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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Tubi vs The Roku App (Official)

Tubi 4.8★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Tubi
The Roku App (Official) 4.7★ · Free to download 60

Tubi is the better choice for users primarily seeking a free streaming service with a wide variety of content, while The Roku App is essential for Roku device owners who need a reliable remote control and additional features.

Full reviews: Tubi · The Roku App (Official)

Tubi offers a vast library of free movies and TV shows, including content that often requires payment on other platforms, though users frequently report issues with buffering, crashing, and an excessive number of loud commercials. The Roku App functions primarily as a remote control for Roku devices, praised for its convenience and private listening feature, but it is plagued by frequent connection problems and recent negative updates.

Head to head

Content Library & Value edge: TubiR2R11R14R23
Tubi Tubi is highly praised for its extensive and free content library, offering movies and shows that users often expect to pay for on other services R2R11R23. Users appreciate the variety, including Christian movies and obscure films R14.
The Roku App (Official) The Roku App itself does not offer a content library but acts as a hub for other streaming channels on Roku devices . Some users express frustration with the app's inability to stream content directly to their phone R102.
Ease of Use & Features edge: The Roku App (Official)R1R3R4R5
Tubi Tubi is generally easy to navigate for finding content R1R5. However, some users report issues with content syncing across devices R3 and a desire for more diverse animation content . There are also complaints about inappropriate content being easily accessible to children R4R57.
The Roku App (Official) The Roku App is valued for its convenience as a remote control, especially when the physical remote is lost . The private listening feature, allowing users to listen with headphones, is a significant benefit . However, recent updates have made the remote interface more complicated and changed TV main screens, frustrating users .
Performance & Reliability tieR6R7R9R10
Tubi Tubi users frequently experience buffering, freezing, and crashing issues, especially after updates R6R7R10. Casting problems and error codes are also common complaints R9.
The Roku App (Official) The Roku App suffers from significant connection issues, with users reporting that it often fails to connect to the TV or disconnects frequently R64. The private listening feature also has intermittent connectivity problems .
Ads & Monetization edge: The Roku App (Official)R16R22R28R30
Tubi Tubi is a free app, but many users complain about the high volume, frequency, and loud volume of commercials R16R22R28R30. Some users find the number of ads acceptable, especially compared to paid services .
The Roku App (Official) The Roku App itself is free to download and use as a remote, with some users explicitly stating it has no ads . However, the Roku platform in general is criticized for being ad-heavy . There are also reports of unexpected charges or difficulty canceling subscriptions for channels accessed through Roku .
Updates & Support tieR9R18R21R24
Tubi Tubi users frequently mention recent updates causing performance issues like buffering and crashing R9. There are requests for more significant updates and content additions R18R21R24. Some users also face regional unavailability issues .
The Roku App (Official) The Roku App has received negative feedback on recent updates that changed the remote interface and TV main screen layout . Users also report persistent bugs that reappear after being fixed . Issues with canceling subscriptions and unexpected charges highlight potential support challenges .
Pick Tubi if

You want a completely free streaming service with a large and diverse content library, including movies and shows that are often behind paywalls elsewhere R2R11R23. You are willing to tolerate frequent commercials and occasional performance issues like buffering and crashing R16R22R30.

Pick The Roku App (Official) if

You own a Roku device and need a convenient remote control, especially if you frequently misplace your physical remote . You value features like private listening through headphones . You are prepared to deal with occasional connection problems and potentially frustrating recent UI changes R64R85.

Evidence note: Tubi's reviews are primarily about its streaming content and performance, while The Roku App's reviews focus almost entirely on its remote control functionality and device connectivity. The free vs. paid asymmetry is present, as Tubi's negative reviews often stem from the trade-offs of a free service (ads, performance), whereas The Roku App's issues are related to its core utility as a device controller.

Frequently asked

Does Tubi have a lot of ads?
Yes, many Tubi users report a high volume of commercials, with some describing them as too frequent (every 10-20 minutes) and excessively loud R16R22R28R30.
Can The Roku App be used to watch movies on my phone?
No, The Roku App primarily functions as a remote control for your Roku device and does not allow you to watch films directly on your phone R102.
Is Tubi suitable for children?
Some users find Tubi inappropriate for children due to a wide range of content and a lack of age verification, leading to concerns about children accessing mature content R4R57.
What is the main problem with The Roku App?
The main problem with The Roku App is its inconsistent connectivity, with many users reporting that the remote function frequently fails to connect to their TV or disconnects unexpectedly R64R85R97R105.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Tubi 5/5 · US Review: The shows are amazing the ones u really want and u have to pay u have them for free
  2. [R11] Tubi 5/5 · US The best app everrrr!!!!: I can watch what ever for free 🥰❤️
  3. [R14] Tubi 5/5 · US Quaydan W: I love Tubi because not only doesn’t have movies. It has Christian movies that show love kindness and forgiveness. We may not all be the same, but Jesus still loves all of us and when you forgive others, they will forgive you. It takes time though, but they eventually will.
  4. [R23] Tubi 5/5 · US best app ever no joke: i’m not even joking when i tell you this is genuinely the best movie app it has so many good movies plus movies that would usually cost money on video prime, i will forever love tubi.
  5. [R1] Tubi 2/5 · US Tubi: Such a great app that you can watch basically anything that you wanna watch on it and TV and if you wanna do something do you want to watch a movie or TV show? It just makes me wanna lose my mind. I love to be and it’s a very great app whoever made this app. I love you. ❤️ 🙂 😀 😆 😂 😢 😊 😍
  6. [R3] Tubi 3/5 · US Fine For a Free App: I can’t imagine paying for it when I logged in to the same account on my iPad & PS5, but they’re not even close to be in sync. Not even with “My Stuff.”
  7. [R4] Tubi 1/5 · US Unapologetically inappropriate for youth: I had nooooo idea it was absolutely incredibly inappropriate for children I was unaware of the wide range of availability they had this app is extremely inappropriate for children there is no proof of age they just allow anyone and everyone to view their content and my child wondered and explored n it’s extremely inappropriate for their age n im now having
  8. [R5] Tubi 5/5 · US Everybody hates chris: Just started a show and love it!!!
  9. [R6] Tubi 3/5 · US I love it…especially when it works: I love Tubi as a whole, a lot to choose from but this review is for the mobile version of this app. It stays buffering in between episode changes. Never encounter this issue with the app on the Xbox or Roku player at home. I only like the mobile version when it works
  10. [R7] Tubi 2/5 · US Someone bugging app?!: Slow freezes on every video and all my other apps like Crunchyroll do just fine… someone’s buggin ap
  11. [R9] Tubi 3/5 · US disconnecting: loved the app at first, not sure if it’s an app update or what but movies constantly get unconnected from the tv when casting . or maybe it’s my tv
  12. [R10] Tubi 1/5 · US Continually crashes: Continually crashes gives error codes sometimes doesn’t even start.
  13. [R16] Tubi 1/5 · US Commercials: Way too many ? Only 2 per a movie would be Adequate. And sensible. ???
  14. [R22] Tubi 2/5 · US Do something about the volume of commercials: I don't watch television to have to adjust the volume every time a commercial comes on that is garbage. That is antihuman. Why do you do that? Stop it with the antihuman commercials I literally look up every advertiser I see and add them to a list of boycott because I do not support companies that do anti-human loud commercials.
  15. [R28] Tubi 2/5 · US Muy buena app: Mil anuncios en cada película de 30 segundos, por lo menos cada anuncio casi no hay muchas películas en español y seis anuncios cada no sé cada 20 minutos
  16. [R30] Tubi 3/5 · GB Hmmm: I like Tubi, don’t get me wrong, but I hate how it’s free tv but WITH adverts. Like I’m trying to watch my tv show and every 20 mins is 5 adverts in a row. Just make it free without adverts?!
  17. [R18] Tubi 3/5 · US (: why make scarface reference in new update bio when theres no scarface :( cool streaming appthank you
  18. [R21] Tubi 3/5 · US Update: I think Tubi needs an update. It’s been a week and every time I try to watch any movie, the app starts to buffer and it never comes back out of the buffering. Overall, I have generally enjoyed my Tubi experience. The best place to find just about any genre of movie you like. I like the fact also, that if I search for a movie and it’s not there, that eventually it is on here. Like Judgm
  19. [R24] Tubi 3/5 · US Sad: I love Tubi but why are they removing all the good movies like why are all the goated movies leaving tomorrow
  20. [R102] The Roku App (Official) 3/5 · GB Roku is the ok-est!!!: I love the Tv and my phone remote is soooooo amazing!!! L o v e! However, when I was testing it out I realised that I could not watch the films on my phone which is why there is only 4 stars but nothing is perfect!!!
  21. [R57] Tubi 3/5 · GB Good app but stop showing horror to my 4 year old: Great app and my daughter loves having Bob Ross on in the background as she plays and draws. But for some reason no matter what, Terrorfier or whatever that clown horror film is called is always recommended when we log on. At no point have we watched anything remotely close to this kind of content. A guy painting and a few kids cartoons should not
  22. [R64] The Roku App (Official) 2/5 · US roku: takes damn near 30 minutes to connect it to my tv even if they’re connected to the same wifi and wont connect even when it pops up just does the count down then nothing happens
  23. [R85] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US i wish it worked for more than 1 second: this app would be so convenient if it actually worked. i open it and it takes forever to connect and when it does i can click one button before it disconnects again. please make an app that actually works. i feel like im being ragebaited.
  24. [R97] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US Bad connection: The remote function barely works doesn’t connect half the time
  25. [R105] The Roku App (Official) 2/5 · US App sucks majority of the time: In the last three months i have been able to connect to my devices 3 times! I have deleted the app and reinstalled more times than I can count. I have tried everything to get it to connect and it will not.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store