I switched to Roku’s $3 streaming plan and I'm pleasantly surprised

I’ve always had a few different streaming subscriptions on rotation. But with prices creeping up, it’s become hard to justify paying for multiple services, especially when I’m only watching a handful of shows or movies every month. But cutting these subscriptions entirely isn’t exactly an option, either. I like having something to stream, and all those free movie sites have their limitations, while cable remains prohibitively expensive for what it offers.

That’s one reason why Roku’s new $3 streaming plan—called Howdy—caught my attention. I’ll be honest, at first glance, I didn’t think much of it. I assumed the platform would have a fairly limited selection or a clunky interface. But curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to give it a try (fully prepared to cancel it after a few days if it didn’t meet my expectations). But I was surprised to find that it offered far more than I expected.

Signing up for Howdy

It’s easy, and there are no hidden fees or terms

Getting started with Howdy was fairly straightforward. All you need to do is navigate to Howdy’s page on The Roku Channel and select Subscribe now. Choose Create account if you’re a new user and key in the required details. When that’s done, you can make your payment. The process doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes at the most.

Once you’re subscribed to Howdy, you can stream all the content the platform offers on your Roku device (although you don’t necessarily need one to watch Howdy), online on The Roku Channel, or via Roku’s mobile app. You can start streaming as soon as you’re subscribed, and, of course, cancel whenever you want. Even if you cancel mid-month, you can access the platform until the end of your billing period.

Content selection and viewing experience

For this price, it's a fantastic range

For a streaming service that costs only $3 a month, there’s a surprisingly strong selection of movies and shows available on the platform. I’m particularly excited to watch shows like Forensic Files, The Outpost, and Hell on Wheels. The platform also features movies like Sinister, Retribution, and Blair Witch for free! There are several paid titles that you can choose from as well, but the good news is that the bulk of the content is included in your subscription.

Now, compared to services like Prime Video and Netflix, the content selection on Howdy can seem a little limited at first glance. But in many ways, this is actually a refreshing change. On Prime Video, for instance, there are so many titles to choose from that there’s really no way to go through all of them. Netflix even has hidden categories that people can explore. But realistically, no one is going to consistently dig through these lists to find something worth watching.

The viewing experience on Howdy is decent, too. The interface can definitely use some work—it’s not as intuitive or polished as what you might have come to expect from services like Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. But given that it just recently launched, this is to be expected. Streaming quality has been smooth so far, and I haven’t personally faced any buffering issues. All things considered, for the price, Howdy offers pretty good value.

The pros and cons of Roku Howdy

It’s got plenty of perks, but it’s not for everyone

The biggest perk, as you may have guessed it, is the price. At just $3 a month, it’s one of the most affordable streaming services available right now. Sure, Netflix and a lot of other services started that way too and have since ballooned in cost, so it’s reasonable to assume that Howdy, too, might follow a similar path if it becomes popular. But, for now, it offers pretty good value for anyone looking to access a solid library of movies and TV shows.

Another big perk is that it’s entirely ad-free. Streaming services that offer an ad-free viewing experience at this price point are rare, which makes this experience feel more premium. There’s a lot to love about Howdy, but on the flip side, the content selection can’t be compared to that of services like Netflix or Prime Video. I also noticed the platform doesn’t feature many Roku Originals.

There’s plenty of older content and cult classics, but many of these picks are available on free platforms like Tubi and YouTube, too. The only difference is that Howdy offers an ad-free experience, which, in my opinion, is worth paying $3 for. Another minor downside is that Howdy is currently only available in the US. So, if you’re traveling, you likely won’t be able to access the service.

A budget-friendly streaming option that’s worth paying for

For $3 a month, you can’t go wrong with Howdy. There are plenty of classics and more recent shows and movies to binge on, and you don’t have to suffer through ads. So, if you, like me, refuse to pay for streaming services that have ads, you’ll like Howdy. The way I like to use it is as an in-between option, alongside a couple of other streaming services I am already subscribed to. But it’s also perfect if you’re looking to cut costs or aren’t subscribed to any major platforms right now.