Looking for the best browser for Google TV to supercharge your browsing experience? You’ve landed on the ultimate guide. We’re cutting through the clutter to give you the top browsers optimized for Google TV. Whether you’re focused on speed, features, or user interface, we’ve got the right browser picks for you. Let’s go ahead and get started.
Google launched the Google TV user interface for its Android TV in 2020, and it’s set to replace the old interface completely before 2023. Currently, you can enjoy Google TV on different devices, including smart TVs, Chromecast, and mobile.
With this new software interface, you can access multiple streaming channels. Platforms like Netflix, Disney+, HBOMax, YouTube, Prime Video, and Apple TV are available.
Another interesting thing you can do with Google TV is to browse the internet. The platform supports some popular browsers, but users often find it difficult to find the right browser to use.
There are plenty of browsers for Google TV such as Puffin TV Browser, TV Bro, Mozilla Firefox and others. However the best browser for Google TV is Google Chrome which is known for its super speed and great performance.Â
Let’s dig into these browsers a bit more.
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Best Browsers For Google TV
- 1. Google Chrome – Best Browser for Google TV
- 2. Puffin TV Browser – Fastest Googleo TV Web Browser
- 3. TVWeb Browser for TV
- 4. TV Bro
- 5. Mozilla Firefox – Easy-to-Use Browser for Google TV
- 6. Odin Browser
- 7. JioPagesTV
- 8. Kiwi Browser
- 9. TV-Browser Internet
- 10. Vewd Browser (Formerly, Opera TV Browser) – Relaible & User-Friendly Option For Browsing on Google TV
- 11. Web Video Cast
- 12. BrowseHere – TV Web Browser
- Best Browsers For Google TV – Bottom Line
Best Browsers For Google TV
1. Google Chrome – Best Browser for Google TV
You most likely already use Chrome, as it’s the most popular web browser in the world. Many people choose the browser because it’s easy to use and fast.
Chrome and Google TV are products of Google, so Google TV supports the browser. Like on any other device, you can access your favorite sites with Chrome on Google TV.
However, unlike many Android devices, Chrome doesn’t come preinstalled with Google TV. You must download it yourself.
You can download and install Chrome on Google TV directly via the Play Store, but it must be on an Android TV. You may not be able to install the app directly if you use Samsung or Sony smart TVs.
Chrome is one of the safest web browsers available. It’s updated every six weeks with safety fixes to protect you. The settings and privacy controls put you in charge of how you want to manage your data.
With Chrome on your Google TV, you can easily connect to other Google services, like Gmail, Google Assistant, and Google Pay. Furthermore, Chrome for Google TV supports controller shortcuts. It makes using the browser effortless.
2. Puffin TV Browser – Fastest Googleo TV Web Browser
With more than 150 million downloads, Puffin Browser is a widely-used browser, even though its name is not overly popular. The browser has different versions for desktop, mobile, and, most importantly, smart TVs.
You can download and install Puffin TV Browser on your Google TV from the Play Store. The TV browser alone has more than five million downloads. You can download it free, but you must pay in-app subscriptions to browse.
One of the things you’ll love about Puffin TV Browser is the intuitive UI. It’s optimized for not just Android smart TVs but also set-top boxes. Furthermore, the browser is fast – both in loading and rendering – and you can share URLs from any device.
While you can control the browser with the TV remote, it’s best you use the Puffin TV remote app. You can download and install the remote app from the Google Play Store on an Android mobile device.
A fascinating feature of the Puffin browser is the chatbot. The chatbot lets you interact with the browser using the Facebook Messenger app, which makes operating much easier.
As mentioned earlier, Puffin requires a subscription. However, you can use the app for free for one hour per day. The free hour comes with ads.
Furthermore, Puffin has an advanced browser solution known as Puffin 365. It has plans for personal, family, business, education, and enterprise customers.
3. TVWeb Browser for TV
Rarity Co. released TVWeb Browser in 2016 for Android TV. It works seamlessly with Google TV and is available for download on the Play Store.
TVWeb Browser For TV doesn’t have all the many features you would expect from a browser, especially on mobile and desktop devices. Nevertheless, it has the primary features you’ll need to browse conveniently.
Its features include search, bookmarks, browsing history, search engine selection, and UserAgent switching. The search engine selection allows you to search the web using your favorite search engine.
However, the standout feature of TVWeb Browser For TV is the UserAgent switching. It lets you change your user-agent strings, which allows you to browse with different browser details. You don’t get such a feature on many TV browsers.
Furthermore, the browser works seamlessly with the Android TV remote. You won’t need to install any additional remote app.
You can download and install TVWeb Browser For TV for free. The app doesn’t have any in-app purchases.
4. TV Bro
TV Bro is an open-source browser for smart TVs. Updated in early 2022, it’s a relatively recent browser with over 100,000 downloads.
With TV Bro, you can enjoy some standard features on mobile and desktop browsers on your Google TV. The browser has tabs and bookmarks support, and you can switch your user agent. Other features of the browser include shortcuts and browsing history.
Notably, you can browse without recording your browsing history and other data in incognito mode. Furthermore, you can voice search with TV Bro, and there’s a built-in manager for better file organization.
The browser is free, with no hidden subscriptions or other payments. It’s available in English and German, and the interface is clean and simple. All these make it one of the best for Google TV.
You can customize and add more features to the TV Bro browser if you’re a developer, as it’s open-source. In particular, the most recent features, like the settings and translations, are from different programmers. You can access the source code on GitHub.
5. Mozilla Firefox – Easy-to-Use Browser for Google TV
Mozilla Firefox is one of the most used browsers in the world. It has all the features you’ll need for browsing the internet on any device.
You can use the Mozilla Firefox browser on your Google TV. While you can’t download the browser directly, you can sideload it using a third-party app.
In particular, you can use the popular AFTVNews Downloader app that works for all Android TV devices. The app is available on Google Play Store and is free to download.
Afterward, enable download from other sources on your Google TV. After installing, you can use the browser like any other. Mozilla Firefox boasts fast, private, and safe browsing, and it’s no different on a smart TV.
The browser interface on TVs isn’t very different from other devices. It’s similar to the desktop interface.
Some Google TV users who sideload Mozilla Firefox complain of slight issues with control using the Google TV remote. If you experience such, you can switch to using a mouse or keyboard. Alternatively, you can get a Bluetooth Android remote.
6. Odin Browser
Odin Browser is a relatively light browser app developed by Hisense TV. The app is for Android TV users who want to perform simple browsing tasks, such as reading the news or watching videos on the internet.
It’s a popular browser for Google TV on Google Play Store, with more than 500,000 downloads. You don’t pay to use Odin Browser. Also, the browser works seamlessly with the TV remote.
Some of the browser’s top features include quick search, preset navigation page, browsing history, page zoom, and full-screen mode.
Notably, the browser supports HLS, which allows you to stream live videos on the web. It also supports MSE and Dash.
7. JioPagesTV
The JioPages mobile app has more than 10 million downloads. Many users love the app due to its fast speed and safety. You can get the same experience on your Google TV with the JioPagesTV browser.
The JioPagesTV browser works for all Android TVs, and like the mobile version, it’s free. It’s one of the best Google TV browsers for streaming, faster downloading, and overall seamless browsing.
Notably, the browser saves data, and you’ll appreciate features like the built-in download manager, PDF reader, and voice search.
From the JioPagesTV homepage, you get access to videos curated from different websites. This includes music, news, movies, entertainment, and lifestyle videos, to name a few.
Another feature to love about the JioPagesTV browser is the browsing modes. The browser has two browsing modes: default browsing and incognito private modes.
Typically, the incognito mode doesn’t record your browsing history but lets you bookmark browsing links.
Furthermore, you can browse JioPagesTV in different languages. However, as an Indian web browser, the different languages are all Indian languages. They include Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Bengali.
8. Kiwi Browser
Described as fast and quiet, Kiwi Browser is another popular browser for Google TV users. Most users using this browser confirm that it works on the smart TV when sideloaded.
Hence, while Kiwi is available on Google Play Store, you won’t be able to download it directly. You should sideload it with a third-party downloader app.
Kiwi Browser is chromium-based, which means you get a browsing experience similar to Google Chrome. The interface is intuitive, and you can start browsing immediately after installation.
The browser has the popular incognito mode that lets you browse with storing browsing history or other website data. In addition, it comes with an ad and pop-up blocker, allowing you to browse without interruptions.
However, what you’ll enjoy most with Kiwi Browser is the browser speed. The browser comes with an optimized engine enabling unparalleled speed. The ad and pop-up blocker mentioned previously also contribute.
Like many apps you sideload on Google TV or any Android TV, you may be unable to use Kiwi Browser with the default remote. Hence, you should use a mouse, Bluetooth Android remote, or keyboard for the best experience.
9. TV-Browser Internet
TV-Browser Internet is a freemium browser app built for Android TVs. It’s a relatively new browser, as it was launched in 2021. However, it already has over five million downloads on Google Play Store alone.
After installation, you can use the app for free on your Google TV for 60 days. Afterward, you must pay a subscription to continue using it. Nevertheless, the TV-Browser Internet app isn’t expensive and is worth its price.
The browser natively supports Android TV and it is available in Google Play Store. It will work seamlessly with the TV remote – you won’t need any third-party option. Also, it has a relatively simple interface.
The TV-Browser Internet browser’s menu has four options: Home, Bookmarks, History, and Settings. From the home screen, you’ll find shortcuts to popular search engines, including Google, Bing, and Baidu. You can add more shortcuts to the home screen by adding bookmarks.
While the browser keeps a record of your browsing history, it doesn’t collect any of your other data. It doesn’t take cookies and can’t detect your location.
Furthermore, the app has built-in pop-up blockers. As a result, it’s one of the best browsers for Google TV if you’re particular about privacy.
10. Vewd Browser (Formerly, Opera TV Browser) – Relaible & User-Friendly Option For  Browsing on Google TV
Formerly known as Opera TV Browser, Vewd Browser is exclusive to smart TVs. Designed with virtual mouse navigation, an on-screen keyboard, and other accessibility features, it’s one of the best and simplest Google TV browsers.
Using Vewd Browser is more or less like using Opera desktop. The browser launched in 2015 as a fork of the Opera software. It became Vewd Browser in 2017.
Vewd Browser uses a unique Vewd Core engine, which is fast and secure. Consequently, it allows a consistent browsing experience on not only Google TV, but also any smart TV.
Notably, the browser has some impressive features. One is the speed dial, which allows you to keep your favorite websites within quick reach. You only need to click a heart icon as you browse the websites. It’s like adding bookmarks to the home screen.
You’ll appreciate the light and uncluttered interface of Vewd Browser. It has smart options like automatic page sizing, which automatically renders web pages to fit your TV screen.
Note that Vewd Browser works best with Sony Android TVs. Hence, it’s a recommended option if you use the Google TV interface on a Sony smart TV. You won’t need a third-party mouse or keyboard, as the browser works with the standard TV remote.
11. Web Video Cast
Web Video Cast isn’t specifically a web browser. However, it lets you cast your mobile browser screen to your smart TV. It’s a dependable option for browsing on your Google TV, considering the device doesn’t have native support for many browsers.
Web Video Cast is ideal if you mainly want to stream videos on websites. It lets you cast TV shows, live streams, movies, sports, and more. You can also cast photos and audio devices, and local files.
The app supports many popular smart TVs. In particular, it works seamlessly with Chromecast, which makes it an ideal option if you use Chromecast with the Google TV interface.
Similarly, Web Video Cast works with all major mobile and desktop browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. You can contact the app developers if you have any compatibility issues, and they’ll address them.
The app is free to use but with limited features and adverts. You’ll need to pay a subscription if you want to access all Web Video Cast features.
The premium features include no in-app ads, bookmarks, video history, home screen shortcuts, and settings. Hence, the app works more like a browser when you use the premium version.
12. BrowseHere – TV Web Browser
BrowseHere TV Web Browser promises a brand-new browsing experience on your smart TV. It works for TCL Android TV, Android TV box, and Android Set-top box. You can use the browser with the Google TV interface on any of these devices.
Since it natively supports the Android TV OS, BrowseHere TV Web Browser is fully functional with the TV remote. The browser has standard features like bookmarks, browsing history, and search engine shortcuts.
However, the highlight feature of BrowseHere TV Web Browser is the ad and cookie blocker. Thanks to the efficient ad-blocking technology, you can browse without the disturbances caused by ads. In addition, websites won’t be able to track your data via cookies.
Another top feature is the integrated player. It lets you watch and stream live TV from IPTV providers.
In particular, you can access free content from different IPTV providers on your homepage by default. You can also share URLs from your mobile phone to your TV browser via QR Code.
With the trends, you can easily keep up with breaking news and articles from top publications on the internet. While it was launched in 2021, BrowseHere TV Web Browser already has over a million downloads, which shows it’s dependable.
Best Browsers For Google TV – Bottom Line
Google TV supports only a few web browsers, as not all Android TV browsers are compatible with the interface. You can use any of these web browsers listed above on your Google TV.
While browsers like Puffin, TVWeb, and TV Bro can be downloaded from Google Play Store, you can sideload others from their respective websites.
Scott L. Macarthur is a marketing consultant and an online author. He is mostly engaged in providing his expertise to startups and SMBs. He is also an author on TheNextWeb.