Comparison

SmartThings vs TV Remote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SmartThings

Unify and manage all your smart home devices from a single application. Connect hundreds of brands, create custom scenes and routines, and control your home remotely. Monitor energy usage and even get meal planning assistance.

Highlights
  • Connect and control devices from multiple brands
  • Create custom scenes and routines
  • Remote home monitoring and control
  • Automated notifications and status updates
  • Voice control with Google Assistant
  • Energy tracking and saving features
  • Smart cooking and meal planning assistance
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Quickly and easily connect and control your smart home devices through SmartThings. SmartThings is compatible with 100s of smart home brands. So, you can control all of your smart home gadgets in one place, including your Samsung Smart TV and smart home appliances. With SmartThings, you can connect, monitor and control multiple smart home devices quicker and easier. Connect your Samsung smart TVs, smart appliances, smart speakers and brands like Ring, Nest and Philips Hue - all from one app. Then control your smart devices using voice assistants including Google Assistant [Key Features] - Control and check in on your home from wherever you are - Connect your smart devices across many different brands to work together by setting ‘scenes’ - Build routines that are set on time, weather, and device status, so your home runs smoothly in the background - Allow shared control by giving access to other users - Receive status updates about your devices with automated notifications - Talk to your devices using Google Assistant - Track, monitor and save money on energy with SmartThings Energy. See how much your home and compatible Samsung devices cost to run, and try various energy saving features, such as AI saving mode, or schedule devices to run during off peak hours. - Receive recipe recommendations by scanning meal kits, wine, and meat. Plan, shop and prep meals with the help of SmartThings Cooking ※ Some features may not be available in all countries. [App requirements] Some mobile devices may not be supported. - iOS 17.0 or later / iPhone XR or later / iPad 6 or later ※ App permissions The following permissions are required for the app service. For optional permissions, the default functionality of the service is turned on, but not allowed. [Optional access permissions] • Apple Health : Used to sync with Apple Health data to give you better Family Care insights • Apple Music : Used to read music album information • Bluetooth : Used to scan for nearby devices using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) • Camera: Used to scan QR codes so you can easily add members and devices to SmartThings • Contacts : Used to get phone numbers of your contacts to send text message notifications • Location : Used to locate your devices, create routines based on your location, and scan for nearby devices using Wi-Fi • Local Network : Used to find Wi-Fi connected devices • Microphone: Used to add certain devices to SmartThings using high-frequency sounds • Notification : Used to provide notifications about SmartThings devices and features • NFC : Used to check information about devices that you intend to connect • Photos : Used to play photos and videos on SmartThings devices • Voice recognition : Used to convert voice to text

About

TV Remote

Transform your iPhone into a universal remote for smart TVs and streaming devices. Effortlessly control multiple devices, navigate with a touchpad, and use smart text input for searches. Enjoy quick app access and full playback control from your wrist or phone.

Highlights
  • Multi-device control
  • Smart Wi-Fi detection and pairing
  • Touchpad navigation
  • Smart text and voice input
  • Apple Watch control
  • One-tap app launching
  • Full playback control
Features
Read full description

TV Remote: Control Smart TV transforms your iPhone into a powerful universal remote, allowing you to effortlessly control a wide range of smart TVs and streaming devices. No more juggling multiple physical remotes – one app is all you need to manage all your streaming equipment. ## KEY FEATURES ### Multi-Device Control Supports a full range of mainstream streaming devices and smart TVs, with more compatible devices coming soon. ### Smart Detection Auto-discovers all compatible devices on your home Wi-Fi network. Instant pairing is available with no complicated setup steps. ### Multi-Room Management Switch seamlessly between devices in different rooms. You can instantly control streaming devices in the living room and smart TVs in the bedroom with just one tap. ### Touch Interface A large, responsive touchpad provides precise navigation. Enjoy smooth scrolling and quick launching of various video and audio apps. ### Smart Text Input Type with your iOS keyboard or issue voice commands – ideal for content searches and account logins. ### Apple Watch Support Take control of your devices right from your wrist. Adjust volume, navigate menus, and play/pause content effortlessly via Apple Watch. ### Quick App Access One-tap launch for popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video and more, instantly starting your viewing experience. ### Full Playback Control Achieve full playback control across all controlled devices, including play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, and volume adjustment. ## WHY CHOOSE TV REMOTE: CONTROL SMART TV? This app breaks down ecosystem barriers with a unified interface for cross-platform control. It is fast, reliable, and constantly expanding with new features. Perfect for: • Households with multiple smart devices • Users wanting to replace multiple remote apps with just one • Anyone looking to reduce clutter from physical remotes • Cord-cutters seeking simplified control over their streaming setup ## COMPATIBILITY • Mainstream streaming devices • Smart TVs of various brands • iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch ## REQUIREMENTS • Streaming devices connected to your home Wi-Fi • iPhone/iPad on the same Wi-Fi network as the controlled devices ## MEMBERSHIP (Optional) • Monthly: $1.99/month • Annual: $9.99/year Premium Benefits: Ad-free experience and priority customer support. Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscription via App Store settings. Privacy Policy: https://funnstudio.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/154000105273-privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://funnstudio.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/154000105637-terms-of-use Disclaimer: Funnstudio is an independent entity and is not affiliated with any device manufacturers. TV Remote: Control Smart TV is third-party software and not an official product of any device brand. Download TV Remote: Control Smart TV now for true universal control of your smart entertainment devices!

Screenshots

SmartThings4 screens
TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

SmartThings and TV Remote both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartThings's. TV Remote also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). SmartThings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (809K vs 15K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TV Remote sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SmartThings asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for SmartThings against 4.7 for TV Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 809K ratings behind it against 15K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of SmartThings's written reviews are positive against 93% of TV Remote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartThings ships an update monthly, TV Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
SmartThings versus TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartThingsTV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (809K ratings)4.7 (15K ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.1% of reviews92.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings809K — better15K
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
Best chart rank#8 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size961 MB13 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.君瑛 高

Customer experience

SmartThings

All ratings808,682 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews7,323 reviews
Positive31.1%
Neutral6.4%
Negative62.5%

TV Remote

All ratings15,449 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral3.5%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews386 reviews
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.9%

User reviews

SmartThings

From 809K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Remote control functionality
  • 📚 Laundry cycle recommendations
  • 🤖 Automation and scheduling capabilities
  • 🔧 Customizable settings

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
  • ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
  • 🔍 Difficulty connecting and configuring devices
  • 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive user interface
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

TV Remote

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works well even when remote is lost
  • 👍 Convenient remote control on phone
  • 🔒 Connects easily to TV
  • 💡 Useful backup remote option
  • 👍 Free to use all features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
  • 💸 Ads can be intrusive
  • 🔍 Difficulty switching between TVs

Bugs and requests

SmartThings

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to add or remove devices
  • Inconsistent device status updates
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to control TV without remote
  • Improved photo/artwork management for Frame TV
  • More advanced automation and scheduling options
  • Better integration with other smart home platforms

TV Remote

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Volume controls not working for some users
  • App crashing on certain devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add support for Fire TV remote
  • Improve TV switching functionality
  • Reduce ad frequency

In-app purchases

None

SmartThings

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly2 Months trial$2.991 Month
  • Annually7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time3
  • Croissant$1.99
  • Coffee$2.99
  • Pizza$3.99

Questions

Is SmartThings free?
SmartThings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SmartThings or TV Remote?
TV Remote is rated higher. SmartThings averages 4.6 out of 5 from 809K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.7 from 15K ratings.
Do SmartThings or TV Remote have ads?
Neither SmartThings nor TV Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SmartThings or TV Remote?
SmartThings ships an update monthly, and TV Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, SmartThings was updated on September 24, 2026 and TV Remote on September 23, 2026.

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