Do I need a Fire Stick? What it actually adds to your TV

If you’re looking to add smart features to your TV or want a simpler way to access your favourite streaming services, an Amazon Fire TV Stick could be just what you need. 

Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks are a budget-friendly way to upgrade your TV with a fast, easy-to-use system that includes popular apps like BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Plus, they have handy features such as voice control, personalised content recommendations and even games.

Whether you have a big 4K television for your living room or a small TV in the kitchen, these streaming devices work with all of the best TVs.

What is a Fire TV Stick and do you need one?

Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks are handy streaming devices that you simply plug into your TV’s HDMI port. They instantly make your TV smarter, giving you access to all your favourite streaming apps such as Disney+, Netflix and Prime Video. You’ll also discover a variety of news channels, games and other apps. 

Here's why you might need one: 

• Updates older TVs: if your TV doesn't have smart features or lacks apps, but it does have an HDMI port, Fire TV Sticks are an easy way to upgrade it.
• Broader range of apps: Fire Sticks have a larger library of apps, games and niche channels than most built-in smart TV systems.
• Faster performance: they use a dedicated processor for a snappier, more responsive streaming interface than a lot of smart TVs.
• Continuous updates: Fire TV Sticks get regular software improvements, whereas smart TVs are updated less frequently. 
• Developer priority: developers tend to prioritise platforms with the most users, so Fire OS could get faster app bug fixes and new features.
• Advanced features: unlike some smart TVs, Fire TV Sticks have Amazon Alexa integration and a remote with a microphone built in, allowing you to control everything with just your voice. 

Here's why you might not need one:

• If your smart TV system already has all the apps you want to use regularly.
• Like most smart TVs, Fire TV Sticks still display ads and sponsored content as you browse.
• If you own a games console like a PlayStation or Xbox, you won't gain much from buying a Fire Stick because they have streaming apps built in and speedy processing power. 
• Your smart TV already has features like voice control and smart home integration.

Paul Lester, Which? Tech editor says:

'You might not think you need one if you already have a smart TV, but the slick and intuitive control and superb range of apps on Amazon’s streamer makes it tough to beat.

'Alexa-powered voice control is a really helpful feature to look out for – It makes it easy to search for movies and TV shows, control playback, and even smart home devices with a spoken command.'

What are the different types of Fire TV Stick?

Whatever your budget and whichever TV you have, there’s an Amazon Fire TV Stick to suit. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD

We like: Affordable

Watch out for: No 4K streaming 

The most budget-friendly option is the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD. It's suited to small HD TVs, and you might want to consider it for a bedroom or office space.

As the name suggests, it streams in 1080p Full HD. You get the most basic package of 8GB of storage, a slightly older version of wi-fi and Dolby-encoded audio. Despite its affordability, you’ll still get the Alexa voice remote and full access to the App Store.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select

We like: Budget-friendly 4K streaming

Watch out for: Doesn’t have Dolby Atmos surround sound support

If you have a 4K TV and you're looking for a streaming device that won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select gives you impressive picture quality without an eye-watering price.

The downside is there’s quite a limited amount of storage and it uses an older version of wi-fi than the pricier devices, which could potentially slow it down. There’s also no Dolby Atmos support for surround sound. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

We like: Includes Dolby Atmos surround sound support

Watch out for: Only has 8GB of storage which could slow it down

Hitting the sweet spot between price and features, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus can stream in high-quality 4K as well as provide surround sound in Dolby Atmos-supported content. 

It has less storage than the pricier streamers. And it doesn’t have the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which turns your TV into an interactive smart display when you're not using it, showing a slideshow of pictures or artworks and widgets.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

We like: 16GB of storage, speedy wi-fi

Watch out for: No hands-free Alexa

Combining 4K streaming with Dolby Atmos surround sound, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max should give you the closest thing to a home cinema experience, provided your TV and soundbar support the technology.

It has ample storage and one of the latest wi-fi versions, claiming to be the fastest 4K streaming stick Amazon offers. That makes it well suited for your living room, but perhaps overkill for smaller spaces such as the kitchen or your bedroom.

This one does have the Fire TV Ambient Experience, so you can use it as a smart home hub to see art, photos, the weather forecast or calendars when you’re not watching shows. It also has Amazon's picture-in-picture feature, which allows you to see a live view from your compatible security cameras in the corner of the TV screen. 

Amazon Fire TV Cube

We like: Includes hands-free Alexa

Watch out for: Overkill for small TVs

If you’re looking to upgrade a big living-room TV, the Fire TV Cube can stream in 4K and has a solid 16GB of storage to keep it running smoothly. It has the latest wi-fi version as well as an ethernet port to connect it to your network through a wired connection. 

It uses the same voice remote as the Fire Sticks, but also acts as its own hands-free Alexa speaker. So you can control what’s on TV by voice and ask for the answers to your burning questions, control your other smart home tech and more. Other features included picture-in-picture viewing and the Fire TV Ambient Experience.

What are the alternatives to Fire Sticks? 

If you’re shopping around and you’d like to compare streaming devices, there are a few Fire Stick alternatives worth knowing about. 

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

We like: Fewer ads than Fire TV Stick

Watch out for: Lacks features such as picture-in-picture from Fire OS

Roku’s streaming sticks are quite similar to Amazon’s, but they strip back the look of the home screen to simplify navigation. You won’t be served as many ads as on Fire OS, but you’ll still get access to all the most popular streaming apps. 

It discreetly plugs into the back of your TV and comes with an easy-to-use remote complete with voice control. This model supports high-quality 4K streaming and Dolby Atmos surround sound as long as your TV and soundbar are compatible.

Google TV Streamer (4K)

We like: Better for Google Home users

Watch out for: Limited control with Alexa speakers

Serving as both a streamer and a smart home hub, the Google TV Streamer will upgrade your TV with tonnes of handy features and give you access to all the top TV and movie streaming apps. 

Powered by Gemini AI, it can provide intelligent content summaries and recommendations. You can control it by voice, and it supports both 4K and Dolby Atmos surround sound for your compatible gadgets. It also allows you to manage your entire smart home from its home screen, including your Nest cameras and smart lights. 

Apple TV 4K

We like: Ad-free home screen

Watch out for: Expensive

If you don’t mind splashing out a little, and you’re an avid Apple user, the Apple TV 4K provides a clean streaming experience with super smart recommendations and no ads. Plus, it has a huge amount of storage, which should mean it runs quickly. 

With Apple TV, there are several features that you won’t get elsewhere. For example, you can use two HomePods as a wireless home theatre system with Dolby Atmos support. You can use your iPhone camera to automatically balance your TV’s colour. It also doubles up as a HomeKit Hub to link all your compatible smart home devices together. 

What channels can you get on a Fire TV Stick?

Amazon’s Fire OS has a huge library of apps, ranging from the most popular streaming services such as Apple TV, Disney+ and Netflix to more niche options like Crunchyroll and Hayu. While these all require a paid subscription, you can also access tonnes of free content through ad-supported apps such as Pluto TV, Tubi and more. 

The appstore goes well beyond TV and movies. You can catch live sports on ESPN+, stay active with Peloton or stream music and radio through iHeartRadio and Spotify. For UK users, you’ll find apps such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. Gaming apps include Amazon Luna and GeForce Now. You'll even find services to catch up on the latest news stories, and a web browser to surf the internet from your TV. 

Is there a monthly fee on Fire Stick?

There’s no monthly fee to use Amazon’s Fire TV Stick and you don’t need to be signed up to Amazon Prime either. 

To make the most of it, you may want to pay for a subscription to a couple of its paid apps such as Disney+, Netflix and Paramount. You can choose to buy or rent TV and movies from Amazon using your saved card details, and there are several services with free ad-supported content such as Freevee and YouTube. 

How to set up a new streaming stick

Setting up a new streaming stick is very easy. Simply plug it into the back of your TV using its HDMI port, plug it into power with the USB-C cable and put batteries in the included remote. 

Make sure you’ve selected the right input on your TV. After that, you’ll just need to follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your wi-fi network and log in to your Amazon account. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes. 

How to pair the Fire TV Stick remote

The included remote should connect to the Fire Stick automatically, but if it doesn’t, you can pair it by holding down the Home button. Occasionally, big TVs can block the signal, so try pointing the remote directly at the streaming stick if you're struggling to get it up and running.