# Smart TV remote app vs Universal Remote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universal Remote at 73% against Smart TV remote app's 14%. Universal Remote also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Smart TV remote app's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (267 vs 88). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart TV remote app sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smart TV remote app holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 267 and 88 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Smart TV remote app's written reviews are positive against 73% of Universal Remote's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Smart TV remote app ships an update every 5 months, Universal Remote weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart TV remote app | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (267 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tv-remote-app/id1614904513/reviews)** | [4.2 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-control-tvs/id6737794953/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **267** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | 14.0% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.3** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SCOUT -WEB BASED SYSTEMS LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614904515) | [UNIVERSAL TECHLAB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1777966695) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart TV remote app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tv-remote-app/id1614904513)

Control your smart TV using your phone as a virtual remote. Connect via Wi-Fi to manage volume, channels, playback, and menus for various popular TV brands. Enjoy a realistic design for easy navigation.

**Highlights:** Virtual remote control, Wi-Fi connectivity, Volume control, Channel changing, Navigation pad, Video playback controls, Menu and options access

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Universal Remote Control TV | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Week Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Week Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal TV Remote Control | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Connects to anything
- 👍 Worked first time instantly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 All features are paid
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 💸 High weekly cost
- 💸 Trying to scam users
- 👎 App doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- Does not work on TV
- Cannot find TV
- Difficult to cancel subscription
- Free version opens ads with every button press
- Payment went through without agreement

**Requested features**

- Clear instructions on how to connect
- Option to cancel subscription easily
- Less intrusive ads in free version


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-control-tvs/id6737794953)

Transform your smartphone into a powerful universal remote for your smart TV. Control volume, channels, playback, and navigate with an intuitive interface. Cast photos, videos, and presentations directly to your TV for an immersive entertainment experience.

**Highlights:** Core remote functions (volume, channels, playback), Intuitive UI with touchpad and keyboard, Automatic setup, Effortless channel surfing, Cast photos and videos to TV, Multi-media casting (PDFs, PPTX), Seamless Wi-Fi connectivity

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week Premium Package | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Month Package | $14.99 | per month |
| Year Package | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Package | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart TV remote app free?

Smart TV remote app 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, Smart TV remote app or Universal Remote?

Smart TV remote app is rated higher. Smart TV remote app averages 4.4 out of 5 from 267 ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.2 from 88 ratings.

### Do Smart TV remote app or Universal Remote have ads?

Neither Smart TV remote app nor Universal Remote shows ads.

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

Smart TV remote app ships an update every 5 months, and Universal Remote weekly. Most recently, Smart TV remote app was updated on September 18, 2026 and Universal Remote on August 31, 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.*