I’ll be honest with you: I have a love-hate relationship with my TV. Half the time, I spend more time looking for something to watch than actually watching it. But over the past year, I’ve forced myself to really dig into what’s out there. Not just the big names, but the weird, the niche, and the underrated. With the new Fire TV Stick 4K making waves—and seriously, the hardware has gotten good enough that it actually pushes the software side to be better—I figured it was time for a brutally honest ranking.
This isn’t a sponsored list. It’s just the apps that have lived on my home screen the longest, based on performance, catalog, and whether or not the interface makes me want to throw my remote at the wall. Here is my personal top 7.
1. Plex – The Do-It-All King
You probably saw this coming. But here’s the thing: Plex has quietly evolved from “that app you use to watch your downloaded movies” into a legitimate streaming hub. The integration of free ad-supported content has turned it into a monster. On the new 4K Fire Stick, the interface runs buttery smooth. I use it to manage my own media library, but my family uses it for the free live channels. It’s the only app that bridges the gap between my “techie” needs and what my parents can actually figure out. If you’re only downloading one app that does it all, this is it.
2. Tubi – The Best Freebie, Period
I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop with Tubi. It’s free. It’s legal. And somehow, their library of cult classics and old TV shows is better than some paid services. Yes, there are ads, but they are nowhere near as intrusive as cable was. I’ve stumbled upon movies on Tubi that I hadn’t seen in 20 years. The algorithm for recommendations is decent, though it does tend to push a lot of the same content. But for a zero-dollar monthly cost? It’s unbeatable. It’s my go-to when I’m too lazy to decide on a paid movie rental.
To keep up with live sports and your favourite shows while you are away from home, Canal IPTV is an easy option.
3. Jellyfin – The Open-Source Purist
Now, this one isn’t for everyone. If you don’t know what a “server” is or you don’t have a friend who is a nerd, skip to number 4. But for those of us who hate the idea of paying subscriptions or dealing with Plex’s login BS, Jellyfin is a breath of fresh air. It’s completely free and open-source. Setting it up takes work, but once it’s running on the TV, it’s lightning fast. It feels like the early days of streaming when it was just about the files, not the ecosystem. It respects your privacy and your hardware. If Plex is the polished Apple of this list, Jellyfin is the raw Linux.
4. SmartTube (or SmartTubeNext) – The YouTube Upgrade
Okay, technically this is a replacement for the default YouTube app on Android TV and Fire TV. But I can’t go back. The official app is fine, I guess, but SmartTube strips out the ads and adds sponsorblock. The playback buffer is better, the interface is faster, and you can force higher resolutions even on connections that drop. It’s the app I use daily for long-form podcasts and reviews. Is it against YouTube Premium’s terms? Probably. But until they fix the ‘pause’ button lag on the native app, I’m sticking with this one.
5. Pluto TV – The Channel Flipper’s Dream
There is something nostalgic about channel surfing. Pluto TV nails that feeling. Instead of being forced to pick a specific show from a menu, you drop into a channel and watch whatever is playing. I love it for background noise while I’m working or cooking. They have a massive collection of live channels for specific interests—old game shows, cooking, even a channel for cats. It’s not always stable—sometimes a stream buffers—but it fills a void that on-demand apps can’t.
6. Kodi – The Wildcard
I have to include Kodi because it’s the ultimate tinkerer’s tool. Out of the box, vanilla Kodi is just a media player. But with the right add-ons, it turns your TV into a monitoring station for basically anything for free. Now, I’m not going to tell you which “illicit” add-ons to install. That’s not my style. But for creative projects, local weather overlays, and integrating smart home controls? It’s unbeatable. It’s a Frankenstein app. If you like breaking things and fixing them, Kodi is for you. If you want something that “just works,” stay far away.
7. Disney+ – The Heavyweight
I go back and forth on Disney+. Sometimes I want to cancel it because I feel like I’ve watched everything on it. And then I remember I can watch ‘Die Hard’ on it (in the US, at least) or that they added another Marvel show. But it’s on this list because of ‘The Simpsons’ and National Geographic. The technical quality on 4K content is stunning, arguably the best color reproduction of any streaming service on my TV. It’s not the best value if you don’t have kids or don’t love Star Wars. But as a pure content vault, it still commands a spot on the dock.
The truth is, no single app does everything. A few years ago, I thought the future would be one perfect unified interface. Now I see that the future is a mix: one app for libraries (Plex/Jellyfin), one for live TV (Pluto/YouTube TV), and a few for blockbuster content. My advice? Don’t get stuck paying for subscriptions you don’t need. There are more free apps now than ever before, and with a cheap 4K stick, you can build a setup that puts cable to shame. Just be ready to teach your grandma which button opens Tubi.