Looking for a cheap, easy way to get streaming video from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, HBO, ESPN and everything else on to your TV? You have two excellent choices: Roku and Amazon Fire TV. Roku has long been the most popular name in media streamers, but recently Amazon’s Fire TV system has been gaining ground. In my in-depth reviews, both work great, and most of the Roku vs firestick amazon streamers I’ve reviewed have received an 8.0 (excellent) rating or higher. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to make a like-for-like comparison between Amazon Fire TV devices and Roku streaming sticks. We need to consider two Amazon products: The Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick 4K. On the Roku side, there are six devices which can be thought of as Fire TV competitors: Roku Express, Roku Express +, Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere +, Roku Streaming Stick, and Roku Streaming Stick +. We’ll cover all of these devices in this article. If you need a primer, check out our overview of Roku TV first. They have more similarities than differences. Both are super-affordable, starting at $30 for Roku and $40 for Fire TV. Both have access to approximately umpteen zillion TV apps, including all of the major ones (with some exceptions; see below), and most apps look and behave basically the same on both — even YouTube on Fire TV. The latest models are pretty much equally quick, responsive and reliable as long as you have a solid internet connection. Both (except for the cheapest Rokus) offer remotes with TV volume and power buttons to control most TVs, so you can ditch the remote that came with your TV. Both have numerous models, starting with basic streamers up to 4K-compatible versions with voice, device control and headphone jacks built into the remote. The Amazon Fire TV Stick tends more towards the Roku side of the fence with its dedicated remote, although it offers a few innovative features. The latest model works with an optional remote that listens to voice commands (much like the Echo unit does). Although it supports pretty much all of the same streaming apps that Roku does, the Fire Stick naturally puts Amazon Instant Video front and center. A separate Bluetooth-enabled remote rounds out the package. The Amazon Fire TV Stick can be purchased at Amazon.com. At the end of the day, it’s between Roku Streaming Stick and the Amazon Fire TV Stick. Although the Chromecast (3rd Generation) is the least expensive option on the table, it’s significantly less user-friendly and requires another piece of hardware. Which one is right for you? It depends on how tech-savvy you are. The Roku Streaming Stick is a great unit for those new to streaming media devices. The remote is durable, the user interface is time-tested, and the content is robust and easy to search. The Amazon Fire Stick is more cutting-edge and has better performance, but it’s more cluttered and has less content overall. Specifications This is where things get confusing. Let’s try and make sense of all the different models on offer from the two companies. First, the Amazon devices. The basic Fire TV Stick has a 1.3GHz processor, 8GB of internal memory, and support for Bluetooth 4.1. It plays videos in 720p or 1080p resolution at up to 60 frames-per-second (FPS). The 4K model is a notable improvement. You’ll find a 1.7GHz processor, support for Bluetooth 5.0, and 2160p video resolution. The internal storage stays at 8GB. Three Roku products—the Express, Express +, and Streaming Stick—only offer 1080p resolution, the offers offer 4K.