For most people the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is the best-value streaming device in the UK — cheap, fast, and it runs every major UK app including iPlayer, ITVX, NOW, Disney+ and Prime Video.
Prefer a neutral, ad-light home screen? Go for a Roku. Want the best picture and Google TV? The Google TV Streamer.
A streaming stick or box turns any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV — giving you all the apps, a proper remote and regular updates, usually for well under £60. Here’s how the three big names compare for UK viewers in 2026.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K — best overall
The Fire TV Stick 4K is the default recommendation: inexpensive, quick, 4K HDR, Alexa voice remote, and full support for every UK app that matters. The home screen pushes Amazon content, but the value is unbeatable. The cheaper Fire TV Stick HD is fine for non-4K tellies.
Roku — simplest, most neutral
Roku’s home screen is clean and doesn’t favour one service, which many people prefer. The Roku Streaming Stick range covers HD to 4K, all the UK apps are present, and the interface is famously easy for less techy family members.
Google TV Streamer — best smart features
The Google TV Streamer (the successor to Chromecast) has the slickest recommendations, great 4K/Dolby Vision, and works brilliantly if you’re in the Google/Android ecosystem. It’s a little pricier than a Fire Stick.
Which should you buy?
- Best value / most people: Fire TV Stick 4K.
- Simplest for the whole family: Roku.
- Best picture & smart features: Google TV Streamer.
- Already have a newer smart TV? You may not need one at all – check whether it already has the apps you want.
Do I still need an aerial?
A streaming device covers apps like iPlayer and ITVX over your broadband, but for live Freeview channels you still need an aerial – unless your TV supports Freely, which streams live channels without one.
Models and prices were checked in August 2026 and change often. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases; see our Affiliate Disclosure.