Comparison

TV Remote Universal vs Smart TV Remote Universal

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

Head to head
About

TV Remote Universal

Control your smart TV directly from your iPhone or iPad. This app transforms your device into a universal remote, supporting major brands like Samsung, LG, and Roku. Enjoy seamless control over power, volume, channels, and smart TV features.

Highlights
  • Power ON / OFF
  • Volume control
  • Channel selection
  • Navigation pad
  • Media player functions
  • Smart TV features
Features
Read full description

Lost your remote again? Your iPhone just became the only one you need. TV Remote Universal turns your phone into a fast, reliable remote for almost any smart TV — no infrared, no extra hardware, no hunting through couch cushions. Connect over Wi-Fi and take control in seconds. ONE APP. EVERY TV IN YOUR HOME. CONTROL EVERYTHING Power, volume, channels, inputs, playback and a full navigation pad — every button of your physical remote, right on your screen. Everything responds instantly. TYPE INSTEAD OF PECKING Stop clicking letter-by-letter across an on-screen grid. Use your phone's keyboard to search shows, sign in to apps and enter passwords in a fraction of the time. SWIPE TO NAVIGATE A smooth touchpad lets you glide through menus with your thumb — faster and more natural than tapping arrow buttons. CONTROL BY VOICE Speak instead of scrolling. Use voice to search and navigate on supported TVs, hands-free. OPEN YOUR APPS IN ONE TAP Jump straight to your favorite streaming apps without scrolling through the home screen. WORKS WITH YOUR TV Compatible with Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, RCA, Roku and Roku streaming sticks, Fire TV, Android TV and more. If it's a smart TV on your Wi-Fi, chances are we've got you covered. SET UP IN UNDER A MINUTE Connect your iPhone or iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV and follow the on-screen steps. That's it — no pairing codes, no cables. WHY YOU'LL KEEP IT - Clean, responsive design that just works - No IR blaster required - Light and dark mode - Works on iPhone and iPad UPGRADE TO PREMIUM Go ad-free and unlock the full experience Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://realvision.app/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://realvision.app/terms-of-use/ Disclaimer: This app is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or any other TV brand mentioned. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

About

Smart TV Remote Universal

Transform your iOS device into a universal TV remote. Control multiple brands like Samsung, LG, and Roku seamlessly over WiFi. Manage power, volume, channels, and more without the clutter of physical remotes.

Highlights
  • Universal remote control
  • Supports major TV brands
  • WiFi connectivity
  • Power, volume, and channel control
  • Ad-free premium option
  • Multiple subscription plans
Features
Read full description

Lost the remote again? Your phone is now the only remote you need. Smart TV Remote Universal turns your iPhone or iPad into a fast, reliable remote for nearly any smart TV — no infrared, no extra hardware, and no digging through couch cushions. Pair once over Wi-Fi and take control in seconds. ONE APP FOR EVERY TV IN YOUR HOME Pair multiple TVs and switch between rooms instantly — no re-pairing, no setup every time. Living room to bedroom in one tap. CONTROL EVERYTHING Power, volume, channels, inputs, playback and a full D-pad — every button from your physical remote, right on your screen, with real haptic feedback on every press. TYPE INSTEAD OF HUNTING LETTERS Stop picking letters one at a time on the TV screen. Use your phone's keyboard — or the numeric pad — to search shows, sign in to apps and enter passwords in a fraction of the time. SWIPE TO NAVIGATE A smooth trackpad lets you glide through menus with your thumb — faster and more natural than pressing arrow keys. SPEAK INSTEAD OF SCROLLING Use voice input to search and navigate on supported TVs — completely hands-free. LAUNCH YOUR APPS IN ONE TAP The apps grid takes you straight to your favorite streaming apps without hunting around the home screen. CONTROL FROM YOUR HOME SCREEN & LOCK SCREEN This is where Smart TV Remote Universal goes beyond any ordinary remote app: - Home Screen widgets: a quick D-pad + volume widget and an app-launcher grid, one tap from anywhere - Live Activity with Dynamic Island support — compact controls while you do other things - Siri & Shortcuts support through App Intents: automate your TV or ask Siri WORKS WITH YOUR TV Compatible with Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, Philips, Roku and Roku devices, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Google TV, Android TV and many more. If your smart TV is on your Wi-Fi, chances are we support it. MAKE IT YOURS Per-brand accent colors (Roku purple, Samsung blue, LG red and more), plus light, dark and system appearance. READY IN UNDER A MINUTE Connect your iPhone or iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV and follow the on-screen steps. That's it — no pairing codes, no cables. GO PRO Upgrade to Pro for the complete, ad-free experience with unlimited paired devices and all widgets unlocked. Choose a yearly plan with a 3-day free trial, a monthly plan, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase, after any free trial period. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://tvremoteapp.art.blog/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Disclaimer: This app is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, Philips, Roku, Amazon, Google or any other TV brand mentioned. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Screenshots

TV Remote Universal4 screens
Smart TV Remote Universal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Smart TV Remote Universal at 3.8 against TV Remote Universal's 3.4. TV Remote Universal's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 890). On price, review sentiment, 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 Universal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Smart TV Remote Universal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Smart TV Remote Universal holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote Universal has 12K ratings behind it against 890, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of TV Remote Universal's written reviews are positive against 18% of Smart TV Remote Universal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TV Remote Universal ships an update every 3 weeks, Smart TV Remote Universal every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TV Remote Universal versus Smart TV Remote Universal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTV Remote UniversalSmart TV Remote Universal
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (12K ratings)3.8 (890 ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.6% of reviews17.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K — better890
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS1717
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReal Vision LtdJenni Parkkonen

Customer experience

TV Remote Universal

All ratings11,742 ratings
Positive56.4%
Neutral8.0%
Negative35.5%
Written reviews734 reviews
Positive13.6%
Neutral2.9%
Negative83.5%

Smart TV Remote Universal

All ratings891 ratings
Positive68.6%
Neutral4.2%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews420 reviews
Positive17.6%
Neutral1.9%
Negative80.5%

User reviews

TV Remote Universal

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Amazing
  • 👍 Good app
  • 🚀 Works great

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Mediocre, only works half the time
  • 🐛 Does not work
  • 🐛 Connection issues, won't connect or show available TV
  • 🐛 Reconnecting issues after disconnecting
  • 🔋 Too many ads, makes it unusable

Smart TV Remote Universal

From 890 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Great remote app
  • 💖 Love this remote
  • 👍 Works well

Room to improve

  • 🚫 Doesn't work
  • 📺 Won't connect to TV
  • 🙄 Too many ads
  • 💩 Terrible app
  • 🤬 Waste of time

Bugs and requests

TV Remote Universal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Fails to detect or connect to devices
  • Constant ads interrupt usage
  • Unreliable, frequently stops working

Requested features

2 requests
  • Better TV search and connection options
  • Improved stability and reliability

Smart TV Remote Universal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on device scan
  • Volume controls not working
  • Navigation issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • Support for more TV brands
  • Improve device detection
  • Reduce ads

In-app purchases

4 purchases

TV Remote Universal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$3.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Premium version$3.99
  • Lifetime Premium$34.99
4 purchases

Smart TV Remote Universal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$3.991 Month
  • Annual Premium3 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Premium Version$4.99
  • Lifetime premium$24.99

Questions

Is TV Remote Universal free?
TV Remote Universal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart TV Remote Universal free?
Smart TV Remote Universal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TV Remote Universal or Smart TV Remote Universal?
Smart TV Remote Universal is rated higher. TV Remote Universal averages 3.4 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Smart TV Remote Universal averages 3.8 from 890 ratings.
Do TV Remote Universal or Smart TV Remote Universal have ads?
Both TV Remote Universal and Smart TV Remote Universal show ads.
Which is updated more often, TV Remote Universal or Smart TV Remote Universal?
TV Remote Universal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Smart TV Remote Universal every 6 weeks. Most recently, TV Remote Universal was updated on November 1, 2026 and Smart TV Remote Universal on October 29, 2026.

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