Which Apps Run Where
Good news first: the big services are everywhere. The differences hide in casting, live TV and free channels.
The app wars are mostly over
A few years ago, YouTube vanished from Fire TV and Apple TV+ was missing from Android. Those fights ended. Today every pick runs Netflix, Disney+, Max, Prime Video, Apple TV+, YouTube, Peacock and Paramount+. Live TV services like YouTube TV, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV also run on all five.
So the choice comes down to how you get content from your phone to the TV, and which free channels come bundled.
App support matrix
| App / feature | Apple TV 4K | Google TV Streamer | Roku Ultra | Fire TV 4K Max | Shield TV Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Disney+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prime Video | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| YouTube / YouTube TV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spotify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plex | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ + server |
| AirPlay | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Google Cast | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| Free live channels | Apps only | Google TV Freeplay | The Roku Channel | Fire TV Channels | Apps only |
| Cloud gaming | Apple Arcade | GeForce NOW | Limited | Luna | GeForce NOW |
Casting decides the household
If everyone at home uses iPhones and iPads, AirPlay is the killer feature: share photos, mirror a screen, send audio. Apple TV and Roku both support it.
If the house runs on Android phones and Chromebooks, Google Cast is the equivalent. Tap the cast icon in YouTube, Netflix or Spotify and the TV takes over. Google TV Streamer and Shield support it natively.
Fire TV supports neither AirPlay nor Google Cast out of the box. Most people simply use the remote and the apps on the device instead.
Cut the bill, not the shows
Streaming hardware has no monthly fee. The cost lives in subscriptions. Three habits keep it down. Rotate services: subscribe to one for a month, binge, cancel, switch. Use ad-supported tiers from Netflix, Disney+, Max or Peacock if you can live with breaks. And lean on free, legal services: Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Freevee content inside Prime Video, and your library's Kanopy or Hoopla account.
A TV antenna plus a streamer covers local news and sport for free in many areas. The device handles everything else.
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