TV Remote vs Universal TV
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TV Remote
Transform your smartphone into a universal remote control for your smart TV. This app supports a wide variety of popular TV brands, consolidating all your remotes into one convenient device. Enjoy a simplified TV-watching experience.
- Control smart TVs with phone
- Supports wide range of brands
- Eliminates multiple remotes
- LG, Roku, Samsung, Sony, Philips support
- Simplified TV experience
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With Universal Remote, you can control your Smart TV with just your phone! This versatile app supports a wide range of TV brands and models, eliminating the need for multiple remote controls. Download Universal Remote today and simplify your TV-watching experience! It works with the most popular brands: - LG - Roku - Samsung - Sony - Philips - Amazon Fire TV - Android TV & Google TV - Hisense - Vizio This application is an independent development, compatible with the mentioned brands or companies, but it is not officially related to or associated with them in any way. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://zap.studio/privacy-policy/
Universal TV
Control your smart TV and streaming devices with your iPhone. This app offers a user-friendly interface for easy navigation, direct channel launching, and seamless YouTube streaming to your TV. Connect via Wi-Fi for a streamlined entertainment experience.
- Automatic TV device detection
- Large touchpad for navigation
- Direct channel launching
- YouTube search and casting
- Wi-Fi connectivity
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The Universal TV Remote is the top iPhone control app for Streaming Players and TVs. Its streamlined design, user-friendly interface, and absence of excessive buttons or complex settings make it an excellent choice. With this iOS app, accessing movies, music, and games is straightforward, enhancing your experience. Just connect your iOS device and TV to the same Wi-Fi network to get started. Key Features: Automatically detects TV devices on your Wi-Fi network. Includes a large touchpad for easy navigation of menus and content. Launch channels directly from the app. Effortlessly search for YouTube videos and stream them to your TV from your iPhone. Premium Subscription: Subscribe for unlimited access to premium features, including unrestricted use of the Interaction tab. Payment is charged to your iTunes Account upon purchase confirmation. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Renewal charges are billed within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions and disable auto-renewal via Account Settings after purchase. For more details, please visit: https://support.apple.com/HT202039. Upon expiration of the current trial/subscription period, you will be unsubscribed. The current active subscription period cannot be canceled. Once the subscription expires, access to the Interaction tab will be lost. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, is forfeited upon purchasing a subscription to the publication, where applicable. Available subscription plans: - 1-week subscription - Weekly Pro Access - $24.99 - 1-month subscription - Monthly Pro Access - $6.99 - 1-year subscription - Yearly Pro Access - $49.99 Terms of Use: https://telegra.ph/Roku-Terms-of-Use-06-21 Privacy Policy: https://telegra.ph/Roku-Privacy-Policy-06-21
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Universal TV at none against TV Remote's shown. TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (58K vs 745) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal TV sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 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 — 4.6 for TV Remote against 4.7 for Universal TV. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 58K ratings behind it against 745, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 33% of Universal TV's.
TV Remote ships an update every 4 days, Universal TV every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TV Remote | Universal TV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (58K ratings) | 4.7 (745 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 58K — better | 745 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Zap Software Studio BV | SolveIt Inc. |
Customer experience
TV Remote
Universal TV
Bugs and requests
TV Remote
Reported bugs
3 issues- App force closes when connecting to certain TVs
- Volume controls not working on some TVs
- Remote buttons not responding consistently
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to turn TV on/off
- Improve keyboard functionality
- Expand TV brand compatibility
- Add option to save connected TV
Universal TV
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
TV Remote
- Weekly Premium3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Weekly Premium$4.997 Days
- Annual Premium$19.991 Year
Universal TV
- Weekly3 Days trial$6.997 Days
- Monthly$24.991 Month
- Yearly$49.991 Year
Questions
Is TV Remote free?
Is Universal TV free?
Which has better reviews, TV Remote or Universal TV?
Do TV Remote or Universal TV have ads?
Which is updated more often, TV Remote or Universal TV?
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