Comparison

SmartRemote vs Universal Remote TV Control

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SmartRemote

Control all your Smart TVs from a single app, eliminating the need for multiple remotes. Seamlessly mirror content from your phone and navigate your TV with a touchpad and convenient text entry.

Highlights
  • Effortless Smart TV Control
  • Mirror Videos, Photos, and Music
  • Easy Mouse Control with Touchpad
  • Convenient Text Entry
  • Volume and Channel Control
  • Player Controls
  • Abundance of Menu Options
Features
Read full description

Control your Samsung, LG, Sony, Roku, Fire TV, Xiaomi and Hisense Smart TVs — plus Apple TV, soundbars, set-top boxes and projectors — from one app. No more juggling multiple remotes. TV Remote turns your iPhone or iPad into a powerful universal remote. Discover your TVs automatically on Wi-Fi, tap to connect, and start controlling instantly. NEW IN 3.0: APPLE TV, HOMEKIT & MATTER + A dedicated Apple TV remote with a clean, Apple-style clickpad + Control Apple TV and HomeKit-enabled TVs set up in Apple's Home app + Works with Matter accessories you've added to Apple Home + No IP addresses or pairing codes needed — your devices just appear MORE THAN JUST TVs + Dedicated remotes for soundbars, set-top & cable boxes, and projectors + Organize every device by room and open the right remote in a tap SUPPORTED BRANDS + Samsung Smart TV (2016+) + LG webOS TV + Sony Bravia + Roku TV & Roku players + Amazon Fire TV & Fire TV Stick + Xiaomi Mi TV / Mi Box + Hisense VIDAA TV + Apple TV, HomeKit & Matter TVs FULL REMOTE CONTROL + D-pad navigation with OK/Select + Volume up/down and mute + Channel up/down + Power on/off with Wake-on-LAN + Home, Back, Menu, Source/Input + Number pad for direct channel entry + Media controls: Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop SMART FEATURES + Touchpad with LG Magic Remote-style mouse control + Type on your phone, text appears on TV + Launch Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and more + Browse on your phone, watch on your TV + Mirror videos, photos and music to your TV EASY SETUP + Auto-discovers Smart TVs on your Wi-Fi network + Apple TV & HomeKit devices set up through Apple's Home app + Connect by IP address for manual setup + Wake powered-off TVs with Wake-on-LAN + No hub or extra hardware required Subscription Details: Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in your Account Settings. Terms & Conditions: https://mobilealchemy.co/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://mobilealchemy.co/privacy-policy.html

About

Universal Remote TV Control

Control your smart TV from your phone with this app. It offers a full-featured remote experience, allowing you to change channels, adjust volume, navigate menus, and more. Connect via Wi-Fi for seamless control.

Highlights
  • Control TV from iPhone
  • Channel and volume control
  • Menu and playback functions
  • Works with popular brands
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Keyboard input
  • Haptic feedback
Features
Read full description

A TV remote always going missing? Or you just can’t stand the very sight of this old-school device anymore? Then you are in the right place—using a remote control app on your phone will save you all these headaches. Universal Remote TV Control brings watching TV to a new level! It’s a handy no-frills application that lets you control a web-connected TV set from your iPhone. The app copies the functionality of the handheld remote and allows you to rule over everything: channels list, volume, menu, info, tools, and other controls (Play/Pause/Stop, etc.). It works with the most popular brands—Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Vizio, TCL, Toshiba, Xfinity, Insignia, Hisense, Element etc.—and supports TV models of different years of production and screen size. The only thing required is to connect your iPhone and your TV device to the same Wifi network—and your touchscreen will turn into a navigation pane with all the functions of the usual remote. FEATURES: • Quick and simple to use: the app serves as the physical remote and is always at hand • Automatic customization: makes things a bit more user-friendly to set up • Haptic feedback: gives this awesome vibration and sense of realism • Nice responsive touchpad: for the aesthetically pleasing look, feel, and touch • Keyboard input: makes TV searching a no-brainer • Works through WIFI: the app automatically detects any TVs on your network for you to control everything smartly with your phone Universal Remote TV Control is a full-featured mobile version of a physical TV remote that makes your life much easier. No need to get up from the couch and go for the remote or firestick or to buy a new one in case you lost it. Sync the app with your device to browse your favorite shows, movies, and programs easily with a phone. Make the most out of technology for your better smarter life! Disclaimer: Universal Remote TV Control is NOT the official application of Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Vizio, TCL, Toshiba, Xfinity, insignia, Hisense, Roku, Fire TV, Element and it is NOT affiliated with or endorsed by these or any other companies. For complete access to all Universal Remote TV Control features, you will need to subscribe to Premium. For Smart TVs / Devices, the only setting required is to connect your phone as well as your Smart TV / Device to the same Wifi network. For IR(Infared) TVs, your phone must have a built-in Infrared (IR) feature for the app to work as a remote control. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. The cost of the renewal depends on your subscription plan. Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal can be turned off in the user’s Account Settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period (if offered) will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. Privacy Policy: https://remotetv.app/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://remotetv.app/terms-of-use.html

Screenshots

SmartRemote4 screens
Universal Remote TV Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Remote TV Control at 4.3 against SmartRemote's 3.0. Universal Remote TV Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (50K vs 2). SmartRemote's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SmartRemote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote TV Control sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal Remote TV Control holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote TV Control has 50K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 10% of SmartRemote's written reviews are positive against 28% of Universal Remote TV Control's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, Universal Remote TV Control monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SmartRemote versus Universal Remote TV Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartRemoteUniversal Remote TV Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.3 (50K ratings) — better
Positive reviews10.0% of reviews27.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings250K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#89 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.413.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB164 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMOBILE ALCHEMY LTDDesidari Holding Ltd.

Customer experience

SmartRemote

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive10.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative90.0%

Universal Remote TV Control

All ratings50,111 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative16.0%
Written reviews2,002 reviews
Positive27.9%
Neutral4.0%
Negative68.1%

Bugs and requests

SmartRemote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Universal Remote TV Control

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App not working after free trial ends
  • Unable to connect to certain TV models
  • Inconsistent performance, often disconnecting

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to turn on TV without physical remote
  • Keyboard support for text input
  • Option to switch between multiple TVs
  • Ability to cancel subscription easily

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SmartRemote

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Annual Premium$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$49.99
13 purchases

Universal Remote TV Control

Subscriptions12
  • Universal TV Remote App: 1Week3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Universal TV Remote App: 1Week$4.997 Days
  • TV Remote Control - Weekly3 Days trial$5.997 Days
Show 9 more
  • TV Remote Control -1 Week Pro3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • TV Remote Control3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • TV Remote Control3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Universal TV Remote: 1 Month$9.991 Month
  • Universal TV Remote - Pro Pack$14.993 Months
  • Universal TV Remote App3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Smart TV Remote Control: 1Year$29.991 Year
  • Universal TV Remote App: 1Year3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Universal Remote Control-1Year$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Smart TV Remote-1 Time Payment$49.99

Questions

Is SmartRemote free?
SmartRemote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Remote TV Control free?
Universal Remote TV Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SmartRemote or Universal Remote TV Control?
Universal Remote TV Control is rated higher. SmartRemote averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Universal Remote TV Control averages 4.3 from 50K ratings.
Do SmartRemote or Universal Remote TV Control have ads?
SmartRemote shows ads; Universal Remote TV Control does not.
Which is updated more often, SmartRemote or Universal Remote TV Control?
SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, and Universal Remote TV Control monthly. Most recently, SmartRemote was updated on September 3, 2026 and Universal Remote TV Control on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons