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.

1

YouTube

Nielsen has it taking a larger share of US TV time than any other distributor.

2

Netflix

The button that got printed onto remote controls.

3

Disney+

Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and the back catalogue in one place.

4

Prime Video

Bundled with a shipping subscription, which is how most people got it.

5

HBO Max

The prestige-drama library, renamed more often than it is rebuilt.

6

Spotify

Music and podcasts through the only decent speakers in the room.

7

Plex

Plays the media you already own, from your own machine.

8

Twitch

Live streams on a screen big enough to read the chat.

9

Apple TV

A small, expensive slate of originals and a decent rental store.

10

Hulu

Next-day network television, a US habit no rival replaced.

11

Peacock

NBC's library plus the sports rights that actually sell it.

12

Kodi

An open-source media centre that predates most of this list.

13

ESPN

Live sport without a cable subscription attached to it.

14

Crunchyroll

Simulcast anime, subtitled within hours of the Japanese broadcast.

15

Steam Link

Streams a PC game library onto the television.