# Universal Remote vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is ratings volume: TV Remote at 605K against Universal Remote's 13K. TV Remote also leads on chart position (#6 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Universal Remote against 4.4 for TV Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 605K ratings behind it against 13K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 20% of TV Remote's.

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, TV Remote monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765/reviews) | **[4.4 (605K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13K | **605K** |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **20.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#6** |
| Size | 24 MB | 188 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765)

Transform your phone into a smart TV remote. Easily control volume, channels, power, and more for compatible Samsung and LG smart TVs over your WiFi network. Offers premium features through a subscription.

**Highlights:** Control smart TVs from your phone, WiFi network connection, Volume, channel, power control, Source and smart function control, Compatible with Samsung and LG TVs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Start Free Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote Pro Week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote Pro Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Go Pro Universal Remote TV | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Universal remote control
- 💯 Works as advertised
- 🤩 Great app for managing TV

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🚫 Doesn't work with some TVs
- 🔍 Requires original remote for setup
- 🤬 Lots of ads
- 🔒 Hard to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps disconnecting from TV
- Doesn't recognize TV or remote commands
- Crashes or freezes during use

**Requested features**

- Add keyboard and mouse support for TV browser
- Improve compatibility with more TV models
- Provide better troubleshooting and support options


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Grossing · Utilities, #8 Top Free · Utilities, #172 Top Grossing, #174 Top Free (US App Store)

Control your smart TV directly from your phone. Connect via WIFI to manage volume, channels, and navigation with a touchpad and keyboard. Supports major brands like Samsung, Roku, and LG.

**Highlights:** WIFI TV connection, Smart TV detection, Touchpad navigation, Keyboard input, Channel launching, Voice search

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $8.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium. | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Connects easily
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🔒 Works with multiple TVs
- 👍 Helpful when remote is lost

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires original remote for setup
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔋 Drains phone battery

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't recognize TV
- Power button doesn't work
- Volume controls not functioning

**Requested features**

- Allow remote control without original remote
- Offer more free features
- Improve reliability and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Remote or TV Remote?

TV Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.4 from 605K ratings.

### Do Universal Remote or TV Remote have ads?

Both Universal Remote and TV Remote show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Remote or TV Remote?

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, and TV Remote monthly. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on September 24, 2026 and TV Remote on September 25, 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.*