TiviMate vs IPTV Smarters vs the Prime IPTV Player

Your Prime IPTV login works in all three of these apps, and in plenty of others. So the question isn't which one works. It's which one you'll enjoy using every evening.

TiviMate: the best guide on a TV

TiviMate looks like a cable box guide, only quicker. You scroll through channels while the current one keeps playing in a corner, and it remembers where you were. It's for Android-based TVs only: Firestick, Google TV, Nvidia Shield and Android boxes.

• Best for: anyone who mostly watches live TV on a Firestick or Google TV.
• Cost: free to use; Premium is a small yearly fee for catch-up, recording and extras.
• Weak spot: not available on Samsung, LG, Apple TV or iPhone.

IPTV Smarters: the one that runs everywhere

Smarters is on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac, so it's handy if you want the same app on every screen. The guide is less polished than TiviMate's, but the movie and series sections are easy to browse.

• Best for: phones, laptops, and households with a mix of devices.
• Cost: free versions on most platforms.
• Weak spot: the live guide feels slower on a TV.

The Prime IPTV player: the smart TV option

The Prime IPTV player (made by an independent developer, not by us) is available on Android, Apple devices, Windows, Roku and some smart TVs. Its main appeal is reach: on LG, Samsung and Roku, where TiviMate isn't available, it's one of the simpler choices.

• Best for: smart TVs without a Firestick, and Roku.
• Cost: free on phones; TV versions typically ask for a one-time activation fee after a trial period.
• Weak spot: the activation step on TVs adds a few minutes to setup.

What we'd pick

1. Firestick or Google TV: TiviMate.
2. Samsung or LG TV: IBO Player or the Prime IPTV player.
3. iPhone, Android phone or laptop: IPTV Smarters.
4. Apple TV: iPlayTV.

Whichever you choose, log in with Xtream Codes rather than an M3U link if the app offers both. You get the TV guide and the movie library sorted properly.