Roku price increase notices are showing up across the company’s streaming hardware lineup, with list prices rising by $10 to $50 depending on the device, according to changes first reported by The Desk. The cheapest Roku streaming player, the HD Streaming Stick, is now listed at $39.99 instead of $29.99, which means the entry point for a basic Roku dongle just moved up by a third.
The biggest jumps hit Roku’s more expensive hardware. The Roku Ultra, the company’s set-top streaming box, is now listed at $149.99, up from $99.99. The Roku Streambar SE, a compact soundbar with streaming built in, moved to the same $149.99 price from its prior $99.99 listing.
What are the new Roku prices?
Roku’s updated list prices cover the main streaming sticks, the Ultra box, and the Streambar SE. The increases reported by The Desk are:
- Roku Streaming Stick: $39.99, up from $29.99.
- Roku Streaming Stick Plus: $59.99, up from $39.99.
- Roku Streaming Stick 4K: $79.99, up from $49.99.
- Roku Ultra: $149.99, up from $99.99.
- Roku Streambar SE: $149.99, up from $99.99.
Roku is also running a sale that temporarily brings some products back down to their previous prices, according to an archived version of the company’s product page cited in reporting on the changes. That means buyers may see prices that do not match the new list prices during promotions. Retail pricing, as ever, enjoys making a mess of clean charts.
Why did Roku raise prices?
A Roku executive told The Desk that the price changes are tied to the ongoing memory shortage. Streaming boxes and sticks do not need desktop PC levels of RAM or storage, but they still use memory components, and those parts are being squeezed by broader demand.
The shortage is expected to continue through 2027, according to prior reporting by The Verge. PCMag has reported that a leading supplier warned the shortage could last until 2030. Memory manufacturers have been prioritizing demand from AI companies, which has put pressure on supplies for other electronics.
Roku is not the only consumer hardware company passing higher component costs along to buyers. Apple raised prices across several devices in June, including its Apple TV set-top box, according to The Verge.
The pricing changes also land shortly after Fox announced plans last month to acquire Roku for $22 billion. The reported price increases are tied by Roku’s executive to component costs, not the pending acquisition. Until the sale prices disappear, though, the practical advice for buyers is boring and correct: check the actual checkout price, not just the new sticker price.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
