Best Fire TV Stick for 2024: Fire Stick 4K, Lite and More
Not all Fire TV Sticks are created equal. After testing numerous models, we’ve narrowed down the best. Check out our top picks to find the perfect Fire TV Stick for you.
Our Experts
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What to Consider
Budget
Use cases
4K and HDR
Alexa
Our Picks
Best Fire TV Stick overall
Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Second-best Fire TV Stick
Fire TV Stick 4K
Best budget streamer
Fire TV Stick Lite
Best non-4K runner-up to the Lite
Fire TV Stick
What to Consider
Budget
Use cases
4K and HDR
Alexa
What's the best Fire TV Stick?
Among the many great options available, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max earns our top spot for the best Fire TV Stick on the market. It launches apps quickly and navigating around feels fast and smooth, thanks to its robust processor. It also comes with Dolby Vision support and Wi-Fi 6 for faster streaming.
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Amazon has pushed aggressively into the streaming market, producing an array of Fire TV-branded streaming devices. We've tested and reviewed them all -- as well as others from Roku, Google, Apple and more -- and found that we tend to like Roku products best for their easy use and platform-agnostic approach. Roku's menus don't favor one streaming service (like, for example, Prime Video) over others. That said, Amazon's Fire TV devices are highly capable, too, especially if you want Alexa voice integration.
Amazon's range is robust and runs the gamut from the basic Fire TV Stick Lite to the midrange Fire TV Stick 4K Max to the top-tier Fire TV Cube, as well as a bunch of models in between. If that sounds confusing, don't worry. Our guide to the best Fire TV streaming device will help you pick out the right model for your needs.
Best Fire TV Sticks of 2024
If you're looking for the best Fire Stick on the market, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is it. The Max is speedy and loads apps almost immediately, and navigating around the system is swift and smooth. Even better, the Max supports Wi-Fi 6 and nearly all the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. The downside to the Max is its Fire TV platform with ads featured prominently throughout. We just don't appreciate the TV becoming a giant rotating billboard for content or ads when in screensaver mode. But this is a good choice for those looking for the best and fastest Amazon Fire TV stick.
Second-best Fire TV Stick
Fire TV Stick 4K
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K debuted in 2018 and is still around today. While we generally think it's worth it to upgrade to the Max, the original Fire TV Stick 4K is still a good choice for those who want 4K streaming without paying for the latest bells and whistles, namely Wi-Fi 6 and blazing-fast speed. The voice features are impressive and Echo and Dot owners can control it with Alexa. Its app and game selection is superb and responses are still fast, though not as fast as on the Max. The remote can control volume and power on TVs and soundbars. Ultimately, if the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K is close to the Max, we recommend passing on this and getting the newer and faster Max.
Best budget streamer
Fire TV Stick Lite
The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite budget streaming device, besting the Roku Express. The Lite trounces the Express in features-for-the-money. This Fire TV's biggest advantage is a remote with built-in voice search and control powered by Alexa. The cheapest Roku with a voice remote is the Express Plus 4K, which uses Roku's more basic voice system, not Alexa. The Fire Stick's remote also doesn't need line of sight to work. If you want to spend as little as possible on a streaming player, the Lite is your best bet.
Best for hands-free Alexa, smart home control
Fire TV Cube
The 2022 Fire TV Cube adds a handful of bells and whistles, including 4K upscaling and a faster processor, to a device that's been around for a while. The Cube has always been a mash-up of the Fire TV Stick and an Alexa speaker, allowing you to use your voice to search for shows and adjust the volume and inputs on your TV, dim lights, make Zoom calls (audio-only, unless you add a webcam), stream music and check the weather -- all hands-free, without using the remote. It also features an octa-core processor and 2GB of memory for lightning-fast streaming in 4K, as well as audio support for Dolby Atmos. That said, the latest version of the Cube has difficulty controlling devices connected to your TV -- especially if that TV happens to be a TCL -- and often misses the mark when integrating Alexa commands with your cable box.
Best non-4K runner-up to the Lite
Fire TV Stick
Although the Lite is a better value, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is another good choice for those who are still rocking regular HD TVs. The main difference between the Fire TV Stick and the cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite lies in the remote control. Fire Stick's remote has buttons for volume, mute and power, allowing you to control those functions on your TV. The Lite lacks these capabilities and is therefore slightly less expensive. If you have a 1080p TV and don't mind paying a little more for a remote that can control the volume on your TV, the Fire TV Stick is a good choice for you.
Factors to consider when choosing a Fire TV Stick
Budget
Before anything else, consider how much you're willing to spend on a Fire TV Stick. Higher-end models can cost up to $140, like the impressive Fire TV Cube. But if your budget is tighter, there are plenty of simpler yet effective Fire TV Sticks priced as low as $20. The entry-level standard Fire TV Stick, for example, offers HD playback if your television is compatible. Plenty of options exist for a range of budgets and all your streaming needs.
Use cases
Consider what exactly you'll be using your Fire TV Stick for. Are you hoping to turn your TV into a smart TV, or are you looking for extra services beyond what your smart TV already offers? Maybe you're hoping to use your Fire TV Stick to control your smart home technology. Make sure your use cases align with the capabilities of the Fire TV Stick you choose.
4K and HDR
Models like the Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick 4K and the 4K Max support 4K resolutions and HDR protocols, while the Fire TV Stick Lite and standard Fire TV Stick do not. If you're not too concerned about high-resolution streaming or your TV model doesn't support anything above 1080p, the latter models should suit your needs. Otherwise, you may want to opt for one of the 4K Sticks.
Alexa integration
All five Fire TV Stick models have remotes with built-in voice search and control powered by Alexa. But if you're looking for something a bit more advanced, the Fire TV Cube may be your best bet. That's because it's equipped with the full capabilities of a separate Alexa speaker, allowing you to use your TV hands-free, without a remote. Full Alexa integration also means that the Cube can control your smart-home gadgets, like lights and thermostats. While plain Fire Stick variants can also do this, they require a connection with a separate Amazon Echo speaker. If you're looking for an Alexa-speaker-streaming-device combination, you'd likely be happiest with the Fire TV Cube. If this isn't your top priority, or you already have an Echo speaker, one of the Fire TV Sticks will be fine.
How we test Fire TV devices
Every Fire TV Stick we review receives hours of hands-on testing. Typically, this involves installing the device on multiple TVs, evaluating the setup process, adding popular streaming channels and using the product as if it were our own. We use all of the major features available and note how they stack up against other Fire TV models in the company's lineup. To do this, we hook up multiple Fire TV streaming devices to the same TV so we can switch back and forth easily to compare the experiences.
The metrics we use to rate a device include hardware design, distinctive features that differentiate models, remote capabilities and design, overall ease of use, effective layouts and design, search capabilities, privacy settings, the number of apps and their performance and the overall speed and reliability of the system.
Other TV Sticks we've tested
Roku Express 4K Plus: The Express 4K Plus streaming media player is one of the cheapest streaming TV options with 4K HDR. (Even if your current TV doesn't support those formats, your next one probably will.) Thanks to the AirPlay update, this Roku device is one of the least expensive ways to connect your iPhone or other Apple device to your TV. It is cheaper than the company's Streaming Stick 4K Plus and other 4K HDR streaming devices, and it's our top pick for best streaming device overall.
Chromecast with Google TV 4K: Chromecast outdoes Roku by adding Dolby Vision compatibility, but its biggest smart device strength is Google Assistant voice search, which works well for finding stuff to watch. We also like the impressive integration with other Google services such as Google Photos and YouTube TV. The interface is more evolved-looking than Roku, but ultimately we prefer Roku's simpler approach, no-nonsense search results and lower price. That said, the new Chromecast is a better smart streaming device choice for those already living in Google's world.
Apple TV 4K: The Apple TV 4K continues to be a good choice for those who want an Apple device to use Apple Arcade for gaming or take full advantage of their Apple One subscription bundles. Video purists will appreciate its flexible HDR and TV calibration feature. For most people, however, Apple's venerable remote control streaming device just isn't worth the money, especially now that Roku has nearly all the major apps and AirPlay. If you really want Dolby Vision, you can find that on the Roku Streaming Stick 4K at a fraction of the price.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K: The Roku Streaming Stick 4K features the same simple interface, large app selection and impressive search function found on all Roku devices, but also offers Dolby Vision support. While we think the Streaming Stick 4K is a great device, we're just not sold on the Dolby Vision upgrade -- mostly because we generally don't think that it provides a major image quality upgrade over standard HDR. But if Dolby Vision is important to you, this device will not disappoint.