# Remoku vs Universal Remote

The clearest difference is monetization model: Remoku at free with in-app purchases against Universal Remote's subscription. Remoku also leads on review sentiment (32% vs 18%). Universal Remote's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Remoku sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Remoku against 4.6 for Universal Remote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.3K and 13K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of Remoku's written reviews are positive against 18% of Universal Remote's.

Remoku ships an update monthly, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Remoku | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remoku-remote-controller/id1658640524/reviews) | **[4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id6446663709/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5.3K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **31.5% of reviews** | 17.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 10 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [App Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/808581339) | [Node Excellence](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756942328) |

## What reviewers say

### Remoku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/remoku-remote-controller/id1658640524)

Control your Roku device or TV directly from your smartphone. This app offers a simple interface with all necessary buttons, a trackpad for navigation, and quick channel launching. It also allows for easy text input for searches and within supported apps.

**Highlights:** Automatic Roku TV detection, Full button functionality, Large trackpad for navigation, One-tap channel launching, Keyboard for text input, Compatibility with all Roku OS models

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access. | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Full Access. | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $34.99 | per year |
| Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well
- 🤩 Great app
- 🤗 Useful for lost remotes
- 🙌 Replaced physical remote

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- ⏱️ Slow performance
- 💰 Paid subscription required
- 🤬 Billing issues
- 🤯 Doesn't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to connect to Roku devices
- Repeated ads preventing app usage
- Unexpected subscription renewals

**Requested features**

- Volume control integration
- Easier subscription management
- Better device compatibility


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id6446663709)

Easily control your smart TV from your iPhone. Adjust volume, switch channels, and launch streaming apps with a beautiful, fast interface. Connects automatically over Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Control smart TVs, Adjust volume and channels, Access streaming apps, Launch channels directly, Automatic Wi-Fi detection, Fast response time, Beautiful remote interface

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TV Remote Premium 1 Week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Premium 1 Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Premium 1 Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Remote Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| TV Remote Premium 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| TV Remote Premium Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| TV Remote Premium Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🚀 Seamless connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection issues
- 💰 Paid subscription required
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🤔 Misleading about free features
- 💰 Expensive for a remote app

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work as advertised
- Fails to connect to Roku devices
- Continues to charge even after cancellation

**Requested features**

- Support for more TV brands
- Free version with basic functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Remoku free?

Remoku 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, Remoku or Universal Remote?

Universal Remote is rated higher. Remoku averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.6 from 13K ratings.

### Do Remoku or Universal Remote have ads?

Remoku shows ads; Universal Remote does not.

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

Remoku ships an update monthly, and Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Remoku was updated on September 25, 2026 and Universal Remote on September 24, 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.*