Quick answer
On Linux you have four sensible paths. VLC is the easy way to open a playlist. Kodi gives you a full media center if you accept some setup. Hypnotix is a simple IPTV app made for Linux Mint. HHPlayer for Linux is a free IPTV app with a TV guide, catch-up, movies and series, and it ships as a single AppImage for most 64-bit distributions.
No player includes channels or playlists. You add an M3U link or an Xtream Codes login from a provider you are entitled to use. Information is as of November 2026.
What to look for
- M3U and Xtream Codes. A link and a server, username and password login are different things; see M3U vs Xtream Codes.
- A TV guide (EPG) built from XMLTV data. More in TV guide, EPG and catch-up explained.
- Catch-up and series. Restart a programme, resume a series, next episode.
- Easy install. One file, or a package from your distribution; no dependency hunting.
- Keyboard control. Arrows, number keys for channels, search.
- Your architecture. x64 PCs, ARM64 laptops and the Raspberry Pi.
The options compared
HHPlayer
A free IPTV app that takes M3U links and Xtream Codes logins. It shows live TV by category with favorites and a live preview, a full TV guide grid from your provider’s XMLTV data, and catch-up or restart when the provider offers an archive or Xtream timeshift. Movies and series have seasons, resume and next-episode autoplay. Since version 1.0.9 a second channel can play in a small corner window, which you can swap, move and give the sound. You can search across everything, keep several playlists that refresh automatically, and set a parental lock. No ads, no account, no in-app purchases; playlists and history stay on your computer. See all features.
VLC
Free and open-source, available on Linux, macOS and Windows. It opens M3U playlists as a list of streams and plays almost any format. As a general media player it isn’t organised around channels, a guide grid or series resume.
Kodi
A free, open-source media center that runs on Linux. IPTV comes through the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on, which reads an M3U playlist and an XMLTV guide and supports several catch-up modes. Flexible and powerful, with more configuration, and Xtream is handled as a catch-up mode rather than a login.
Hypnotix
An IPTV app from the Linux Mint project, licensed under GPLv3. Its documentation lists live TV, movies and series, M3U URLs, Xtream API and local M3U files, and several providers. It notes that on Wayland you need to force X11 for video output. Its documentation doesn’t mention a TV guide, so check that it fits your needs. Smooth if you already run Linux Mint.
mpv
A free, open-source player, mostly used from the command line, with no built-in playlist manager or guide. It suits people who want a minimal tool and are comfortable launching streams from a terminal.
What about Smarters Pro?
The current IPTV Smarters app, Smarters Pro by Tech Smarters, lists Android, iPhone, Apple TV, Windows and macOS (the last two as v1.0 beta), Samsung TV and a web player on its website, but no Linux version as of November 2026. See HHPlayer vs IPTV Smarters.
Comparison table
| Option | Cost | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HHPlayer | Free, no ads | IPTV app, AppImage (x64, ARM64) | TV guide, catch-up, series, second channel |
| VLC | Free | General media player | Opening a playlist quickly |
| Kodi | Free | Media center with a PVR add-on | A configurable home theatre |
| Hypnotix | Free | IPTV app from Linux Mint | Simple IPTV on Mint |
| mpv | Free | Command-line player | Minimal setups |
How to install HHPlayer on Linux
You need a 64-bit Linux desktop (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Mint, Arch and others) and about 120 MB of space. Use x64 for most PCs, or ARM64 for ARM laptops and a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with a 64-bit system.
- Download the AppImage for your computer from the Linux page.
- Make it executable:
chmod +x HHPlayer-linux-x86_64.AppImage, or in your file manager open Properties and allow executing the file as a program. - Open it by double-clicking, or run
./HHPlayer-linux-x86_64.AppImage. - Add your M3U link or Xtream Codes login. To try it first, use the demo playlist.
If it doesn’t start and mentions FUSE, install FUSE 2 (for example sudo apt install libfuse2 on Debian-based systems, with the package name libfuse2t64 on Ubuntu 24.04), or run it with --appimage-extract-and-run. To update, download the new AppImage and replace the old file; your playlists are kept.
Tips
- Keep the file somewhere stable, such as a folder in your home directory, so launchers keep working.
- Guide and catch-up come from your provider. They appear only if it supplies XMLTV data or an archive.
- Keep your playlist link private: it identifies your subscription.
- Need help? See the support page.
Our verdict
For a quick test, VLC is hard to beat. If you want an IPTV experience with a guide, catch-up and series that works the same way as on a TV, HHPlayer is a free option with a one-file install. Kodi rewards tinkering, and Hypnotix is a neat choice on Linux Mint. We make HHPlayer, so compare for yourself.
On other systems, see the Windows and Mac comparisons. HHPlayer includes no content: use a playlist from a provider you are entitled to use.
Questions and answers
What is the best IPTV player for Linux?
It depends on how much setup you want. VLC and mpv are general players, Kodi is a configurable media center, and HHPlayer for Linux is a free IPTV app with a TV guide, catch-up and series resume, shipped as one AppImage.
Can VLC play an M3U playlist on Linux?
Yes. VLC is free and open-source, and it opens M3U playlists as a list of streams. For a TV guide grid or catch-up you need a player built for IPTV or a Kodi add-on.
What is an AppImage and how do I run it?
An AppImage is a single file that runs on most distributions without installation. Download it, make it executable (chmod +x, or in your file manager’s Properties) and open it. If it mentions FUSE, install FUSE 2.
Does HHPlayer run on a Raspberry Pi?
HHPlayer offers an ARM64 AppImage for ARM laptops and for the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 with a 64-bit operating system.
Is IPTV legal?
The player is legal software. Whether watching is legal depends on the content and the provider. HHPlayer includes no channels or playlists, so use a provider you are entitled to use.