7 Best New Channels on Roku for 2026

You sit down to watch something for 20 minutes, open Roku, and end up staring at the same app row you saw last week. That is exactly why these newer Roku additions matter. The platform has been filling out its free lineup with channels that serve specific viewing habits, not just broad categories.

The practical win is variety without another monthly charge. Instead of bouncing between trial subscriptions, you can add channels that fit how you watch. A racing feed for quick highlights. A nature channel that works in the background. A live news option when you want headlines fast. That makes this roundup more useful if you pick by viewer type instead of scrolling the store at random.

Roku has been expanding its free channel selection across live and on-demand viewing, and the bigger pattern is easy to see. The service wants The Roku Channel to feel less like a backup option and more like a real destination. For regular users, the trade-off is straightforward. You get more free content, but you still need to sort through a crowded interface to find the channels worth keeping.

If you want fresh options without turning your streaming setup into a stack of small recurring charges, this is a good place to start. I'd also keep an eye on how channels package and schedule content if you care about discovery or work in strategies for TV content creation. The channels below are grouped by the kind of viewer who will get real use out of them, and each one includes a simple How to Add path so you can try it right away.

1. MotoGP Channel

Saturday morning is a good test for any sports channel. If you want to turn on Roku and get straight to bikes, highlights, and race coverage without digging through a crowded sports app, MotoGP Channel earns a spot near the top of this list.

For motorsport fans, this is one of the more useful viewer-type picks on Roku right now. It gives you a dedicated stream for MotoGP content, including highlights, older race footage, and related programming that is easy to leave on in the background. I like channels like this for the same reason many Roku users do. They cut out the usual friction of figuring out which app has which clips or replay package.

Best for weekend racing fans

MotoGP Channel fits viewers who follow motorcycle racing but do not need a paid package running all season. It works best as a free companion channel that keeps the sport in reach between major events.

• What works: Focused racing content, easy access through The Roku Channel, and a better fit for MotoGP fans than a generic sports lineup.
• What doesn't: Coverage depth can vary, and ads are part of the FAST channel trade-off.
• Who should add it: Sports fans who want race recaps, archive content, and casual drop-in viewing without another subscription.

Practical rule: Use MotoGP Channel as a free add-on for racing fans, not as your only source for every live race weekend.

How to add MotoGP Channel

From the Roku home screen, open The Roku Channel and head to the Live TV guide. Search for MotoGP Channel, or browse the Sports category if you prefer to scan what is available. If you want official brand details before adding it, check the MotoGP official site.

2. DP World Tour Channel

Golf fans usually end up juggling clips, recap shows, and scattered live rights across too many apps. DP World Tour Channel makes that a lot simpler. It gives you a dedicated golf stream with highlights, classic tournament content, and steady shoulder programming that fits nicely into early mornings or quiet background viewing.

This is the kind of channel that's more useful than flashy. If you enjoy golf beyond the biggest headline events, it adds variety to a Roku setup without asking you to subscribe to another sports service. I've found channels like this work best for viewers who want the sport's rhythm on screen, not just final-round drama.

Where it fits in a Roku lineup

DP World Tour Channel is a complement, not a replacement. It's ideal for golf fans who want more than occasional clips but don't need every event live in one place.

Good golf FAST channels are at their best when you want to watch casually, not micromanage tee times and rights windows.

• Best use: Morning viewing, tournament nostalgia, and catch-up sessions.
• Main drawback: Replays and highlights do more of the heavy lifting than wall-to-wall live event coverage.
• Viewer type: Golf fans who already know the sport, plus curious viewers who want a free way in.

How to add DP World Tour Channel

From your Roku device, open The Roku Channel and head into the Live TV guide. Search for DP World Tour Channel by name, then favorite it if you want it easy to find later. For official tour information outside Roku, visit the DP World Tour website.

3. Scripps Sports Network

Not every sports fan wants another app that only cares about the biggest leagues. Scripps Sports Network stands out because it's more likely to surface underserved sports, women's sports, and rights that don't always get top billing elsewhere. That alone makes it one of the more interesting new channels on roku.

The trade-off is familiar to anyone who uses FAST channels. A linear schedule is easy when you just want to tune in, but it can feel limiting if you expect full on-demand control. This is a channel I'd recommend to people who like discovering events they didn't plan around.

Why sports fans should try it

There's a real difference between a sports channel that repeats generic debate shows and one that gives airtime to competitions you might otherwise miss. Scripps Sports Network leans toward the second category.

• What works: Free access, wider availability on FAST platforms, and a lineup that can feel fresher than mainstream sports feeds.
• What doesn't: Event availability depends on rights, and some marquee games may still sit elsewhere.
• Best viewer: Fans who like variety more than rigid appointment viewing.

How to add Scripps Sports Network

Open The Roku Channel from your home screen and search within the Live TV section for Scripps Sports Network. If you use favorites heavily, pin it there right away because sports channels can get buried fast once your guide fills up. For network details, head to the Scripps Sports website.

4. FloRacing 24/7

FloRacing 24/7 is for the fan who thinks mainstream racing coverage barely scratches the surface. If dirt tracks, sprint cars, grassroots racing, and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour sound more interesting than the same top-level motorsport highlights, this is the channel to queue up.

Its biggest strength is exposure. You get a feel for the depth of the FloRacing universe without paying first. That makes it a smart test-drive channel. Watch for a few evenings, see whether the style of coverage clicks, then decide if you need anything beyond the free feed.

The real trade-off

This isn't a loophole around premium sports rights. It's a curated sample with replays, features, and occasional extras.

If you're new to niche racing, FloRacing 24/7 is one of the easiest ways to find out whether you like the culture before paying for more.

A few practical points matter here:

• Strong point: Great for discovery and background viewing with deeper motorsports flavor.
• Limitation: Many premium live events still sit behind the paid FloRacing product.
• Best fit: Fans of grassroots racing who want more than surface-level coverage.

How to add FloRacing 24/7

On Roku, open The Roku Channel and browse to Live TV or use search to find FloRacing 24/7 directly. Add it to favorites if racing is a regular part of your rotation. You can learn more about the broader brand at the FloRacing official site.

5. Nat Geo Animals

For families, casual documentary fans, and anyone who likes having something calm on screen, Nat Geo Animals is one of the easiest recommendations on this list. It's a themed FAST channel built around animal-focused National Geographic programming, and it feels instantly usable. No setup friction, no hard learning curve, just a familiar kind of lean-back TV.

This kind of channel shines in real homes because it serves multiple jobs well. It can be educational, low-stress, kid-friendly, and background-friendly at the same time. If your Roku is in a living room rather than a dedicated media cave, that flexibility matters more than people think.

A better fit for shared spaces

Nat Geo Animals isn't trying to be a giant on-demand vault. It's a linear stream, which means less control over specific titles but also less decision fatigue.

• What works: Easy family viewing, familiar subject matter, and a channel you can leave on without hovering over the remote.
• What doesn't: You watch what's currently programmed, and ad breaks are part of the experience.
• Best viewer: Families, students, and anyone who likes nature content without hunting through menus.

If you've got kids using the same TV, pair this with Roku account settings and a simple parental setup. Simply Tech Today has a useful guide on how to set up parental controls.

How to add Nat Geo Animals

Launch The Roku Channel, open the Live TV guide, and search for Nat Geo Animals. Once it appears, favorite it so it stays near the top of your regular channels. For the broader brand and programming style, visit National Geographic online.

6. Salem News Channel

You finish dinner, open Roku, and want something more opinionated than a headline loop. Salem News Channel is built for that kind of viewing. It focuses on conservative-leaning live news, talk shows, and commentary you can drop into at different points of the day.

For the right viewer, that format works well. Linear news channels still have a real advantage when you want familiar hosts and a set schedule instead of picking clips one by one. The trade-off is obvious too. If you prefer straight reporting or a wider mix of perspectives, this probably will not stay in your regular rotation.

Best for commentary-first news viewers

Salem News Channel fits the news junkie who wants analysis, recurring personalities, and a channel with a clear editorial point of view. It is less useful as a neutral background feed.

That makes it a very specific recommendation, and that is a good thing. Roku has enough variety now that it makes more sense to choose channels by viewing style than to add every new option you see.

• What works: Free access, live programming, and a predictable schedule.
• What doesn't: The viewpoint is narrow, so it will not suit every household.
• Best viewer: News watchers who prefer commentary-led programming over headline-only updates.

How to add Salem News Channel

From the Roku home screen, open The Roku Channel and search the Live TV guide for Salem News Channel. Once you find it, add it to favorites so it stays near the top of your news options. If you end up trying several news or premium channels over time, it also helps to know how to cancel Roku subscriptions and manage recurring charges, especially on shared family accounts.

For schedules and show details, visit the Salem News Channel website.

7. Howdy

You finish dinner, open Roku, and do not want to bounce between five free channels hoping to find something worth keeping on. Howdy fits that kind of night. It is a paid option inside Roku, and the appeal is clear. Fewer interruptions, less browsing fatigue, and one more choice for viewers who would rather pay a little than sit through another ad block.

For this guide's viewer-type approach, Howdy lands with the movie-and-TV crowd that values a calmer experience over the biggest possible library. That trade-off matters. Free Roku channels are great for channel surfers and background viewing, but a smaller ad-free catalog often feels better for focused watching at night or in shared family spaces.

Best for viewers who want fewer ads and less decision fatigue

Howdy makes the most sense for Roku users who prefer to keep subscriptions inside one account so billing stays straightforward. It also cuts down on the friction of managing a separate app, separate login, and separate payment method.

The catch is the same one you get with any smaller subscription add-on. You are choosing convenience and a cleaner viewing session over sheer catalog size. If you always want the widest possible selection, bigger services will still have the edge. If you want an ad-free option that feels lighter and easier to manage, Howdy is a reasonable pick.

• What works: Ad-free viewing, Roku-based billing, and less clutter than a large subscription app.
• What doesn't: A narrower catalog and rotating availability.
• Best viewer: Movie and TV watchers who want a quieter, lower-maintenance streaming option.

How to add Howdy

On your Roku, open The Roku Channel or the Premium Subscriptions area and search for Howdy. Select it, review the subscription details, and confirm the purchase through your Roku account. After that, you can launch it from your home screen and manage billing from your Roku subscriptions menu. If you ever want to stop it, this guide on how to cancel Roku subscriptions and manage recurring charges makes the process straightforward. For the official listing, visit Howdy on Roku.

7 New Roku Channels Comparison

Service	Implementation complexity 🔄	Resource requirements ⚡	Expected outcomes 📊	Ideal use cases 💡	Key advantages ⭐
MotoGP Channel (FAST)	Low, linear FAST feed, simple distribution	Modest, archive curation, ad insertion, rights management	Steady reach among fans; discoverability for archival content	Casual viewers, background/always-on MotoGP consumption	Free, always-on access to MotoGP archives and highlights
DP World Tour Channel (FAST)	Low, continuous linear channel	Modest, highlight/library management, time-zone scheduling	Increased engagement for golf fans, especially early-morning US viewers	Fans of DP World Tour wanting highlights and classic events	Free way to follow a top global golf tour and complement paid services
Scripps Sports Network (FAST)	Medium, curated live + on-demand scheduling	Moderate, rights coordination, production and platform distribution	Broader exposure for niche and women's sports; consolidated rights windowing	Viewers of underserved leagues; station cross-promotion	Curates and surfaces Scripps' sports rights; focuses on underserved sports
FloRacing 24/7 (FAST)	Low–Medium, linear with occasional live simulcasts	Moderate, multi-discipline library and live coordination	Greater discoverability for grassroots racing; funnel to paid tiers	Grassroots motorsport fans sampling FloRacing content	Free sampling of deep racing library across disciplines
Nat Geo Animals (FAST)	Low, themed linear stream from existing catalog	Low, catalog repurposing, linear playlisting	Family-friendly ambient viewing and educational exposure	Families, nature/animal programming viewers	Trusted Nat Geo brand with continuous animal-focused content
Salem News Channel (FAST)	Low, 24/7 live linear news channel	Moderate, live production, commentary talent, distribution	Reach for conservative-leaning audiences; opinion-driven engagement	Viewers seeking conservative news and talk programming	Free, widely distributed alternative news/talk source
Howdy (SVOD app/channel from Roku)	Medium, SVOD integration and subscription management	Higher, content licensing, catalog curation, billing systems	Recurring subscription revenue; ad-free user experience	Budget-conscious subscribers wanting ad-free catalog on Roku	Low-cost ad-free SVOD tightly integrated with Roku account management

Find Your Next Favorite Channel

You sit down to watch for 20 minutes, open Roku, and end up scrolling past channels that do not fit how you use your TV. That is the problem these newer additions solve. The best new channels on Roku are not the ones with the loudest promo tile. They are the ones that match a specific viewing habit.

A practical way to choose is by viewer type. Sports fans should start with MotoGP Channel, DP World Tour Channel, Scripps Sports Network, or FloRacing 24/7, then keep the one that fits their routine. MotoGP and DP World Tour work better for fans who want a focused, single-sport stream. Scripps Sports Network makes more sense for viewers who like checking in on broadcast-style live events. FloRacing 24/7 is the better trial pick for racing fans who want variety before deciding whether the deeper paid FloRacing ecosystem is worth it.

For shared TVs, Nat Geo Animals is the easy low-risk add. It is family-friendly, works well as background viewing, and does not need much commitment from the person holding the remote. Salem News Channel is a more deliberate choice. It fits viewers who want commentary-led news and know that perspective is what they are after. Howdy serves a different group entirely. If ads are the thing that pushes you out of free streaming, it is the one channel here that asks you to pay for a cleaner experience.

The easiest method is to treat every channel like a one-week test. Add one based on your viewer type, use the same "How to Add" process covered above, and watch it during your normal hours, not during a one-off curiosity session. Then decide whether it earned a permanent spot. I have found that this tells you much more than screenshots, trailers, or home-screen placement.

A few housekeeping habits help. Pin your best channels to favorites, remove the ones you never open, and use Roku search when you want a second option in the same category. If you are also comparing where specific shows are available outside Roku, these NCIS Sydney viewing options are a useful reminder that availability still changes from service to service.

Happy streaming.

Want more practical streaming guides, setup help, and no-nonsense tech explainers? Visit Simply Tech Today for clear advice that helps you get more out of the devices and services you already use.