Here’s the Deal
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When comparing Roku OS vs Fire OS, the Slant community recommends Roku OS for most people. In the question“What is the best set-top box OS?” Roku OS is ranked 8th while Fire OS is ranked 11th. The most important reason people chose Roku OS is:
You can sideload apps if you enable the developer mode.
Specs
Available OnRoku devices
Based OnNA
Default Desktop EnvironmentRoku
DeveloperRoku, Inc.
Init-System?
LicenseProprietary on top of Linux
Main Usageset top box
OS FamilyGNU+Linux
Official Supported ArchitecturesARM
OriginUSA
Package Manager?
Available OnFire TV devices
Based OnAndroid Open Source Project (AOSP)
Default Desktop EnvironmentFire TV Launcher
DeveloperAmazon
Init-SystemAndroid init
LicenseProprietary on top of Android TV
Main Usageset top box
OS FamilyLinux (AOSP-based)
Official Supported ArchitecturesARM
OriginUSA
Package ManagerAPK, Amazon App Store
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Common Questions
Other Questions
No other questions
Pros
Pro Sideload apps
You can sideload apps if you enable the developer mode.
Pro Sideloading
Since it is based on Android you can sideload any Android app.
Pro Cheap devices
Amazon FireTV devices are cheap and have often a discount.
Cons
Con Proprietary
The UI is proprietary software.
Con Not available in many countries
Con Ads
There are plenty of ads for Amazon Prime or products.
Con Amazon account
Needs an Amazon account.
Con Focuses on Amazon content
The main purpose of the stick is to provide a portal to Amazon's various online services.
Con Proprietary
The UI is proprietary software.