7 Useful, but Little-Known Smart TV Apps

This guide organizes the entries in "7 Useful, but Little-Known Smart TV Apps" and explains what each option, idea, or example offers. It also highlights practical details that matter when comparing the choices.

7. Lifetime Movie Club

The Lifetime Movie Club has a lot of cheesy movies. There's no denying that that's what makes movies so fun, like the weird charm of The Room.

It's not all bad, though. You'll find some great shows, like Stalked By My Doctor, starring Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), which get weirder and more absurd as the show progresses. The library is always being updated with more modern movies and real-life TV shows, but the better stuff is in the platform's classics collection, where you'll find some surprisingly good TV shows.

• Get Lifetime Movie Club for Android | iOS | Roku (Free trial, subscription required)

6. VLC

Many people have a USB stick with a few of their favorite DVDs in case the internet goes down and the family wants to watch a movie. Smart TVs show videos and photos by default, but they prefer VLC because of its wider format compatibility. You don't have to worry about some of your files being unreadable.

Use VLC to view images and videos stored on USB

• Download VLC for Android | iOS | Fire TV (Free)

5. tvQuickActions

One thing that many people have complained about with Smart TV remotes is the lack of customization. Unless you choose to set up a universal remote, the buttons will only work according to the function they were programmed to do. But you can change that with tvQuickActions.

• Get tvQuickActions for Android (Free; in-app purchases available)

4. Aerial Views

Aerial Views won't change your life. It's just a screensaver app, but it supports 4K HDR and Dolby Vision video. Aerial Views is a great choice for using your Smart TV as a wall art and helps prevent image retention. Like VLC, it can pull images and videos from a USB drive to create a gallery for the viewer.

• Download Aerial Views for Android | Fire TV (Free)

3. Shout! TV

Shout! TV is one of those little-known streaming services that many people frequent because of its massive library of B- and C-movies, especially from the last decade or so. You'll immediately be drawn to the Jackie Chan collection and what the platform calls its "VHS Vault."

• Get Shout! TV for Android | iOS | Fire TV | Roku (Free, subscription available)

2. Projectivy Launcher

Even if you're not a fan of changing the UI on your Smart TV, you can make an exception with Projectivy Launcher. Instead of being bombarded with unswitchable ads or having to endure an annoying UI, this app gives you tons of customization options to make your TV's home page look nicer. It's designed to be your main launcher instead of using your Smart TV's home page.

• Download Projectivy Launcher for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

1. Minecraft Tips and Tricks

The Minecraft Tips and Tricks app is quite unique in that it is only available for Vizio (installed via the app store) and Roku Smart TVs and streaming sticks. It is a YouTube -style platform that hosts Minecraft videos. Some people love to use it for Minecraft inspiration, so it has become a staple in many homes.

• Download Minecraft Tips and Tricks for Roku (Free)