# Universal Remote vs TV Remote

Universal Remote and TV Remote both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 18% of Universal Remote's. TV Remote also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). Universal Remote's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 173). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 4.3 for TV Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 13K ratings behind it against 173, 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 100% of TV Remote's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 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)** | [4.3 (173 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id6443551368/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 173 |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) | [欣 骆](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636889966) |

## 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-remote/id6443551368)

Control your Roku device with your phone. Navigate menus, adjust volume, and use a keyboard for text input. Stream content and mirror your screen with an intuitive interface. Connect via Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Roku mobile remote control, Text input via keyboard, Volume and channel adjustment, Navigation with arrow keys/sliding keyboard, Screen mirroring (video, photo, music)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly VIP | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly VIP | $9.99 | per year |


## 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?

Universal Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.3 from 173 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 every 2 months. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on October 27, 2026 and TV Remote on October 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.*