# Sam Smart TV Remote vs Sphinx

The clearest difference is rating: Sphinx at 5.0 against Sam Smart TV Remote's 4.3. Sphinx also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). Sam Smart TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (49K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sam Smart TV Remote sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Sphinx sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sphinx holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam Smart TV Remote has 49K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Sam Smart TV Remote ships an update monthly, Sphinx every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sam Smart TV Remote | Sphinx |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (49K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-smart-tv-remote-things-tv/id1473562701/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphinx-screen-time-puzzles/id6808034180/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **49K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 36.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 168 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FLOWMATIC PTE. LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789501995) | [Kevin Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896702809) |

## What reviewers say

### Sam Smart TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-smart-tv-remote-things-tv/id1473562701)

Control your Samsung Smart TV with your iPhone. This app offers an intuitive virtual remote, quick app access, and the ability to cast photos and videos from your library. Mirror your phone's screen wirelessly to your TV.

**Highlights:** Intuitive virtual remote, Quick app and channel access, Cast photos and videos, Wireless screen mirroring, Search for movies and shows

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly with Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $9.49 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Preimum | $24.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Instant connection
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and smooth
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Works great

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires TV remote approval
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Disconnects frequently
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 💰 Not worth the money

**Reported bugs**

- Can't find TV
- App crashes frequently
- Buttons don't respond
- Constant ads and pop-ups

**Requested features**

- Add keyboard for text input
- Improve connection stability
- Allow family sharing
- Reduce subscription cost


### Sphinx

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphinx-screen-time-puzzles/id6808034180)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by locking distracting applications. Instead of simply ignoring timers, you solve engaging puzzles to access your apps, with increasing difficulty for repeated unlocks. It's designed for privacy, keeping your app usage and selections on your device.

**Highlights:** Lock selected apps for set durations, Solve brain puzzles to unlock apps, Increasing puzzle difficulty for repeated unlocks, Offline puzzle solving, No "ignore" or "snooze" options, Privacy-focused design, no tracking

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sphinx Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Sphinx Pro | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sam Smart TV Remote free?

Sam Smart TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sphinx free?

Sphinx is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx?

Sphinx is rated higher. Sam Smart TV Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while Sphinx averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx have ads?

Sam Smart TV Remote shows ads; Sphinx does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx?

Sam Smart TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Sphinx every 10 days. Most recently, Sam Smart TV Remote was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sphinx on October 26, 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.*