# Universal TV Remote Controller vs Smart Remote Things Sam TV

The clearest difference is ads: Smart Remote Things Sam TV at none against Universal TV Remote Controller's shown. Smart Remote Things Sam TV also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 25%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Universal TV Remote Controller's advantage is ratings volume (637 vs 51). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal TV Remote Controller sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Smart Remote Things Sam TV sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 — 4.1 for Universal TV Remote Controller against 4.1 for Smart Remote Things Sam TV. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal TV Remote Controller has 637 ratings behind it against 51, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 25% of Universal TV Remote Controller's written reviews are positive against 44% of Smart Remote Things Sam TV's.

Universal TV Remote Controller ships an update every 2 months, Smart Remote Things Sam TV every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal TV Remote Controller | Smart Remote Things Sam TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (637 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-controller/id1538250188/reviews)** | [4.1 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-remote-things-sam-tv/id1578153827/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **637** | 51 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **44.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SON TUNG](https://appshunter.io/developer/486079249) | [Quang Huy Huynh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1528879425) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal TV Remote Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-controller/id1538250188)

Control your smart TV with your phone. This app automatically scans for devices and offers features like channel switching, keyboard search, and voice control. A premium subscription unlocks all features and removes ads.

**Highlights:** Automatic TV device scanning, Single-tap channel switching, Keyboard and voice search, Swift navigation, Ad-free experience (premium)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WEEKLY SUBSCRIPTION | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| WEEKLY SUBSCRIPTION | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION | $9.99 | per month |
| YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION | $19.99 | per year |
| YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION | $39.99 | per year |
| One-time Payment | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works as a replacement when physical remote is lost
- ⭐ Effective for Samsung TV control
- ✅ Functional remote control capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive premium paywall and forced upgrades
- 🐛 Frequent connection failures and disconnections
- ❌ App stops working after initial period
- 😤 Excessive ads and harassment for premium
- 🔄 Requires constant app refreshing to function

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to connect to TV devices
- Connection drops frequently
- Volume control unavailable or missing
- Stuck on guide screen unable to exit
- Repetitive TV selection prompts

**Requested features**

- Restore and improve volume control functionality
- Free access to basic remote functions without premium
- Keyboard and search functionality without paywall
- Home button access without premium upgrade


### Smart Remote Things Sam TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-remote-things-sam-tv/id1578153827)

Control your smart TV and cast media from your device. Easily navigate menus, launch apps, and stream photos, videos, and music to your television.

**Highlights:** Smart TV remote control, Smooth navigation touchpad, Launch TV apps quickly, Cast photos and videos, Cast web videos, Cast music

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $6.49 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Trial | $26.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $18.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal TV Remote Controller free?

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

### Is Smart Remote Things Sam TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote Controller or Smart Remote Things Sam TV?

Universal TV Remote Controller is rated higher. Universal TV Remote Controller averages 4.1 out of 5 from 637 ratings, while Smart Remote Things Sam TV averages 4.1 from 51 ratings.

### Do Universal TV Remote Controller or Smart Remote Things Sam TV have ads?

Universal TV Remote Controller shows ads; Smart Remote Things Sam TV does not.

### Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote Controller or Smart Remote Things Sam TV?

Universal TV Remote Controller ships an update every 2 months, and Smart Remote Things Sam TV every 6 weeks. Most recently, Universal TV Remote Controller was updated on October 16, 2026 and Smart Remote Things Sam TV on September 30, 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.*