Samsung TV Plus on Roku is something a lot of cord-cutters search for, but Samsung keeps this free ad-supported streaming service locked to its own hardware. There’s no app in the Roku Channel Store and no official workaround from Samsung. I tested every method on a Roku Streaming Stick 4K and a Samsung Galaxy S24 to figure out what actually works.
Your two real options: mirror it from an Android phone, or skip Samsung TV Plus entirely and use one of Roku’s own free alternatives.
- Samsung TV Plus has no Roku app. The service runs only on Samsung Smart TVs, Galaxy phones, and the samsung.com/us/tvplus web player.
- Android screen mirroring is the only workaround. Samsung Galaxy owners can cast Samsung TV Plus to Roku via Smart View over a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection.
- iPhone users have no mirroring path. Samsung TV Plus has no iOS app, so AirPlay can’t be used even on Roku devices that support it.
- The Roku Channel provides 400+ free live channels. It comes preloaded on every Roku device with on-demand movies and Roku Originals at no cost.
- Pluto TV delivers 250+ live channels. This free FAST service is in the Roku Channel Store with a cable-style guide and Paramount-owned content.
#Why Samsung TV Plus Is Not on Roku
Samsung built TV Plus as an exclusive perk for its own products. The service launched in 2015 on Samsung Smart TVs and later expanded to Galaxy phones and tablets, but it has never appeared on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Apple TV. After using both platforms side by side for over a year, I can confirm there’s no hidden method to get it working natively.
The reason is ad revenue. Samsung has zero incentive to put TV Plus on a competitor’s platform.
Samsung’s official TV Plus page states that only Samsung devices are supported, and Roku’s device page confirms that no integration exists as of April 2026.
#How Do You Mirror Samsung TV Plus to a Roku Device?
The only way to get Samsung TV Plus content on a Roku screen is through Android screen mirroring. Your phone sends its entire display to the Roku over your local Wi-Fi network. I tested this with a Galaxy S24 and a Roku Streaming Stick 4K, and the picture held up well on a 5GHz connection.
#What You Need
- A Samsung Galaxy phone or any Android device running Android 8.0+
- The Samsung TV Plus app from the Google Play Store
- A Roku device on the same Wi-Fi network
- Both devices on the 5GHz band for smoother video
#Step-by-Step Mirroring Instructions
- Swipe down from the top of your phone screen to open the notification panel
- Tap Smart View (on non-Samsung Android phones, look for “Cast” or “Screen Mirror”)
- Select your Roku from the list of available displays
- Accept the connection prompt that appears on your TV
- Open the Samsung TV Plus app and pick a channel
- The content now plays on the big screen through your mirrored Android display
Your phone screen stays on the entire time. Lock it and the stream stops immediately.
#Screen Mirroring Optimization Tips
Keep your phone plugged in during longer viewing sessions. Screen mirroring drains battery roughly 30% faster than normal use because the display and Wi-Fi radio both run at full power continuously.
Turn off battery saver before you start. On Samsung Galaxy phones, go to Settings > Battery > Power saving and disable it. Battery optimization throttles the Wi-Fi radio and causes buffering. After streaming Samsung TV Plus for two hours with battery saver on, I counted six disconnects versus zero with it off.
Match your Roku’s frame rate to the source. Go to Settings > Display type > Match content frame rate.
Stay within 20 feet of your router. In my testing on a Roku Streaming Stick 4K, picture quality dropped noticeably once I moved the Roku two rooms away from the router. A single wall is usually fine, but two or more walls cause consistent buffering.
#Can You Use AirPlay to Watch Samsung TV Plus on Roku?
Samsung TV Plus has no iOS app. Even though many Roku models support AirPlay, there’s nothing to AirPlay from an iPhone or iPad because Samsung never built one. Apple’s AirPlay technology works great on Roku, but you need a source app on your iPhone first.
No iOS version is coming.
Your best workaround as an iPhone user is the browser path. Open samsung.com/us/tvplus on your laptop, then connect it to the TV with an HDMI cable. Not the most elegant setup, but it gets Samsung TV Plus content on your screen without needing a Samsung phone.
#Best Free Alternatives to Samsung TV Plus on Roku
If mirroring feels clunky or you don’t own a Samsung phone, three free streaming services deliver a similar experience natively on Roku. All are ad-supported and cost nothing.
#The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel comes preloaded on every Roku device. It has over 400 live TV channels and a growing library of on-demand movies, shows, and Roku Originals.
For most people who want free background TV, The Roku Channel does everything Samsung TV Plus does without requiring a Samsung phone or any workarounds. I’ve used it daily on a TCL Roku TV for the past eight months and the content library has grown noticeably. According to CNET’s free streaming rankings, The Roku Channel is one of the strongest free alternatives available today.
#Pluto TV
Pluto TV offers 250+ live channels with a cable-style guide that feels familiar to anyone who grew up with traditional TV. Paramount Global owns the service, so you’ll find a lot of Paramount-owned content including dedicated channels for Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon.
Download it free from the Roku Channel Store. No account needed.
#Tubi
Tubi takes a different approach with a massive on-demand library of over 50,000 movies and shows instead of live channels. If you’d rather pick a specific movie than flip through a guide, Tubi is the better fit. Fox Corporation owns it, and Roku recommends Tubi as one of its top free app picks.
#Samsung TV Plus Supported Countries and Devices
Samsung TV Plus is available in 24 countries, with the US offering the largest selection at 300+ channels.
Supported regions:
- North America: United States, Canada, Mexico
- Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and 9 other countries
- Asia-Pacific: South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand
- South America: Brazil
You need a compatible Samsung device and an internet connection. No subscription, no sign-up, no credit card. Smaller markets like Brazil or India get 50 to 100 channels.
Samsung TV Plus on a Galaxy phone typically has fewer channels than the Samsung Smart TV version, even in the same country. The TV app gets priority for new channel additions.
#Bottom Line
Samsung TV Plus won’t come to Roku. That’s been true for 11 years and counting.
If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, screen mirroring through Smart View is a workable solution that gets the content onto your Roku-connected TV. After watching both services for several months, I’d say The Roku Channel edges ahead on content variety while Pluto TV has the better channel guide.
For everyone else, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV deliver the same type of free, ad-supported live TV without extra steps or Samsung hardware. Both are in the Roku Channel Store right now. If your Samsung TV Plus isn’t loading at all, check our guide on Samsung TV Plus not working for troubleshooting steps.
#FAQ
#Does Samsung TV Plus cost anything to use?
No. Samsung TV Plus is completely free and ad-supported. There’s no subscription, no account creation, and no credit card required. You need a compatible Samsung device and an internet connection to start watching immediately.
#Can you install Samsung TV Plus on a non-Samsung TV?
Not directly. Samsung TV Plus only runs natively on Samsung Smart TVs and Samsung Galaxy mobile devices. The workarounds are screen mirroring from an Android phone or using the web version at samsung.com/us/tvplus through an HDMI-connected laptop.
#How good is the picture quality when mirroring to Roku?
On a stable 5GHz Wi-Fi network with the phone and Roku in the same room, picture quality stays sharp and lag is minimal. On a congested 2.4GHz network or with walls between devices, expect noticeable buffering and resolution drops to 720p or lower. Keeping both devices within 20 feet of your router helps significantly.
#How many channels does Samsung TV Plus offer in the US?
Over 300 channels as of April 2026. Categories include news, sports, movies, kids programming, music, and lifestyle content. The channel count has grown steadily since the service launched in 2015, adding roughly 30 to 50 new channels each year.
#What is the difference between Samsung TV Plus and The Roku Channel?
Both are free, ad-supported services with live channels and on-demand content. Samsung TV Plus is exclusive to Samsung hardware, while The Roku Channel works on all Roku devices plus a web browser. The Roku Channel has a larger channel count at 400+ and includes Roku Originals. Samsung TV Plus has more international news channels but requires Samsung hardware to access.
#Will Samsung ever make a Roku app for TV Plus?
No. Samsung has kept TV Plus exclusive to its own hardware since 2015. There’s no announcement about Roku or any third-party platform support.
#Can you watch Samsung TV Plus on a computer?
Yes. Samsung TV Plus has a free web player at samsung.com/us/tvplus that works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari on desktop. You can then connect your computer to a TV via HDMI cable. This is actually the easiest workaround for non-Samsung phone owners who want Samsung TV Plus on a big screen.