# Universal Remote vs Remote Control for Android TV

Universal Remote and Remote Control for Android TV both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 34% of Remote Control for Android TV's written reviews are positive against 18% of Universal Remote's. Remote Control for Android TV also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Universal Remote's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (13K vs 2.1K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 Remote Control for Android TV sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 Remote Control for Android TV. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 13K ratings behind it against 2.1K, 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 34% of Remote Control for Android TV's.

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, Remote Control for Android TV every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Remote Control for Android TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765/reviews) | [4.3 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remote-control-for-android-tv/id6443958773/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 2.1K |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **34.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) | [MOBILESOURCE CORPORATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1624979797) |

## 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


### Remote Control for Android TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remote-control-for-android-tv/id6443958773)

Transform your smartphone into a versatile remote for your Android TV. Easily control multiple smart TVs and TV boxes from one device, offering a convenient alternative to traditional remotes. Enjoy features like touchpad navigation and app control.

**Highlights:** Control multiple Android TVs, Automatic network scanning for TV detection, Touchpad navigation, Control installed TV apps, Universal compatibility with various brands, No setup required

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Remote | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Automatic device detection
- 🚀 Responsive remote control
- 💡 Useful for when remote is lost

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 Frequent disconnections
- 📢 Excessive ads
- 🔒 Unreliable pairing

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on connection attempt
- Buttons not working as expected
- Inability to turn TV on/off

**Requested features**

- Add TV power on/off functionality
- Improve mouse/keyboard support
- Reduce ad frequency
- Enhance reliability and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

### Is Remote Control for Android TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Remote or Remote Control for Android TV?

Universal Remote and Remote Control for Android TV are both rated 4.3 out of 5 on the App Store, from 13K and 2.1K ratings respectively.

### Do Universal Remote or Remote Control for Android TV have ads?

Both Universal Remote and Remote Control for Android TV show ads.

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

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, and Remote Control for Android TV every 5 months. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on September 24, 2026 and Remote Control for Android TV on September 22, 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.*