Walmart’s $50 Onn 4K Pro is now doing the job people bought $200 Nvidia Shields for, but out of the box it lands on the same Google TV home screen full of sponsored rows, movie rentals you did not ask for and a For You feed that outranks the apps you actually opened yesterday. A Chromecast with Google TV is the same. A Shield running the latest firmware is not much better. The cheapest upgrade you can give any of those boxes is a launcher.
We tested seven of the best Android TV launcher apps in 2026, judged on how cleanly they replace the stock home, how well the D-pad works out of the box, whether they play nicely with sideloaded apps, and how much setup they demand before the first paint on screen. Every pick here installs from Google Play or an APK sideload, and none of them require root.
What to look for in an Android TV launcher
Not every launcher on the Play Store is built for a remote. Some are phone launchers with a big-screen skin, which is a fast way to end up mashing arrow keys at menus the D-pad does not reach. Focus on these six things.
- Registers as a HOME app so the remote’s home button actually opens it. Every launcher on this list does. Sideloaded phone launchers often do not.
- D-pad-first navigation, with clear focus rings and no touch-only menus.
- Pin, hide, reorder and group apps. The stock recents row is not enough on a box with 40 apps installed.
- Handles sideloaded apps that never ask to appear on the home screen (a common Aptoide, F-Droid or Downloader problem).
- Wallpapers, screensavers and clocks that do not tank sub-2 GB RAM.
- Optional support for TV channels rows (Netflix, Plex, YouTube). Most third-party launchers ignore them by choice, and that is the point.
Quick comparison
| Launcher | Best for | Free plan | Ads | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLauncher | Open-source, no-account pick | Yes | No | Yes |
| Projectivy Launcher | Most customisable free launcher | Yes | No | No |
| ATV Launcher | Cheap boxes with 1 to 2 GB RAM | Yes, ad-supported | Yes on free | No |
| HALauncher | Classic Android TV grid | Yes, light ads | Yes on free | No |
| TvHome Launcher | Minimalist free replacement | Yes | No | No |
| TVLauncher | Freemium with themes and widgets | Yes | Some | No |
| Sideload Launcher | Reaching apps hidden from the home | Yes | No | No |
The 7 best Android TV launcher apps in 2026
1. FLauncher: best overall open-source pick
FLauncher is what we install first on any new Android TV box, including the Onn 4K Pro. It is fully open source, has no account, no ads, no telemetry, no recommendation feed. The layout is a single grid of every installed app, with per-app hide, categories that group apps automatically, and a lightweight wallpaper picker. D-pad focus is crisp, and it launches sub-second on a Chromecast with Google TV.
The nicest touch is how FLauncher handles sideloaded apps. Anything you push over ADB or install from Aptoide, F-Droid or the Downloader app appears in the grid, no matter whether the app itself asked to be visible in the leanback launcher. That single behaviour makes it the launcher to beat for anyone who installs outside the Play Store.
Where it falls short: No support for TV channel rows, so Netflix and Plex cannot push tiles. Theming is limited compared with Projectivy.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no ads, no in-app purchases.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Onn 4K Pro, Nvidia Shield, generic Android TV boxes.
Bottom line: FLauncher is the default recommendation for an Onn 4K Pro, Chromecast or Shield owner who wants the ads gone and does not want to hand another account to another launcher.
2. Projectivy Launcher: best free launcher for power users
Projectivy Launcher is the launcher that ships pre-installed on several mid-range Android TV boxes, and once you spend an hour in its settings it is easy to see why. It supports app content rows (so a Netflix or Plex tile actually shows recent titles), lets you group apps into folders on the home screen, plays a video wall as the background, and has per-app overrides for screensavers, audio and even which remote button triggers what. The free tier already includes almost everything. The one-time Pro upgrade adds custom weather widgets, extra screensavers and deeper theming.
D-pad support is native and precise, including on the Onn 4K Pro’s remote. Setup is the price of admission (a long settings tree, plenty of toggles), but you only pay it once.
Where it falls short: The first-run walk-through is long. The wallpaper picker can be slow on 2 GB boxes. The visual density can feel busy compared with FLauncher.
Pricing:
- Free with all core features.
- Pro: one-time payment unlocks widgets, custom screensavers and full theming.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV (via sideload).
Bottom line: Projectivy is the answer for anyone who wants to keep TV content rows and is happy to spend a Saturday configuring the perfect home screen.
3. ATV Launcher: best for cheap 1 to 2 GB boxes
ATV Launcher is the launcher we hand to a sub-$50 Android TV stick. It is deliberately light. One row of recent apps, an app drawer a click away, a wallpaper you can swap out, and a small clock and system widget on top. There are no channels, no recommendations, no rentals. On weaker hardware it wakes and paints faster than Projectivy or the stock launcher, which matters when the box has to warm up every time somebody hits the remote.
The free tier is ad-supported, with a single banner slot on the home screen. The Pro upgrade removes it and adds a handful of extra layouts and grid sizes.
Where it falls short: Feature-light next to Projectivy. The ad slot on the free tier lives on the home row, which defeats part of the point until you pay.
Pricing:
- Free, ad-supported.
- Pro: one-time payment removes ads and unlocks extra layouts.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV.
Bottom line: ATV Launcher is the lightest replacement on this list, worth it on a cheap stick where every frame counts.
4. HALauncher: best for the classic Android TV grid
HALauncher is closest to what the stock Android TV launcher used to be before Google TV grew a recommendation feed. A grid of apps, a favourites row on top, weather and clock in the corner, and a fast route into settings. It is unfussy, and that is the appeal.
The launcher handles sideloaded apps well and does not try to sell you anything on the home screen. A small ad banner lives on the free tier, mostly out of the way; the one-time Pro removes it. There is no channels support and no video wallpaper, which keeps memory pressure low on any box you point it at.
Where it falls short: No content channels. Themes are light. The free-tier ad is small, but it is still there.
Pricing:
- Free, ad-supported.
- Pro: one-time payment removes ads.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV.
Bottom line: HALauncher is the pick for anyone who liked the pre-Google-TV Android TV layout and just wants it back on their Shield or Onn.
5. TvHome Launcher: best minimalist free option
TvHome Launcher takes a different angle. It is a low-frills, no-account, no-ads launcher aimed at people who use their box for two or three apps and want to stop being sold movies. The home screen is a single row of pinned favourites plus a clean app drawer. There is no recommendation surface at all, and the launcher does not phone home.
D-pad focus is clear, and the launcher plays well with sideloaded apps from Aptoide or Downloader. It does not do channels, custom screensavers or theming. If that reads as a downside, this is not the launcher for you. If it reads as a feature, TvHome is the shortest path to a calm home screen on a Chromecast with Google TV.
Where it falls short: Almost no customisation. No wallpaper picker to speak of. Small development team, so releases are infrequent.
Pricing:
- Free, no ads.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Chromecast with Google TV.
Bottom line: TvHome is the launcher to install when you want the box to launch four apps quietly, and nothing else.
6. TVLauncher: best for themes and quick widgets
TVLauncher (from Awesome Development) sits between the utilitarian FLauncher and the maximalist Projectivy. It ships with a set of themes, a widget row on top (weather, clock, storage), and a clean grid of apps below. Setup is short, and the D-pad works exactly the way you expect. It is the launcher we hand to somebody who wants their TV home to look designed without spending an evening in Projectivy’s settings.
The free tier includes the core layout and a small set of themes, with occasional ads. The Pro tier adds more themes, custom weather locations and removes the ads.
Where it falls short: Not open source. The free tier’s theme selection is limited. Some widgets need a network fetch on wake, which can lag on a cold start.
Pricing:
- Free, occasional ads.
- Pro: subscription unlocks all themes and widgets and removes ads.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV.
Bottom line: TVLauncher is a good middle-ground pick when you want widgets and themes but not a settings tree.
7. Sideload Launcher: best companion for hidden apps
Sideload Launcher, by Chainfire, is not a full home replacement. It is a small utility that shows every non-leanback app installed on your Android TV box. This is the fix for the very specific pain of sideloading a phone-first app, from Aptoide or Downloader or an APK you dropped over ADB, and then finding the icon nowhere on the home screen because the app never asked to appear on TV.
Install it, register it as an app in your primary launcher (FLauncher, Projectivy, or the stock one), and it becomes a second app drawer that lists everything hidden. The whole point is to run alongside a real launcher rather than replace it, which is why it earns a slot here even though it is a 507 KB helper.
Where it falls short: Not a full launcher. Cannot be set as the HOME app. No customisation, no themes.
Pricing:
- Free, no ads.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV.
Bottom line: Sideload Launcher pairs with whichever launcher you actually run and pulls sideloaded phone apps back into reach.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the strongest all-round replacement and no ads: FLauncher.
- If open-source with zero commercial layer matters most: FLauncher.
- If you want channels and folders and are happy to configure: Projectivy Launcher.
- If your box is cheap and slow (Chromecast HD, 1 to 2 GB Onn variants): ATV Launcher.
- If you miss the classic Leanback grid: HALauncher.
- If the only thing you want is fewer sponsored tiles, right now: TvHome Launcher.
- If you want a themed home with widgets and no long setup: TVLauncher.
- If your problem is sideloaded apps that never show up on the home screen: Sideload Launcher, on top of any of the above.
FAQ
Does replacing the launcher void my Nvidia Shield warranty or break OTA updates? No. Launchers are ordinary apps. They register as the HOME activity, and Android routes the home button to them. Nvidia, Google and Amazon firmware updates continue to install normally. You can uninstall the third-party launcher at any time and the stock home returns.
How do I set a new launcher as the default on Google TV or Android TV? Install the launcher, then press the home button on the remote. Google TV asks which app should handle Home and lets you set the third-party launcher as default. If it does not ask, open Settings, Apps, Default apps, Home app, and pick the launcher there.
Can I keep the stock Google TV launcher and a third-party one side by side? Yes. The stock launcher stays installed. You can switch back by opening its icon or by changing the default Home app in Settings. Several launchers, including FLauncher and Projectivy, offer a shortcut back to the stock launcher.
Will a third-party launcher on my Onn 4K Pro remove the Google TV ads? Yes, on your home screen. FLauncher, Projectivy, HALauncher and TvHome all replace the sponsored For You row, the paid rentals and the recommendation feed. Ads inside individual apps (YouTube, Prime Video) are separate and stay put.
Why does my sideloaded APK not show up on the home screen? Android TV only surfaces apps that declare a leanback launcher intent. Many phone-first apps do not. FLauncher, Projectivy and ATV Launcher will still show them; the stock Google TV launcher will not. If you are staying on the stock launcher, install Sideload Launcher to reach hidden apps.
Does any of these launchers work on the Chromecast with Google TV HD (2 GB RAM)? Yes. FLauncher, HALauncher, ATV Launcher and TvHome are the lightest choices on 2 GB hardware. Projectivy runs on it too, but expect a noticeable delay on the first paint after wake.
