The Fire TV Stick is an Android box in a tiny shell. We tested 10 apps that fix the launcher, replace the YouTube app, sideload everything else, and keep ads out.
A monitor plus a cheap Android stick is often better than a proper smart TV. We tested six apps that turn a basic display into a full streaming hub.
The default Android TV home screen is a row of ads. These six replacement launchers put your apps and live content back where you can find them, on Nvidia Shield, Fire TV and Google TV.
Sideloading, media libraries, ad-free YouTube and a real file manager. These eight apps turn an Nvidia Shield, Fire TV or Chromecast with Google TV into a serious media box.
Smart TV Cast para Chromecast mirrors a phone to a TV in one tap, but ads, premium upsells, and shaky DRM handling push many users to look elsewhere. We tested 7 alternatives.
Universal TV Remote Control works for most brands, but ads, missing IR support on newer phones, and a paywall on advanced buttons push people to other remote apps. We tested 7 Universal TV Remote Control alternatives.
If you self-host on a NAS or a Raspberry Pi, you need a DLNA or UPnP client on your phone. Seven Android picks for streaming, casting, and serving media around the house.
Plex's price hike has more people moving ripped Blu-rays back to local files. Seven local video player apps for Android that play any format, including ripped movies, DVDs, and large MKV files.
Fire TV sticks slow down after a year of installs and cached video data. These seven apps clear storage, sideload fresh tools, and bring a sluggish Fire TV stick back to life.
When the original remote is lost, dead, or just bad, the phone can do the job. Our pick of seven Android apps that control smart TVs from major brands in 2026.
