The short answer
Spectati is our pick. It direct-plays 4K remuxes from Jellyfin with the server idle, and with a subscription sends Dolby Vision to the TV and keeps the height channels in TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X tracks. It runs as a native app on the Mac, and puts Plex, SMB shares and IPTV in the same library the day your setup grows past one server.
The others fit narrower cases:
- Swiftfin if you want open source above everything else, or Jellyfin’s own Live TV.
- Streamyfin or Moonfin if your Apple TV cannot update to tvOS 26.
- Infuse if you already own Infuse Pro.
Side by side
| Capability | Spectati | Swiftfin | Infuse | Streamyfin | Moonfin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to use | Yes, in SDR | Yes | Yes, Dolby Vision in Pro | Yes | Yes |
| TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X with their height channels | With a subscription | Not listed | No | Not listed | Not listed |
| Open source | No | Yes | No | Yes | Not listed |
| Native Mac app | Yes | iPad app | Yes | iPad app | Yes |
| Jellyfin Live TV and recordings | No | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Plex servers too | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Emby servers too | In beta | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| IPTV playlists with a guide | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Oldest Apple TV software it runs on | tvOS 26 | tvOS 26.1 | tvOS 18.5 | tvOS 16.4 | tvOS 17 |
Written by Spectati, which is not affiliated with the Jellyfin project or any app compared. Each column was checked against that app’s US App Store listing and documentation on October 21, 2026. “Not listed” means the listing does not mention it.
Our pick: Spectati
Spectati is a native client for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac that treats Jellyfin as one source among several. Plex servers, SMB shares and IPTV playlists sit in the same library and search, with Emby, WebDAV and SFTP in beta. When the same film is on two servers it shows one entry and plays it from the source you put first, and watch progress goes back to Jellyfin.
It direct-plays 4K remuxes from the server and sends Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG to the display. Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus reaches the receiver untouched, TrueHD and DTS play as 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus, and TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X keep their height channels on AirPods, HomePods and Atmos receivers. The free tier direct-plays your 4K remuxes with no transcoding, in SDR. HDR and surround sound are what a subscription adds. The subscription is $2.99 a month, $22.99 a year or $99.99 once. It does not show Jellyfin’s own Live TV, and it needs tvOS 26.
Swiftfin
Swiftfin is the Jellyfin project’s own native client for Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, and it is free and open source. Version 1.6 in August 2026 gave the Apple TV app a new interface, and it plays Jellyfin Live TV and recordings when your server has a tuner set up.
It only talks to Jellyfin, it needs tvOS 26.1, and on a Mac it runs as the iPad app. The Swiftfin comparison covers what changes when it is not.
Infuse
Infuse, by Firecore, connects Jellyfin, Plex and Emby servers and file shares, and has native apps for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. Connecting a server is free; Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and the wider format support are part of Infuse Pro, at $1.99 a month, $16.99 a year or $99.99 once.
It decodes TrueHD and DTS to multichannel PCM, up to 7.1. Its own documentation says Atmos works from Dolby Digital Plus tracks, and that TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X are not supported. It has no IPTV or live TV. The Infuse comparison goes further.
Streamyfin
Streamyfin started on iPhone and reached the Apple TV in June 2026. It is free and open source, runs from tvOS 16.4, and from version 0.55 uses the system’s own player on tvOS 26. On iPhone it adds downloads and casting. It only connects Jellyfin.
Moonfin
Moonfin is a free client for Jellyfin and Emby with native apps for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac. Its listing names Live TV and DVR from the server, several servers in one place, offline downloads and Seerr requests. It runs from tvOS 17.
Stingray and UHF
Stingray is a young Apple TV-only Jellyfin client, with Picture in Picture and a profile per Jellyfin user. It is free, with an optional $1.49 supporter purchase. UHF is an IPTV player that also connects Jellyfin, Plex and Emby, and suits a setup that is mostly live TV.
Direct play matters more than the app
Whichever client you choose, the best picture comes from the server sending the file as it is. Check that the client’s quality setting is on its maximum or original, and that your Jellyfin user has no bitrate limit under Dashboard, Users. On Apple TV, turn on Match Dynamic Range and Match Frame Rate so films play at their own frame rate and in HDR.
The direct play guide walks through it, and Plex vs Jellyfin on Apple TV covers the server side of the choice.
