Best IPTV Player With EPG and Catch-Up (2026): Which Apps Actually Deliver

Buyer's question first: does your service actually offer catch-up? Because no player can invent it. Catch-up is recorded on the provider's servers and switched on channel by channel; the player only shows you what's there. If your service doesn't provide it, every app on this page will show a guide and nothing to rewind.

Short answer: assuming it does, TiviMate Premium ($11.99 a year or $33.99 lifetime) is the best player for guide plus catch-up on Android TV and Fire TV. On Apple devices, UHF does it well in its free tier. On a PC or Mac, Kodi with the PVR IPTV Simple Client is free and capable, if slower to set up.

How catch-up reaches your screen

Three pieces have to line up.

The archive. Your service records selected channels for a set number of days, often 1 to 7. In Xtream Codes logins, each channel carries a flag saying whether an archive exists and how many days it covers. M3U playlists use attributes like catchup and catchup-days instead.

The guide. An XMLTV file (the EPG) tells the player what aired when. Without it, the player knows there's an archive but can't show you "the 8pm news on Tuesday" to tap on.

The player. It reads the flags, matches guide entries to channels by ID, and builds the right request for a past programme. Some players handle every catch-up format; some only handle Xtream.

If any one is missing, catch-up fails. That's why the same service can show catch-up in TiviMate and not in a basic smart TV app. Our catch-up explainer goes into the formats.

Players compared on guide and catch-up

Prices from official store listings and developer pages in September 2026. They vary by region.

Why TiviMate's guide is the benchmark

Two things make it stand out. The guide grid loads quickly even with thousands of channels and a week of data, and past programmes with an archive are marked clearly, so you can scroll back to yesterday evening and press OK. No hunting in a separate "catch-up" menu.

It also lets you add a separate guide source when your provider's EPG is thin, and adjust the time offset when the guide runs an hour out, which happens after daylight-saving changes. Both fix the most common catch-up complaint: tapping a show and getting the one before it.

The catch: catch-up is a Premium feature. Free TiviMate shows the guide but not the archive. If you're on a Fire TV, also check it's a Fire OS model; the Vega OS stick can't run TiviMate. TiviMate Premium explained.

On Apple devices

UHF is the pick. The free tier includes the guide and catch-up, and it adds timeshift, which buffers live TV so you can pause and rewind the current programme even on channels without an archive. That covers the most common real-world need: "I missed the last ten minutes".

iPlayTV ($5.99 once) also does Xtream catch-up on Apple TV, but updates have slowed. If you want recording on top, Channels DVR, running on a Mac or PC, records to disk and plays back on Apple TV.

On PC and Mac

Kodi with the PVR IPTV Simple Client is the free route with the most control. In the add-on settings you choose the catch-up mode (it supports several formats), set how many days to show, and point it at your XMLTV guide. Once configured, past programmes play straight from the guide.

It is fiddly. Expect twenty minutes the first time. Our Kodi IPTV setup guide covers the catch-up settings. On a Mac, UHF is the easier alternative.

On smart TVs, lower your expectations

Samsung and LG players like IBO Player Pro and Smart IPTV show a guide, and some play Xtream catch-up. Support is less consistent than on Android, it varies with TV model year, and guides are slower with big playlists. If catch-up is the feature you care about, a $50 streaming stick running TiviMate is the better buy.

Checking your service before you buy

Before paying for any player, confirm three things with the free tier or a trial:

1. Which channels have an archive, and for how long. Often it's only the main channels. Your service's help pages or support should tell you.
2. That the guide matches. Open the EPG and check a few channels show the right programme right now. Mismatches are usually a guide URL or channel ID problem; see why the EPG isn't loading.
3. That a past programme plays from the start. Pick something from yesterday and check it begins at the right time.

If your service doesn't offer catch-up at all, you have two choices: record yourself (see recording options) or use broadcasters' own on-demand apps, which are licensed and often free.

Quick answers

What's the best IPTV player with EPG and catch-up? TiviMate Premium on Android and Fire TV; UHF on Apple devices; Kodi on Windows.

Why doesn't catch-up work in my player? Usually the service hasn't enabled an archive for that channel, or the guide doesn't match the channel IDs.

Is there a free player with catch-up? Yes: OTT Navigator, UHF's free tier and Kodi all support catch-up at no cost.

Is catch-up the same as recording? No. Catch-up is stored by your service for a limited time. Recording saves to your own storage.

How many days of catch-up will I get? Whatever your service stores, often between 1 and 7 days, and usually only on some channels.

Does TiviMate's free version have catch-up? No. Catch-up needs TiviMate Premium.

What's timeshift? Pausing and rewinding the programme currently airing, buffered by the player. UHF and Kodi support it.

Catch-up availability depends on your service and varies by channel. Player prices from official listings and vary by region; players contain no channels. Checked September 2026.