Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years. But Howdy will be ad-free, and at $2.99 a month, it’s much cheaper than other players in the streaming space — all of which have gradually raised their prices in efforts to boost profits. In a statement about the service, Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood said that Howdy is “designed to complement, not compete with” other, more premium platforms. Still, though, Howdy feels like it could be a tempting deal for folks looking to cut back on their entertainment spending. And with all of the other streamers getting so pricey, Howdy might give them more competition than intended.