# TV Remote vs Smart Remote Control & TV Cast

The clearest difference is ads: Smart Remote Control & TV Cast at none against TV Remote's shown. TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (632K vs 11K) and rating (4.4 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Smart Remote Control & TV Cast sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 632K ratings behind it against 11K, 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 11% of Smart Remote Control & TV Cast's.

TV Remote ships an update monthly, Smart Remote Control & TV Cast every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Remote | Smart Remote Control & TV Cast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (632K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews)** | [4.2 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-remote-control-and-tv-cast/id1665947921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **632K** | 11K |
| Positive reviews | **20.8% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) | [Zooma Apps Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665947923) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Remote

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

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Utilities, #9 Top Free · Utilities, #145 Top Grossing, #198 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


### Smart Remote Control & TV Cast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-remote-control-and-tv-cast/id1665947921)

This app transforms your phone into a universal remote for all popular TV brands. Easily control your smart TV, cast photos, videos, and games to the big screen, and enjoy a streamlined viewing experience.

**Highlights:** Replaces multiple physical remotes, Screencast photos, videos, and games, Easy WiFi setup, Automatic server detection, Keyboard input for searching, Customizable themes

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart TV Remote: Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Smart Remote Control: Weekly | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote Control: Weekly Access | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Smart TV Remote: Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Remote Control for TV: 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly TV Remote Control | $12.99 | per month |
| Smart TV Control for 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Smart Remote Control: 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| TV Remote Control: 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Smart Remote Control: 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works as a remote control
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful when original remote is lost

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Doesn't connect to TV
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔌 Doesn't work without WiFi
- 🤖 Doesn't support volume control

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Subscription charges even after cancellation
- Free trial immediately ends after activation

**Requested features**

- One-time payment option
- Support for more TV brands
- Volume control functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Is Smart Remote Control & TV Cast free?

Smart Remote Control & TV Cast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TV Remote or Smart Remote Control & TV Cast?

TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 632K ratings, while Smart Remote Control & TV Cast averages 4.2 from 11K ratings.

### Do TV Remote or Smart Remote Control & TV Cast have ads?

TV Remote shows ads; Smart Remote Control & TV Cast does not.

### Which is updated more often, TV Remote or Smart Remote Control & TV Cast?

TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Smart Remote Control & TV Cast every 6 weeks. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on November 6, 2026 and Smart Remote Control & TV Cast on November 5, 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.*