Best IPTV Services in 2024 (FireStick, Android TV, PC)
Types of IPTV Providers
There are two types of IPTV providers to choose from – legal and unverified IPTV providers. Let’s discuss them and learn the differences between the two.
Legal IPTV Services
There is a simple trick to learn whether an IPTV provider is legal. If the IPTV app is available on the Amazon App Store or Google Play Store, it’s legal. That’s because these stores will not allow any illegal services.
On the other hand, if the IPTV is unavailable in official stores, there is a chance it might be illegal.
We recommend either sticking to the official IPTVs or watching content only in the public domain. Furthermore, you can use an IPTV VPN to secure your connection and stream privately. I recommend using ExpressVPN.
Unverified IPTV Services
We can define unverified IPTV services as those that aren’t available in popular app stores. These are usually cheaper than the legal IPTV providers out there.
Due to the nature of an IPTV service, FireStickTricks can’t verify the legal status of each IPTV service in every region out there. Therefore, we call them unverified IPTV services.
These IPTV services might stream TV series, sports events, or movies without proper licensing. Some media outlets in your country might have purchased the official rights to stream such content. In such cases, streaming the same content through these IPTV providers will not be legal in your region.
Most readers are usually interested in unverified services due to lower monthly fees and a vast content library. However, these services do carry some legal questions and security vulnerabilities.
Also, it would be best if you didn’t directly commit to a yearly plan for unverified IPTV service. We have seen many IPTV providers shut down businesses without prior notice. What happens to your data when these services get hacked or go out of business?
These IPTV providers don’t have a big media house to back them up. You must be cautious in the payment process and when dealing with them.
Most unverified IPTV users connect to a VPN to keep their online streaming activities anonymous. If you don’t have a VPN yet, I would recommend ExpressVPN. It has dedicated apps for all devices and works with all unverified and legal IPTV services.
IPTV Requirements
Let’s talk about essential IPTV requirements.
High-Speed Internet
First, you need a high-speed internet connection for a buffer-free experience. Most IPTV services come with full-HD live channels. You need at least 25 Mbps internet speed for a flawless watching experience.
You can use services like Speedtest or Fast.com to check the current internet speed from the local ISP provider.
A Streaming Device
This goes without saying. You need a compatible streaming device to play the IPTV service. We would advise an Android-based system. You may ask why.
Android is an open-source ecosystem that makes it easy for users to sideload unverified IPTV APK files on the device.
Amazon FireStick is by far the most popular streaming device for IPTV. There are many factors behind FireStick’s sky-rocketing popularity.
Amazon continuously innovates the video streaming space by offering more features, a powerful remote, and an easy-to-use fluid interface.
Furthermore, FireStick is probably the best device for sideloading.
Another prime selling point of FireStick is its low cost. You can get one with 4K capabilities at just $49.99 on Amazon.
Here are some of the popular Android-based streaming devices:
- Amazon FireStick
- Amazon Fire TV Cube
- NVIDIA Shield
- Android-based TV
- Google Chromecast
Go with any of the IPTV mentioned above streaming devices, and you will be perfectly fine using your choice of IPTV service on it.
While looking for a streaming device, don’t buy Apple TV, Roku, Raspberry Pi, Samsung (Tizen OS), LG TV (WebOS), and other non-Android-based systems.
IPTV Glossary
Before shopping for an IPTV service, it’s essential to learn about the proper terminology common in an IPTV service. You will find these phrases mentioned on the official IPTV service’s website.
Catch Up
As the name suggests, Catch-up allows you to view past episodes of specific shows or events. They are primarily available for a few days after the show has aired. IPTV providers mainly offer this feature on higher plans and are limited to popular channels only.
Connection
This is one of the most important factors to check before investing in an IPTV service. The number of connections differs from one IPTV to another. So how does it work, then? Let’s say you have subscribed to a plan with three connections. You can stream the content on up to three devices at a time. Here, each device counts as one connection.
Most IPTV services offer additional connections, but it comes at a price.
EPG
This is self-explanatory. EPG, aka Electronic Program Guide, lists upcoming/past TV shows/movies.
IP Location Locked
IPTV provider may lock your IP location. This means you can only use and access the service in the region where it was first registered.
ISP
ISP means Internet Service Provider. It refers to the local company that offers internet service in your area.
M3U URL
When you register with an IPTV service, it offers a username and password to use the service with the app. You will also receive an M3U URL that looks something like this.
http://013tv.com:8080/get.php?username=test-65927c&password=e657&type=m3u_plus&output=ts
You can use this M3U URL with any IPTV player, such as IPTV Smarters, TiviMate, Perfect Player, and more.
PPV
PPV refers to Pay Per View. Popular sports events might come under the PPV revenue model. You must shell out extra cash to stream those events on the device.
VOD
VOD means Video On Demand. It’s similar to Netflix and Amazon Prime, where you can see the movie or TV series title and play it online. Many IPTV services out there offer a vast catalog of VOD services.
VPN
Last but not least, you would need to invest in a VPN to avoid all legal problems in the future. A capable VPN masks your identity, prevents you from the government and ISP providers, and allows you to enjoy the service in a safe environment. Check out the links below to get ExpressVPN, which I use and trust. You can try it risk-free for the first 30 days.
What to Look for When Shopping for IPTV Service
We are going to list more than twenty IPTV services in the post. Choosing the perfect option among them can be a head-scratcher for you.
There are multiple factors to consider before you settle with an IPTV provider. Check out the list below, note them down, and start hunting for the best IPTV service.
- Price and Payment option – Some IPTV services might only support Bitcoin as a payment option, which might not be feasible for the majority out there.
- Live TV channels support.
- Number of devices that can be used simultaneously under a single plan.
- VPN compatibility – You should never use an unverified IPTV without connecting to a VPN.
- External IPTV player compatibility.
- Customer support.
- Electronic Program Guide (EPG) support.
- Premium sports.
There are hundreds of IPTV providers out there. At first glance, they will look identical to you, with significant numbers of live channels, TV series, movies, and more.
First, you need to stay as anonymous as possible when opting for an unverified IPTV service. We advise you to create an anonymous email ID for unverified IPTV services. Also, when it comes to payment, you can pay the monthly/yearly plan with cryptocurrency or a service like Abine Blur for credit cards.
There are no such issues with the legal IPTV services. You can use your official email account and personal debit/credit card.
While paying for an IPTV service, don’t forget to check out the upper-tier plans, as they come with VOD (Video-On-Demand), 24/7 Customer Support, and more.
The upper-tier plans also come with EPG support. EPG stands for Electronic Program Guide, which allows users to look up programs in advance and search for viewing content.
