What you are comparing

When you start a trial or a plan, we send your access in the format you prefer. Neither format changes what you can watch: the difference is only in how your player app receives the information.

Some apps accept both, some only one, and portal apps such as Smart STB use a third route, portal access, linked to your device's MAC address.

Side by side

QuestionM3U linkXtream Codes login
What it isA single web address pointing to a playlist fileA server address, username and password
How you enter itPaste one lineFill in three short fields
Easiest onPhones and computers, where pasting is simpleTV remotes, where shorter fields are quicker
Apps that accept itMost players, including Kodi with the official add-onMany players, such as TiviMate, XCIPTV and IPTV Smarters
If it stops workingCheck the full address was copied without spacesCheck each field, especially the server address

Which one should you use?

M3U link suits you if

  • Your app only accepts playlists, such as IPTV Extreme, GSE Smart IPTV or Kodi
  • You can copy and paste easily on your device
  • You want to keep one line to move between apps

Xtream Codes login suits you if

  • Your app is built around logins, such as XCIPTV
  • You are typing with a TV remote
  • You prefer three short fields to one long address

Using them with Streamora

Tell us your device and app when you ask for the trial, and we send the format that suits it. MAG boxes and Smart STB use portal access instead.

Common questions

Will one format give me more channels?

No. With Streamora, both formats open exactly the same service.

Can I switch from one format to the other later?

Yes. Ask support and we send the other format.

Is a portal the same thing?

No. Portal access is a third route, used by MAG boxes and portal apps such as Smart STB.

Why does my app reject the link?

Usually a character was lost when copying. Paste it again from our message, without spaces at either end.

Where M3U and Xtream Codes fit

The two ways a player app can receive your Streamora access, compared.

Works on

  • Android TV & Google TVGoogle's TV platform on many televisions and boxes, with apps from Google Play.
  • Phones and tabletsAndroid phones, iPhone and iPad use the mobile versions of the same player apps.
  • PC and MacComputers play streams through desktop player apps.
  • Built-in TV appsApps that run on the television itself, with no extra box to plug in.

Uses

  • M3U playlistA text list of stream addresses that a player app reads from a link.
  • Xtream Codes loginA server address, username and password that a player uses to open your account.
  • Portal accessA server address that MAG boxes and portal apps open, linked to the device's MAC address.

Alternatives

  • IPTV Smarters ProA player for M3U playlists and API-based logins, offered on phones, TVs and computers.
  • TiviMateA player designed for Android TV, built around the TV remote.
  • XCIPTVAn Android player for phones, tablets and TVs that accepts Xtream Codes logins and M3U links.
  • KodiA free, open-source media centre that plays M3U playlists through an official add-on.

See also