# Universal Remote vs Universal Remote

Universal Remote and Universal Remote both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 33% of Universal Remote's. Universal Remote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Universal Remote's advantage is ratings volume (7.8K vs 88). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Universal Remote against 4.2 for Universal Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 7.8K ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 73% of Universal Remote's.

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, Universal Remote weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id1537510382/reviews)** | [4.2 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-control-tvs/id6737794953/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | 32.7% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 223 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UNIVERSAL REMOTE LABS COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524909391) | [UNIVERSAL TECHLAB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1777966695) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id1537510382)

Control all your smart TVs and streaming devices from your phone. Offers quick navigation, app access, and gesture controls for a seamless remote experience. Compatible with major brands.

**Highlights:** Control smart TVs and streaming devices, Full-featured remote with essential buttons, Channel and volume control, One-tap access to popular apps, Swipe-based gesture controls, Quick WiFi pairing

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Responsive and fast
- 🎨 Seamless pairing with devices
- 💡 Useful as a backup remote

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔌 Unreliable connection to devices
- 📢 Intrusive ads and constant upsells

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to find or connect to TV
- Purchased features not activating
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Restoration of purchases not working

**Requested features**

- Customizable button layout
- Support for more TV brands
- Ability to control smart home devices
- Improved Apple Watch integration


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-control-tvs/id6737794953)

Transform your smartphone into a powerful universal remote for your smart TV. Control volume, channels, playback, and navigate with an intuitive interface. Cast photos, videos, and presentations directly to your TV for an immersive entertainment experience.

**Highlights:** Core remote functions (volume, channels, playback), Intuitive UI with touchpad and keyboard, Automatic setup, Effortless channel surfing, Cast photos and videos to TV, Multi-media casting (PDFs, PPTX), Seamless Wi-Fi connectivity

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week Premium Package | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Month Package | $14.99 | per month |
| Year Package | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Package | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

Universal Remote 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, Universal Remote or Universal Remote?

Universal Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.2 from 88 ratings.

### Do Universal Remote or Universal Remote have ads?

Universal Remote shows ads; Universal Remote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Remote or Universal Remote?

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, and Universal Remote weekly. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on September 22, 2026 and Universal Remote on August 31, 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.*