# TV Remote vs Universal Control

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote at 4.4 against Universal Control's 1.0. TV Remote also leads on ratings volume (605K vs 1) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). Universal Control's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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 Control sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 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 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 605K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

TV Remote ships an update monthly, Universal Control every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Remote | Universal Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (605K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id1539090879/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-control-tv-remote/id6504645109/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **605K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 20.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EVOLLY.APP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422593523) | [Pham Ngoc Hanh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546055047) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Remote

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Utilities, #6 Top Grossing · Utilities, #144 Top Free, #179 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 Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-control-tv-remote/id6504645109)

Transform your phone into a universal TV remote. Easily control various smart TV brands, navigate with a touchpad, and launch apps directly. Connect via Wi-Fi for seamless control of volume, channels, and more.

**Highlights:** Universal TV remote control, Wi-Fi connectivity, Touchpad navigation, App and channel launching, Voice search, Remote widget

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subsciption | $3.49 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Subscription | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Remote free?

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

### Is Universal Control free?

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

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

TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 605K ratings, while Universal Control averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Both TV Remote and Universal Control show ads.

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

TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Universal Control every 2 weeks. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on September 26, 2026 and Universal Control on August 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.*