IPTV Player Apps Compared: TiviMate, OTT Navigator, Kodi, VLC and More

An IPTV player app is a piece of software that plays live TV streams from a playlist or login that you supply. It is the "television" half of the setup: it shows a channel list, a TV guide and a video picture. The best IPTV player apps for most people are TiviMate or OTT Navigator on Android TV and Fire TV, Kodi if you want a free all-rounder, and VLC for quick tests.

One thing matters before anything else. Players do not come with channels. Every app in this guide is an empty shell until you give it a source you are legitimately entitled to use, such as a playlist from your own legal provider, a home tuner, or a free-to-air list. IPTV Commons does not discuss, recommend or link to IPTV services, so this guide is purely about the software.

Quick answer: For an Android TV, Google TV or Fire TV box, start with TiviMate (polished, paid upgrade for the best features) or OTT Navigator (more settings, generous free tier). Use Kodi if you also want a media centre, and VLC for testing a single stream. Apple TV users should look at the apps covered in our Apple TV player guide.

What does an IPTV player app actually do?

A player reads a source (usually an M3U playlist or an Xtream-style login, both explained in M3U playlists explained), then adds a programme guide from XMLTV or the provider's own data (see the EPG and XMLTV guide). It then decodes the video, and some apps add extras such as recording, catch-up and multi-view.

The player does not choose or supply content, and it cannot fix a weak connection. If streams stutter, the problem is usually the network or the source, not the app. Our buffering guide covers that.

Which IPTV player apps are worth considering?

TiviMate

An Android TV style app built around a clean channel list and guide. Platforms: Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV, plus Android phones and tablets. One catch: Amazon's newer Vega OS sticks (such as the Fire TV Stick 4K Select) don't run Android apps at all, so check your model first — our sideloading guide lists which can and can't. It does not run on iOS, Apple TV or Windows. The free version covers basic live viewing, and a Premium upgrade unlocks features such as multiple playlists, favourites, recording and catch-up, and multi-view. Premium is bought through the separate TiviMate Companion app on an Android phone, either as a yearly subscription or a one-off lifetime purchase. The developer does not publish a price list on a website, so check the price shown at purchase in your country. Our TiviMate setup guide covers it step by step.

OTT Navigator

Android-based, covering Android TV, Fire TV, phones and tablets. It has a free tier with a lot of functionality and an optional Premium upgrade, again bought through a companion app. It is known for deep customisation. Reports of what is free and what is Premium differ between third-party sites, so treat any feature list you read (including ours) as something to confirm in the app itself. See the OTT Navigator guide.

IPTV Smarters Pro

A widely used player that offers several login types, including Xtream-style API logins, M3U URLs and file loading. It is available on many platforms, but availability differs by store and device, and the name varies on some platforms (for example, a "Lite" version on iOS). Whether it is free, ad-supported or paid also varies by platform and version. Check the listing on your device's store. Be careful of look-alike sites offering modified APKs.

Kodi with PVR IPTV Simple Client

Kodi is a free, open-source media centre. With the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on it can play an M3U playlist with an XMLTV guide. It runs on Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and more, and it has no paid tier. It is less slick for live TV than TiviMate, but it is the most flexible choice. Read the Kodi beginner's guide.

VLC media player

Free and open source, VLC plays almost anything. You can open a single network stream or a playlist, but it has no proper TV guide or scheduled recording, so it is best for testing. See VLC network streams.

Channels

Channels (getchannels.com) is a DVR-style service for the home. A server application runs on a computer or NAS, and apps on devices such as Apple TV connect to it. It can take custom M3U sources and an XMLTV guide. It has a subscription model with a trial. Do not confuse it with similarly named apps from other developers, such as "Channels Pro" on the App Store.

Perfect Player and other older apps

Perfect Player was popular on Android boxes for years, but we have not confirmed that it is still actively maintained, so we do not recommend building a new setup around it. Check the date of the last update on the store listing before installing any player.

How do the main IPTV players compare?

"If source supports it" matters: catch-up only works when the playlist or provider offers archive streams. The app cannot create them. Details of how catch-up and recording work are in catch-up, timeshift and recording.

Which IPTV player is right for me?

1. I have a Fire TV Stick or Android TV box and want it to feel like a TV: TiviMate or OTT Navigator. Try the free tiers before paying.
2. I want one free app and don't mind tinkering: Kodi.
3. I have an Apple TV: Check the options in the Apple TV guide. TiviMate is not available there.
4. I just want to check whether a stream works: VLC.
5. I want a home DVR that records for the whole house: Channels, or a Plex or Jellyfin server (see Plex and Jellyfin live TV).
6. I use a smart TV with no Android box: Look at the built-in options in smart TV IPTV apps.

Are IPTV players legal?

The software is legal. It is a media player, like VLC. What you feed it is a separate question; see Is IPTV legal in the UK?. For legitimate free viewing, see free legal live TV in the UK.

Where can I ask questions?

Share your device and app in the Players forum, and never post playlist URLs, logins or provider names.