# Universal Remote vs SmartRemote

Universal Remote and SmartRemote both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 68% of SmartRemote's written reviews are positive against 9% of Universal Remote's. SmartRemote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs monthly). Universal Remote's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Universal Remote against 4.4 for SmartRemote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 283 and 117 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 9% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 68% of SmartRemote's.

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, SmartRemote daily. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | SmartRemote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (283 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-ac-remote/id1658269407/reviews)** | [4.4 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartremote/id6746305145/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **283** | 117 |
| Positive reviews | 9.3% of reviews | **67.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 37 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [玉 曹](https://appshunter.io/developer/1623313323) | [浩轩 阮](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815974230) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-ac-remote/id1658269407)

Transform your smartphone into a universal remote for various home appliances. Supports infrared and Bluetooth modes, controlling TVs, air conditioners, projectors, and more. Offers broad compatibility with numerous brands and devices.

**Highlights:** Infrared and Bluetooth control modes, Supports TVs, air conditioners, projectors, TV boxes, Wide range of appliance brands supported, Simplified device operation, Multi-device saving and management, Accurate device identification

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good functionality (for some)
- 👍 App developed well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Mandatory ads everywhere
- 💸 Aggressive ad redirection
- 💸 Requires additional purchase (IR connector)
- 💸 Unusable without ads
- 💸 Misleading and deceptive practices

**Reported bugs**

- Ads cannot be closed
- App redirects unexpectedly
- Time freezes during use
- Some buttons do not match
- App is unusable on iOS

**Requested features**

- Fix button mapping issues
- Improve compatibility for all phone types
- Remove ads
- Make the app usable without ads
- Simplify the user interface


### SmartRemote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartremote/id6746305145)

Turn your smartphone into a universal remote for various home appliances like TVs, ACs, and projectors. Control multiple devices from one app and simplify your smart living experience. Eliminate the need for multiple physical remotes.

**Highlights:** Universal remote control, Control TVs, ACs, projectors, fans, lights, All-in-one device management, Replaces physical remotes, Easy smart living integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

Universal Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartRemote free?

SmartRemote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Universal Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 283 ratings, while SmartRemote averages 4.4 from 117 ratings.

### Do Universal Remote or SmartRemote have ads?

Universal Remote shows ads; SmartRemote does not.

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

Universal Remote ships an update monthly, and SmartRemote daily. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on October 20, 2026 and SmartRemote on October 18, 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.*