Comparison

Remote for Vizio · vs Universal Remote

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

Head to head
About

Remote for Vizio ·

Control your Vizio SmartCast TV with your iPhone. This app offers a full remote experience with a touchpad, keyboard, and automatic connection. It's a convenient replacement for a lost or broken physical remote.

Highlights
  • Full Vizio Smart TV remote functionality
  • Large touchpad for navigation
  • Integrated keyboard
  • Automatic device connection
  • Menu and content navigation
Features
Read full description

TV Remote for Vizio is designed specifically to control Vizio SmartCast TVs. Just connect an iPhone and a TV to the same Wi-Fi network and you will be able to control the TV using a mobile device after a simple pairing routine. The app features all the necessary buttons. You no longer have to look for your TV remote control or buy a new one in order to replace the one broken down. Key features: - Fully functional remote control for Vizio Smart TV; - A large touchpad for convenient menu and content navigation; - Keyboard; - Automatic connection to a device; Compatibility: Smart TV Remote for Vizio is not compatible with Vizio SmartCast TVs released before 2016 and with legacy Vizio Internet Apps Smart TVs. Premium Subscription User can subscribe for unlimited access to Premium features. Subscribed users have unlimited use of the Interaction tab without ads. This app includes an optional auto-renewable subscription: 1 week with a 3-days free trial period. Subscription is from $2.99 weekly. Prices are equal to the value that "Apple's App Store Matrix" determines is the equivalent of the subscription price in USD. 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. For details please visit the link https://support.apple.com/HT202039. When current trial/subscription period expires, user will be unsubscribed. The current active subscription period can not be canceled. After subscription expires, user will no longer be able to use Interaction tab. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of Use: https://kraftwerk9.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://kraftwerk9.com/privacyus Disclaimer: Kraftwerk 9, Inc is not an affiliated entity of Vizio Inc, and Smart TV Remote application is not an official product of Vizio.

About

Universal Remote

Easily control your smart TV from your iPhone. Adjust volume, switch channels, and launch streaming apps with a beautiful, fast interface. Connects automatically over Wi-Fi.

Highlights
  • Control smart TVs
  • Adjust volume and channels
  • Access streaming apps
  • Launch channels directly
  • Automatic Wi-Fi detection
  • Fast response time
  • Beautiful remote interface
Features
Read full description

Our TV Remote Plus App allows you to easily control your smart TV. Whether you're watching a movie or catching up on your favorite show, our app makes it easy to adjust the volume, switch channels, and access streaming services. Simply connect your iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network as your smart TV and the app will automatically detect it. Then just click "connect" and you're all set. Key features: - Streaming apps can be viewed easily - Launch channels directly from the app - Very fast response time - The beautiful remote control interface - Automatically detects smart TVs on the same Wi-Fi network Subscription Terms: - Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - You can cancel your subscription here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 - Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase - When purchasing a subscription, any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited. Read more about our terms and conditions here: Terms of Service: www.flywisemobile.com/terms Privacy Policy: www.flywisemobile.com/privacy If you have any questions or feedback, contact us at support@flywisemobile.com

Screenshots

Remote for Vizio ·3 screens
Universal Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Remote at 4.6 against Remote for Vizio ·'s 3.6. Universal Remote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Remote for Vizio ·'s advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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. Remote for Vizio · sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15K and 13K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 17% and 18% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Remote for Vizio · ships an update every 3 months, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Remote for Vizio · versus Universal Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRemote for Vizio ·Universal Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (15K ratings)4.6 (13K ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.4% of reviews17.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15K — better13K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB144 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKraftwerk 9 IncNode Excellence

Customer experience

Remote for Vizio ·

All ratings15,010 ratings
Positive64.4%
Neutral3.7%
Negative31.8%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive17.4%
Neutral1.5%
Negative81.1%

Universal Remote

All ratings12,992 ratings
Positive89.8%
Neutral2.7%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews124 reviews
Positive17.7%
Neutral0.8%
Negative81.5%

User reviews

Remote for Vizio ·

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Works fine
  • 🚀 Quick and easy setup
  • 🚀 Responsive and user-friendly
  • 🚀 Fantastic alternative to Vizio remote

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Does not connect to Vizio TV
  • 🐛 Requires WiFi, but can't connect without a remote
  • 🐛 Paid features don't work as expected
  • 🐛 Restore purchases don't work
  • 🐛 Unresponsive and buggy

Universal Remote

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Convenient remote control
  • 🚀 Seamless connection

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connection issues
  • 💰 Paid subscription required
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 🤔 Misleading about free features
  • 💰 Expensive for a remote app

Bugs and requests

Remote for Vizio ·

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Doesn't locate or connect to TV
  • Paid features not working as advertised
  • Restore purchases not functioning
  • Frequent crashes and freezes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add up/down/left/right arrows for navigation
  • Improve connectivity and compatibility with Vizio TVs
  • Provide better customer support and address issues
  • Offer a more transparent and fair pricing model

Universal Remote

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App doesn't work as advertised
  • Fails to connect to Roku devices
  • Continues to charge even after cancellation

Requested features

2 requests
  • Support for more TV brands
  • Free version with basic functionality

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Remote for Vizio ·

Subscriptions3
  • Premium weekly subscription3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Monthly premium subscription$6.991 Month
  • Year pro version$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime premium remote$14.99
7 purchases

Universal Remote

Subscriptions5
  • TV Remote Premium 1 Week3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • TV Remote Premium 1 Week$6.997 Days
  • TV Remote Premium 1 Week3 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 2 more
  • TV Remote Premium 1 Month$9.991 Month
  • TV Remote Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • TV Remote Premium Lifetime$19.99
  • TV Remote Premium Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Remote for Vizio · free?
Remote for Vizio · is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Remote free?
Universal Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Remote for Vizio · or Universal Remote?
Universal Remote is rated higher. Remote for Vizio · averages 3.6 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.6 from 13K ratings.
Do Remote for Vizio · or Universal Remote have ads?
Remote for Vizio · shows ads; Universal Remote does not.
Which is updated more often, Remote for Vizio · or Universal Remote?
Remote for Vizio · ships an update every 3 months, and Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Remote for Vizio · was updated on November 12, 2026 and Universal Remote on November 12, 2026.

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