If it feels like everyone you know is suddenly watching free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST), you’re not imagining it. FAST has quietly become one of the fastest-growing parts of the TV ecosystem—and new research from Horizon Futures Group and Roku shows just how fast things are moving.

FAST is the simplest version of streaming: no subscription, no credit card, no decision fatigue. You simply open the app and start watching live channels—movies, shows, news, niche streams—exactly like old-school cable, but free.

FAST is defined as free, live, scheduled content delivered through a channel guide within streaming apps like The Roku Channel. Think cable-style browsing, minus the bill.

And audiences are flocking to it.


Key findings at a glance:

  • If FAST viewership across all channels were aggregated into a single app, it would rank as the 4th largest app on Roku by reach.
  • Since 2020, FAST viewing on The Roku Channel has grown at a hockey-stick rate, far outpacing the overall TV streaming market—reinforcing Roku’s claim in Horizon’s 2026 Predictions report that 100% of audiences will see ads this year.
  • Viewers increasingly perceive FAST as premium: 50% of streamers say FAST offers personal favorites they return to repeatedly, their strongest indicator of premium content.


We’re living in FAST times

How big is the FAST audience? The scale of FAST adoption is hard to overstate. Today, 64% of U.S. Roku households stream FAST, attracted by no-cost access to both live and on-demand programming. According to Nielsen, FAST viewing on The Roku Channel has grown 262 times faster than the TV streaming market overall. Notably, 70% of FAST viewers on Roku are cordless.


Who are these viewers? The assumption that affluent households exclusively watch subscription streaming doesn’t hold. 61% of FAST viewers report annual household incomes of $150,000 or more, and 64% hold a graduate degree.


What are FAST audiences watching? FAST delivers breadth at scale. Over the past year, Roku Channel streamed more than 1,000 Oscar-, Emmy-, and SAG-nominated titles for free. Entertainment dominates viewing (52% of FAST hours), followed by news (18%) and unscripted programming (17%). Like linear TV, FAST viewing peaks during prime time, enabling more predictable, informed ad buys. A better viewer experience FAST doesn’t just attract audiences; it holds their attention. FAST viewers are exposed to one-third the ad load of comparable cable audiences, creating a less cluttered environment where ads are more likely to stand out. Among households that cut the cord, 65% begin watching an hour or more of FAST per week.

Why FAST works for advertisers

FAST audiences are highly leaned in. 60% of streamers say they give all or most of their attention to FAST content, increasing the likelihood that ads are actually seen—and remembered. For advertisers, the value proposition is clear: deep engagement, premium audiences, and a lighter ad load that helps messages break through.


For the full findings and advertiser takeaways, download the complete report:
FAST is Vast: Horizon Futures x Roku