Silver
Live TV and the on-demand library in Full HD on one screen.
AED149per year
Was AED 229
- 40,000 live channels with EPG
- 90,000 films & series on demand
- Full HD streams
- 1 device
The basics
What a player does, and what it does not
No live TV app we recommend contains channels. Each is closer to a web browser for television: free to install and blank until you give it an address. That address comes with your plan, in one of two forms, and the live TV app converts it into categories, listings and a picture.
The separation is useful. You can change your live TV app without changing service, try two side by side, or run one on the TV and another on your phone, all with the same login from our yearly and lifetime subscription. The only limit tied to your plan is how many screens play at once.
Which live TV app for which device
Store listings differ by country and model, so check your own device’s store first.
Fire TV Stick
TiviMate for a satellite-style grid, IPTV Smarters Pro for big simple tiles. Both install through a downloader.
Android TV and Google TV
The same two, plus the lighter XCIPTV on modest boxes, straight from the Play Store.
Samsung and LG smart TVs
Search the set’s own app store for IBO Player first. No listing? A Fire TV stick or Android box in an HDMI port gives you every player on this page.
iPhone, iPad and Apple TV
Smarters and GSE Smart IPTV, the two we test on Apple devices.
Android phones
Smarters or XCIPTV, both with layouts made for a small screen.
Windows and Mac
The Smarters desktop edition on a PC; the playlist link in VLC on a Mac.
Six players side by side
All six accept our login. They differ in layout, features and where they run.
| Guide | Catch-up | Runs on | Suits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPTV Smarters Pro | Yes | Yes | Android, Fire TV, Apple, Windows | Beginners and families |
| TiviMate | Grid | Yes | Android TV, Fire TV | Former satellite viewers |
| XCIPTV | Yes | Yes | Android, Fire TV | Older or slower boxes |
| IBO Player | Yes | Varies | Samsung, LG, Android | Smart TVs without the others |
| GSE Smart IPTV | Yes | Varies | Apple devices, Android | iPhone and iPad users |
| VLC | No | No | Almost everything | Backup and quick tests |
Choosing
Choose by the person holding the remote
Most chosenGold 4KAED 269 a year · 4K · 3-day replaySee all plansStart with the device, because it rules some live TV app choices out. Then think about who will use it. The best live TV app is the one the least technical person in the house can work alone. For an older relative, that usually means large tiles and a favourites list of ten channels. For the sports fan who flips between three matches, it means a grid guide and channel numbers.
Then check the features that matter to you. If replay is important, confirm both that the app shows catch-up and that your plan includes it: three days on Gold 4K, seven on Platinum. If children share the screen, look for a parental PIN. The rest is taste, and testing taste is free, since every player we list costs nothing to install. Detailed walkthroughs exist for TiviMate on Fire TV and Android and for Smarters on any screen.
First week
The first week with a new player
Day one
Add the account and leave the player alone until the guide has filled. Judge speed from the second launch, not the first.
Day two
Strip out categories that nobody opens and pick favourites; the list shrinks to something the family recognises.
Day four
On a replay plan, scroll back to something you missed. If children use the screen, a PIN goes on now.
Day seven
Decide: keep this player, or put a second one beside it on the same account and compare for a week.
4 questions
Questions about choosing a player
Still unsure? Our team replies on WhatsApp 7 days a week.
Ask a questionDo I have to pay for the live TV app itself?
The ones we recommend are free to install. Some sell optional extras through their developers; your channels come from your plan.
Which one works on a Samsung TV?
Look for IBO Player in the TV’s own store. If it is missing, a streaming stick in a spare HDMI port is the dependable route.
Will the kitchen tablet and the bedroom TV both play together?
Yes, if the account allows two or more streams. Single-screen tiers serve one device at a time, whichever starts first.
Can I keep two different apps signed in?
Yes. Installs are unlimited; only simultaneous playback follows your tier.
On the move
Live TV on a phone
A phone turns a commute or a lunch break into viewing time. A live TV app on iPhone or Android shows the same categories as the lounge set, laid out for a small screen. On mobile data, choose Full HD over 4K wherever the live TV app offers a choice. On a six-inch screen, Full HD and 4K look almost the same. On a data bill they do not.
A phone uses a screen exactly like a television. On a single-screen plan with the lounge set already running, the phone waits its turn, which is why families who watch on the go often choose a two-screen option or Platinum.
Accessibility
Languages, subtitles and bigger text
Plenty of UAE households move between Arabic, English and two or three South Asian or Filipino languages in one evening. A player’s own menus usually follow the device language, while audio tracks and subtitles depend on each channel or film. Look for an audio or subtitle button during playback; not every source offers a choice.
For older viewers, readable text matters more than features. Players with large tiles and a short favourites list work best, and some let you enlarge the guide font in their settings. On Fire TV and Google TV, holding the voice button and saying the app’s name opens it without any menus.
Stutters
Is it the app or the network?
Before blaming the live TV app, rule out the connection. A cable, or the faster Wi-Fi band, cures most freezes, and a router restart clears a surprising number of evening problems. If a single channel stalls while the rest play, that feed is the issue; send us its name.
If every channel stutters in one app but plays in another, look for a player-engine or decoder option in its settings and switch it. Clear the cache on low-storage sticks, and on Fire TV check the version now and then, since apps installed through a downloader do not update themselves. When a login is refused rather than slow, the failed to authorize checklist applies to every player here.
Why it works
One login, any app
Xtream details and playlist links are open formats that nearly every player understands, which is why switching is painless. The channels, the library and the replay all live on our servers; the live TV app only presents them. Most homes settle on two players, one for the TV and one for the phones. When a new device arrives, install a live TV app, type the same details and carry on. The Wikipedia article on IPTV has the wider technical background.
Plans
One plan for every app
Silver for one Full HD screen, Gold 4K for Ultra-HD with replay, Platinum for up to four screens at once.
Recommended
Gold 4K
The bigger library in 4K, with 3-day catch-up.
AED269per year
Was AED 389
- 60,000 live channels with EPG
- 200,000 films & series on demand
- 4K Ultra-HD picture
- 3-day replay · 1 device
Platinum Lifetime
One payment. Dedicated server, up to four screens.
AED1,149one-time
Was AED 1,799
- 80,000+ live channels with EPG
- 250,000+ films & series
- Dedicated server · up to 4 screens
- 7-day replay
More screens, or pay once
Silver · 2 screensAED 2291 year · Full HD · two devicesGold 4K · 2 screensAED 4591 year · 4K · two devicesGold 4K · LifetimeAED 509one payment · one deviceGold 4K · 3 screens · LifetimeAED 959one payment · three devices
- Card
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Bank transfer −10%
Login details by email, usually within 5–30 minutes.
- WhatsApp, 7 days a weekReal people, Friday and Saturday included
- Login in 5–30 minutesSent by email once payment clears
- Card, Apple Pay, Google PayOr a bank transfer for 10% off
- 60-day refund policyAsk on WhatsApp or by email
Not sure which player to install?
Tell us the device and who usually holds the remote. We suggest a player and stay in the chat for the first sign-in.