# Universal Remote vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Universal Remote at 7.8K against TV Remote's 26. Universal Remote also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.0). TV Remote's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 11 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, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 7.8K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 33% and 33% positive.

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, TV Remote weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id1537510382/reviews)** | [4.0 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-pro/id6743825595/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 33.0% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 221 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UNIVERSAL REMOTE LABS COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524909391) | [Elegantique Network Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804777319) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Remote

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

Control your smart TVs and streaming devices wirelessly from your phone. Offers quick navigation, app access, and gesture controls. Seamlessly pair with major brands like Samsung, Roku, and LG.

**Highlights:** Full-featured remote control, Channel and volume control, One-tap app access, Swipe gesture navigation, Quick WiFi pairing, Control Smart TVs and streaming devices

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Access | $7.99 | 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


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-pro/id6743825595)

Transform your phone into a universal remote for all your smart TVs. Control volume, channels, and navigate menus with ease. Includes screen mirroring and quick access to streaming apps.

**Highlights:** Universal remote for smart TVs, Full TV control (volume, channels, input), Touchpad, keyboard, and voice search, Screen mirroring, Auto TV detection, Quick access to streaming apps

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribe Discount Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscribe Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal remote control | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal remote control | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal remote control | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal remote control | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Member | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Member | $29.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal remote control | $29.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscribe Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Life Time Subscribe | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Remote or TV Remote?

Universal Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.0 from 26 ratings.

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

Both Universal Remote and TV Remote show ads.

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

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, and TV Remote weekly. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on October 30, 2026 and TV Remote on October 10, 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.*