TiviMate vs IPTV Smarters: which IPTV player to use
TiviMate or IPTV Smarters? Platforms, TV guide, free vs Premium, and which one suits a Fire TV Stick, Apple TV or a mixed household, with LeafIPTV setup links.
TiviMate and IPTV Smarters are the two players most Canadian IPTV users end up choosing between. Both play the same Xtream Codes logins and M3U playlists, so the choice is about how you watch: TiviMate is built like a cable box for the TV remote, and IPTV Smarters is a simpler app that runs on almost every platform.
By the LeafIPTV team. Last reviewed .
Short answer
Use TiviMate if you watch on a Fire TV Stick, Android TV or Google TV box and mostly flip live channels with a remote: its TV guide is the best of any player. Use IPTV Smarters if you also watch on an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or computer, want one familiar app everywhere, or want movies and series laid out like a streaming service. Both are free to start, and both work with LeafIPTV.
| TiviMate | IPTV Smarters | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | TV screens and remotes, like a cable box | Phones, tablets, TVs and computers alike |
| Platforms | Android only: Fire TV (Fire OS), Android TV, Google TV boxes, Nvidia Shield | Android, Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Windows and Mac |
| Price | Free version; Premium is a paid yearly or lifetime upgrade bought through the TiviMate Companion app on Google Play | Free to install |
| TV guide (EPG) | Full grid guide, its strongest feature | Guide included, simpler layout |
| Movies and series | Listed, but live TV comes first | Separate movies and series sections with posters |
| Multiple playlists, recording, multi-view | Premium features | Varies by version and platform |
| Login types | Xtream Codes, M3U | Xtream Codes, M3U |
Why TiviMate is the favourite on a Fire TV Stick
TiviMate looks and behaves like a cable box. Live channels open in a full-screen grid guide, channel up and down works the way it does on a set-top box, and favourites, catch-up and channel groups are a press or two away. On a remote it is the fastest player to live with every day.
The trade-offs: it only runs on Android-based devices, so there is no iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or computer version, and the features most people end up wanting, such as more than one playlist, recording and multi-view, are in the paid Premium upgrade. Premium is bought through the TiviMate Companion app on a phone and covers several devices on one account; check the current price in Google Play before buying.
TiviMate is not listed in the Amazon Appstore, so on a Fire TV Stick it is installed with Downloader from the developer's official source. That rules it out on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and other Vega OS models, which only run Appstore apps.
Why IPTV Smarters suits mixed households
IPTV Smarters runs on nearly everything: Android phones and TVs, Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and computers. A household that watches on the living-room TV, a tablet and a laptop can use one app with the same layout everywhere, and the same LeafIPTV login works in each.
Its layout splits live TV, movies and series into separate sections with artwork, which is easier for people who mainly browse films and shows. The live TV guide is simpler than TiviMate's, and on a TV remote it takes a few more presses to get around.
Several look-alike apps use similar names in some app stores. Install it from the official store for your device or the developer's own website, and avoid modified "premium" versions from mirror sites.
Which one to choose
On a Fire OS Fire TV Stick, Android TV box or Nvidia Shield, where you mostly watch live channels and sport: TiviMate, and Premium is worth it if you use it daily.
On Apple devices, computers, or a mix of devices, or if you mostly watch movies and series: IPTV Smarters.
Not sure: install IPTV Smarters first because it is free on every platform, request the free LeafIPTV trial, and try TiviMate on the same login during the 24 hours if you have an Android-based TV device. Both use the same Xtream Codes details, so switching takes a couple of minutes.
Questions
Is TiviMate better than IPTV Smarters?
For live TV on a Fire TV Stick or Android TV with a remote, yes: its guide and channel switching are better. For iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, computers or mostly movies and series, IPTV Smarters is the better fit.
Is TiviMate free?
There is a free version. Premium, which adds features such as multiple playlists and recording, is a paid yearly or lifetime upgrade bought through the TiviMate Companion app.
Can I use TiviMate on an iPhone or Apple TV?
No. TiviMate only runs on Android-based devices. On Apple devices, use IPTV Smarters or another player that supports Xtream Codes.
Can I use the same LeafIPTV login in both apps?
Yes. Both accept the same Xtream Codes details or M3U link, so you can try one, then the other.