# SmartRemote vs Universal Remote™

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartRemote | Universal Remote™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartremote-tv-controller/id1508991736/reviews) | **[4.6 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id6760289351/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **91** |
| Positive reviews | 10.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [MOBILE ALCHEMY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1577973502) | [VISONXY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861720750) |

## 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™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id6760289351)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Membership | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $29.99 | per year |


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