What Are the Best Web Browser Apps for Your Smart TV?

By Trae Jacobs,

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Many smart TVs come with web browsers pre-installed. But if yours doesn’t or you don’t like the default browser, you may be looking for another way to browse the web on your smart TV.

Here are four browsers we recommend for the optimal web browsing experience to avoid any lagging or glitches.

1. Puffin TV Browser

The Puffin TV Browser is one of the best smart TV web browsers available. It’s supported on Android TV, as well as Hisense’s VIDAA OS.

This user-friendly web browser even allows you to stream movies, TV shows, and music directly from the browser window.

Pros of Puffin TV Browser

Some of the things people love about the Puffin TV web browser include:

Supports Flash content
Supports VPNs
Excellent browsing speed
Good user interface

Cons of Puffin TV Browser

Users experience compatibility issues with certain websites while using the Puffin browser, and it’s sometimes slow to load.

And if you’re looking for a free web browser for your smart TV, steer clear of Puffin — there’s a monthly subscription fee.

2. Opera Web Browser

The Opera web browser is available on many different smart TVs, including:

LG TV
Sony TV
Insignia TV
Toshiba TV

Because it’s so widely available, it’s one of the most popular apps for browsing the internet on a smart TV.

Pros of the Opera Web Browser

The biggest advantage of using the Opera web browser on your smart TV is that it’s compatible with a wide range of TV brands. Some other things users like include:

It doesn’t take up much storage space
It has a built-in ad blocker
There’s an integrated AI bot

Overall, the Opera web browser is a good choice for most smart TV owners due to its versatility, compatibility, and speed.

Cons of the Opera TV Web Browser

While there are a lot of advantages of the Opera web browser, users do report a few problems.

Browser updates can sometimes delete stored passwords and browsing history, and even though there is a built-in ad blocker, there aren’t a lot of other privacy and security features.

3. TV Bro Web Browser

TV Bro is another great web browser, and it works on any smart TV that uses the Android or Google operating system.

It’s one of the most commonly used third-party TV web browsers, and users have great things to say about it.

Pros of TV Bro

The TV Bro Web Browser is easy to control using your TV’s remote, and it displays web pages well on a smart TV.

The controls are intuitive and user-friendly, which is part of what makes it so popular among smart TV users.

Cons of TV Bro

The biggest complaint users have about TV Bro is the number of ads and pop-ups. To fix this, you’ll need to install an ad blocker.

Since the browser is still new, developers have some minor tweaks to make before it’s perfect for web browsing.

4. TV-Specific Web Browsers

While some built-in web browsers won’t offer everything you need, there are a few worth mentioning.

It’s good to use a TV-specific web browser because you know it’ll be completely compatible with your smart TV. Here are a few TV-specific web browsers we think are worth checking out:

Smart TV Brand	Web Browser
Samsung	Built-in Samsung browser
LG	Built-in LG browser
Fire TV	Amazon Silk

Of the three mentioned above, our favorite is the Samsung Smart TV browser. It includes privacy and security extensions that give you a secure browsing experience, as well as an extension that translates web pages into other languages.

Can I Use Google Chrome on My Smart TV?

When it comes to web browsers, Google Chrome is a force to be reckoned with.

But despite what you may expect, this web browser doesn’t come pre-installed on Android or Google TVs, nor is it available in the Google Play Store.

If you want to use it on your Google or Android TV, you’ll need to sideload it.

Download ES File Manager from the Google Play Store.
Download the Google Chrome APK file onto your computer. Once it’s on your computer, move it to a USB flash drive.
Open your TV’s Settings and navigate through Personal > Security & Restrictions.
Enable “Unknown Sources.”
Connect the flash drive to one of your TV’s USB ports.
Open ES File Manager on your TV and select your USB drive.
Open the APK file and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Once you install the APK file, you should see the Google Chrome icon on your Android TV’s home screen.

If you don’t, download the Sideload Launcher app from the Google Play Store and use that to open it.

Using a Smart TV Browser vs. Computer Browser

When it comes to web browsing, the average smart TV has a 1.2 GHz processor. This is far lower than the average computer.

Because of this, you’re more likely to experience lagging and glitching. Most sites require a higher processor than a smart TV has, so the interface won’t be as efficient.

Additionally, pages may be harder to navigate. Some smart TVs allow you to connect a computer mouse, but others require you to use the remote. If you can’t connect a mouse, using voice search is an easier option.

The biggest advantage of browsing the web on your TV compared to a computer is screen size. You’ll have access to all the same elements you would on a computer, just with a bigger screen.