this time around are even more substantial.
For anyone considering a streaming device upgrade, or looking for a simple alternative to the increasingly cluttered Fire TV interface, this represents a genuinely good opportunity.
Roku’s Clean Alternative
Roku’s main selling point has always been simplicity. While Amazon keeps packing more algorithmic recommendations and promotional content into Fire TV (let’s be honest – adverts), Roku maintains a clean, straightforward interface that actually gets you to your apps without making you wade through Amazon’s own content first.
Your apps sit right there on the home screen, exactly where you’d expect them to be. No hunting through menus. No accidentally launching Prime Video when you wanted Netflix. Just a simple grid of your streaming services (and yes, the occasional advert).
This year, Roku finally gave their UK lineup a much-needed refresh, replacing the chunky Express boxes with proper streaming sticks.
The new Streaming Stick (HD) and Streaming Stick Plus launched in June, joining the existing Streaming Stick 4K from 2021.
The shift to the stick format solved several real-world annoyances. No more hunting for flat surfaces near your TV, no more adhesive strips to mount boxes somewhere visible, and no more dangling HDMI cables.
All three current models plug directly into your TV’s HDMI port, and the newer ones can even run off USB power from your TV, creating much cleaner setups behind your screen.
More recently, Roku launched its Live TV Zone in October, bringing over 40 free ad-supported streaming channels to all UK devices.
While the content is admittedly American-focused and won’t replace your subscription services, it adds another layer of free content to the Roku ecosystem at no extra cost.
Roku’s Early Black Friday Deals
The discounts cover Roku’s entire current UK lineup, with the biggest savings on the middle model.
Roku Streaming Stick (HD) – £19.99 (was £29.99)
The budget option
This HD-only model is now Roku’s cheapest entry point, and I was pleasantly surprised by its performance during testing (see my full review).
Despite modest specs, it delivered “surprisingly good performance” with the interface feeling responsive and apps launching without frustrating delays.
The inclusion of Roku’s voice remote as standard is a genuine upgrade. Older budget models used to ship with basic infrared remotes that lacked TV controls. Being able to control everything from one remote without paying extra is welcome.
But here’s the thing that kept nagging at me during my review: “With just £10 separating this from the 4K-capable Plus model, you’re left wondering – is saving a tenner now worth potential regret when you upgrade your TV later?”
That question becomes even more relevant now. At Black Friday pricing, there’s only a fiver between this and the Plus model. That’s an incredibly small gap for what you’re giving up.
The device uses older WiFi standards (802.11b/g/n) and has half the RAM of its pricier siblings, and of course – there’s no 4K or HDR. It’s perfectly adequate for what it does, but the limitations are real.
Best for: Secondary TVs, guest rooms, or if you travel frequently and know you’ll mainly encounter HD displays.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus – £24.99 (was £39.99)
The sweet spot (and my main recommendation)
The £15 discount brings the Plus down to just £24.99, creating genuinely exceptional value for a 4K streaming stick.
This has become my go-to recommendation for anyone asking about Roku devices (see my full review), even before the discounted price.
During my month of testing, the Plus consistently impressed: “4K content from services like Netflix and Disney+ appeared crisp and vibrant, with HDR enhancing highlights and improving detail in darker scenes.”
Performance felt snappy throughout: “4K content loads promptly (assuming your broadband can handle it), and switching between apps is quick and painless.”
The stick supports 4K at 60fps with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG – basically everything except Dolby Vision. For most people, that’s more than adequate.
The BBC uses HLG for its 4K iPlayer content, so you’re covered there.
There are some downsides worth mentioning. You’re entirely dependent on WiFi – there’s no Ethernet option at all – and its WiFi standard is getting a bit old (802.11ac dual-band, which is WiFi 5).
Despite these minor grumbles, the Streaming Stick Plus offered exceptional value at its regular £39.99 price. At £24.99, it’s an absolute steal.
To put this in perspective, that’s cheaper than Amazon’s basic HD Fire TV Stick normally costs. You’re getting 4K support, HDR, and a clean interface for less than Amazon charges for their entry-level device.
Best for: Most people, especially if you want 4K future-proofing without spending a fortune.
November 16 Update: The discount on this model seems to be coming and going, but it’s back as of this writing.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K – £39.99 (was £49.99)
The premium option (but is it worth it?)
Here’s Roku’s top-tier model, though it’s starting to feel a bit long in the tooth having launched back in 2021. The main selling points over the Plus are Dolby Vision support and enhanced WiFi with a range booster (see my full review).
But honestly? As I noted in my comparison, this model has become a bit redundant, with the Streaming Stick Plus providing excellent performance, the same voice remote, and all at a lower price.
The enhanced WiFi might matter if you’ve got a massive house or challenging wireless conditions, but for most setups, the Plus model’s connectivity is perfectly adequate.
And unless you’re particularly bothered about Dolby Vision (which requires both a compatible TV and content that actually uses it), the benefits don’t justify the extra £15 over the Plus model.
That said, if Dolby Vision is important to you, this £10 discount does make it more palatable.
Best for: Dolby Vision enthusiasts or those with particularly tricky WiFi setups.
Roku vs Fire TV: Why This Matters Now
Amazon’s Fire TV sticks still dominate the UK market, but recent changes have made Roku’s clean approach even more appealing.
The key difference remains philosophy. Amazon’s interface has become increasingly cluttered over the years, packed with promotional content, algorithmic suggestions, and Amazon’s own services front and centre.
Sometimes finding your actual apps feels like an archaeological expedition.
Roku keeps things simple. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to explain to older relatives how to find their actual apps on a Fire TV Stick, buried beneath Amazon’s promotional content.
With Roku, your apps are right there on the home screen, exactly where you’d expect them to be.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select Problem
To complicate matters further, Amazon recently launched the Fire TV Stick 4K Select at £49.99, positioning it as their most affordable 4K streaming device.
On paper, it seems like competition for Roku’s 4K offerings. In practice, it’s been a bit of a disaster.
The Select runs on Amazon’s brand new Vega OS – a complete departure from the Android-based Fire OS that’s powered Fire TV devices for over a decade.
Built on Linux rather than Android, Vega OS means every single app needs to be completely rewritten from scratch.
The result? The Select launched with roughly 900 apps available, compared to over 30,000 on Android-based Fire TV devices.
More problematically, the Select still doesn’t support VPN apps, despite multiple VPN providers confirming their apps are ready and waiting. Amazon keeps promising a software update to enable VPN support, but we’re still waiting.
The Select also has lower specs than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K – just 1GB of RAM versus 2GB, WiFi 5 instead of WiFi 6, and no Dolby Vision support.
Amazon’s standard Fire TV Stick 4K costs £59.99 (just £10 more than the Select) and offers far better specs with all apps available now. But at Black Friday pricing, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus costs £24.99 – half the price of the problematic Select.
The Sideloading Situation
Now, it’s worth noting that both Roku and the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select share one characteristic: neither allows sideloading of apps (plus, Roku does not – and will not, most likely – support VPN apps).
Sideloading is the process of installing apps from outside the official app store. The Android-based Fire TV sticks have historically allowed this, which many people use for perfectly legitimate purposes.
However, sideloading has also become notorious as the primary way to install dubious IPTV apps. Roku has never allowed sideloading. It’s always been a closed ecosystem where you can only install apps from Roku’s official channel store.
For the vast majority of users who only want Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and other mainstream services, this doesn’t matter at all. Both platforms offer all the major streaming apps you’d actually want to use.
The difference is that Roku’s closed ecosystem is mature and proven. The Select’s closed ecosystem is brand new, incomplete, and still missing some basic functionality.
And to top it all – the Select stick is more expensive.
When Fire TV Still Makes Sense
To be fair, Amazon does have advantages with their other models. The Fire TV 4K Max offers more powerful hardware, supports WiFi 6, and generally feels snappier than any Roku device. Amazon also tends to get new streaming apps before Roku does in the UK.
The standard Fire TV Stick 4K (the Android-based one, not the Select) is also a solid device with proper app support and VPN functionality available right now.
But if you value a clean, no-nonsense experience over bleeding-edge specs, Roku’s approach has real appeal.
My Recommendation: The Plus Is Unbeatable Right Now
While all three deals represent decent value, the Streaming Stick Plus at £24.99 is the standout winner.
That £15 discount brings it down to genuinely bargain territory whilst adding 4K support, better WiFi, and double the RAM compared to the HD model. You’re only paying a fiver more than the basic HD stick for all those upgrades.
Even if your current TV only does HD, spending the extra fiver makes sense. When you eventually upgrade to 4K (and let’s face it, that’s increasingly inevitable as prices keep falling), you won’t need to replace your streaming device too.
The old 4K model, while perfectly capable, feels overpriced even at the discounted £39.99 unless you genuinely need Dolby Vision or have specific WiFi challenges.
For most people wanting a simple, reliable streaming device that just works without trying to be too clever, the Plus hits the sweet spot – especially at this price.
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When I go on holiday will I still have to get the owners details to get stuff on Roku I know I will have to be on there internet …..but wondered if
This didn’t need all the passwords….like amazone Firestick…thank you….