Forum Discussion
I’m not sure if this is exactly what you mean, but Amazon Prime is mostly about the free shipping, and you get some video and audio too. So there is a fee for Prime even if you never watch anything. On the other hand, there is no inherent fee for Roku. (Of course, having a Roku doesn’t cause free shipping – Roku and Amazon Prime are just not exactly equivalent things.) I had Prime for years. When I got a Roku, I just connected it to my existing Prime account.
Of course, Roku having no inherent fees doesn’t mean there aren’t fees for HBO, Disney and other premium/commercial-free TV providers. But there are many other things on Roku, and especially if you can tolerate many commercials, then it is fully possible to watch Roku with no monthly fees at all.
You can also sign up with Amazon Prime Video, without other Prime benefits, for $8.99/month on Amazon.com.
I would sign up directly with Amazon, rather than through a third party like Roku, to assure that I can view it on platforms other than that third party's system.