# Universal Remote | Smart TV vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is ads: Universal Remote | Smart TV at none against TV Remote's shown. Universal Remote | Smart TV also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (11K vs 564). TV Remote's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote | Smart TV sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal Remote | Smart TV holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote | Smart TV has 11K ratings behind it against 564, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Universal Remote | Smart TV's written reviews are positive against 53% of TV Remote's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Smart TV | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id1631564230/reviews)** | [4.5 (564 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control-plus/id1663632832/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 564 |
| Positive reviews | 38.3% of reviews | **53.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 314 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Level Clash Apps S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590871236) | [ZipoApps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671444635) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Remote | Smart TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id1631564230)

Control your smart TV and streaming devices with your phone. Navigate menus, launch channels, adjust volume, and type text easily. Cast media from your phone to the big screen.

**Highlights:** Touchpad navigation, Hot keys for channels, Volume control, Built-in keyboard, Multiple device switching, Cast media to TV

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Set up your remote | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Control Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal TV Remote Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Control Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote Control for TV Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote for TV Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Remote Control for TV Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Smart TV Remote Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Universal TV Remote Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart TV Remote Control Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Remote Control for TV Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart TV Remote Control Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium access | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up
- 💡 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Works perfectly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Requires paid subscription
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 🔒 Unable to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Doesn't work as expected
- 🚫 No free version

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- Unable to connect to TV
- Keyboard function doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Option to purchase one-time instead of subscription
- Ability to cancel subscription easily


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control-plus/id1663632832)

Transform your smartphone into a universal remote for smart TVs and streaming devices. Control channels, volume, and apps with a familiar interface. Cast media and mirror your screen for a seamless entertainment experience.

**Highlights:** Universal smart TV control, App launching and navigation, Media casting (photos, videos), Screen mirroring, Control soundbars and consoles, Intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote ◦ Universal Control | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote ◦ Universal Control | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $9.99 | per year |
| Smart, Universal TV Remote | $14.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $29.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $39.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly app
- 🚀 Convenient to use
- ✨ Works well as a remote
- 💡 Useful when remote is broken

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Paywall restricts features
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Unclear free trial terms

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work with certain TV models
- Subscription issues (unable to cancel, etc.)
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add support for more TV brands
- Improve subscription management
- Provide a one-time purchase option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote | Smart TV free?

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

### Is TV Remote free?

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

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

Universal Remote | Smart TV is rated higher. Universal Remote | Smart TV averages 4.7 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.5 from 564 ratings.

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

TV Remote shows ads; Universal Remote | Smart TV does not.

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

Universal Remote | Smart TV ships an update every 2 weeks, and TV Remote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Universal Remote | Smart TV was updated on October 28, 2026 and TV Remote on October 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.*