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What you can watch on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Android TV

The mainstream video streamers offer hundreds of entertainment apps, from DirecTV Now to Netflix to Nick Jr. to NBC News to NHL, and the list is growing all the time. Here's a big chart showing which of the top 75-odd apps are available on which device.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
David Katzmaier
2 min read

Updated December 7 to cover DirecTV Now and the addition of numerous other apps on various devices.

These days just about every major entertainment app is available on just about every living room streaming device. You probably have five ways to stream Netflix.

There are a couple of major exceptions -- Amazon Video isn't natively on Apple and Google devices, and iTunes and Apple Music aren't on non-Apple devices, for example -- but for the most part the big stuff is covered.

That is, however, until a major new app comes out. The latest example is DirecTV Now, a multichannel live TV streaming service. It launched on a bunch of platforms, but not on Roku. You won't be able to watch DirecTV Now using a Roku TV, stick or box until early 2017.

Watch this: DirecTV Now: $35 a month for 100 live TV channels and a lot of fine print

Beyond major new apps, there are other holes in coverage. You'll have to use your phone, tablet or computer to get some apps onto the big screen via some devices. This feature, known as AirPlay on Apple Devices and Google Cast on the Chromecast and Android TV devices, covers most of the major omissions. Even then you may have to resort to screen mirroring, or a favorite app might not be available at all.

To help spell out exactly what's available on what box, stick or dongle (and how you can get it) we maintain a big chart. It encompasses what we consider the top 75 or so entertainment apps across a variety of categories and all of the major living room streaming platforms, aside from Smart TVs and game consoles.

This information only applies to the United States (with the exception of the BBC iPlayer app, which is exclusive to the UK). App and streaming service access varies significantly worldwide, so people with the same hardware in different countries will have far different options.

direct-tv-now-15.jpg
Sarah Tew/CNET

A note on the terminology:

  • Yes: App is natively available on the product
  • No: Official App is unavailable on the product (although you may be able to "side-load" it)
  • AirPlay: App is available via AirPlay from iPads, iPhones or Macs (Apple TV only)
  • AirPlay Mirror: App is available using the AirPlay screen mirroring function only (Apple TV only)
  • Cast: App is available via "cast" function from an iPad, iPhone or Android device (This is Google's version of AirPlay; Chromecast and Android TV only)
  • Cast Screen/Tab: App is available when using the "Cast screen/audio" option on the Chromecast app (Android only), or the Google Cast extension on a Chrome Web browser (to Chromecast and Android TV only).

If you notice any errors or have any questions, please post a comment.

(Note that CNET is a division of CBS, which also owns several of the TV networks and video services listed below, including CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime and CBS Sports. The company also operates The CW network in partnership with Warner Brothers.)

Major audio and video apps

App NEW Apple TVOLD Apple TVRokuAmazon Fire TVGoogle ChromecastAndroid TV (Nvidia Shield)
Netflix YesYesYesYesCastYes
Amazon Video AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
YouTube YesYesYesYesCastYes
HBO Now YesYesYesYesCastYes
Hulu Plus YesYesYesYesCastYes
Showtime YesYesYesYesCastYes
Sling TV YesAirPlay MirrorYesYesCastYes
PlayStation Vue YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
DirecTV Now YesNoNoYesCastCast
Vudu AirPlayAirPlayYesNoCastYes
Google Play Movies and TV AirPlay MirrorNoYesNoCastYes
iTunes YesYesNoNoNoNo
Starz YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
CBS All Access YesYesYesYesCastYes
Flixster Video AirPlay MirrorAirPlay MirrorYesYesCastCast
FandangoNow NoNoYesNoCastYes
Crackle YesYesYesYesCastYes
Pluto TV YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Crunchyroll YesYesYesNoCastYes
Twitch AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Vimeo YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
PBS YesYesYesYesCastYes
PBS Kids YesYesYesYesCastYes
BBC iPlayer (UK only) YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
TV Everywhere (cable subscription required for full access)
Watch ESPN YesYesYesYesCastYes
HBO Go YesYesYesYesCastYes
Showtime Anytime YesYesYesYesCastYes
Watch Disney Channel YesYesYesYesCastYes
Watch Disney Junior YesYesYesYesCastYes
Watch Disney XD YesYesYesYesCastYes
Watch ABC YesYesYesYesCastYes
NBC YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Nick YesAirPlayYesNoCastCast
Nick Jr. YesAirPlayYesNoNoNo
FX Now YesYesYesYesCastYes
Fox Now YesYesYesYesCastYes
USA Now YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
History YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
A&E YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Lifetime YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Watch Travel Channel YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Watch HGTV YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Watch Food Network YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Smithsonian YesYesYesYesCastCast
Nat Geo TV YesYesYesNoCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
News
CNN Go YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
ABC News YesYesYesNoCastCast
Fox News AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
CBS News YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
NBC News YesAirPlayYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
CNBC YesYesYesNoCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Sky News YesYesYesYesNoYes
Bloomberg TV YesYesYesYesCastYes
TWiT YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Sports
MLB.TV YesYesYesYesCastYes
NFL YesYesYesYesCastYes
NBA Game Time YesYesYesYesCastYes
NHL YesYesYesNoCastCast
Tennis Channel YesYesYesYesCastCast
WWE Network YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
UFC TV YesYesYesYesCastYes
CBS Sports YesYesYesYesCastYes
Fox Sports Go YesAirPlayYesYesCast Screen/TabYes
NBC Sports YesYesYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Music
Pandora YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Spotify AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Rhapsody AirPlayAirPlayNoNoCastCast
Vevo YesYesYesYesCastYes
TuneIn AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCastYes
iHeartRadio AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Apple Music YesYesNoNoNoNo
Amazon Music AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCast Screen/TabCast Screen/Tab
Google Music AirPlayAirPlayNoNoCastYes
Misc
SlingPlayer AirPlayAirPlayYesYesCastCast
Plex YesAirPlayYesYesCastYes
Kodi NoNoNoNoCastYes
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