Guide · updated 13 October 2026
Best IPTV app 2026: which IPTV player suits your TV?
TiviMate, IPTV Smarters, IBO Player, Kodi and more: we compared 8 IPTV apps on TV guide, ease of use, features, devices and price. For each app you get the official download links and what the full version costs.
- 8 appscompared and scored
- 10 types of devicefrom Fire TV to MAG
- 6 freecan be used without paying
- Independentwe don't make any apps ourselves
Our top picks
The best IPTV app for every situation
No time to read everything? These are our favourites. TiviMate IPTV Player scores highest, but which app is best depends mostly on your device.
App by device
Which IPTV app works on my device?
Not every app works on every device. Choose what you watch on and see which apps run on it, with the best at the top.
Choose your device
You'll see straight away which apps work on it and which one scores best.
All apps
All 8 IPTV apps at a glance
Filter by device or sort by what matters to you. Click an app for the full review with installation steps, prices and download links.
8 apps
Comparison table
Comparing IPTV apps: devices, price and features
Which devices does each app run on, how do you log in and which features do you get? Note that some features are only in the paid version.
| App | Score | Price | Android TV | Fire TV | Samsung | LG | Apple TV | iOS | Android | Windows | Mac | Formuler | Xtream Codes | M3U link | MAC / Stalker | TV guide (EPG) | Catch-up | Recording | Multiview | Parental lock | Films and series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 TiviMate | 8.7 | Free, premium €9.99 per year | |||||||||||||||||||
 IPTV Smarters | 8.4 | Free | |||||||||||||||||||
 OTT Navigator | 8.1 | Free, premium US$19.99 lifetime | |||||||||||||||||||
 Kodi | 8.1 | Free | |||||||||||||||||||
 MyTVOnline | 8.0 | Free | |||||||||||||||||||
 Televizo | 7.9 | Free, premium €9.99 lifetime | |||||||||||||||||||
 IBO Player | 7.7 | €10.00 one-off after trial | |||||||||||||||||||
 Smart IPTV | 7.2 | €5.49 one-off after trial |
= premium only. Checked on 13 October 2026. Scroll the table sideways to see all the columns.
Logging in
M3U, Xtream Codes or MAC: what's the difference?
Your IPTV subscription gives you login details in one or more of these forms. Which one you use decides which apps you can choose and how well the TV guide works.
Xtream Codes
A server address with a username and password. The easiest method: films and series arrive neatly sorted and the TV guide usually fills itself in. Almost every modern app supports it.
M3U link
One long link to your complete playlist. It works in almost every app and even in media players such as Kodi and VLC. The TV guide often needs a separate EPG link (XMLTV) and films are less neatly organised than with Xtream.
MAC / Stalker portal
Your provider ties the subscription to your device's MAC address and you only enter a portal address. It's the standard on MAG and Formuler boxes; among ordinary apps, only TiviMate and OTT Navigator support it.
Free or paid
Free or paid IPTV app?
An IPTV app usually costs very little, but the models differ: free, free with premium, a yearly fee or a one-off activation per device.
Completely free
Free to download and use, with no compulsory purchases. Sometimes with adverts or a small optional purchase to remove them.
Free with premium
The basics are free; premium removes adverts and unlocks extras such as recording or multiview. Usually a small yearly fee or a one-off purchase covering several devices.
One-off activation per device
A trial of a week, then a one-off fee per TV or box, tied to that device. Cheap, but every new TV means paying again.
All the amounts go to the app makers, not to your IPTV provider, and are separate from your subscription. Only pay for an activation once you've seen during the trial that your playlist works.
An app is a player, not a channel package
All the apps on this page are legal video players. They don't contain any channels themselves: you add your own playlist from your IPTV subscription. Whether watching is legal depends on where those channels come from, not on the app.
Only download apps from the official store or the developer's website, and watch out for copies with almost the same name. Do you have to upload your playlist on a website (with apps such as IBO Player or Smart IPTV)? Then only use the developer's official address.
Not recommended
These apps are no longer recommended
Some apps from older lists have stopped, can no longer be found or have a questionable reputation. This is why they aren't in the comparison.
- Perfect Player Not included
A top pick for years, but development has been at a standstill for a long time and the app has disappeared from the stores. On modern devices it causes more and more problems. Choose an app that is still being maintained.
See Televizo as a lightweight alternative - GSE Smart IPTV Not included
Once popular on iPhone and Apple TV, but the app is no longer updated and has become unreliable. For Apple devices, Smarters Player Lite is now the logical choice.
See IPTV Smarters - Duplex IPTV Not included
Many fake activation sites that take money or data circulate around this smart TV app, and its official distribution is unclear. For Samsung and LG, IBO Player and Smart IPTV are the safer choice.
See IBO Player
Method
How we rate the apps
Each app gets a mark from 0 to 10 on five points. The total is the weighted average. We base it on the developers' documentation, the official store listings, independent reviews and the prices we found on 13 October 2026.
- 20%Ease of useInstalling, logging in, remote control navigation and how clear the app is.
- 20%TV guideHow well the EPG works: layout, speed, your own guide source and catch-up from the guide.
- 25%FeaturesRecording, multiview, parental lock, favourites, multiple playlists and films and series.
- 15%DevicesHow many types of device the app officially runs on.
- 20%Value for moneyWhat you pay for the full version, and what you get for free.
Genova TV is an IPTV provider. We don't make or sell any apps ourselves and aren't paid by the developers. The download links are ordinary links.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about IPTV apps
What is the best IPTV app at the moment?
TiviMate IPTV Player (8.7) gets the highest score in our comparison, thanks to the best TV guide and controls on Android TV and Fire TV. But the best app depends on your device: on Samsung and LG, IBO Player is the better choice, on Apple devices IPTV Smarters, and on a Formuler box MyTVOnline.
Are these apps legal?
Yes. All 8 apps in this comparison are ordinary video players without channels; most are in official app stores. Whether watching is legal depends on the IPTV subscription you put in them yourself, not on the app.
Which app works with my subscription?
That depends on the form of your login details. With Xtream Codes (server, username, password) you can use almost any app. An M3U link works everywhere, including Kodi. If you only have a portal with a MAC address, choose TiviMate, OTT Navigator or a Formuler/MAG box.
Do I have to pay for an IPTV app?
Not necessarily: IPTV Smarters and Kodi are completely free. Paid apps usually ask for a small amount, such as around €10 a year for TiviMate Premium or €5.49 one-off for Smart IPTV. That money goes to the app maker and is separate from your IPTV subscription.
Why aren't some apps on Google Play?
Google has removed well-known IPTV players such as IPTV Smarters Pro and OTT Navigator from the Play Store. Their makers have since distributed their apps through their own official sites. Only download from there and avoid copies with the same name and "premium unlocked" versions: they are notorious sources of malware.
Do I get channels with these apps too?
No. None of the apps on this page contains channels or subscriptions; you add the playlist from your IPTV provider yourself. A subscription such as Genova TV's works in all these apps and you can try it for free first.
Genova TV
Works with all these apps: try Genova TV for free
Genova TV works in every app on this page: you log in with Xtream Codes or an M3U link, and on MAG and Formuler with your MAC address. You get a free trial with no payment, so you can see how it works in your favourite app first.
- 45,000+ channels, including 4K
- Log in with Xtream Codes, M3U or MAC
- Installation help via WhatsApp
- Free trial, no payment
Features according to the developers and store listings; prices checked on 13 October 2026. Icons and screenshots: see the credits on each review page.
Still comparing? See every provider ranked side by side in Best IPTV 2026.
Links
Support
