# TV Remote vs TV Remote, Universal Remote

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote, Universal Remote at 4.8 against TV Remote's 4.4. TV Remote, Universal Remote also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (629K vs 2.9K) and chart position (#3 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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 TV Remote, Universal Remote sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote, Universal Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 629K ratings behind it against 2.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 26% of TV Remote, Universal Remote's.

TV Remote ships an update monthly, TV Remote, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Remote | TV Remote, Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (629K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id1660719609/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **629K** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | 20.7% of reviews | **25.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) | [Inston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1660719611) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Remote

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

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Utilities, #8 Top Free · Utilities, #149 Top Grossing, #202 Top Free (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


### TV Remote, Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id1660719609)

Transform your smartphone into a universal TV remote. Control power, volume, channels, and menus for over 1000 TV models worldwide. Simplify your entertainment setup and eliminate the need for multiple physical remotes.

**Highlights:** Universal TV control, Power on/off, Volume adjustment, Channel navigation, Menu access, Simple setup, Wide compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Access IPTV Channels - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro: Unlock All | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro: Full Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro: Ultimate Access | $12.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Access IPTV Channels - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro: Unlimited Access | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Subscription | $6.99 | one-time |
| Access All Features | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $27.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $32.99 | one-time |
| Access IPTV Channel - Lifetime | $32.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🙌 Helpful for finding lost remote
- 💡 Allows room/location customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Excessive paid features
- 🚫 Limited functionality in free version
- 📺 Compatibility issues with some TV models
- 💤 Frequent ads interrupting usage

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to connect to TV
- Buttons not responding as expected
- Subscription not canceling properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to control more TV functions without subscription
- Option to disable ads in free version
- Support for more TV brands and models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Is TV Remote, Universal Remote free?

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

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

TV Remote, Universal Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 629K ratings, while TV Remote, Universal Remote averages 4.8 from 2.9K ratings.

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

Both TV Remote and TV Remote, Universal Remote show ads.

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

TV Remote ships an update monthly, and TV Remote, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on October 30, 2026 and TV Remote, Universal Remote on October 27, 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.*