One-time payment vs monthly fees: what a branded Roku channel really costs
Monthly app fees never stop. SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU is a one-time payment for a Roku channel with your brand and your own admin panel. Here is the math.
When you compare apps for your business, the price tag is only half the story. The other half is how often you pay it. A small monthly fee looks harmless in the first month and very different after two years.
SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU is sold as a one-time payment. You pay once, and you run your channel, published with your brand, from your own admin panel. There are no monthly fees for the app.
Two ways to pay for an app
Branded apps are usually sold in one of two ways:
- Rented: a fee every month, or a fee for every device you activate. The cost grows with time, or with every new customer.
- One-time: you pay once and run the app from your own panel.
SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU is the second kind. Access codes, activations on TV and free trials are created in your own panel, so there are no activation credits to buy.
The math over three years
The table compares the one-time price with a few example monthly fees. The monthly figures are examples to show the math, not the prices of any specific app.
| Time | SMARTERS PREMIUM at launch | $20 a month | $30 a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months | $200 | $240 | $360 |
| 24 months | $200 | $480 | $720 |
| 36 months | $200 | $720 | $1,080 |
Even at the regular price of $350, the one-time payment costs less than a $20 monthly fee after 18 months.
What the one-time payment includes
- The channel published on Roku under your name.
- Your logo, channel icon and brand colors.
- A sign-in screen with your background and texts.
- Your own admin panel, installed.
- Connection to your Xtream servers and Stalker portals.
- The default theme and home layout of your choice.
- 2 rounds of adjustments.
And every feature of the channel: live TV with a grid guide and Catch Up, movies and series, the Smarters-style player, search, My list, sports, parental control, 7 themes, 9 home layouts and three languages.
What stays on your side
To be clear about the full cost, these are the things you provide:
- Your service: the Xtream Codes servers and Stalker portals your customers connect to.
- Hosting for the panel: it runs on any hosting with PHP 7.4 or newer and SQLite.
- Optional data keys: a free TMDB key for movie and series details, and a TheSportsDB key for the Sports section. The free TheSportsDB key has limits; a Premium key from TheSportsDB adds live scores with the minute.
A new look without paying for a new version
Themes, home layouts, tile photos and texts, promo banners and notices are changed from your panel and apply the next time the customer opens the channel. Refreshing the look of your channel doesn’t require a new version.
Launch price: $200, then $350
During the launch, SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU costs $200. After the launch the price goes back to $350, still a one-time payment.
Frequently asked questions
Are there monthly fees?
No. SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU is a one-time payment, with no monthly fees for the app.
Do I pay for every customer I activate?
No. Access codes, activations on TV and free trials are created in your own admin panel.
What do I need besides the channel?
Your own Xtream servers or Stalker portals, hosting with PHP 7.4 or newer and SQLite for the panel, and optionally a free TMDB key and a TheSportsDB key.
Keep reading
- Buying a branded Roku channel? 12 things to check before you pay
- Your brand on every TV: why a branded Roku channel keeps customers with you
- The admin panel behind SMARTERS PREMIUM
SMARTERS PREMIUM - ROKU (Xtream & Stalker Portal) is available at a $200 launch price (regular $350), a one-time payment with no monthly app fees. It is published on Roku with your brand and comes with your own admin panel. Watch all 15 videos on the full page or view it in the catalog.
