IPTV Blog Apps
Best IPTV Apps for Smart TVs in 2026: Samsung, LG, Hisense and Google TV
Each TV brand runs its own app store, and IPTV players come and go from them. Here is what works on each platform this year, what it costs, and when to skip the TV app entirely.
The best IPTV apps for Smart TVs in 2026 are not the same on every set. Samsung, LG, Hisense and Google TV each run their own app store with their own rules. An app that is easy to find on a Sony Google TV may not exist at all on a Samsung. This guide goes platform by platform: which players are worth trying, what they cost, how you sign in, and when a cheap streaming stick is the smarter buy.
Which system does your TV run?
Samsung runs Tizen, LG runs webOS, and most other brands run Google TV, while Hisense uses three different systems. Start here, because the system decides which apps you can install:
- Samsung uses Tizen on its Smart TVs.
- LG uses webOS.
- Hisense sells models with VIDAA (its own system), models with Google TV, and on some lines Roku TV.
- Sony, TCL and many others use Google TV, the newer face of Android TV. Google's own streamer and Walmart's onn boxes do too.
Not sure? Open Settings and look for About, System information or TV information. The system name and version usually appear there. The version matters for older TVs: some players need a recent Tizen or webOS release.
Xtream login apps vs MAC-based apps: what is the difference?
IPTV apps sign in one of two ways. Xtream login apps, such as TiviMate and IPTV Smarters Pro, let you type a username, password and server URL on the TV itself. MAC-based apps show a MAC address instead, and you add your login on the developer's website from your phone. Knowing which is which saves a lot of confusion.
Xtream login apps
You type three things on the TV: a username, a password and a server URL. King IPTV emails these after you order. Channels, the TV guide and movies load right away. TiviMate and IPTV Smarters Pro work this way, and most also accept an M3U playlist link instead. Our guide to M3U links vs Xtream Codes explains the two formats.
MAC-based (device key) apps
The app shows a MAC address, and often a device key, the first time you open it. On your phone, you go to the developer's website, type that MAC address, and add your Xtream details or M3U link there. Restart the app and your channels appear. Typing on a phone keyboard is easier than on a TV remote, which is part of the appeal.
These apps usually run free for a trial, often about a week, then ask a one-time activation fee per TV, commonly in the range of 5 to 10 euros. You pay the app's developer, not your IPTV provider.
This MAC address belongs to the app on your TV. It is different from the portal login used by MAG and Formuler boxes, which pairs a portal URL with the box's own MAC address.
TV guide and catch-up
With an Xtream login, the TV guide (EPG) normally fills in by itself in any decent player. With a plain M3U link, you may need to paste a separate EPG link. Catch-up, which lets you rewind to a show that already aired, works only in apps that support it and only on channels that keep an archive. King IPTV offers catch-up on supported channels.
Best IPTV apps for Samsung Smart TVs
On a Samsung, start with IBO Player Pro or Smart IPTV. Samsung's Tizen store polices IPTV players closely, so the selection is smaller than on Google TV and changes often. Open Apps from the home screen, select the search icon and type "IPTV". Good candidates in 2026:
- IBO Player Pro. A device-key player with a clean layout, TV guide and support for several playlists. Free trial, then a one-time fee per TV.
- Smart IPTV. One of the oldest Smart TV players. Its developer lists newer Samsung models (Tizen 6.5, roughly 2022 and later) as supported and charges 5.49 euros once per TV. You upload your M3U link on the developer's site using the TV's MAC address.
- IPTV Smarters Pro. When it is listed, it accepts an Xtream login directly on the TV. It has disappeared from Samsung's store in some regions before, so do not count on it.
Before paying for any activation, check that the app opens fast and scrolls smoothly on your model. Older Samsung sets with little memory can feel sluggish. Our Samsung Smart TV setup guide walks through the install and login screen by screen.
Best IPTV apps for LG Smart TVs
On an LG, the best-known options are IBO Player Pro, Smart IPTV and the free SS IPTV. The webOS store offers a few more players than Samsung's, but the same rule applies: search, check, then pay. Press the Home button, open Apps (called the LG Content Store on older sets), and search for "IPTV". Worth a look:
- IBO Player Pro. The same device-key player as on Samsung, with similar pricing.
- Smart IPTV. Listed by its developer for webOS 3.0 and later, which covers most LG Smart TVs made since about 2016.
- SS IPTV. A long-running free player, popular in Europe, that links your playlist through a code shown on the TV. Its menus feel dated, but it costs nothing to try.
LG TVs have an Ethernet port on almost every model; use it if you can, since webOS players handle a wired connection much better than weak Wi-Fi. Full steps are in the LG Smart TV setup guide.
Best IPTV apps for Hisense TVs
On a Hisense, the answer depends entirely on the system. A Hisense with Google TV uses the Google Play picks in the next section. A Hisense Roku TV has no real IPTV player in the Roku store, so see our answer on using IPTV with Roku.
VIDAA models are the tricky ones. VIDAA's app store is small and carefully curated, and IPTV players appear and vanish there more than anywhere else. A few device-key players have offered VIDAA versions at times, so search the store for "IPTV" and read the developer's notes before paying. If you simply want things to work, a streaming stick in a spare HDMI port is usually the easier route on VIDAA. The Hisense TV setup guide covers both routes.
Best IPTV apps for Google TV and Android TV
Google TV and Android TV have the deepest app selection, because Google Play carries many IPTV players and the system accepts apps from other sources too. The main choices:
- TiviMate. A grid-style TV guide that feels like a cable box, with favourites, recording to storage and multi-view. The free version handles one playlist. Premium costs about US$10 a year or about US$34 once at the time of writing, bought through the TiviMate Companion app on a phone, and covers up to five devices. Setup is in our TiviMate guide.
- IPTV Smarters Pro. Simple tiles for Live TV, Movies and Series, plus a choice of stream format that helps with buffering. Its Google Play listing has been removed more than once, so many people install it another way.
- Kodi with the IPTV Simple Client add-on. Free and open source, very flexible, but slower to set up. Best for people who enjoy tinkering.
Sony, TCL, Hisense Google TV models and the onn and Google streamers all follow the same steps in our Android TV and Google TV guide.
IPTV app comparison table
Prices are what the app developer charges, separate from your IPTV subscription, and can change.
| App | Runs on | Cost to you | How you sign in | TV guide and catch-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TiviMate | Google TV, Android TV, Fire TV models on Fire OS | Free basic; Premium about US$10 a year or US$34 once | Xtream Codes or M3U | Full grid guide; catch-up with Premium |
| IBO Player Pro | Samsung, LG and Android, depending on the store | Trial, then roughly 8 to 10 euros once per TV | MAC address and device key, details added on the website | Guide included; catch-up varies by setup |
| Smart IPTV | Samsung (Tizen 6.5+), LG (webOS 3.0+), Android | 5.49 euros once per TV | MAC address, M3U uploaded on the website | Guide from your playlist or an external link |
| SS IPTV | Mainly LG webOS | Free | Playlist linked with an on-screen code | Guide with an external link |
| IPTV Smarters Pro | Android-based devices; store listings come and go | Free | Xtream Codes or M3U | Guide and catch-up |
| Kodi + IPTV Simple Client | Google TV, Android TV, Fire OS, computers | Free | M3U plus EPG link | Guide; catch-up needs extra setup |
When does a streaming stick beat the TV's own apps?
A streaming stick beats the TV's own apps whenever the TV makes you fight. Typical signs are a store with no good player, menus that lag on an older set, or wanting TiviMate, which does not run on Tizen, webOS or VIDAA.
Plug a stick into a spare HDMI port if any of these sound familiar:
- Your TV's store has no player you like, or the one you used was pulled.
- The TV is a few years old and menus lag, apps crash or 4K stutters.
- You want TiviMate, which does not run on Tizen, webOS or VIDAA.
- You have several TVs and want the same app and layout on all of them.
Prices move a lot with sales. In Canada, a 4K streaming stick or small Google TV box often sells for about $40 to $70 on sale, and closer to $80 to $120 at regular price. A stick is also easy to move to a new TV later.
One warning before you buy a Fire TV Stick. Amazon says every new Fire TV Stick, starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, runs its Vega OS. Vega devices install apps only from Amazon's Appstore and cannot run Android apps, so many IPTV players are missing. Check that your chosen player is listed for Vega, or pick a model that runs Fire OS, such as the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, or a Google TV device. Our Fire TV Stick setup guide explains how to tell which system a stick runs.
Apple TV owners have a tidy option too: Smarters Player Lite in the Canadian App Store is free to download, with an optional $2.99 premium upgrade.
Reader questions
What is the best free IPTV app for a Samsung TV?
Truly free IPTV players on Samsung's Tizen store are rare, and the list changes often. Most popular options, such as IBO Player Pro and Smart IPTV, give a free trial and then ask a one-time fee of roughly 5 to 10 euros per TV. That fee usually lasts for the life of the TV. Search the Apps panel for "IPTV" to see what your model offers today.
Do I have to pay for an IPTV app as well as the subscription?
Sometimes. The subscription pays for the channels; the app is a separate player made by another company. TiviMate and Kodi have free versions, while many Samsung and LG players charge a small one-time activation after a trial. That money goes to the app's developer, not to King IPTV. Your King IPTV login works in any of these apps.
Why can I not find IPTV Smarters Pro on my TV?
IPTV Smarters Pro has been removed from several app stores more than once, including Google Play, and its Smart TV listings vary by country and model. If it is missing from your store, use another player from this guide with the same Xtream Codes login. On iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, the same developer's app is listed as Smarters Player Lite.
Does King IPTV work with MAC-based apps like IBO Player?
Yes. Open the app on your TV and note the MAC address and device key it shows. Then add your King IPTV Xtream Codes details or M3U link on the app developer's website, and restart the app. If you get stuck, send a photo of the app screen to Live Chat and the team will walk you through it.
Do all IPTV apps show the TV guide and catch-up?
Most current players show the TV guide (EPG), and with an Xtream Codes login it usually fills in by itself. Catch-up is less common: it needs an app that supports it and a channel that keeps an archive. If the guide stays empty, our EPG troubleshooting guide lists the usual fixes.
