# SmartThings vs TV Remote

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThings | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (809K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904/reviews) | **[4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-control-smart-tv/id1598795880/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **809K** | 15K |
| Positive reviews | 31.1% of reviews | **92.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 961 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/359580642) | [君瑛 高](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541563673) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to add or remove devices
- Inconsistent device status updates
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-control-smart-tv/id1598795880)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annually | $9.99 | per year |
| Croissant | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coffee | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pizza | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Volume controls not working for some users
- App crashing on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Add support for Fire TV remote
- Improve TV switching functionality
- Reduce ad frequency


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*