Short-form video streaming platform Quibi is now defunct. The mobile-first service launched in April 2020 but announced its shutdown later that year; its content library and distribution rights were acquired by Roku in early 2021 and many former Quibi shows have since been released as “Roku Originals” on The Roku Channel (Variety; Roku; The Verge). Big-name collaborators included Antoine Fuqua, Catherine Hardwicke, Guillermo del Toro, Sam Raimi, and Steven Spielberg.
Unlike most streaming services, Quibi took a mobile-first approach with short-form, bite-sized storytelling and episodes typically under 10 minutes. Before winding down, the company expanded beyond phones by launching native TV apps for Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV to enable living-room viewing (details).
Quibi announced its shutdown on October 21, 2020 and proceeded to wind down service soon after; there is no active Quibi app or subscription today (Variety; New York Times). Viewers interested in former Quibi programming should look for Roku Originals on The Roku Channel.
Key facts about Quibi’s launch, shutdown, and where to watch
- Price: Quibi is no longer available. For context, current US monthly streaming prices include: Netflix $6.99 with ads/$15.49 Standard/$22.99 Premium (source); Hulu $7.99 with ads/$18.99 no ads (source); Disney+ $7.99 with ads/$13.99 Premium (source); Max $9.99 with ads/$16.99 Ad-Free/$20.99 Ultimate Ad-Free (source); Apple TV+ $12.99 (source); Peacock $7.99/$13.99 (source); Paramount+ $7.99 Essential/$12.99 with Showtime (source).
- Launch date: Quibi launched in April 2020 and on October 21, 2020 announced that it would shut down, with service winding down soon after (Variety; New York Times).
- Free trial: Not applicable today—the service ceased operations in 2020. Former Quibi shows are available as “Roku Originals” on The Roku Channel.
- Content format: The shows on Quibi used short, bite-sized formats built for on‑the‑go viewing, with many episodes running between seven to 10 minutes. Near the end of its run, Quibi also launched TV apps for Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV to support big‑screen viewing (details).
- Creator partnerships: Quibi worked with A‑list talent (e.g., Anna Kendrick, Catherine Hardwicke, Laurence Fishburne, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg). After the shutdown, many completed series were released as Roku Originals on The Roku Channel (Roku; The Verge).
- Content ownership: Quibi had announced a lengthy exclusivity window for its originals, but after the service shut down, Roku acquired global distribution rights to the library and released many titles as Roku Originals (announcement).
Quibi device compatibility and how to watch former shows
Quibi launched as a phone‑first service but quickly expanded beyond mobile, adding casting support and, on October 20, 2020, native apps for Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV (source).
Today, there is no Quibi app or service. Many former Quibi series can be watched as Roku Originals on The Roku Channel, which is available on Roku devices, the web, select Samsung Smart TVs, and Amazon Fire TV devices in supported regions (Roku support).
Because The Roku Channel runs on mainstream TV platforms, former Quibi shows are viewable on big screens without casting workarounds.
Quibi content
As a differentiator, Quibi commissioned originals built for short-form mobile viewing and organized them into three different sections – “Daily Essentials,” “Lighthouse,” and “Quick Bites.” Following the shutdown, many series from this library have been re-released as Roku Originals on The Roku Channel (Roku).
Daily Essentials
Quibi’s news-focused programming called “Daily Essentials” offered freshly curated news content from across culture, entertainment, gaming, and sports. The line-up of daily shows was to consist of programming from E! Entertainment, ESPN, NBC, Polygon, Rotten Tomatoes, Telemundo, TMZ, and The Weather Channel.
Quibi also teamed up with Complex Networks, Den of Thieves, and Gunpowder & Sky to bring a hip-hop news show called “The Drop” to the “Daily Essentials” programming. These daily news efforts were short-lived, as the service announced its shutdown in October 2020 (Variety).
Lighthouse
“Lighthouse” productions, consisting of content from the biggest names in Hollywood, gave Quibi a unique selling point to draw in viewers. A-listers like Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro were set to produce original movies broken up into multiple chapters, with new chapters released weekly.
The service also set unusual rules for some shows. For instance, viewers would have access to the “Spielberg’s After Dark” program only after midnight. Those plans were curtailed when Quibi shut down (announcement).
After Quibi wound down, many scripted projects found a home on The Roku Channel as part of early waves of Roku Originals (The Verge).
The Quibi content lineup included shows like “Dummy,” an updated spin on “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and a live-action adaptation of Junji Ito’s “Tomie”; many announced titles later appeared on The Roku Channel as Roku Originals.
Quick Bites
The Quibi streaming service also provided viewers non-serialized programming or “Quick Bites.” These mid-tier options included a diverse mixture of contest shows, documentaries, and reality TV, featuring big names like Andy Samberg, Chrissy Teigen, Justin Bieber, Tyra Banks, and Zac Efron.
Announced shows included “Elba vs. Block,” a stunt driving series starring Idris Elba. The “Quick Bites” line-up also included “Thanks a Million,” where celebrities like Kristen Bell and Jennifer Lopez donate $100,000 to someone influential in their life; many such titles later streamed as Roku Originals on The Roku Channel (Roku).
The Bottom Line
Quibi launched in April 2020 and shut down later that year. There is no active Quibi service or app today; viewers seeking former Quibi series should look for Roku Originals on The Roku Channel (Variety; Roku; The Verge).
The broader takeaway: mobile-first, premium short episodes remain culturally relevant, but in 2025 consumers expect cross-device viewing and ad-supported, creator-driven feeds rather than a subscription, mobile-only silo—reflected in YouTube’s leading share on TV screens and the continued rise of mobile video and short-form engagement (Nielsen The Gauge; Ericsson Mobility Report; data.ai State of Mobile 2025; YouTube on Shorts for TV).
