Android TV was launched a little less than a decade ago and has come a long way ever since. Slowly and steadily, the platform has become quite popular among users for the plethora of applications that it offers via the Google Play Store. If you also have an Android TV at home and are looking to unlock its full potential, you need to install a mix of entertainment and system apps on your device. With that in mind, we’ve made a list of the best video, music and utility apps for Android TV, including OnePlus, Xiaomi, Samsung, and more, that you should be using in 2023. Install them now and thank us later!
List of best TV apps for Android: Service and Download Link
Best video streaming apps for Android TV
YouTube
Your Android TV might come pre-installed with YouTube but if it doesn’t, download it right away. YouTube is the most popular platform for watching videos ranging from music, films, comedy, and news to live streams, vlogs, and more. With the unlimited video content that the platform has to offer, you’ll always have something to watch on your Android TV.
Subscription: Free; Subscription for YouTube Premium (Ad-free) starts at Rs 129/month.
| Pros | Cons |
| Friendly and easy-to-navigate UI | Limited features as compared to the web app |
| Parental controls | History of crashing after updates |
| Account access for all subscribers | Too many ads (unless you have a Premium subscription) |
| Premium subscription lets you save videos for offline viewing |
Disney Plus Hotstar
If you like watching OTT content, then Disney Plus Hotstar is one app that you must have on your smart Android TV. It offers 100000 hours of entertainment, including TV shows, the latest movies and timeless classics, in more than 15 languages. What further sets it apart is the exclusive new originals from fan favourites like Marvel, Disney and Pixar, and live sports streaming.
Subscription: Free content is available; Subscription fee starts at Rs 299/ month
| Pros | Cons |
| An array of movies and TV shows to watch | Not free-to-watch |
| Exclusive access to Marvel, Star Wars, Disney & Pixar productions | Not all subscription plans support ad-free viewing |
| Live sports |
Prime Video
Another Android TV app that offers you a great selection of movies and OTT shows to enjoy is Amazon Prime Video. The OTT platform has a library of more than 40,000 titles, including regional and Bollywood blockbusters, Amazon Originals series, and more that appeal to the sensibilities of Indian audiences. It also allows users to buy or rent a movie or TV show.
Subscription: Free for Amazon Prime members; Amazon Prime is priced at Rs 179/month, Rs 459/quarter or Rs 1499/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Early access to new movies | Relatively limited content as compared to other OTT platforms |
| Plethora of content | Add-on subscription costs involved for complete access |
| Parental controls and a dedicated page for ad-free kids’ entertainment |
Netflix
Call this a no-brainer but if you have an Android TV, there’s no chance you wouldn’t want to “Netflix and Chill”. A favourite among global viewers, Netflix offers a wide selection of hand-picked TV shows and movies in different languages. From critically-acclaimed titles to Netflix Originals to new releases to docudramas to comedy specials and more, you’ll have it all.
Subscription: Streaming plan can cost Rs 199/month (Basic), Rs 499/month (Standard) or Rs 649/month (Premium).
| Pros | Cons |
| Huge library with the most popular TV shows and movies | No live sports streaming |
| Easy to navigate UI | Content availability depends on location |
| Ad-free viewing | Pricier than other OTT platforms |
| Best watching experience |
Zee5
If you’re looking for multilingual desi-at-heart content, download Zee5 on your Android TVs now! India’s largest homegrown OTT platform, Zee5 has a diverse content library with 100+ flavour clusters, 160+ live TV channels, and more than 5 lakh hours of entertainment in 10+ languages. It also holds digital rights for International League T20 cricket tournament.
Subscription: Free; Subscription for Zee5 Premium (Ad-free) starts at Rs 699/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comprehensive multilingual library | App subject to glitches, streaming errors and login issues |
| User-friendly features like offline viewing and language customisation | Good live channels only available with Premium subscription |
| Great watching experience for all demographics |
SonyLIV
Home to some of the highest-rated Indian web series like Rocket Boys and Scam, SonyLIV is one app you’d love to have on your Android TV. It is a one-stop destination for diverse free-to-watch content including movies, web series, reality TV shows, and so much more. It also live streams many sports tournaments like WWE, UFC, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Subscription: Free content is available; Subscription fee of 299/month, Rs 699/6 months or Rs 999/year is applicable for SonyLIV Premium account.
| Pros | Cons |
| Live streaming of cricket, football, wrestling and other sports events | Bad user experience reviews |
| Wide variety of genres including music channels | Broken user flow with no progress bar, episodes not arranged in sequence, etc. |
| Simple and easy-to-navigate UI | History of app crashes, stream drops and buffering troubles |
| Offline downloads |
JioCinema
JioCinema is another great app to download should you wish to enjoy OTT content on your Android TV. The platform offers access to a large number of movies, web series, reality TV shows like Bigg Boss, music videos, and more. It live-streamed FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and is ready to bring IPL 2023 to digital users following its recent merger with Viacom18.
Subscription: Free of cost
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly features like auto play, bitrate selection, watch list, etc. | History of glitches and time lag (during FIFA 2022 streaming) |
| No subscription required | UI needs improvement |
| Parental controls | Relatively limited global content |
| Live sports including IPL |
Airtel Xstream
If you don’t wish to download multiple OTT apps on your Android TV, then Airtel Xstream is a great option for you. Unlike its counterparts, this is an OTT aggregator service that allows its users to access content from different OTT platforms like SonyLIV, Eros Now, Lionsgate Play, etc. with a single login. You can enjoy a variety of genres in different languages.
Subscription: Free; Subscription for Xstream Premium is available at Rs 149/month and Rs 1499/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Access to 10+ OTT apps with a single login (requires subscription) | Lags in interface |
| Reasonable pricing as compared to other paid OTT platforms | Limited content available for free users |
MX Player TV
Another free-of-cost Indian OTT platform where you can enjoy movies, TV shows and more is MX Player. It offers about 2 lakh hours of entertainment including 4000+ films in regional Indian languages like Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bhojpuri. Moreover, this OTT platform also gives access to some videsi content especially Korean dramas, all dubbed in Hindi.
Subscription: Free; Subscription for MX Gold is available at Rs 299/quarter and Rs 499/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Wide library of regional content | Downloads and ad-free viewing restricted to premium users |
| Hindi-dubbed international content | Limited content library as compared to other OTT platforms |
| Reasonable pricing as compared to other OTT platforms |
Plex
Plex is one of the early launches for Android TV and remains to be among the top apps used for casting media on any screen in your house. The app made way into the streaming space with time and offers access to 250+ live TV channels and over 50,000 titles 24/7. If you have got personal media on your TV, you can use this app to organise and manage it as well.
Subscription: Free
| Pros | Cons |
| Attractive and easy-to-navigate UI | Some features are not available for free |
| Intuitive controls | Works better for casting and organising media than streaming |
| Offers plugins for a better user experience |
Best music streaming apps for Android TV
Spotify
When it comes to music streaming, Spotify is definitely one of the best Android TV apps out there. It has a huge library comprising thousands of artists, music and now podcasts as well from across the world. Further, the app supports background streaming so you can play the music while using other apps. You can use this app through Android TV remote or phone.
Subscription: Free; Spotify Premium plans (ad-free listening) start at Rs 119/month.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy login and user-friendly UI | Too many ads in the free version |
| Background streaming | Limited features as compared to the mobile app |
| Offline Listening |
Amazon Music
If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, then you need not think twice before installing Amazon Music on your Android TV. The popular ad-free music streaming service is home to around 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes from different artists across the world. Additionally, you can also enjoy regional music in any language on this app.
Subscription: Free for Amazon Prime members; Amazon Prime is priced at Rs 179/month, Rs 459/quarter or Rs 1499/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| High resolution and spatial audio | Need to have an Amazon account |
| Powerful and friendly UI | No differentiating factor from other music streaming services |
| 30-day free trial |
Gaana
For all you music lovers out there, Gaana is another app that can enhance your Android TV experience. Reportedly the largest music streaming service in India, Gaana offers access to over 30 million Hindi songs and regional music in 20 other Indian languages. Its huge music library covers every genre – from Bollywood to bhajans and new releases to old classics.
Subscription: Subscription of Gaana Plus is priced at Rs 99/month, Rs 249/half yearly and Rs 299/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Huge multilingual music library | No free streaming |
| Public playlists available to add as favourites | User experience not up to the mark |
| Lacks global favourites |
YouTube Music
Another music streaming app that can make a great addition to your Android TV is YouTube Music. The platform has 70 million plus official tracks, live performances, releases from new and mainstream artists, song covers, remixes, regional music and whatnot. Besides playlists, you can find well-curated radio stations on this app for enjoying music endlessly.
Subscription: Free; Premium membership of YouTube Music (for ad-free listening) costs Rs 109/month, Rs 309/quarter and Rs 990/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Clean, easy-to-navigate UI | Offline listening and background play restricted to Premium users |
| Well-curated radio stations | Priced higher than other music apps |
| Ad-free for YouTube Premium users |
Jio Saavn
If you wish to stream music on your Android TV, Jio Saavn is also a good option for you. This platform offers access to millions of songs, podcasts and radio from across the globe. There is also a huge library of regional music on this app including songs in Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, and other Indian languages. It also includes videos and shorties for max entertainment.
Subscription: Free; JioSaavn Pro (ad-free) priced at Rs 99/month and Rs 999/year.
| Pros | Cons |
| Access to over 90 million songs in 15 languages | Lower bitrate of the songs |
| Efficient and easy-to-navigate UI | Discovery mode turns on automatically |
Best utility apps for Android TV
Send files to TV
When it comes to utility, one app that you must download on your Android TV now is Send files to TV. Touted as one of the best Android TV apps last year, Send files to TV allows you to transfer any file like movies, songs and more from your TV to your smartphone and vice-versa over a local network. All you need to do is install the app on both of your devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple and easy-to-use UI | Contains ads |
| No internet required |
X-plore File Manager
Similar to a smartphone or your PC/laptop, your Android TV also requires a file manager that lets you see and manage all the apps, files and folders stored on your device. This is where X-plore File Manager comes into the picture. It uses a dual-pane approach and makes it an easy task for you to delete, move or copy files or sync them on the cloud over Wi-Fi.
| Pros | Cons |
| Wi-Fi file sharing | Contains ads |
| Access from PC web browser | Dated UI |
| Vault function for encryption |
Zank Remote
If you’re looking for a flexible remote for your Android TV, download Zank Remote now! The app helps you control your Android TV directly using mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection. There are tons of features that make this app a great option for you such as control via screencast, mouse and gamepad, volume control, file transfer, music controller, and screen on/off.
| Pros | Cons |
| No need for multiple remote controls | Requires a working internet connection |
| Supports integration into home automation systems | Contains ads |
| Never lose your remote again! | Pro membership required for ad-free usage and added features |
Airscreen
All Android TVs are compatible with Android smartphones and support Google Cast should you wish to cast any video, audio or images from your device. However, if you’re an iPhone user, you’d definitely face some serious compatibility issues in that sense. Airscreen comes to your rescue by allowing you mirror your iPhone screen straight to your Android TV.
| Pros | Cons |
| Works with Google Cast and other mirroring apps | Might face audio lags |
| Easy to install | Requires upgradation to the paid version for full functionality |
Proton VPN
It is a great idea to install a VPN app like Proton VPN on your Android TV should you wish to watch regionally-blocked content on it. This app creates an encrypted VPN tunnel, making it easy for you to surf through public or untrusted connections. Moreover, it keeps all your TV history private, doesn’t log user activity and doesn’t share your data with third parties.
| Pros | Cons |
| No data logging policy | Needs better customer support |
| Works great for torrenting | Not a budget option! |
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