IPTV Smarters Pro, TiviMate, IBO Player Pro or VLC: which player to install
The short version On a Fire TV Stick or Android TV, pick TiviMate if you mostly watch live TV, or IPTV Smarters Pro if you want movies and series front and centre. On a Samsung or LG TV, use IBO Player Pro. On an iPhone or iPad, IPTV Smarters Pro. On a computer, VLC is the fastest way to watch, and IPTV Smarters Pro the most complete.
Your StreamNovo subscription works in any compatible player, which is great news, until you open an app store and find dozens of them. Four of them stand out because they’re reliable, well maintained and easy to live with. Here’s how they compare, without the marketing.
One thing to know first: these apps are made by independent developers. StreamNovo doesn’t make or sell them, and if an app charges for a premium version or an activation, that payment goes to its developer.
IPTV Smarters Pro: the all-rounder
Works on: Android phones and tablets, Android TV, Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, and Windows and Mac computers. Some Smart TV versions exist too.
If you’ve never used an IPTV player, start here. The home screen has three big tiles, Live TV, Movies and Series, and it does exactly what you’d expect. It loads your StreamNovo library through an Xtream Codes login, with posters and descriptions for films and series, and the TV guide for live channels.
What we like: it’s available on nearly every device, so your family gets the same app on the TV and on their phones. Movies and series are pleasant to browse. It can also hand playback to an external player if one device struggles with the built-in one.
What could be better: the live TV guide is functional rather than beautiful, and channel surfing takes a few more clicks than in TiviMate.
Best for: households that watch a mix of live TV, films and series, on several kinds of devices.
TiviMate: the best for live TV
Works on: Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV and Android TV boxes. Not on phones, iPhones or Samsung and LG TVs.
TiviMate is the closest thing to a cable box. The TV guide fills the screen in a grid you scroll with the remote, the channel changes instantly, and you can hide every category you don’t care about in a few seconds. For people who watch sport and news, it’s hard to go back once you’ve tried it.
What we like: the fastest channel surfing of any player, a beautiful guide, favourites you can reorder, and settings that let you tune playback (like a larger buffer for unstable connections).
What could be better: many of its best features, such as favourites and multiple playlists, need TiviMate Premium, a paid upgrade bought from the developer. Movies and series are there, but browsing them is less polished than in IPTV Smarters Pro.
Best for: live TV fans on a Fire TV Stick or an Android TV box.
IBO Player Pro: the Smart TV specialist
Works on: Samsung and LG Smart TVs, Android TV, Fire TV, Android, iPhone and iPad, depending on the store in your country.
IBO Player Pro’s big idea is that you don’t type your login on the TV. The app shows a MAC address and a device key; you enter them on the developer’s website with your StreamNovo playlist, and the TV loads it. On a Samsung or LG TV, where typing with the remote is slow, that’s a real advantage. Our Smart TV guide walks you through it.
What we like: it runs on TVs where most players don’t, it supports both Xtream Codes and M3U, and changing your playlist later takes a minute on your phone.
What could be better: after a free trial period, the app needs a paid activation for each device. Check the current price on its website.
Best for: Samsung and LG Smart TV owners who don’t want an extra box.
VLC: the free classic
Works on: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone and iPad.
VLC isn’t an IPTV app; it’s a free, open-source media player that has been around for more than twenty years and plays almost anything. Paste your StreamNovo M3U link into it (on a computer: Media > Open Network Stream) and your channels appear in the playlist.
What we like: it’s free with no ads, it runs on old computers, and it’s the quickest way to check that a link works.
What could be better: there’s no TV guide grid and no movie library: just a long list of channels. Fine for a match on a laptop, not for the living room every evening.
Best for: watching on a computer, and testing your link in thirty seconds.
Side by side
| IPTV Smarters Pro | TiviMate | IBO Player Pro | VLC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire TV / Android TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Samsung / LG TV | Some models | No | Yes | No |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows / Mac | Yes | No | Not usually | Yes |
| Xtream Codes login | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| M3U link | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TV guide | Yes | Excellent | Yes | No |
| Cost | Free to start | Free, Premium paid | Trial, then paid activation | Free |
App availability and prices change, and they can differ between countries, so check the app’s store page before you decide.
Our pick for each device
- Fire TV Stick or Android TV, mostly live TV: TiviMate.
- Fire TV Stick or Android TV, lots of films and series: IPTV Smarters Pro.
- Samsung or LG Smart TV: IBO Player Pro.
- iPhone, iPad or Android phone: IPTV Smarters Pro.
- Windows or Mac: IPTV Smarters Pro for the full library, VLC for a quick watch.
Whichever you pick, you’ll connect it with your Xtream Codes login or your M3U link. If you’re unsure which to use, this explainer settles it.
Every app on this list has a step-by-step video in our setup guides, device by device.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use different apps on different devices?
Yes. Your StreamNovo login works in all of them. Many households use TiviMate on the living room TV and IPTV Smarters Pro on phones.
Do I have to pay for an app?
Not necessarily. IPTV Smarters Pro and VLC can be used for free. TiviMate Premium and IBO Player Pro’s activation are optional purchases from their developers, if you want those apps.
Which app gives the best picture quality?
The stream is the same in every app, so the quality is too. What changes is how smoothly a given app runs on a given device. If one stutters, try another before blaming your connection.
