An IPTV player is only the app. It opens a playlist (an M3U link or file) or an Xtream login and plays the streams in it. The channels come from wherever that playlist comes from: a provider you pay, or a broadcaster that publishes its own streams. None of the apps below includes channels, and that includes Klipa, which we make. Whether a source is legal depends on who runs it and where you live: see Is IPTV legal?
So the useful question is what the app itself asks of you. Every player here installs at no cost, and VLC and Kodi never charge for anything. Most of the others sell an upgrade, show ads until you buy it, or want an account for it. The tables below show which, and the sections after them say who each player suits, including where another app is a better fit than Klipa.
Checked on 2026-10-08 against each app's Google Play listing (US store) and the developer's own site. Prices are the in-app purchase range Google Play shows in US dollars; they vary by country and change over time. Where neither source states a fact, the table says "not stated" instead of guessing.
Price and ads
| Player | What you can pay | Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Klipa | Optional support purchases ($1.89 to $9.49), nothing locked | None |
| TiviMate | Premium ($0.99 to $33.99) | None |
| Televizo | Premium, one-time ($3.49 to $12.99) | Until Premium |
| Sparkle TV | Sparkle Plus ($1.49 to $19.99) | None |
| OTT Navigator | Premium, subscription or one-time ($1.49 to $9.99) | Phone app |
| VLC | Nothing | None |
| Kodi | Nothing | None |
Account and Android TV
| Player | Account | Android TV |
|---|---|---|
| Klipa | None | Same app as phones and tablets |
| TiviMate | Not stated | Built for TV, not for touch screens |
| Televizo | For Premium | Phone, tablet and TV (per its site) |
| Sparkle TV | Not stated | Most features are TV-only |
| OTT Navigator | For Premium (ottnav) | Separate TV app (OTT TV) |
| VLC | None | Yes |
| Kodi | None | Interface built for a remote |
Programme guide and Xtream login
| Player | Programme guide | Xtream login |
|---|---|---|
| Klipa | Now and next, reminders (optional) | Yes |
| TiviMate | Full grid | Yes |
| Televizo | Yes | Not stated |
| Sparkle TV | Yes | Yes |
| OTT Navigator | Yes, several sources | Yes |
| VLC | No | No |
| Kodi | With the IPTV Simple add-on | M3U link, via the add-on |
Which player suits you
TiviMate
Built for Android TV and a remote: its listing says it is not optimized for phones or tablets. It supports M3U, Xtream Codes and Stalker Portal, with a full-grid guide, catch-up, recording and multiview. Premium is an in-app upgrade; on devices without Google Play it is unlocked through the separate TiviMate Companion app, which also manages your activated devices. Last updated on Google Play on June 22, 2026.
A good fit if you watch on an Android TV box only and want recording and catch-up, which Klipa's listing does not offer. Look elsewhere if you mostly watch on a phone.
Televizo
Runs on phones, tablets and TVs, with multiple playlists, a guide, catch-up, Chromecast support and a playlist editor. The app shows ads. Premium is a one-time purchase that removes them and unlocks features such as automatic full screen and backup and restore. Before buying it you create a Televizo account, which then works on up to five devices. Last updated on June 13, 2026.
A good fit if you want to cast from your phone to a Chromecast and you don't mind ads, or an account for the upgrade.
Sparkle TV
A TV-first player for Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV. Besides M3U, Xtream Codes and XMLTV guides, it reads HDHomeRun, Jellyfin, Plex and Tvheadend sources, so a TV tuner or a home media server can sit next to your playlist. Favourites, channel sorting, timeshift, recording, multiview, catch-up and using several sources at once need Sparkle Plus. Most features are only on TV; the phone app is mainly a way to buy Plus. Last updated on May 7, 2026.
A good fit if you combine IPTV with a tuner or a media server on one TV.
OTT Navigator
On Google Play the developer publishes it as two apps: OTT Player for phones and tablets (labelled "Contains ads") and OTT TV for TVs, both last updated in January 2026. A standalone build on the developer's site gets updates first; version 1.7.5.2 (September 28, 2026) added recording as part of Premium. It has a long list of settings, such as several guide sources, catch-up modes and per-provider user agents. Premium is a subscription or a one-time purchase tied to an ottnav account, and the standard package covers five devices.
A good fit if you like to tune every setting and need catch-up or recording.
VLC
Open source, no ads, no in-app purchases, and it runs on Android TV. It opens an M3U link as a network stream and plays most formats, but it has no programme guide and no Xtream login form. Last updated on May 11, 2026.
A good fit for checking that a playlist link works, or if you never need a guide. To use an Xtream login in VLC, build the M3U link first with the Xtream to M3U converter, which runs in your browser.
Kodi
An open-source media center with an interface designed for a remote, no ads and no purchases. Live TV needs the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on, which reads M3U playlists and XMLTV guides (compressed .gz and .xz included) and supports catch-up. Setup takes longer than in a dedicated player. Kodi's Google Play listing was last updated on February 5, 2025.
A good fit if you already use Kodi for your own media library and want live TV in the same place.
Klipa (ours)
Klipa is the player we make, so weigh this section accordingly. One app runs on phones, tablets and Android TV. You add an M3U or M3U8 link, open a local playlist file, or sign in with an Xtream login, and the VOD and series from an Xtream source show up as well. There are no ads, no account and no subscription; the phone app offers optional one-time support purchases, and paying unlocks nothing.
The guide shows now and next, with reminders. It is an optional connected feature: while it is on, your guide URL is sent to klipa.tv to fetch and cache the listings, and you can turn it off and keep using the app without it. A phone can send the selected source to the TV with a short code; the source passes through klipa.tv and is removed once the TV claims it or the code expires. Details are in the privacy policy.
Klipa's listing does not include recording or catch-up. If you need those, TiviMate, Sparkle TV or OTT Navigator fit better.
Players you may not find on Google Play
IPTV Smarters Pro and Perfect Player are still often recommended. When we checked on 2026-10-08, their Google Play listings (com.nst.iptvsmarterstvbox and com.niklabs.pp) returned "not found" in the US and UK stores. Searching Google Play for the Smarters name lists apps from other developers, so check the developer name before installing anything that looks similar, and avoid APK files passed around in forums or chat groups.
If you used either one, every player in the tables above opens the same M3U link or Xtream login.
How to try a player before you commit
- Check your source in the browser first: the M3U playlist tester shows which streams respond and which fail, and the online player plays your own playlist or HLS stream without installing anything.
- If you have an Xtream login and a player only accepts a link, convert it with the Xtream to M3U converter.
- Install two players from the tables, load the same source in both, and compare how quickly channels start and whether the guide fills in.
- No source yet? How to test an IPTV player without a subscription uses a small public test playlist.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an IPTV player for Android with no subscription?
Yes. VLC and Kodi cost nothing and sell nothing. Klipa has no subscription, and its optional support purchases unlock nothing. TiviMate, Televizo, Sparkle TV and OTT Navigator install at no cost and sell an upgrade; for OTT Navigator, Premium can be a subscription or a one-time purchase.
Do these apps come with channels?
No. Each one is only a player: you add a playlist or an Xtream login from your own source. An app that arrives with channels already inside is a reason to be careful, not a feature.
What is a good TiviMate alternative for a phone?
TiviMate says it is not optimized for touch screens. On a phone, Televizo, OTT Player (the phone app of OTT Navigator), VLC and Klipa all work with touch controls. If you also watch on Android TV, Klipa uses the same app on both and can send a source from the phone to the TV with a short code.