# tescast vs Tesla Theater

URL: https://tescast.app/en/tescast-vs-tesla-theater
Last updated: 2026-10-26

Short answer: Tesla Theater is the car's built-in entertainment menu with apps such as Netflix and YouTube, and Tesla's manual says to use it while parked. tescast is a web app in the Tesla browser that plays free live TV from more than 50 countries, YouTube and your own IPTV list, and it keeps playing for passengers when the car moves.

tescast is a web app that plays live TV, YouTube and your own IPTV list in the Tesla browser. Tesla Theater is the entertainment menu built into the car.

The two do not replace each other. Use Theater or the tescast Apps tab for Netflix and Disney+ while parked. Use tescast for live TV, for YouTube on a trip and for your own IPTV list.

## Comparison table

| | tescast | Tesla Theater |
|---|---|---|
| Live TV channels | Free public channels from 50+ countries, plus 155 Turkish channels | Not stated by Tesla |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Netflix, Disney+ and similar | Not played by tescast; the Apps tab opens their own websites full screen with your own account, parked only | Yes, with your own subscription |
| Your own IPTV list (M3U, Xtream) | Yes, included | No |
| When the car moves | Keeps playing, for passengers | Video pauses, audio continues (owner's manual) |
| Internet | Premium Connectivity, Wi-Fi or hotspot | Wi-Fi, or Premium Connectivity with a cellular signal (owner's manual) |
| Price | Free trial in the car, then $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year | Included in the car; apps need their own subscriptions |

Sources: Tesla [owner's manual, Theater](https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-79A49D40-A028-435B-A7F6-8E48846AB9E9.html) (Model Y, read on 25 October 2026). Tesla says entertainment options vary by market, date of manufacture and vehicle configuration.

## What are the differences?

**Live TV.** Tesla does not list live TV channels in Theater. tescast plays free public channels from more than 50 countries and 155 Turkish channels with a TV guide. See [world TV on a Tesla](https://tescast.app/en/world-tv-on-tesla).

**While driving.** The Model Y manual says that when you shift out of Park, Theater pauses the video and keeps the audio. In tescast, live TV and YouTube keep playing for passengers. The driver does not watch: traffic rules in many countries forbid watching video while driving. See [YouTube on a Tesla while driving](https://tescast.app/en/watch-youtube-on-tesla-while-driving).

**Your own list.** If you pay for a legal IPTV service, add its M3U link or Xtream login on your phone. Theater has no IPTV player. See [IPTV on a Tesla](https://tescast.app/en/iptv-on-tesla).

**Netflix and Disney+.** tescast does not play them itself. Its Apps tab opens their own websites in Tesla's full screen with your own account, only while parked, like Theater. See [Netflix on a Tesla](https://tescast.app/en/netflix-on-tesla).

## Which one should I use?

- Netflix, Disney+ or Hulu while parked: **Tesla Theater**.
- Live news, sport on free channels and TV from your home country: **tescast**.
- YouTube for passengers on a trip: **tescast**.
- Your own IPTV subscription in the car: **tescast**.

## FAQ

### Does Tesla Theater have live TV?

Tesla does not list live TV channels in Theater. To watch live TV, open tescast.app in the Tesla browser.

### Does Tesla Theater work while driving?

Tesla's manual says to use Theater while parked. On the Model Y, the video pauses when you shift out of Park and the audio continues. tescast keeps playing for passengers.

### Is tescast a Tesla app?

No. tescast is a web app made by DMR LABS LTD. It is not affiliated with Tesla, Inc. It runs in the Tesla browser.

### Can I use both?

Yes. Theater and tescast work side by side. Theater is in the car's entertainment menu, tescast is in the browser.

### Does tescast have Netflix?

tescast does not play Netflix itself. Its Apps tab opens Netflix's own website in Tesla's full screen with your own account, only while parked, like Theater. tescast does not sell Netflix.