People are increasingly using televisions not only for watching TV programs and movies but also for shopping, learning, gaming, and other tasks. For businesses, this is an opportunity to be closer to users and create their own Smart TV app. But before launching, it's crucial to understand where the investments go. We'll discuss what affects the cost of a Smart TV app in 2025 and how to optimize development expenses.

What is included in Smart TV app development and what influences the cost

Interface for TV format (UX/UI design)

• The user interacts with the app via remote control, sitting 2–3 meters from the screen. This drastically changes the approach to the interface:
• No swipes, mouse clicks, or finger scrolling.
• Minimum elements on screen, maximum readability.
• Navigation strictly in the directions: up/down, left/right.
• Interaction via remote control, voice, or gestures depending on the platform.

The UX for Smart TV apps is designed from scratch: the design must be adapted to the distance, arrow navigation, and specific OS features. The more complex the interface and scenarios (e.g., recommendations, filters, personalization), the higher the costs for design, logic, and testing.

Integrations

• Often, businesses need more than just video playback:
• User account: registration, authorization, synchronization with other devices.
• Monetization: subscriptions, in-app purchases, custom payment solutions.
• Streaming service: content streaming with adaptation to different connection speeds, protection against copying (DRM), stable player operation.
• Content management and analytics: content management system, statistics collection, engagement and view reports.

The choice of solutions affects the budget. For example, a ready-made video player reduces costs, while custom integrations increase them.

Testing

• Even perfectly written code might not work on specific TV models. Testing is mandatory:
• In emulators for basic debugging.
• On real devices to see how the interface reacts, manages the remote, and plays video.

Each platform has its bugs, which cannot be detected in a single testing environment. For example, Tizen (Samsung) behaves differently on models from 2017 and 2023. Hence, quality testing is a separate part of the budget.

Smart TV Platforms: How they differ and why they impact the budget

Tizen (Samsung)

• Millions of Samsung TVs globally run on Tizen. Apps are developed using JavaScript, HTML, CSS with proprietary APIs.
• The issue is that Tizen does not support universal web engines, so behavior can vary even between models of the same year. This requires thorough adaptation and real device testing, increasing costs.

webOS (LG)

• LG’s platform also uses web technologies but with different tools and restrictions.
• There are strict resource consumption requirements, especially for animations and streaming.
• The interface strongly depends on LG Launcher and Magic Remote, adding UX constraints.
• Development requires separate UI and optimization efforts.

Android TV

• A versatile and flexible platform supported by many brands — Sony, Xiaomi, etc.
• Apps are written in Kotlin or Java and can use standard Android components.
• This lowers entry barriers if you have Android developers but requires Google certification and support for various form factors, impacting the budget.

Apple TV (tvOS)

• The most closed but stable platform.
• Developed in Swift or Objective-C, UI designed for Siri Remote and strict Apple guidelines.
• Integration with iCloud, App Store, and other Apple services can be an advantage.
• However, development and publishing cost more due to quality requirements, licenses, and device testing.

Roku

• One of the most popular platforms in the USA, especially among OTT services.
• Uses its own language, BrightScript, and SceneGraph API, which makes development non-standard.
• The typical tech stack does not overlap with other platforms, requiring a specialized developer.
• This increases project costs, especially when launching on multiple platforms simultaneously.

Why can't you create one app for all platforms

• Each platform requires separate development, even if the visual interface appears similar:
• Different programming languages and APIs.
• UI differences (remote control, distance navigation).
• Hardware performance limitations.
• Submission and certification processes.
• Differences in audience and user expectations.

Attempting to use one codebase across all platforms will lead to unstable performance and a poor user interface. Ultimately, you'll spend more on adjustments, fixes, and support.

Conclusion

• Before starting a project, it makes sense to determine which platforms are truly needed.
• The cost of developing a Smart TV app directly depends on the number of platforms, the complexity of each, and certification requirements.
• Sometimes, it's wiser to begin with one platform, test, and only then scale.

How much does Smart TV app development cost in 2025

The price depends on the number of platforms, set of functions, timelines, and scalability requirements. Rough estimates:

• MVP on one platform (basic navigation, player, minimal logic) — from $15,000 to $25,000.
• Full-featured app with user accounts, analytics, streaming, and monetization — from $30,000.
• Across all platforms with a content management system and custom interface — from $250,000 to $700,000.

How to avoid overruns

• The main way to save money is to choose a contractor with strategic planning skills.
• An experienced team will demonstrate early on where costs can be reduced without sacrificing quality.

Our team, DigiNeat, specializes in Smart TV app development and manages projects from concept to release. We design the system architecture and plan stages carefully to create a product within a reasonable budget.