The short version
If you already watch on an Apple TV with Flex, keeping Flex on your iPhone is the path of least resistance and there is nothing wrong with it. If your main screens are an iPhone and an iPad, Kanalo gives you a player designed for those screens, without ads, with a faster guide and a proper iPad layout.
Feature comparison
Side by side, based on the App Store versions available at the time of writing.
| Feature | Kanalo | Flex IPTV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro from €0.99/month | Free with in-app upgrade; Apple TV app sold separately |
| Ads | None, ever | Ads in the free version |
| Account required | No account | No account |
| Playlist sources | M3U, M3U8 and Xtream Codes | M3U and Xtream Codes |
| EPG guide | Free, opens instantly on large playlists | Yes |
| Catch-up | No | Yes, with providers that support it |
| Picture in Picture | Native iOS PiP PRO | Varies by version |
| AirPlay | Live TV, movies and series PRO | Yes |
| Chromecast | Live TV, movies and series PRO | No |
| Offline downloads | Pro | No |
| iPad layout | Dedicated sidebar and split view | Adapted iPhone layout |
| Apple TV app | Not yet | Yes |
Ads and price
Flex IPTV on iPhone is free with ads and an in-app upgrade to remove them and unlock extras; the Apple TV version is a separate paid app. So a household with an Apple TV and an iPhone ends up paying twice, once per platform.
Kanalo is free to download and free to use. Pro adds Picture in Picture, AirPlay, Chromecast, offline downloads, unlimited playlist refreshes and Family Sharing for €0.99 a month, €9.99 a year or €39.99 once. Kanalo does not have an Apple TV app yet, so there is nothing to pay twice for — but also nothing to install on the TV.
Privacy and where your playlist lives
Kanalo has no account system. Your M3U URL or Xtream host, username and password are stored only on your iPhone or iPad. There are no analytics SDKs and no third-party trackers. Delete the app and the credentials go with it.
Flex stores your playlists on the device and does not need an account. The free iPhone version includes an ad SDK, which means third-party network traffic while the app is running.
iPad, PiP, AirPlay and Chromecast
Kanalo ships a real iPad layout: a sidebar for groups and favourites, a large live preview and a landscape player with an up-next dock. Native iOS Picture in Picture works for live TV, movies and series, AirPlay sends the stream to Apple TV or any AirPlay receiver, and Chromecast beams it to a compatible TV on the same Wi-Fi network PRO .
Flex runs on iPad with an adapted layout that keeps the Apple TV-style navigation. AirPlay works; Chromecast is not part of Flex. Catch-up is a real advantage of Flex if your provider offers it — Kanalo does not support catch-up today.
Where Flex still wins
Flex IPTV wins whenever the Apple TV is involved. It also wins on catch-up: if your provider supports rewinding programmes from the guide, Flex can use that and Kanalo cannot. And if you have already paid for Flex on tvOS, the muscle memory carries over.
Which one should you pick?
- Pick Kanalo if you watch mostly on iPhone and iPad and want no ads, a fast guide, a real iPad layout and Chromecast.
- Pick Flex IPTV if the Apple TV is your main screen, or if catch-up from your provider matters to you.
About this comparison
Kanalo is independent and not affiliated with the other apps mentioned here. Feature notes reflect the versions available on the App Store at the time of writing (September 2026) and can change with updates — check the current listing before you decide.