Roku is the most popular streaming TV, but lacking more than you think - Engadget

It doesn't stack up well against its top competitors.

Photo: Amy Skorheim for Engadget / Edits: Will Shanklin / Logos: Fox

Roku has plenty of users, but that doesn't mean they all like what they see. A new survey from Horowitz Research sheds light on how the platform's customer satisfaction compares to its competitors after Fox announced a $22 billion acquisition.

Market share is where Roku thrives, with nearly 40 percent of US streaming platform users choosing it. That's well ahead of its closest competitors, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart Hub. Both rivals sit below 30 percent.

But that's about where the good news ends for Roku. It falls behind Fire TV in several categories: ease of finding content, lag time, casting and ad experience. Samsung scores higher than Roku on Wi-Fi connectivity and reliability. And both competitors beat Roku on start-up speed and smart home integration. Roku didn't lead Fire TV or Samsung in any individual category Horowitz surveyed.

Meanwhile, the pricey Apple TV and mid-range Google TV have much lower market shares. But like Fire TV and Samsung, they also scored higher than Roku in the areas Horowitz's research focused on.

Roku's broad reach is likely much of the appeal for Fox. It gives the company an avenue into the younger, streaming-first crowd. Opportunities will abound for the media empire to serve them ads and perhaps push its signature far-right content.

But if this survey is any indication, it could face an uphill battle to win over Gen Z. Horowitz's Adriana Waterston notes that younger viewers are more demanding than older ones when it comes to the streaming experience. "To continue to dominate the market, Roku will need to look not just at driving penetration but finessing their interface to meet the demands of Gen Z." She added that younger customers "expect a robust, highly personalized and tech-forward user experience," areas where this survey suggests the platform lags.

Waterston also noted that the platform's Ads Manager "runs the risk of over-saturating the Roku viewing experience with repetitive, lower quality ads." This could "further alienate the younger audience that already has low tolerance for advertising."