# Universal Remote vs Bus+

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bus+ at 100% against Universal Remote's 18%. Bus+ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Universal Remote's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 1). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Bus+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bus+ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 13K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bus+'s.

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, Bus+ every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Bus+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bus-plus/id1554673915/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 24 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) | [newcon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1554673918) |

## 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


### Bus+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bus-plus/id1554673915)

Track city buses in real-time on a map and view their current occupancy. Save favorite routes for quick access and plan your journeys with detailed schedule information. Avoid waiting and crowded buses with live updates.

**Highlights:** Live bus tracking on map, Real-time occupancy display, Save favorite routes, Detailed schedule information, Route planning, Visual bus line display

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

### Is Bus+ free?

Bus+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Universal Remote or Bus+?

Bus+ is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Bus+ averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Universal Remote or Bus+ have ads?

Universal Remote shows ads; Bus+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Remote or Bus+?

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, and Bus+ every 3 months. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on October 21, 2026 and Bus+ on October 6, 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.*