# Universal Remote vs Remote Control

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Remote Control at none against Universal Remote's 11. Remote Control also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Universal Remote's advantage is ratings volume (7.8K vs 14). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Remote Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

Remote Control holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 7.8K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Remote Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id1537510382/reviews) | **[4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remote-control-for-tv/id6780733992/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 32.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 173 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UNIVERSAL REMOTE LABS COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524909391) | [AI Powered App](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772930010) |

## 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 (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


### Remote Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remote-control-for-tv/id6780733992)

Transform your iPhone into a universal TV remote. Effortlessly control your smart TV with features like quick Wi-Fi connection, a responsive D-pad, touchpad, numpad, and easy keyboard input for seamless navigation and text entry.

**Highlights:** Quick Wi-Fi connection, D-pad, touchpad, and numpad controls, Easy keyboard text input, Works with popular Smart TVs, Automatic device detection

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

### Is Remote Control free?

Remote Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Remote Control is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while Remote Control averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.

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

Both Universal Remote and Remote Control show ads.

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

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, and Remote Control monthly. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on October 18, 2026 and Remote Control 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.*