The default home screen on a Fire TV Stick, a Chromecast with Google TV, or a Shield is not for you. It is a shelf where Amazon and Google sell you shows you are not watching and apps you did not open. The whole point of the stick is to run three or four apps, so the home screen should be three or four icons. That is what the launchers on this list do. Install one, set it as default, and the stick becomes what it should have been out of the box: a grid of your apps and nothing else.
We tested seven launchers on a Fire TV Stick 4K Max, a Chromecast with Google TV, and a Shield 2019 Pro. These are the best apps for turning a streaming stick into a dumb app launcher on Android TV and Google TV in 2026, judged by how completely they replace the default home, how well they behave with the remote, and whether they stay out of the way after setup.
What to look for in a TV launcher
Not every launcher works on every stick, and not every launcher makes the ads go away. Before installing anything, decide what you need:
- Can it be the default launcher? Google TV blocks true default-launcher replacement without a workaround; Fire OS blocks it entirely. The workarounds live in this list.
- Does it kill the “For you” rows? A clean grid is the point. Any launcher that adds its own suggestion carousel misses the mark.
- Is the remote layout D-pad friendly? Touch-first launchers designed for tablets fall apart on a TV remote. Look for grid-first UIs.
- Does it need sideloading? All of the good ones ship on APK first. Set up ADB or Downloader first.
- Does it need a companion helper? Fire OS in particular needs a second app (Button Mapper or Launcher Manager) to actually redirect the home button.
Quick comparison
| Launcher | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Cost | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectivy Launcher | The full replacement on Android TV / Google TV | Android TV | Fully free | Optional donate | 4.6 Play |
| FLauncher | Minimal open-source grid | Android TV | Fully free | None | 4.4 Play |
| Wolf Launcher | Fire TV without Amazon rows | Fire TV | Fully free | None | 4.3 store |
| ATV Launcher | Grid layout on any Android TV | Android TV | Fully free | Pro ~$3 | 4.2 Play |
| Sideload Launcher | Showing sideloaded apps Fire TV hides | Android TV | Fully free | None | 4.1 Play |
| Button Mapper | Remapping the Fire TV home button | Fire TV / TV | Fully free | Pro ~$3 | 4.5 Play |
| TVQuickActions | Redirecting the Google TV home button | Google TV | Fully free | Pro ~$4 | 4.4 store |
| HALauncher | Home Assistant on the same screen | Android TV | Fully free | None | 4.3 Play |
The apps
1. Projectivy Launcher — Best full replacement on Android TV and Google TV
Projectivy Launcher is the launcher we default to on any Android TV or Google TV device. Custom wallpaper, custom row order, no sponsored content, no telemetry, and D-pad navigation that just works. On the Chromecast with Google TV, pairing it with TVQuickActions lets you bind the physical home button so a press lands here instead of Google’s ad shelf.
Where it falls short: No Fire OS support. Amazon locks the launcher slot down harder than Google does.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set.
- Paid: An in-app donation unlocks nothing; developer just accepts thanks.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The single best replacement launcher on non-Amazon sticks. Start here.
2. FLauncher — Best minimal open-source grid
FLauncher is a Flutter-based open-source Android TV launcher on GitHub. Two rows by default: apps and settings. No suggestion carousel, no “watch next,” no accounts. It reads the installed apps list and lays it out. If you want the stick to look like the home screen of a very small OS, this is it.
Where it falls short: Setup lives inside settings; no shortcuts. Updates come from GitHub or F-Droid, not Play.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Android TV, Google TV.
Download: F-Droid · GitHub releases
Bottom line: The purist pick. If you have never edited an APK manifest and want the least-fuss open-source option, take this.
3. Wolf Launcher — Best for Fire TV Stick without Amazon rows
Wolf Launcher is one of the few launchers that actually renders correctly on Fire OS and does not go through Amazon’s recommendation shelf. It presents a plain app grid and a settings row. You still need Button Mapper (below) to force the home button here, but once wired up, the Fire TV Stick stops surfing.
Where it falls short: Third-party downloads only; you install it via ES File Explorer or Downloader.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Fire TV, Android TV.
Download: wolflauncher.com · via APK sideload on Fire TV
Bottom line: The de-facto pick on Fire TV Stick. Pair with Button Mapper.
4. ATV Launcher — Best grid layout on Android TV
ATV Launcher is a longtime Google Play favorite for AOSP TV boxes and older Android TV builds. Six-column grid, drag-and-drop reordering, and a paid Pro tier that unlocks custom row groups. The default view is denser than Projectivy’s, which some people want on a 55-inch panel.
Where it falls short: Development pace has slowed; occasional freezes on Android 12+.
Pricing:
- Free: Full grid with ads on the settings screen.
- Paid: Pro (~$3) removes ads and adds themes.
Platforms: Android TV.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The dense grid alternative if Projectivy feels too airy.
5. Sideload Launcher — Best for surfacing sideloaded apps Fire TV hides
Sideload Launcher is a single-purpose tool: it lists every installed app on the device, including the ones Amazon and Google intentionally hide from the home screen. On a Fire TV Stick that means your sideloaded Netflix builds, F-Droid apps, and Smart Tube installations show up in one grid you can actually launch.
Where it falls short: Not a full launcher. Runs as an app you open from the top row of the default home.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: The escape hatch for Fire TV users who cannot fully replace the launcher.
6. Button Mapper — Best for remapping the Fire TV home button
Button Mapper is the piece that makes Fire TV feel dumbly yours. It watches for the physical home-button press and reroutes it to an app of your choice. Point it at Wolf Launcher or Sideload Launcher, and Fire TV finally forgets that Amazon exists.
Where it falls short: Requires enabling Accessibility permission every reboot on newer Fire OS versions.
Pricing:
- Free: Home-button remap.
- Paid: Pro (~$3 one-time) adds double-tap, long-press, and app-specific mappings.
Platforms: Fire TV, Android TV.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Mandatory on Fire TV if you want to escape Amazon’s home screen.
7. TVQuickActions — Best for redirecting the Google TV home button
TVQuickActions is the Google TV / Chromecast equivalent of Button Mapper. It watches the remote and can bind the home button to launch Projectivy, FLauncher, or any installed app instead of Google TV’s default. Also handles power buttons and settings shortcuts.
Where it falls short: Paid tier is required for the home-button rebind, which is the whole point.
Pricing:
- Free: Menu shortcuts.
- Paid: Pro (~$4 one-time) unlocks button rebinding.
Platforms: Google TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Android TV.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: The one Google TV workaround worth paying for.
8. HALauncher — Best if you also want Home Assistant on the TV
HALauncher is a launcher for people who run Home Assistant. It combines a plain app grid with your smart-home dashboard, so the TV becomes a wall panel when it is not playing something. Cameras, thermostats, and scenes live one D-pad press away.
Where it falls short: Overkill if you do not run Home Assistant.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: For Home Assistant users. Everyone else, skip.
How to pick the right one
- On a Chromecast with Google TV or a Shield: Projectivy Launcher plus TVQuickActions is the setup we default to.
- On a Fire TV Stick: Wolf Launcher plus Button Mapper. Then Sideload Launcher for the apps Amazon hides.
- If you want the absolute-simplest open-source option: FLauncher.
- If you also run Home Assistant: HALauncher covers both jobs.
- If none of this is worth the setup effort: buy a stick that ships without an ad shelf. An Onn Google TV box with Projectivy on top is close to the cheapest “just apps” media box in 2026.
FAQ
Can I actually replace the Fire TV Stick launcher? Not fully. Amazon does not let a third-party app own the launcher slot. What you can do is remap the physical home button (with Button Mapper) to jump to Wolf Launcher every time. That covers 95% of the annoyance.
Will these launchers void my warranty or brick the stick? No. All of them install as regular apps. Removing them puts the stick back to the default home screen.
Do I need to root the stick? No. Everything on this list works on a stock device with USB debugging on. A few options improve with root (Servicely-style force-stops) but none of the launchers require it.
Can I sideload these without a computer? Yes. Install Downloader on the stick, enter the direct APK URL from each project’s site, and install. No ADB or PC required.
Will streaming apps stop working if I use a third-party launcher? No. Launchers only replace the home screen. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Plex, and Jellyfin all launch and run normally.
