Which 7 smart TV apps are must-haves for everyone?
Which 7 smart TV apps are must-haves for everyone?
We run through the six apps we think are indispensible to every smart TV owner in the year to come.
The 2025 holiday season is officially a wrap! Considering how many great deals on smart TVs were available, it’s likely that many of our most loyal readers found a new set for their living room under the tree. Setting up a smart TV isn’t too complicated nowadays; most TVs are up and running within minutes of pulling them out of the box.
But even the most savvy TV owners may need a little help in optimizing their new set for use. After all, modern TVs come with more features than ever, and of course, smart TVs are capable of streaming all your favorite on-demand services without a connected device. Which seven apps do our experts think are essential for all smart TV owners to have? See them below!
Which seven apps are essential for smart TV owners?
Netflix
Let’s start with an easy one here. Although Netflix no longer reports its subscriber totals publicly, its last shared update revealed that it had 300 million global customers. Almost every streaming subscriber in the United States has, once had, or will have a Netflix subscription, and the streamer is a key part of the home entertainment equation for most consumers.
Even if you’ve canceled your Netflix subscription temporarily, having the Netflix app available on your TV will be handy for when you inevitably resubscribe. Netflix has simply become that ubiquitous, and we think that all smart TV owners should have the app on their TV at any given time.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
Disney+
Disney has more than 200 million global streaming customers between Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, and it has made major efforts to unify as much of its streaming content on the Disney+ app as possible. Recently, the app rolled out a new navigation bar to make it easier for viewers to switch between Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN content on the app.
In 2026, the importance of the Disney+ app will grow further when the company begins housing Hulu there. While viewers will still be able to get Hulu subscriptions without Disney+ bundled in, there will no longer be a standalone Hulu app to watch on. Given that fact, and the amount of live sports ESPN has moved to Disney+ for subscribers of both services, having the app will be a must in 2026.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
Prime Video
At this point, it is practically unheard of for someone not to be an Amazon Prime member, and from our perspective, one of the best benefits of that retail-focused membership is having access to Prime Video included at no extra cost. So, while having the app on your smart TV will provide you with the ability to watch all of the original Prime Video content, as well as the thousands of shows and movies available in the library, there is more to the app than just that.
In addition to everything that comes included with your membership, Prime Video also allows cord-cutters to digitally rent and purchase movies and episodes a la carte. That means that if you haven’t made it out to see the latest blockbuster in the movie theater, you will still be able to stream it before it eventually lands on another streamer. The same is true for those hard-to-find TV series that aren’t available on subscription streaming services. In many cases, Prime Video will allow you to rent or buy individual episodes, complete seasons, or the entire series from the app. All of the options that Prime offers make it indispensable for entertainment-loving smart-TV owners.
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
YouTube
YouTube has put a lot of work into making sure its connected TV app is as user-friendly as possible, and viewers have responded. The platform consistently outperforms Netflix and other streaming services, and its dominance is growing.
Viewers don’t have to pay to use the standard YouTube platform, but can always choose to upgrade to an ad-free premium account if they prefer. Either way, there’s a pretty good chance that the average audience member will want to watch YouTube on their smart TV at some point, so having the app is a must.
Free streamer of choice
The number of free, ad-supported streaming services available has grown consistently over the years, and such services offer a wide variety of content. Platforms like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, and Tubi offer TV, movies, sports, and even live news, via free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels and on-demand libraries.
Viewers can also check out streamers like Local Now and Haystack News for more free news options. These apps will never ask for a credit card to sign up, and most will allow you to stream without creating an account of any kind. Keeping one or two of these free streaming apps handy on your TV will provide an excellent fallback if you just can’t find something to stream on your paid subscriptions.
Home assistant app
If you’re a lover of the ease and convenience conveyed by smart home devices, you’ll adore the ability to use your smart TV as a hub for those devices. Your TV can help you control all your other devices, and can handle everything from video calls to showing you who’s at the front door on your video doorbell. Many smart TVs will already come with the home assistant app associated with their operating system pre-loaded onto the set, but if yours does not, make sure to download it right away.
Weather Channel app
This free app is a fantastic way to keep up with the local forecast at any hour of the day, with just the click of a remote. Even if you don’t get the Weather Channel with a pay-TV subscription, you can still use the app to keep track of temperatures, precipitation predictions, and all the other weather data you’ll need. The Weather Channel app can be downloaded on nearly every new smart TV, and there’s no reason whatsoever not to have it!