Google TV
Google's TV interface that pulls shows and films from your streaming apps into one home screen.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Google TV
Google TV is the home screen and recommendation layer Google ships on its own Google TV Streamer and on smart TVs from brands such as Sony, TCL and Hisense. Instead of opening each streaming app to see what is on, it gathers titles from the services you subscribe to, live TV and YouTube into one set of rows, with a shared watch list you can also add to from your phone or Google Search. Voice search, now with Gemini on newer devices, looks across apps at once. Personal profiles and a kids space with time limits are included, and the TV can show Google Photos, cast from a phone or act as a smart home panel. It runs on Android TV OS, so the usual Android TV app store is there too. The software itself costs nothing extra: you pay for the device, and for whatever streaming services you add. A companion Google TV app for Android and iOS works as a remote and lets you browse and manage your list. It suits people already using Google accounts and Android phones; Apple households will find Apple TV a tighter fit.
Best for: Households with several streaming subscriptions who want one home screen and a single watch list.
Pros and cons
What works
- Brings titles from many streaming apps into one set of recommendations
- No extra charge beyond the TV or streaming device
- Profiles, kids space and a cross-app watch list
- Phone app doubles as a remote with keyboard input
Why people leave
- Only runs on Google TV devices and supported smart TVs
- Home screen promotes sponsored content and Google's own services
- Some apps and features vary by country
Top Google TV alternatives
See all 5- 1
Stremio68.8Also gathers films and shows into one library, and runs on phones, PCs and TV boxes rather than only Google TV hardware.
- 2
Prime Video59.4Amazon's app also rents and sells films and bundles add-on channels, if you'd rather centre your TV on Amazon.
- 3
YouTube55.3For many viewers YouTube already covers most watching, and it runs on every smart TV platform.
- 4
Plex52.6Puts your own media library and free streaming channels behind one interface on almost any TV or streaming stick.
- 5
Kodi52.2Free, open-source TV interface you can install on many boxes and fully customise, with no Google account or ads.
Why people left Google TV
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Google TV: common questions
Is Google TV free?
Yes, Google TV is free to use.
Is Google TV open source?
No, Google TV is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Stremio and Kodi.
What platforms does Google TV run on?
Google TV is available for Android and iOS.
What are the best alternatives to Google TV?
The highest-ranked Google TV alternatives right now are Stremio, Prime Video and YouTube. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.