Publisher payouts

Roku’s Partner Payouts Program is the vehicle through which partners receive payments for apps, games, content, and ads served to millions of active Roku users.

To sign up for Roku Partner Payouts Program, see the Enrolling in the Roku Partner Payouts Program guide. If you have not yet created your account, start with Set up your Roku account.

Publisher payouts

Partners can select between three payout methods when enrolling in the Roku Partner Payouts Program:

• PayPal
• Direct deposit / ACH
• Wire transfer

Please note that for partners outside the United States, only PayPal and wire transfers are available (direct deposit/ACH is not available).

For all partners, wire transfer and ACH payments are made in USD only. If there are transactions received that are non-USD, they are converted to USD using the average foreign exchange rate for the month the payment is for.

With PayPal there is no payment fee. With wire transfers and ACH payments, your bank will charge you bank fees.

Receiving payouts for apps

Once Roku verifies a publisher's bank information and tax documents, the publisher's account will be enrolled in the Roku Partner Payouts Program. The publisher can then publish a monetized app and begin recognizing revenue immediately.

Roku will pay the publisher 80% of all amounts actually received by Roku from your end users in respect of your Application(s) through Roku Pay, after deducting any applicable taxes, credits, refunds and chargebacks, and Roku will retain the remaining 20%.

Payouts from Roku are made no later than 60 days after the end of each month in which Roku received payments through Roku Pay. For subscriptions that are longer than one month, payouts are made on a pro-rata monthly basis (for example, 1/12 of the revenues per month for an annual subscription) no later than 60 days after the end of each month in which Roku receives payments through Roku Pay.

No minimum sum is required to receive payouts from purchases made through Roku Pay. Payouts are made based on the specified interval regardless of the amount of accrued revenue.

For more information on payout terms, see the Roku Distribution Agreement.

Receiving payouts for The Roku Channel

Publishers who distribute content on The Roku Channel must also enroll in the Roku Partner Payouts Program. Payments are sent to the payout method in your account settings. Revenue reports are sent by email. If you would like to be included in the revenue report distribution list, contact [email protected].

Payments and revenue reports are sent quarterly, 60 days after the quarter closes:

Publishers are not paid until the aggregate sums due are equal to or exceed $100.00. Detailed payout terms are found in the Commercial Terms Exhibit of the Roku Distribution Agreement.

Restricted payout countries

Roku cannot make any payouts to the entities from these regions (countries/territories).

• Afghanistan

• Aland Islands
• American Samoa
• Angola
• Anguilla
• Antarctica
• Armenia
• Aruba
• Ascension Island
• Azerbaijan
• Azores
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bonaire
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Brunei
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cape Verde
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Canary Islands
• Caribbean Netherlands
• Central African Republic
• Ceuta and Melila
• Chad
• China
• Christmas Island
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
• Comoros
• Cook Islands
• Congo, Democratic Republic of the
• Congo, Republic of the
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Cuba
• Curacao
• Djibouti
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Falkland Islands
• French Southern Territories
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guam
• Guernsey
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Iran
• Iraq
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Liberia
• Libya
• Madeira
• Macau
• Macedonia
• Madagascar
• Maldives
• Mali
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mayotte
• Micronesia
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat
• Myanmar (Burma)
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• Northern Mariana Islands
• North Korea
• Pakistan
• Palestine
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Pitcairn Islands
• Puerto Rico
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Saba
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Helena
• Saint Martin
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Sierra Leone
• Sint Eustatius
• Sint Maarten
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Georgia Island
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
• Swaziland
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tokelau
• Tonga
• Tristan da Cunha
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• US Virgin Islands
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City
• Wallis and Futuna
• Western Sahara
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Restricted payout updates: Frequently asked questions

What is changing and when

To keep earning from monetized apps on Roku, your payout information must be located in a country where Roku can make payouts. Developers whose entity, bank account and tax information are in a restricted payout country need to update them before the date below. Pakistan is on the restricted list.

Who is affected?

Developers who received the September 4 email, and any developer whose payout entity, bank account or tax information is in a restricted country. Check the current list to confirm.

Eligibility and policy

Is the restriction based on my citizenship or residency?

No. It is based on where your payout information is located: the country of your entity, your bank account and your tax information. All three must be in a country that is not on the restricted list. You can continue to live in Pakistan.

Why is Roku making this change, and can I request an exception?

This is a new Roku payout requirement and Roku cannot grant exceptions or exemptions. If you need help completing the required updates, Partner Support can help with how to update your information in Roku's systems.

Are free apps or my developer account affected?

No. Roku is only removing non-compliant monetized apps and channels. Your developer account is not taken down, and free apps continue unaffected regardless of your payout status.

Will the restricted list change?

The list is maintained on this page. Check the restricted payout countries list for the current list.

What you need to update

What exactly do I need to change?

All four of the following must be located in an eligible (non-restricted) country:

1. Entity information
2. Bank account country
3. Tax information (tax form)
4. Payment information

Updating only one or two of these is not enough.

Which payout methods does Roku support?

Bank account (wire) and PayPal, as long as the account, entity and tax information are all in non-restricted countries. Payoneer is not a supported payout method. Roku does not offer an alternative payout path for restricted countries.

I see PayPal in my payout settings. Does that mean I'm eligible?

Not necessarily. PayPal may still appear as an option in the Developer Dashboard, but payouts are only possible when your entity, payment account and tax information are in an eligible country.

Where do I update this?

In your payout settings in the Developer Dashboard. Roku verifies your bank details and tax documents before the account is enrolled for payouts, so allow time for verification and update well before November 1.

Your earnings

What happens to revenue I have already earned?

Revenue earned before your apps are removed is not forfeited. It is protected and paid under your standard payout terms (Net 60 for most developers).

If I provide a compliant bank account in an eligible country, do payouts continue normally?

Yes. Once your entity, bank, tax and payment information are updated and verified, payouts continue according to your payout terms.

Can I update after November 1?

You can still update your payout information, but apps removed on November 1 cannot be reinstated. Update before November 1 to keep your monetized apps live.

Setting up a compliant account

Can I update my existing account, or do I need a new one?

Update your existing account. You can change your company name, country, address, tax information and payout details, provided the new details are in eligible countries. Updating the existing account keeps your apps in place.

Can I use a company bank account?

Yes, as long as the bank is not in a restricted country and the entity and tax information match.

Can I keep my Pakistani phone number and email as the account contact?

Yes. Contact details can stay the same. The restriction applies to your entity, bank and tax information.

What documents do I need?

Entity, bank and tax information located in an eligible country. Roku verifies these before enabling payouts.

Does my residency, visa status or citizenship matter?

No. Eligibility depends only on where your entity, bank account and tax information are located. For example, a developer who is a Pakistani citizen can be eligible with entity, bank and tax information in Saudi Arabia, which is not on the restricted list. Roku cannot advise on residency, visa or tax-residency matters, so please speak with your own advisors.

Can I set up a new developer account while living in Pakistan?

Yes. As long as the entity, bank information and tax information are located in a non-restricted country, you can reside in Pakistan.

Specific payout scenarios

Can I use a Payoneer account (virtual, USD, GBP or ACH receiving account)?

No. Roku pays by bank transfer or PayPal only. Payoneer is not supported as a payout method, including receiving accounts, Global Payment Service and Direct ACH.

Can I use a USD-denominated bank account in Pakistan?

No. The currency does not change eligibility. The bank account, entity and tax information must all be outside the restricted countries.

Can I use a bank account in an eligible country while keeping my Pakistan address and tax details?

No. A payout setup that mixes an eligible-country bank account with a restricted-country entity address or tax information is not accepted. Entity, bank and tax information must all be in an eligible country. Your personal residence can remain in Pakistan.

Can I form a US LLC or UK Ltd and convert my individual account to a company account?

You can update your account to a company entity if the entity, bank account and tax information are all in eligible countries. Roku cannot advise on forming a company, banking, or which tax form applies (for example W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E). Please consult your own legal, tax and financial advisors, and you may also ask PayPal or your payment provider about their requirements.

Can you recommend a bank or confirm that Wise, Airwallex, Revolut or another provider will work?

Roku cannot recommend or endorse specific banks or providers. Your account must be a bank account or PayPal account located in an eligible country, with matching entity and tax information. If you are unsure whether a provider's account qualifies, contact Partner Support before relying on it for payouts.

Advice, exceptions and support

Will Roku advise me on entity formation, banking or tax?

No. Roku focuses on the payout information in your account. For company formation, banking and tax questions, please work with your own advisors.

Can Roku make an exception for independent developers?

No exceptions are available. The requirement applies to all accounts with payout information in restricted countries.

Who can help me complete the update?

Contact Roku Partner Support via the following Partner Success Contact Form: https://developer.roku.com/public/contact and include your account name and what you have already updated.

FAQs

Can I publish an app that monetizes without enrolling in the Roku Partner Payouts Program?

All partners with monetized apps are required to enroll in the Roku Partner Payouts Program. In fact, our system will prevent you from publishing a monetized app until your account has been enrolled in the program. Publishers who distribute on The Roku Channel must enroll to receive payments.

When does the payment process start?

As soon as our system verifies your bank information and tax documents, your account will be enrolled in the Roku Partner Payouts Program. You will immediately be able to publish a monetized app and revenue earned in your app will be recognized from the very first day it's published.

Please note the importance of entering accurate and correct information when enrolling in the Roku Partner Payouts Program. If, for example, the wrong bank account number information is added, our system will not notify you of the error until our payment to you fails to clear. Of course, you will be notified to update your bank account information, but this will delay the amount of time until you're paid.

When can I expect to receive my first payment?

Payments for content on The Roku Channel follow the quarterly schedule above.

Transactional apps are paid no later than 60 days after the end of each month in which Roku received payments through Roku Pay. There are no minimum revenue requirements for billing disbursements.

Ad-supported apps are paid no later than 60 days after the end of each quarter. Note that ad-supported partners will not be paid until 1) the aggregate sums due are equal to or exceed $100.00, or 2) the Agreement expires or is terminated.

Detailed payout terms are found in the Commercial Terms Exhibit of the Roku Distribution Agreement.

Why wasn’t I paid?

Roku does not verify bank account information. Our system only verifies the routing number and tax documents. If any of the bank account information you initially entered is incorrect, it will not be possible to pay you. In this case, you will receive a notification that a payment to you failed, and you will be asked to update your payment information in then Developer Dashboard.

What is the requirement for redirecting ad traffic to Roku if my tag returns empty or fails?

The Roku Ad Framework automatically redirects empty or failed ad calls to Roku's ad server. Should Roku's ad server ever be used to serve ads in your app, we will share 60% of net revenue earned on those ads with you. This is why all monetized app partners are required to enroll in the Roku Partner Payouts Program, even if they plan on managing 100% of their ad inventory.

Chargeback FAQs

These questions apply to transactions that customers make in apps by using Roku Pay.

What is a chargeback?

A chargeback is a dispute raised by a cardholder against any transaction, through their issuing bank. As per card network rules, the merchant (Roku) can either dispute the chargeback to prove it is legitimate or return the transaction amount to the issuer.

When a chargeback occurs, how does Roku notify the publisher?

When a customer disputes a transaction made through Roku Pay that results in a chargeback, Roku will send a refund push notification message to the publisher. The transactionType field in the notification will be set to "Chargeback", "ChargebackReversed", or "SecondChargeback". Each of these values is described as follows:

• "Chargeback": The customer has initiated a transaction dispute. Roku will dispute the chargeback if it is $8.99 or more. If the chargeback is reversed, Roku will send a subsequent refund notification with the transactionType set to "ChargebackReversed". If the chargeback is not reversed, no further notifications are sent.

• "ChargebackReversed": Roku successfully reversed the chargeback claim.

• "SecondChargeback": The customer's bank has disputed the chargeback reversal on the transaction (this may occur if the customer provided new information, the chargeback reason changed, or the bank determined that the information provided by Roku was not sufficient to refute the chargeback). Roku will not dispute the second chargeback.

Does Roku dispute all chargebacks?

No. Roku only disputes chargebacks that are $8.99 or more. Any chargeback less than $8.99 is not disputed because the cost of disputing the chargeback is greater than the transaction amount. If the cardholder files a second chargeback, Roku will not dispute it—Roku relies on the issuer doing their due diligence, which allows the cardholder to file a second chargeback on a transaction on which they lost the original dispute.

How long does it take to receive the ChargebackReversed and SecondChargeback notifications?

Upon receiving a "Chargeback" notification, it may take up to 60 days to receive a "ChargebackReversed" notification if Roku successfully gets the chargeback claim reversed. The time it takes to receive a "SecondChargeback" notification depends on how long the issuer allows the cardholder to file a second dispute.

Does Roku pass the Fraud/Non-Fraud indicator to publishers?

No. Roku does not receive the Fraud/Non-Fraud indicator from all networks; therefore, Roku does not pass it to publishers.

Upon receiving chargeback, does the customer still have access to content or do they lose their access immediately?

Upon receiving a chargeback from the processor, Roku cancels the subscription; however, the entitlement remains valid until the end of the billing cycle. This means that the customer can continue accessing content until the next billing date. Roku will no longer attempt to auto-renew the subscription upon the end of the billing cycle. The customer must re-subscribe to access content.

Once Roku cancels the subscription because of a chargeback, can the customer make additional changes to the service such as an upgrade or downgrade?

No. Although the customer has access to content, they actually do not have a valid entitlement. The customer, therefore, does not have an active subscription that can be upgraded/downgraded.

When Roku cancels a subscription because of a chargeback, how is the publisher notified?

Roku sends a cancel push notification message with the transactionType field set to "Chargeback". This is similar to how the push notification is sent for an active cancellation (when the customer explicitly cancels the subscription). The publisher should handle the cancel notification to determine if the customer is still entitled to content.