Roku Edges Samsung for Top Cord-Cutter Smart TV OS

A survey of 1,399 households that dropped pay-TV service shows Roku narrowly leading Samsung's Tizen platform.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Television

Roku Edges Samsung for Top Cord-Cutter Smart TV OS

Live Poll

Would you consider switching your TV's built-in software to change your streaming?

Roku OS led among cord cutters with 24.9 percent of responses, narrowly ahead of Samsung Tizen at 24.6 percent, according to a survey of 1,399 households that have dropped traditional pay-TV service. Together, the two platforms account for nearly half of smart TV operating systems in use among the surveyed population.

Why it matters

The results show how much of the cord-cutting audience relies on a handful of smart TV platforms for streaming access. Roku's licensed OS model and Samsung's proprietary lineup give both companies a direct channel to viewers who have left traditional television.

The survey drew responses from 1,399 cord-cutting households, with Roku OS at 24.9 percent and Samsung Tizen at 24.6 percent. Google TV (12.7 percent), Vizio SmartCast (7.1 percent) and an 'Other' category (7.1 percent) trailed, and the sampling method behind the figures was not described.

The players

Roku

Roku is a streaming platform company whose operating system runs on its own devices and is licensed to third-party television manufacturers.

Samsung Tizen

Samsung's Tizen is the proprietary smart TV operating system embedded across Samsung's television lineup.

The details

Respondents were asked which operating system they open on their primary smart television. Roku expands its reach through a licensed OS model and dedicated streaming devices, while Samsung embeds Tizen across its proprietary television lineup. Many televisions sold under other brand names also ship with Roku OS.

Survey results on smart TV operating systems among cord cutters were published November 2, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

The survey places Roku's licensed OS model at the top of the cord-cutter market, showing that a platform licensed to third-party manufacturers has reached near-parity with Samsung's proprietary Tizen. The contest between these two operating systems reflects the broader streaming-era shift in how viewers access content after leaving traditional pay-TV.

The results indicate that a large share of cord cutters watch streaming content through Roku or Samsung smart TVs, so the operating system a household owns largely determines how it reaches streaming apps. Shoppers buying a new television should note that many brands, including those sold under other names, ship with Roku OS.

The takeaway

For cord cutters choosing a new television, the operating system matters as much as the screen, since it controls which apps and streaming services are easiest to reach. Comparing app selection and interface on Roku, Samsung Tizen and other platforms before buying can prevent switching costs later.