The best IPTV player for Android phones, boxes and TV

Android TV and Android phones need different apps

An app that is great with a remote is often awkward on a touch screen, and the other way round. Pick by screen: TiviMate for the television, IPTV Smarters or GSE Smart IPTV for the phone or tablet.

Best Android IPTV players

TiviMate on Android TV

TiviMate is the closest thing to a cable box on Android TV: a full programme grid, channel groups, favourites and fast switching. Premium features are unlocked through a paid subscription. Setup: TiviMate setup guide.

IPTV Smarters on phones and tablets

IPTV Smarters works well with touch: channel groups sit in clear tiles, search is quick and you can cast to a TV. It is the app we recommend for watching on the go. Setup: IPTV Smarters Pro setup guide.

Installing from Google Play

1. Open Google Play, search for the app and install it.
2. Open it and choose the Xtream Codes login (or add a playlist link).
3. Enter the details from your IPTV provider exactly as issued.
4. Turn on hardware decoding in the player settings.

Watching on mobile data

Live HD streams use a lot of data. On a phone, pick a lower quality stream if your player offers one, use Wi-Fi where you can, and remember that some mobile networks slow down video traffic.

Using Android with IPTV Trends

IPTV Trends logins work in all of these players. Many households use TiviMate on the living room box and IPTV Smarters on phones, with a 2 or 3 device plan so both can play at once. Plans are on the IPTV Trends pricing page.

XCIPTV

XCIPTV is a clean Xtream Codes player that works on both phones and Android TV boxes. It shows channel groups in clear sections and has a usable guide, which makes it a good middle ground if TiviMate feels too TV-focused and IPTV Smarters too busy.

GSE Smart IPTV on Android

GSE Smart IPTV is flexible with playlists: you can add several, sort and filter them, and cast to a Chromecast. It suits people who manage their own playlists or want fine control over sorting.

Tips for Android TV boxes

• Use the Ethernet port; most boxes have one and it is far more reliable than built-in Wi-Fi.
• Keep the box's software updated from its settings menu.
• Install players from Google Play where possible so they update automatically.
• Restart the box once a week to clear memory.

Tips for phones and tablets

• Lock the screen orientation to landscape inside the player for full-screen viewing.
• Use headphones with low-latency Bluetooth for live sport, or wired earphones.
• Cast to a TV with Chromecast where your player supports it, instead of mirroring the whole screen.
• Download nothing in the background while you stream on mobile data.

How to pick in one minute

Watching on the television with a remote? TiviMate. Watching on a phone or tablet? IPTV Smarters. Want one simple app on both? XCIPTV. All three take the same Xtream Codes login, so there is no risk in trying another later.

Sources and official links

• TiviMate (official site)
• TiviMate on Google Play
• Smart IPTV (official site)
• VLC media player (VideoLAN)

Best IPTV player for Android: questions and answers