4 Cheap And High Quality Amazon Fire TV Stick Alternatives That Are Actually Worth Buying

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Amazon's Fire TV Stick lineup has some excellent streaming devices, including the brand-new Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which offers HD and 4K streaming, access to all popular content providers, and a very capable Alexa voice assistant. The lineup is also reasonably diverse in terms of pricing while remaining affordable, starting from as low as $35 and going up to $60.

However, when it comes to streaming devices, Amazon isn't the only brand on the market. The likes of Apple, Google, Onn, Roku, and TiVo also offer streaming media players that you can connect to your TV's HDMI port to get access to your favorite streaming services. That said, not all streaming devices are cheap or provide a good experience.

So, if you are not a fan of Amazon or Fire OS and want an alternative that's also reasonably priced, here are some high-quality streaming media players that deliver a solid performance.

Like Amazon, Roku has a wide range of streamers in its portfolio, and the Streaming Stick 4K is its most balanced offering in terms of features and pricing. It currently retails for a discounted price of $29.99; however, it can often be found selling for less than $40 most of the time. The Streaming Stick 4K runs on the company's own smart TV operating system, which customers say is easier to operate than the Fire Stick.

It provides access to all major streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Prime Video. Additionally, there is support for media centers, such as Emby and Jellyfin, to stream your own media. You also get a slew of hidden but useful features, such as private listening. However, Roku's selection of non-streaming apps and games is quite limited compared to Amazon's offerings.

Other highlights include the presence of TV control buttons on the bundled remote so that you don't have to juggle two different remotes while watching TV. As the name suggests, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is capable of streaming in 4K resolution. HDR support, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, is also present. Unfortunately, it lacks processing support for Dolby Audio, including Atmos, but it can pass that audio data to your TV for handling.

If Dolby Vision support is not important to you because it's not available on your TV, you can save a few dollars by opting for the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which offers a feature set that is nearly identical, except for the absence of Dolby Vision support.

Although not as popular as Amazon or Roku, Walmart's in-house brand, Onn, offers a solid selection of media streaming players that run on the Google TV platform. Priced at $44.73, the Onn 4K Pro is the company's best offering. It delivers the same software experience as the more expensive Google TV Streamer and has all the bells and whistles you may want in a streamer, such as 4K streaming, Dolby Atmos and Vision support, and fast Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. It doesn't have a stick-like form factor; instead, it's a small, unassuming black box with rounded corners that'll connect using an HDMI cable to your TV.

One of the highlights is its inclusion of far-field microphones, which enable you to give voice commands to Google Assistant without needing to speak directly to your remote, similar to how you would interact with your Amazon Echo speaker. There is also a built-in USB port that you can use to connect flash drives or other external storage media to access locally stored content; this is a feature you won't typically find on cheaper streaming devices.

Another welcome feature that's present in the Onn device is an Ethernet port. If your Wi-Fi isn't super reliable or your TV is placed in a Wi-Fi dead zone, you can add a wired connection.

If you aren't looking to spend $40 on Roku's more powerful Streaming Stick 4K or don't need 4K streaming, the simply named Roku Streaming Stick is a good alternative. It's a direct competitor to Amazon's base Fire TV Stick HD model, offering support for 1080p streaming. However, unlike the Amazon model, it's limited to SDR streaming, and there is no HDR support. But it's not a deal breaker, as many streaming services have removed HDR support from their non-4K plans.

Otherwise, it features the same Roku smart TV operating system as the company's more expensive streamers and has the same remote, with TV control buttons and a built-in mic for voice search and control. Additionally, the Streaming Stick features Wi-Fi 5 for seamless wireless connectivity and supports Apple AirPlay, allowing you to stream content from your iPhone or other Apple devices. The Roku Streaming Stick currently retails for a discounted price of $17; however, its regular price is under $30.

The Onn Google TV 4K is one of the most affordable 4K streamers on the market, with a price tag of $19.88, which is even less than the list price of Amazon's HD streaming stick. While it's not as feature-rich as the more expensive Onn 4K Pro model, it packs all the essentials, such as HDR10 and HDR10+ support, the ability to handle non-Atmos Dolby audio formats, a voice remote, and Wi-Fi 5 connectivity.

As the name suggests, it runs on the Google TV operating system, with access to all popular streaming services and a host of other useful apps and games, including the Nvidia GeForce Now cloud gaming service. Google TV also gives you access to Google Assistant, the ability to control compatible smart home devices, and Chromecast support to cast content from your Android phone or Chrome web browser.

Like the Onn 4K Pro, it has a boxy form factor and attaches to your TV using an HDMI cable. The only notable downside is the limited 8GB of storage; however, this is a common issue with most budget streamers.

We strive to recommend only high-quality and reliable gadgets to you. When selecting the best Fire TV Stick alternatives, we focused on reputable brands known for delivering a solid user experience. We also examined the product pricing to ensure our recommendations have a price tag similar to or lower than Amazon's offerings. Moreover, with each of our recommendations, you get access to all popular streaming services, wireless connectivity, and at least 1080p video streaming.