# TV Remote vs Universal Remote

TV Remote and Universal Remote both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 20% of TV Remote's. Universal Remote also leads on ads (none vs shown). TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (605K vs 1.1K) and chart position (#7 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 Remote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 605K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 80% of Universal Remote's.

TV Remote ships an update monthly, Universal Remote fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Remote | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (605K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id6450844215/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **605K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | 20.3% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) | [Gentlemen's s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664064879) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Remote

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Utilities, #10 Top Free · Utilities, #173 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 Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id6450844215)

Transform your phone into a powerful TV controller. Manage channels, volume, menus, and use keyboard input for seamless navigation. Compatible with major smart TV brands over Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Control channels and volume, Access TV menus and info, Keyboard input for searches, Haptic feedback, Responsive touchpad interface, Wi-Fi network connectivity

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remote control for TV | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal TV Remote | $8.99 | per month |
| Remote Control for TV | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Remote Control for TV | $19.99 | per year |
| TV Remote | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Quick response time and responsiveness
- 📱 Transforms phone into functional remote
- 🔄 Automatic detection and customization
- ✨ Works across multiple TV brands (LG, Samsung, Sony, Roku)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive subscription model and paywalls
- 🔌 Connectivity issues with some TVs
- 📺 Inconsistent compatibility across devices
- ⚠️ Unreliable connection reliability

**Reported bugs**

- App won't connect to TV
- Subscription popup blocks basic functionality
- Connectivity drops and unreliable connections

**Requested features**

- Free version without subscription requirements
- Improved TV compatibility and connection stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

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

Universal Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 605K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.6 from 1.1K ratings.

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

TV Remote shows ads; Universal Remote does not.

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

TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Universal Remote fortnightly. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on September 24, 2026 and Universal Remote on September 22, 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.*