Comparison

Widget Remote for Roku vs Universal TV Remote®

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

Head to head
About

Widget Remote for Roku

Control your Roku or NOW TV device directly from your iPhone or iPad with a convenient widget. Quickly play, pause, navigate, and launch your favorite channels. Easily input text and manage multiple devices.

Highlights
  • Widget control without opening app
  • Launch favorite channels instantly
  • Easy text input via device keyboard
  • Manage multiple Roku/NOW TV devices
  • Custom channel shortcuts for actions
  • Gesture-based navigation
  • Enhanced TV controls (Power, Volume, Input)
Features
Read full description

Roku & NOW TV Widget Remote Misplaced your remote? Lost it down the sofa? Take control of your Roku or NOW TV device instantly with a fast, simple, and powerful remote right from your iPhone or iPad. Control your TV in seconds Access a fully featured remote directly from your iOS widget — no need to open the app. It’s the quickest way to play, pause, navigate, and switch channels. Launch your favourite channels instantly Browse and open all installed channels from one screen. Skip the endless on-screen menus and jump straight into the apps you love. Easy text input Use your device’s keyboard to enter text quickly and comfortably — perfect for searches, logins, and passwords. Manage multiple devices Have more than one Roku or NOW TV device? Switch between them effortlessly, rename them for easy recognition, and remove old devices anytime. Custom channel shortcuts Automate common actions by recording remote commands and saving them as custom channels. Launch your favourite tasks with a single tap. Enhanced TV controls On supported Roku TVs, unlock additional buttons for: Power Volume Input selection And more Gesture-based control Use swipe gestures to navigate your TV smoothly — control playback without constantly looking at your phone. Quick and simple setup Just connect your iPhone or iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as your Roku or NOW TV device and it will appear automatically. Disclaimer: This app is not affiliated with or endorsed by Roku or NOW TV. It is designed solely to control compatible devices.

About

Universal TV Remote®

Control your smart TV with your iPhone or iPad. This app functions like a physical remote, allowing you to change channels, adjust volume, and navigate menus. It requires your device and TV to be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Highlights
  • Power ON/OFF
  • Volume control
  • Channel switching
  • Menu navigation
  • Video playback control
  • Touch bar navigation
  • Automatic Wi-Fi connection
Features
Read full description

▶ Universal Remote ◀ allows you easily to control your Smart TV using your iPhone / iPad. The operation is the same as the real TV remote. You can freely switch channels, adjust volume and enjoy your favorite TV shows. To use this remote control, you must have your iPhone / iPad on the same wifi network as your smart TV and you have to accept the message that appears on your TV screen. ▶ Key Features ◀ ● Power ON / OFF ● Mute / Unmute ● Volume Up / Down ● Channel Up / Down ● Menu Button with up / down and left / right ● Video control (Play/Pause/Stop...) ● Touch bar for easy navigation ● Automatic connection to a device ● No wires and no additional hardware needed! SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS: - ▶ Universal Remote ◀ App is free to download. It contains preferable auto-renewing subscription options for Unlimited Use. - Once you subscribe to any of your preferable options, you can enjoy all the features of the app. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/hanjadevi/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/hanjadevi/termsconditions

Screenshots

Widget Remote for Roku4 screens
Universal TV Remote®3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Universal TV Remote® at 4.5 against Widget Remote for Roku's 4.1. Universal TV Remote® also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 187). Widget Remote for Roku's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Widget Remote for Roku sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Universal TV Remote® sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal TV Remote® holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal TV Remote® has 1.1K ratings behind it against 187, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of Widget Remote for Roku's written reviews are positive against 40% of Universal TV Remote®'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Widget Remote for Roku ships an update every 2 weeks, Universal TV Remote® every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Widget Remote for Roku versus Universal TV Remote®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWidget Remote for RokuUniversal TV Remote®
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (187 ratings)4.5 (1.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews — better40.4% of reviews
Number of ratings1871.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 7 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB37 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperJohn BensonHanja Devi

Customer experience

Widget Remote for Roku

All ratings187 ratings
Positive75.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative18.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive41.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative54.2%

Universal TV Remote®

All ratings1,139 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral4.1%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews47 reviews
Positive40.4%
Neutral2.1%
Negative57.4%

Bugs and requests

Widget Remote for Roku

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Universal TV Remote®

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Buttons not responding
  • Frequent disconnections
  • App freezing/crashing

Requested features

3 requests
  • Reset TV connection option
  • Reduced ad frequency
  • Support for more TV brands

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Widget Remote for Roku

One-time1
  • Remove Adverts$2.99
3 purchases

Universal TV Remote®

Subscriptions2
  • Universal Remote Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Universal Remote Monthly3 Days trial$11.991 Month
One-time1
  • Universal Remote$6.99

Questions

Is Widget Remote for Roku free?
Widget Remote for Roku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal TV Remote® free?
Universal TV Remote® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Widget Remote for Roku or Universal TV Remote®?
Universal TV Remote® is rated higher. Widget Remote for Roku averages 4.1 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Universal TV Remote® averages 4.5 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Widget Remote for Roku or Universal TV Remote® have ads?
Both Widget Remote for Roku and Universal TV Remote® show ads.
Which is updated more often, Widget Remote for Roku or Universal TV Remote®?
Widget Remote for Roku ships an update every 2 weeks, and Universal TV Remote® every 7 months. Most recently, Widget Remote for Roku was updated on October 26, 2026 and Universal TV Remote® on October 29, 2026.

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