# Universal TV Remote Controller vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TV Remote at 100% against Universal TV Remote Controller's 25%. TV Remote also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Universal TV Remote Controller's advantage is ratings volume (636 vs 70). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 TV Remote sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal TV Remote Controller has 636 ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Universal TV Remote Controller's written reviews are positive against 100% of TV Remote's.

Universal TV Remote Controller ships an update every 2 months, TV Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal TV Remote Controller | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (636 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-controller/id1538250188/reviews) | **[4.7 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-smart-tvs-remote/id1642685338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **636** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SON TUNG](https://appshunter.io/developer/486079249) | [Hung Duong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1523034470) |

## 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


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-smart-tvs-remote/id1642685338)

Control your smart TV seamlessly from your phone. This app supports a wide range of brands, offers features like app launching and voice search, and allows IPTV playlist playback. Upgrade to premium to remove ads and unlock all functionalities.

**Highlights:** Control all smart TVs, Auto-detect devices on WiFi, Play IPTV M3U playlists, Touchpad navigation, Launch apps directly, Fast keyboard and voice search

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| 3 Months Premium | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Premium | $22.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $22.99 | 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 TV Remote free?

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

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

TV Remote is rated higher. Universal TV Remote Controller averages 4.1 out of 5 from 636 ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.7 from 70 ratings.

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

Both Universal TV Remote Controller and TV Remote show ads.

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

Universal TV Remote Controller ships an update every 2 months, and TV Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal TV Remote Controller was updated on October 25, 2026 and TV Remote on October 24, 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.*