TiviMate vs UHF: Which IPTV Player Fits Your Devices?

TiviMate vs UHF mostly comes down to the hardware you own. TiviMate is an Android TV player built for a remote control, while UHF is an Apple-only player for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac and Vision Pro. If your TV runs Google TV, Android TV or a Fire OS stick, TiviMate is the natural pick. If your living room runs on an Apple TV 4K, UHF is the one you can actually install.

Both apps are players only. Neither ships channels, so you need your own playlist or Xtream Codes login from a provider. Below we compare platforms, interface, guide, catch-up, recording, multiview and price, using the official Google Play and App Store listings at the time of writing.

TiviMate vs UHF at a glance

Prices and feature splits change, so treat the table as a snapshot from the official listings at the time of writing.

Platforms: the deciding factor

TiviMate has no Apple version. It is on Google Play for Android TV and Google TV devices such as the Google TV Streamer, onn 4K Pro and NVIDIA Shield. On Fire OS sticks it is not in the Amazon Appstore, so it is installed from the link on tivimate.com. Amazon’s newer Vega OS sticks block sideloading entirely, so TiviMate cannot be installed on them.

UHF is the mirror image. The App Store lists iPhone and iPad (iOS 16 or later), Apple TV (tvOS 17 or later), Mac with an M1 chip or newer, and Apple Vision Pro. We found no Android version on its official listing at the time of writing. If you own an Apple TV and an Android TV box, you can run each app on its own device with the same playlist.

For model-by-model advice on Amazon hardware, see our guide to IPTV on Fire TV Stick by model. Shield owners can also read our NVIDIA Shield IPTV setup.

Interface and day-to-day use

TiviMate looks like a cable box guide. You press a button, the grid opens, and you move through channels and time slots with the D-pad. It shines with large playlists because you can hide groups, reorder channels and build favorites, which makes it popular with people who use it as their main live TV screen.

UHF is designed around touch first, then adapted to Apple TV. Its guide scrolls smoothly on a phone or tablet, and it adds Apple features such as Picture-in-Picture, AirPlay and Chromecast casting. It also handles personal media servers (Plex, Jellyfin, Emby), which TiviMate does not try to do.

EPG, catch-up and recording

Both apps read the program guide your provider supplies. TiviMate lets you add an external XMLTV EPG URL and map channels manually when names do not match, which is useful for messy playlists. If your guide stays empty, our EPG not loading fix covers the usual causes.

Catch-up works in both apps only when the provider records archives on its servers. The player just displays what the service offers. Our catch-up TV explainer shows how to tell if a channel has it.

Recording is where they differ most. TiviMate Premium records to the device’s storage or a USB drive. UHF records through UHF Server, a free companion program that runs on a computer on your home network, and you schedule recordings from the app. That suits people with an always-on Mac or PC, but it is an extra piece to maintain.

Multiview and extras

TiviMate Premium includes multiview, so you can watch several channels on one screen, which is handy on busy sports days. Each stream usually counts as a connection with your provider, so check how many your plan allows.

UHF’s listing focuses on other extras: Trakt integration, PIN-locked folders, OpenSubtitles support, 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Atmos, and a built-in VPN client. Its release notes mention a multi-player, but the store description does not present multiview as a core feature, so do not buy an Apple TV for UHF expecting the same multiview TiviMate offers.

Price model compared

TiviMate is free to install with a basic feature set. Premium is bought through the official TiviMate Companion app on an Android phone or tablet, with annual and lifetime options; check the current price in the Companion app, since it varies by region. Our TiviMate free vs Premium guide explains what the upgrade unlocks.

UHF is free with optional PRO. The US App Store showed PRO at around $1.99 per month, $17.99 per year or $49.99 lifetime at the time of writing. The developer says the essentials, including the guide and catch-up, stay free, and PRO adds multi-device sync and an unlimited guide range with alerts.

Avoid “free premium” downloads of either app. Modified APKs and cracked builds are a common source of malware and can expose your provider login. Buy upgrades only through the official store or companion app.

Which player should you pick?

• Pick TiviMate if you watch on Android TV, Google TV, NVIDIA Shield or a Fire OS stick, want an on-device DVR, and like a cable-style grid.
• Pick UHF if you watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad or Mac, want touch-friendly browsing, or also use Plex, Jellyfin or Emby.
• Use both in a mixed home. One Xtream Codes login works in either app, as long as your plan allows enough simultaneous connections.
• Avoid both on a Vega OS Fire TV stick: TiviMate cannot be sideloaded there, and UHF is Apple-only.

Whichever player you choose, the stream quality comes from your provider, not the app. Our own plan, IPTV Journal, costs $89 for 12 months and includes an M3U link and Xtream Codes login that work in TiviMate and UHF; see the details on our pricing section. Once you have a login, follow our TiviMate setup guide to load it in TiviMate.

FAQ

Is UHF available on Android or Fire TV?

At the time of writing, UHF is listed only on Apple’s App Store for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac and Vision Pro. We found no official Android or Fire TV version. On those devices, TiviMate is the closer equivalent.

Is TiviMate available on Apple TV?

No. TiviMate is an Android app and has no iOS or tvOS version. Apple TV owners need an App Store player such as UHF.

Can I use the same IPTV login in TiviMate and UHF?

Yes. Both accept M3U playlists and Xtream Codes logins, so the same credentials work in each. Watching on two devices at once uses two connections, so confirm your plan allows it.

Which app is better for recording live TV?

TiviMate Premium records directly on the Android device, which is simpler for most people. UHF records through its free UHF Server app on a computer, which suits homes with an always-on Mac or PC.

Do TiviMate or UHF include channels?

No. Both are media players and ship no content. You add a playlist or login from a provider, and you should check that the service has the rights to the channels it carries.