# Universal Remote vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TV Remote at 39% against Universal Remote's 18%. TV Remote also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Universal Remote's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 549) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 13K ratings behind it against 549, 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 39% of TV Remote's.

Universal Remote ships an update every 2 months, TV Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 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) | **[4.5 (549 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id6444865789/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 549 |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **38.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) | [WarthogLab](https://appshunter.io/developer/890415554) |

## 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/id6444865789)

Transform your iPhone into a universal remote for over 10,000 TV models. Discover personalized show recommendations, manage watchlists, and track viewing history all in one app.

**Highlights:** Universal remote control for 10,000+ TV models, Wi-Fi connectivity (no extra hardware), Personalized show recommendations, Watchlist management, Viewing history tracker, Smart content filters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Plan Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Plan Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Plan Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## 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 4.5 from 549 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 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on September 24, 2026 and TV Remote on September 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*