Comparison · verified on 2026-09-25
Megacubo vs IPTVnator: two M3U players, two different designs
Both open the same M3U playlists and both are open source. The difference is where they run and what they ship with: Megacubo is a native app for Android and TV as well, with recording built in; IPTVnator is a desktop application and a PWA, strong on features for people who watch on a computer.
In one sentence
In short: if you watch on several devices — TV, phone and computer — and want to record without setting anything up, pick Megacubo; if your case is the desktop and you value running your own server, global search and movie artwork, IPTVnator is the more complete one.
Side by side
| Attribute | Megacubo | IPTVnator |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An M3U/IPTV playlist player, with live TV, radio and VOD | An IPTV player application for M3U and M3U8 playlists 1 |
| Licence | GPL-3.0 | MIT, for the code — the name and logo are outside the licence 1 |
| Where it runs | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Android TV and TV boxes | Desktop (Electron) and an installable PWA in the browser; there is Docker self-hosting 1 |
| Playlist sources | M3U/M3U8 playlists and community lists | M3U/M3U8, Xtream Codes and Stalker/Ministra portals 1 |
| Programme guide | EPG in the interface itself | EPG/XMLTV with a multi-channel grid, on the desktop 1 |
| Stream recording | Yes, with the optional Premium license | Not listed among the features; there is a download manager for movies and episodes 1 |
| VOD downloads | Yes, with the Premium license | Yes, on the desktop 1 |
| Movie artwork and metadata | No | Yes, through TMDB, with your own API key 1 |
| Interface languages | 22 | 19 1 |
| Content included | None: the playlist is the user's | None: the project states it does not provide playlists or content 1 |
| Price | Free; an optional one-time Premium license | Free 1 |
1 Source for the IPTVnator facts: github.com/4gray/iptvnator (the README), checked on 2026-09-25. The Megacubo facts are on this section's facts and specifications page.
Pros and cons of both sides
Megacubo
- A native app for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and Android TV — the same app on all of them
- Recording, scheduled recordings and casting to the TV built in, with the one-time license
- It works on the TV with a remote control, with no computer switched on
- No global search and no TMDB movie artwork
- It does not self-host: it is an app, not a server
- Fewer desktop organisation features than IPTVnator
IPTVnator
- Advanced desktop features: global search, command palette, downloads and external players (MPV, VLC, IINA)
- It accepts Xtream Codes and Stalker/Ministra portals besides M3U
- It can be self-hosted in Docker, and the project publishes nightly builds
- On a phone the path is the PWA in the browser, not an app installed from a store
- There is no stream recording in its feature list
- The TV path goes through a browser or screen mirroring, not through a TV app
Both projects face the same problem: sites selling an “IPTVnator subscription” or a “Megacubo Premium subscription” that do not belong to them. IPTVnator publishes a warning about it, as this section publishes its own on identifying the official site.
Frequently asked questions
Are both of them open source?
Yes. Megacubo is GPL-3.0 and IPTVnator is MIT for the code — its project explains that the licence does not cover the name or the logo.
Which of the two runs on Android TV?
Megacubo has an app for Android and Android TV, with an interface a remote control can navigate. IPTVnator is distributed as a desktop application (Electron) and as an installable PWA in the browser, with remote control of the desktop from a phone.
Do I have to pay for either of them?
No. In both, watching your playlists is free. Megacubo has an optional one-time Premium license for recording streams, downloading VOD, scheduling recordings and casting to the TV.