Roku has passed 100 million streaming households worldwide, marking a new milestone for the connected TV platform as it continues to expand its international footprint and advertising scale.
The company said the figure was reached in April and is based on the number of distinct user accounts streaming on the Roku platform over a 30-day period.
Anthony Wood, founder and chief executive of Roku, said the milestone was “a defining moment” for both the company and the wider television market, arguing that streaming is increasingly becoming the primary way audiences watch TV. Roku said households access the platform through its streaming players, Roku-made televisions and Roku TV models produced by hardware partners.
The company said Roku devices are now used by more than half of all US broadband households, with growth also continuing in markets including Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the UK. Roku OS-powered TVs and streaming devices are currently available in more than 15 countries.
Roku is also using the milestone to reinforce its position with advertisers and streaming partners. The company said the scale of its household base strengthens the role of the Roku home screen, The Roku Channel and related services in audience acquisition, engagement and monetisation. Roku added that The Roku Channel is now the number 2 free ad-supported app on its platform and the number 5 streaming app overall in the US, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge.
The announcement builds on Roku’s recent push into lower-cost subscription offers and wider platform expansion. Earlier this year the company launched Howdy, a $3 ad-free subscription service in the US and Mexico, as it looks to broaden its entertainment ecosystem beyond devices, advertising and FAST distribution.
