I have had my Roku almost a year and still happy-no cable bills!! I find it user friendly and lots of choices. My boyfriend has a smart TV, we both think it is not as streamline as Roku to maneuver channels & shows.
The Roku Streaming Stick is a basic web-connected device. The device is slow to load apps such as Hulu and Netflix. The remote doesn't always work and app casting from iOS is unreliable. Compared to competing devices, at least Roku is service-agnostic and less likely to track everything you do, though the services you subscribe to likely track your viewing habits anyway.
I have used all Roku versions since 2008 and still use them on other TV's. A month ago I bought the Streaming Stick for my 3rd TV and love how quickly it responds.