TivoCFR vs Tablo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TivoCFR
Control your Tivo DVR with your iPhone and Apple Watch. This app offers a reorganized, large-button remote interface for easy navigation. It includes a free, ad-supported iPhone version and a free Apple Watch app with trick play functions, with an optional trial to unlock full features.
- Full Tivo DVR remote on iPhone and Apple Watch
- Organized 4-page remote layout
- Maximized button sizes
- Device discovery and settings management
- 7-day trial for full feature unlock
- Quick Play feature on Apple Watch
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TivoCFR is a wifi remote control for Tivo DVRs. It is a fully functional remote on both iPhone and Apple Watch. The app breaks the Tivo remote into a well organized 4 page remote and maximizes button sizes, especially on Apple Watch. Swipe left and right to page through the different sections of the remote. The iPhone app is free (ads supported) and fully functional after download. It also serves as a settings companion for the Apple Watch app. The Apple Watch app is free to download with functionality limited to trick play functions. Test the watch app in this limited state. Then get the 7-day trial to unlock all features before you buy. Use the iPhone app to discover/add/send Tivo devices and change/send settings to the Apple Watch app. Please reference the Initial Setup in Settings > Help on the iPhone app. Features: The Apple Watch app is totally independent of the iPhone app. Long press the Pause/Device button to switch Tivo devices. All Settings, Device discovery and Purchases are handled by the iPhone app. Quick Play - (Apple Watch app only). This setting is optional and can be turned off in Settings. Used when fast forwarding or rewinding. The Tivo device returns to play state the next time the watch is activated. Grid Display - Turn on Grid Display to see how the grid fits iPhone or Apple Watch.
Tablo
Record and watch live TV from your antenna and streaming channels without a subscription. Access broadcast content and local news on any device in your home, including smartphones and tablets.
- Record live TV
- Watch streaming channels
- No subscription required
- Access on all home devices
- Includes local news and sports
- Works with TV antennas
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Tablo is a device that lets you watch and record live TV, with no subscription. Just one Tablo delivers antenna TV and streaming channels to every screen in your home, including your iPhone or iPad. Simply connect your TV antenna to Tablo, connect your Tablo to your home network, and you can enjoy live sports, local news, and favorite broadcast TV shows, and even ad-supported streaming channels on any iOS-enabled device via the Tablo app. Tablo also works with your smart TV and streaming media devices so you can catch up on your favorite shows.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: TivoCFR at 3.0 against Tablo's 1.9. TivoCFR also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Tablo's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (20% vs 0%). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. TivoCFR sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Tablo asks for nothing beyond the download.
TivoCFR holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tablo has 57 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of TivoCFR's written reviews are positive against 20% of Tablo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
TivoCFR ships an update fortnightly, Tablo every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TivoCFR | Tablo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) — better | 1.9 (57 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 20.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 57 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 152 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | John Weiblen | Nuvyyo Inc. |
Customer experience
TivoCFR
Tablo
Bugs and requests
TivoCFR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Tablo
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to watch recordings in progress
- Unreliable channel scanning and guide data
- Connectivity issues with certain network setups
- Compatibility problems with newer devices
Requested features
4 requests- Picture-in-picture mode
- Remote access to recordings
- Improved channel guide and DVR management
- Seamless integration with smart home devices
In-app purchases
TivoCFR
- Free 7 Day TivoCFR TrialFree
- Purchase TivoCFR$2.99
Tablo
No in-app purchases
