# SmartRemote vs Universal Remote | Smart TV

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Remote | Smart TV at 4.7 against SmartRemote's 3.0. Universal Remote | Smart TV also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (38% vs 10%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmartRemote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote | Smart TV sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal Remote | Smart TV holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote | Smart TV has 11K 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 38% of Universal Remote | Smart TV's.

SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, Universal Remote | Smart TV every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartRemote | Universal Remote | Smart TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartremote-tv-controller/id1508991736/reviews) | **[4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id1631564230/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 10.0% of reviews | **38.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 314 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MOBILE ALCHEMY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1577973502) | [Level Clash Apps S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590871236) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartRemote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartremote-tv-controller/id1508991736)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $49.99 | one-time |


### Universal Remote | Smart TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id1631564230)

Control your smart TV and streaming devices with your phone. Navigate menus, launch channels, adjust volume, and type text easily. Cast media from your phone to the big screen.

**Highlights:** Touchpad navigation, Hot keys for channels, Volume control, Built-in keyboard, Multiple device switching, Cast media to TV

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Set up your remote | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Control Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal TV Remote Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Control Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote Control for TV Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote for TV Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote Control for TV Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Smart TV Remote Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Universal TV Remote Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart TV Remote Control Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Remote Control for TV Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart TV Remote Control Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium access | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up
- 💡 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Works perfectly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Requires paid subscription
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 🔒 Unable to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Doesn't work as expected
- 🚫 No free version

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- Unable to connect to TV
- Keyboard function doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Option to purchase one-time instead of subscription
- Ability to cancel subscription easily


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartRemote free?

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

### Is Universal Remote | Smart TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartRemote or Universal Remote | Smart TV?

Universal Remote | Smart TV is rated higher. SmartRemote averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Universal Remote | Smart TV averages 4.7 from 11K ratings.

### Do SmartRemote or Universal Remote | Smart TV have ads?

SmartRemote shows ads; Universal Remote | Smart TV does not.

### Which is updated more often, SmartRemote or Universal Remote | Smart TV?

SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, and Universal Remote | Smart TV every 2 weeks. Most recently, SmartRemote was updated on September 3, 2026 and Universal Remote | Smart TV on September 29, 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.*