Comparison

SmartRemote vs Universal Remote™

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™

Transform your phone into a smart TV remote. Control various TV brands, navigate menus, use voice search, and cast content from your device to the big screen. Features include a touchpad, keyboard input, and one-tap app launching.

Highlights
  • Smart TV remote control
  • Wi-Fi network connection
  • Touchpad navigation
  • Voice search functionality
  • One-tap app launching
  • Cast photos, videos, and music
Features
Read full description

Universal Remote™ -TV Controlis your ultimate all-in-one smart controller, screen mirroring, and media casting assistant. Turn your iPhone into a powerful universal TV remote and never search for a lost physical remote again. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: One Universal Remote for Everything Control your Roku TV, Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, and more directly from your phone. Whether you use an Amazon Firestick, Fire TV, or Android TV, simply connect to the same Wi-Fi network, and your phone instantly becomes a fully functional smart controller. Simple Setup, Instant Connection No infrared blaster or pairing codes needed. Open the app, and it automatically detects your smart TV over Wi-Fi for an instant connection. Advanced Screen Mirroring & Cast - Screen Mirroring: Mirror your phone screen to the TV in real-time — ideal for presentations, gaming, and sharing memories. - Media Casting: Cast photos, play family videos, or stream music from your phone to the big screen. Full Control at Your Fingertips - Complete Remote Functions: Easily adjust volume, switch channels, power on/off, and navigate menus. - Touchpad Mode: Browse menus smoothly using laptop-style touchpad navigation. - Quick Keyboard Input: Type searches and passwords with your phone's keyboard — so much faster than on-screen TV keyboards. - Voice Search: Find your favorite shows and movies using quick voice commands. - One-Tap App Launch: Open streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and others directly from the remote interface. SUPPORTED TV BRANDS & DEVICES Roku TV & Streaming Players, Samsung, LG, Sony, Amazon Fire TV & Firestick, TCL, Hisense, Vizio, Sharp, RCA, Toshiba, Philips, Panasonic, Insignia, Element, and more. HOW IT WORKS 1. Make sure your iPhone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. 2. Open the app — it will automatically scan and find your TV. 3. Select your TV brand and start controlling instantly. DISCLAIMER This app is a third-party tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Roku, Samsung, LG, Sony, Amazon, or any other TV brands listed above. SUBSCRIPTION INFO Some features require a premium subscription. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel subscriptions anytime in your iTunes account settings. Privacy Policy: http://urc.visonxy.com/#/privacy Terms of Use: http://urc.visonxy.com/#/agreement Need help? Contact us at: support@jywfx.cn

Screenshots

SmartRemote4 screens
Universal Remote™4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Remote™ at 4.6 against SmartRemote's 3.0. Universal Remote™ also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 10%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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™ sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal Remote™ holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote™ has 91 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 50% of Universal Remote™'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, Universal Remote™ fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SmartRemote versus Universal Remote™: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartRemoteUniversal Remote™
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.6 (91 ratings) — better
Positive reviews10.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings291 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB158 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperMOBILE ALCHEMY LTDVISONXY LIMITED

Customer experience

SmartRemote

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

Universal Remote™

All ratings91 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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
5 purchases

Universal Remote™

Subscriptions5
  • Weekly Membership$6.997 Days
  • Weekly Membership3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Weekly Membership3 Days trial$8.997 Days
Show 2 more
  • Annual Membership$29.991 Year
  • Annual Membership3 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is SmartRemote free?
SmartRemote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Remote™ free?
Universal Remote™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SmartRemote or Universal Remote™?
Universal Remote™ is rated higher. SmartRemote averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Universal Remote™ averages 4.6 from 91 ratings.
Do SmartRemote or Universal Remote™ have ads?
SmartRemote shows ads; Universal Remote™ does not.
Which is updated more often, SmartRemote or Universal Remote™?
SmartRemote ships an update every 8 days, and Universal Remote™ fortnightly. Most recently, SmartRemote was updated on November 7, 2026 and Universal Remote™ on November 9, 2026.

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