Comparison

iTunes Remote vs Roku Remote (Official)

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iTunes Remote

Control your Apple Music, iTunes, or Apple TV app library from your iPhone or iPad. Browse content, manage playlists, and stream audio to AirPlay speakers throughout your home.

Highlights
  • Control Apple Music, iTunes, Apple TV
  • Browse music, movies, TV shows, podcasts
  • Create and edit playlists
  • View upcoming songs (Up Next)
  • Search entire libraries
  • Stream to AirPlay speakers
  • Group speakers for multi-room audio
Read full description

iTunes Remote is the best way to control Apple Music, iTunes, or the Apple TV app from anywhere in your home. Simply download the app to your iPhone or iPad, and connect directly to Apple Music, iTunes, or the Apple TV app on your Mac or PC. With iTunes Remote you can: • Access your Apple Music, Apple TV, or iTunes libraries • Browse music by artist, albums, and songs • Browse movies, TV shows, and podcasts • Create and edit playlists • See upcoming songs with Up Next • Search your entire Apple Music, Apple TV, or iTunes libraries • Explore shared Apple Music, Apple TV, or iTunes libraries • Listen with AirPlay • Send music to AirPlay speakers • Group speakers together to play music in multiple rooms at the same time • Set the volume on each speaker independently Requirements: • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 11.4 or later • Wi-Fi connection to Apple TV, Apple Music, or iTunes on a Mac or PC • macOS 10.15.2 or higher for Apple Music and the Apple TV app • iTunes 12.8 or later is recommended for use with iTunes Remote

About

Roku Remote (Official)

Control your streaming devices with a mobile remote, search for content using voice or keyboard, and enjoy private listening. Stream free movies and live TV on the go, and cast media from your phone to your TV.

Highlights
  • Mobile remote control
  • Voice and keyboard search
  • Private listening with headphones
  • Stream free movies and live TV
  • Cast media from phone to TV
  • Add and launch channels
Features
Read full description

The official remote app for your Roku® device. Roku Remote (Official) turns your phone into a feature-packed remote control for Roku players and Roku TVs. Enjoy convenient, easy control of your Roku devices, quickly launch your favorite apps and channels, search with your voice, type with your phone’s keyboard, and listen privately with headphones — all from the device already in your pocket. The free Roku Remote app features: * Remote control — a full-featured Roku remote on your phone, with the same buttons as the one you lost in the couch * Keyboard — type search terms, passwords, and Wi-Fi info with your mobile keyboard instead of the on-screen grid * Voice search — say what you want and get to it faster * Private listening — plug headphones into your phone so you can stream without waking the house * Cast photos and video — share what's on your phone to the big screen * Control your apps — easily add new apps to your Roku device, or quickly launch your favorites * Free TV - stream a huge selection of free movies, live TV, and more right from your phone. Works with Roku TV™ models and Roku streaming players. To use certain features, connect your phone or tablet to the same wireless network as your Roku device. Some features require a compatible Roku device and may require signing into your Roku account. Feature availability: • Voice search is available in English in the US, UK, and Canada, and in Spanish in Mexico and the US. • The Roku Channel can be viewed in the mobile app in the US and Mexico only. • Some channels require payment, can change, and vary by country. For more information, go to http://support.roku.com Privacy Policy: go.roku.com/privacypolicy CA Privacy Notice: https://docs.roku.com/published/userprivacypolicy/en/us#userprivacypolicy-en_us-CCPA

Screenshots

iTunes Remote3 screens
Roku Remote (Official)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: iTunes Remote at none against Roku Remote (Official)'s shown. iTunes Remote also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (11.4 vs 16.0). Roku Remote (Official)'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (6.4M vs 40K). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for iTunes Remote against 4.7 for Roku Remote (Official). That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roku Remote (Official) has 6.4M ratings behind it against 40K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of iTunes Remote's written reviews are positive against 64% of Roku Remote (Official)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iTunes Remote ships an update every 5 months, Roku Remote (Official) every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
iTunes Remote versus Roku Remote (Official): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriTunes RemoteRoku Remote (Official)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (40K ratings)4.7 (6.4M ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.9% of reviews63.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings40K6.4M — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#12 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS11.4 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB229 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAppleROKU INC

Customer experience

iTunes Remote

All ratings39,497 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews2,197 reviews
Positive56.9%
Neutral11.0%
Negative32.2%

Roku Remote (Official)

All ratings6,165,080 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral3.0%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews6,894 reviews
Positive63.9%
Neutral6.5%
Negative29.6%

User reviews

iTunes Remote

From 40K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for controlling music on Mac and AirPlay devices
  • 👍 Convenient remote control for Apple TV
  • 💡 Allows remote access to iTunes library

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnects and stability issues
  • 🔍 Lacks integration with Apple Music
  • 📺 No longer supports Apple Watch
  • 🔍 Limited functionality compared to previous versions

Roku Remote (Official)

From 6.4M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient remote control
  • 🎧 Private listening feature
  • 📱 Ability to control TV from phone
  • 🔍 Easy to navigate and search
  • 🆓 Free app with no ads

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnection issues
  • ⏱️ Slow to connect or respond
  • 🔌 Compatibility problems with some TVs
  • 🔇 Private listening not always reliable
  • 🤯 Frustrating when remote doesn't work

Bugs and requests

iTunes Remote

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Arrows and navigation buttons disappearing
  • Inability to control Apple TV
  • Frequent need to reconnect to iTunes library

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for HomePod and stereo HomePods
  • Integrate with Apple Music for searching and adding to library
  • Improve user interface and add more customization options
  • Restore Apple Watch support

Roku Remote (Official)

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes or freezes frequently
  • Fails to detect or connect to Roku devices
  • Loses connection during use
  • Inconsistent performance across devices
  • Unreliable private listening mode

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add volume control for Roku sticks
  • Improve Bluetooth/headphone connectivity
  • Allow remote access over mobile data
  • Add widget for quick TV controls
  • Optimize app for iPad's larger screen

In-app purchases

None

iTunes Remote

No in-app purchases

None

Roku Remote (Official)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iTunes Remote free?
iTunes Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Roku Remote (Official) free?
Roku Remote (Official) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iTunes Remote or Roku Remote (Official)?
Roku Remote (Official) is rated higher. iTunes Remote averages 4.6 out of 5 from 40K ratings, while Roku Remote (Official) averages 4.7 from 6.4M ratings.
Do iTunes Remote or Roku Remote (Official) have ads?
Roku Remote (Official) shows ads; iTunes Remote does not.
Which is updated more often, iTunes Remote or Roku Remote (Official)?
iTunes Remote ships an update every 5 months, and Roku Remote (Official) every 3 weeks. Most recently, iTunes Remote was updated on November 1, 2026 and Roku Remote (Official) on November 1, 2026.

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