# TV Remote vs Universal TV Remote .

The clearest difference is ads: Universal TV Remote . at none against TV Remote's shown. Universal TV Remote . also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 21%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (633K vs 202) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TV Remote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal TV Remote . sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 633K ratings behind it against 202, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 33% of Universal TV Remote .'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TV Remote ships an update monthly, Universal TV Remote . fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Remote | Universal TV Remote . |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (633K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews)** | [4.3 (202 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote/id1562242165/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **633K** | 202 |
| Positive reviews | 20.8% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) | [HVN Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1487436319) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Utilities, #6 Top Grossing · Utilities, #105 Top Free, #163 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Control your smart TV directly from your phone. Connect via WIFI to manage volume, channels, and navigation with a touchpad and keyboard. Supports major brands like Samsung, Roku, and LG.

**Highlights:** WIFI TV connection, Smart TV detection, Touchpad navigation, Keyboard input, Channel launching, Voice search

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $8.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium. | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Connects easily
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🔒 Works with multiple TVs
- 👍 Helpful when remote is lost

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires original remote for setup
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔋 Drains phone battery

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't recognize TV
- Power button doesn't work
- Volume controls not functioning

**Requested features**

- Allow remote control without original remote
- Offer more free features
- Improve reliability and stability


### Universal TV Remote .

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote/id1562242165)

Control your smart TV from your iPhone with this app. It works with major brands like Samsung, LG, and Sony, offering full remote functionality including power, volume, channels, and video playback. Connect via Wi-Fi for convenient control from anywhere in your home.

**Highlights:** Control smart TVs from iPhone, Supports Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, Roku, Hitachi, Full remote functionality (power, volume, channels), Video playback controls (play, pause, etc.), Access TV menus and options, Wi-Fi connectivity for remote control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Is Universal TV Remote . free?

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

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

TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 633K ratings, while Universal TV Remote . averages 4.3 from 202 ratings.

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

TV Remote shows ads; Universal TV Remote . does not.

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

TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Universal TV Remote . fortnightly. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on November 8, 2026 and Universal TV Remote . on November 3, 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.*