What is the best app on a smart TV?
The apps that ended up printed on the remote control, and the ones that earned their place later.
1YouTubeNielsen has it taking a larger share of US TV time than any other distributor.
2NetflixThe button that got printed onto remote controls.
3Disney+Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and the back catalogue in one place.
4Prime VideoBundled with a shipping subscription, which is how most people got it.
5HBO MaxThe prestige-drama library, renamed more often than it is rebuilt.
6SpotifyMusic and podcasts through the only decent speakers in the room.
7PlexPlays the media you already own, from your own machine.
8TwitchLive streams on a screen big enough to read the chat.
9Apple TVA small, expensive slate of originals and a decent rental store.
10HuluNext-day network television, a US habit no rival replaced.
11PeacockNBC's library plus the sports rights that actually sell it.
12KodiAn open-source media centre that predates most of this list.
13ESPNLive sport without a cable subscription attached to it.
14CrunchyrollSimulcast anime, subtitled within hours of the Japanese broadcast.
15Steam LinkStreams a PC game library onto the television.
#Streaming69#Apps24#TV Shows311
Comments
Nielsen's May 2026 Gauge put one entry ahead of Disney, Netflix and the broadcast networks for a third consecutive month: https://youpick.best/articles/where-does-youtube-rank
