⚡Quick verdict
Built for Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV, TiviMate has the slickest programme guide of any player app. The free version plays live channels with a full guide. Premium, bought through the TiviMate Companion phone app, adds catch-up, recording, several playlists, favourites groups and picture-in-picture. It does not run on phones or Apple devices.
- On Fire TV it is installed with Downloader; on Google TV, from Google Play.
- Premium is paid yearly or once, per Google account, through the Companion app.
- Its grid guide is the nearest thing to Sky's in a player app.
Adding your log-in
- On first launch, TiviMate asks you to Add playlist.
- Go for Xtream Codes.
- Enter the server address (with http:// and the port), then username and password.
- Choose Next. TiviMate counts the channels, films and series, then loads the guide.
Free or Premium
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Live channels and grid guide | Yes | Yes |
| Catch-up | No | Yes |
| Recording | No | Yes |
| More than one playlist | No | Yes |
| Custom groups and favourites lists | Basic | Full |
| Picture-in-picture, multi-view | No | Yes |
You buy Premium inside TiviMate Companion, a separate phone app for Android, which also shows the current price.
Settings worth changing
- Appearance → Channel list: show numbers and turn on logos.
- Playback → Buffer size: set it to large if your Wi-Fi is weak.
- EPG → Update on start: turn on so the guide is always fresh.
- Hide groups: long-press any group you will never use.
Common problems
If the guide is empty, open Settings → EPG and update it manually. If channels play for a few seconds then stop, check that no other device is using your last screen, then see buffering fixes.
From £5.42 a month
Borrow a full log-in for 24 hours before paying a penny. No card, no contract, no silent renewals.