Qanat vs TiviMate: a TiviMate alternative for Google TV
Qanat is a player only. Bring your own subscription. TiviMate works the same way: you add a playlist from your own IPTV provider and the app plays it. Neither app ships channels, movies or provider links.
The short answer
TiviMate is the established all-rounder. Its listing covers a full EPG grid, multiple playlists, catch-up, search and parental controls, plus two things Qanat does not have yet: recording and multi-view. Qanat is the alternative for a household that wants everything free, no ads, an app that also works on a phone by touch, a full Arabic right-to-left interface and sign-in by QR code. If a DVR is what you are after, pick TiviMate. If the price being zero and the interface being in Arabic is what you are after, pick Qanat.
Side by side
| Feature | Qanat | TiviMate |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | Free | Free + paid upgrade |
| Contains ads | ✗ | ✗ |
| Xtream Codes | ✓ | ✓ |
| M3U | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stalker / MAC | ✓ | ✓ |
| EPG grid | ✓ | ✓ |
| Catch-up | ✓ | ✓ |
| Timeshift | ✓ | — |
| Recording (DVR) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-view | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | ✗ | — |
| Profiles + PIN | ✓ | — |
| Phones by touch | ✓ | ✗ |
| Full Arabic RTL | ✓ | — |
| On Google Play | Coming soon | ✓ |
Where TiviMate is better
- Recording. TiviMate's listing includes recording, so you can keep a show and watch it later. Qanat has no DVR today and does not pretend otherwise.
- Multi-view. TiviMate can show several channels at once on the big screen. Qanat plays one channel at a time.
- Maturity. TiviMate is a long-established app with a broad feature list — an EPG grid, catch-up, multiple playlists, search and parental controls — and a large user base behind it.
Where Qanat is different
- Free, with no paid tier. No in-app purchases, no ads, no account, no tracking. TiviMate is free with a paid upgrade; Qanat's price is zero.
- Phones by touch. TiviMate's listing says it is not optimized for touch devices such as phones or tablets. Qanat runs on Android phones with touch controls and a phone-sized layout.
- Full Arabic right-to-left. Every screen of Qanat — drawer, guide, search, settings — is Arabic-first with mirrored layouts, and the app ships in 13 languages.
- Profiles with a kids mode, plus a parental PIN. TiviMate lists parental controls; Qanat adds separate profiles, each with its own favourites and watch history.
- Sign in by QR code. Scan a code with your phone and the playlist details are typed on the phone, not on the TV keyboard.
- Fire TV, the direct way. A signed APK with a published SHA-256 and signing certificate (Downloader code
3328259) that updates itself; Qanat's Google Play build is on the way.
How to try Qanat
Qanat is free and installs in about a minute. On a Fire TV, open the free Downloader app, enter code 3328259 and confirm the install. On an Android TV box or an Android phone, download the same signed APK. You can also sign in by scanning a QR code with your phone, so you never have to type a password with the remote. Either way Qanat stays a player: add a playlist from your own provider and your channels appear.