How to Start a Roku Channel
Everything you need to launch a Roku channel — the difference between a branded channel and a FAST channel, Roku's content requirements, the certification process, and how to go live fast without building an app.
Roku is the largest streaming platform in the US by active accounts — nearly 90 million streaming households globally as of Q4 2024 (Roku earnings, February 2025), with the US representing over half of all US broadband households. If you have video content, getting it on Roku is one of the highest-impact distribution moves you can make.
There are two fundamentally different ways to get your content onto Roku. Most guides conflate them. This one doesn't.
Option 1: Launch inside a FAST aggregator (fast, free)
You don't need your own Roku app to be on Roku. The fastest path to Roku distribution is launching a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channel on a platform like Vidiyo that already has a Roku app.
When your channel launches on Vidiyo, it immediately becomes browseable and watchable within the Vidiyo app on Roku. No Roku developer account, no certification, no 60-day review process.
Who this is right for: Independent creators, podcasters, sports leagues, niche content brands, anyone who wants to reach Roku viewers quickly without building or maintaining an app.
Timeline: Same day.
Cost: Free with Vidiyo.
Trade-off: Your channel lives under the Vidiyo brand inside the Vidiyo app, not as a standalone Roku channel entry. Viewers find you through Vidiyo's discovery, not directly in the Roku Channel Store.
Option 2: Build a branded Roku channel (your own app)
A branded Roku channel is your own entry in the Roku Channel Store — like "The History Channel" or a branded sports network. Viewers install it directly, and it appears under your name and logo.
This is what most people mean when they say "I want to start a Roku channel." It requires significantly more work.
What you'll need for a branded Roku channel
A Roku developer account. Register at developer.roku.com. The process is free.
An app (channel). Roku channels are built in BrightScript, Roku's proprietary scripting language, with SceneGraph for UI. Roku offers starter templates (Direct Publisher for simple channels, developer SDK for full control). Alternatively, use a third-party Roku channel builder.
Content infrastructure. Your channel needs HLS video feeds, an MRSS feed or direct URL feed that Roku can ingest, and EPG data in a format Roku accepts.
A Roku certification review. Roku reviews all new channels before they go live. The process takes 4–8 weeks. Common rejection reasons: missing closed captions, content policy violations, broken functionality.
Ongoing maintenance. Roku updates its API and design requirements periodically. Branded channels require development time to stay current.
Roku Direct Publisher vs. Custom SDK
If you're going the branded channel route, Roku Direct Publisher is the fastest path:
Direct Publisher:
- No code required
- Point Roku at an MRSS feed or Roku Feed JSON
- Roku generates the app automatically
- Significant limitations on UI customization and monetization options
- Not suitable for FAST/linear channels (it's on-demand VOD only)
Roku Channel SDK (BrightScript/SceneGraph):
- Full control over UI, monetization, and content types
- Supports linear/FAST channels
- Requires development resources
- Longer certification timeline
For FAST channels with linear scheduling, you need the SDK route or a third-party partner.
Roku's content requirements
Regardless of which path you take, Roku has baseline requirements:
Closed captions. All content must have closed captions (CEA-608 or CEA-708). This is a hard requirement — Roku rejects channels without caption support. See the FCC captions guide for details.
Content policy. No adult content without age-gating, no illegal content. Standard broadcast norms apply.
Stream format. HLS (M3U8) with HTTPS. Roku does not support RTMP or unencrypted HTTP for streams. Minimum bitrate of 1500 kbps for SD, 4000+ kbps for HD.
Artwork. Channel poster (540×405 or 1920×1080), channel logo (50px height minimum). Square logos look better in the channel tile grid.
Roku monetization options
Roku Advertising Framework (RAF). Roku's ad insertion framework is how most Roku channels monetize. RAF handles ad stitching (similar to SSAI) and connects to Roku's OneView ad platform. If you're building a branded channel, integrating RAF is how you get direct Roku-sold ads.
Direct ad sales / your own ad server. You can use your own VAST ad tags through a third-party SSAI provider like Google Ad Manager, Brightcove, or the platform you're using.
Roku Pay. If you want to offer subscriptions or transactional purchases, Roku Pay is the billing mechanism. Roku takes a 20% cut.
If you're launching inside Vidiyo
- Create a free account
- Upload your content library
- Build your schedule
- Publish — you're immediately live on Roku inside the Vidiyo app
You can see your channel at vidiyo.com/watch/your-channel-slug, and viewers on Roku can find it by browsing categories inside the Vidiyo app.
If you grow your audience and eventually want a standalone branded Roku channel, the content infrastructure you build on Vidiyo (HLS playout, EPG, ad integration) ports directly to a branded channel — you're not locked in.
The realistic timeline for a branded Roku channel
| Phase | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Developer account + setup | 1-3 days |
| App development (Direct Publisher) | 2-4 weeks |
| App development (BrightScript SDK) | 4-16 weeks |
| Roku certification review | 4-8 weeks |
| Total (Direct Publisher path) | 6-12 weeks |
| Total (SDK path) | 3-6 months |
This is why most new operators start with an aggregator platform. The branded channel is a Phase 2 play once you've validated audience and content.
What's next
Ready to launch your TV channel?
Vidiyo handles the infrastructure (HLS playout, SSAI, EPG, and cross-platform distribution) so you can focus on programming.
Start free. No credit card.