Better option?

Yeah, I moved Howdy to the bottom when it first appeared and it has stayed there.  The Apple TV models are typically suggested for people who want fewer ads/promotions, though I have no idea if you can permanently delete the Apple TV service from an Apple TV device.

Regardless of Roku's Howdy (and other Roku-provided services/functionality/apps) app removal+return situation (I recommend leaving Howdy/other Roku apps/services installed @ the end of your app list), be warned/aware that all platform providers push their own services/content on their own platforms, including Google (Android/Google TV OS), Amazon (Fire TV OS), Apple (tvOS), etc.

When these companies spend time/energy/capital developing/acquiring content/services/functionality, they are going to leverage their own platforms to promote/push their own services/content/functionality, regardless of user preference.

I highly recommend a multi-platform streaming strategy (3 different platforms/devices) for when firmware/middleware/app/server-side updates break/limit service/access/AV quality (it inevitably happens), or to use a preferred app/service scenario - this can be implemented either cheaply ($15-50) or expensively ($100-200) with devices available from Walmart/ONN ($15-45 HD/4K models), Amazon ($20-100 HD/4K models), Google ($100 TV Streamer 4K), Nvidia ($150-200 Shield models), and Apple ($180-200 TV 4K models).

'Better' is subjective - what is 'better' one day/week/month/year may change the next due to a firmware/middleware/app/server-side update, so its best to have multiple options, if just to be able to choose "less worse right now".