Comparison

iR Universal Remote Control vs TV Remote

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

Head to head
About

iR Universal Remote Control

Transform your iPhone into a powerful universal remote control for all your home entertainment and electronic devices. This app, combined with the iRed Transmitter hardware, allows you to control TVs, audio equipment, cameras, and more with an intuitive interface.

Highlights
  • Universal remote control
  • Control TVs, DVD players, DVRs, and more
  • Custom remote design
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
  • No complex WiFi or Bluetooth setup
  • Large device database
  • Quickly switch between remotes
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into THE universal remote control. iR Remote requires the iRed Transmitter hardware (http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Infrared-transmitter-for-iPhone-iPod/) iR Remote transforms your device into a personal universal remote. Use it to control your TV, DVD players, DVRs, cable boxes, audio equipment, high-end digital cameras, ceiling fans, air conditioners, and almost any other product - at home or on the go. Replace all your remotes with your iPhone. Stash the old remotes, and enjoy the convenience and simplicity of using your device. Out with the clutter and confusion, and in with everything you love about your device: the sharp, brilliant display, the Multi-Touch interface, the versatility and portability. With the ability to control any device, iR Remote takes the concept of universal to a new level. Simply plugin iRed into the audiojack and start using. You will able to control anything you want in your home or business. iR Remote combines the power of an intuitive App with the simplicity of iRed. It will give you all the power and none of the complexity. iR Remote does all of this in an attractive, intuitive, Apple inspired and easy to use interface. The perfect replacing for multiple and often-confusing diffrent remote control devices. iR Remote can control any number of devices. Use it to control your -TV -DVD players -DVRs -cable boxes -audio equipment -high-end digital cameras -ceiling fans -air conditioners ... and almost any other product that receive infrared signals. Custom Remote Quickly and easily design your custom remote by dragging and dropping any buttons you want, and assign a signal (hex codes) to each. iR Remote intelligently analyzes the signal and stores it in your device. You can program all your remotes in just minutes. A home for your old phone. Save your old phone from the recycling bin. With iR Remote you could still use it as your favourite universal remote control. Features: -No complex WiFi or Bluetooth setup -large database -auto search -intuitive design -quickly switch between different remotes -store as much remotes as u want -control any device Note: iR Remote requires the iRed Transmitter hardware (http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Infrared-transmitter-for-iPhone-iPod/)

About

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.

Highlights
  • Control smart TVs with phone
  • Supports wide range of brands
  • Eliminates multiple remotes
  • LG, Roku, Samsung, Sony, Philips support
  • Simplified TV experience
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

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/

Screenshots

iR Universal Remote Control4 screens
TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TV Remote at 55% against iR Universal Remote Control's 2%. TV Remote also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.6 vs 1.3). iR Universal Remote Control's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support 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

TV Remote is free to download; iR Universal Remote Control costs $3.99 up front. TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. iR Universal Remote Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 58K ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 2% of iR Universal Remote Control's written reviews are positive against 55% of TV Remote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iR Universal Remote Control ships an update every 6 weeks, TV Remote every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
iR Universal Remote Control versus TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriR Universal Remote ControlTV Remote
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating1.3 (88 ratings)4.6 (58K ratings) — better
Positive reviews2.4% of reviews55.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8858K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#202 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS6.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOliver FoelzZap Software Studio BV

Customer experience

iR Universal Remote Control

All ratings88 ratings
Positive5.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative93.2%
Written reviews293 reviews
Positive2.4%
Neutral3.1%
Negative94.5%

TV Remote

All ratings57,661 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral2.5%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews1,316 reviews
Positive55.4%
Neutral4.7%
Negative39.9%

User reviews

iR Universal Remote Control

From 88 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Works well
  • ⭐ Connects to devices

Room to improve

  • ❌ Requires additional hardware purchase
  • ❌ Doesn't work as advertised
  • ❌ Poor customer support
  • ❌ Crashes and bugs
  • ❌ Useless in demo mode

TV Remote

From 58K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Useful when remote is lost
  • 🔒 No ads or subscriptions
  • 🚀 Quick connection to TV

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems with some TV models
  • 🐛 Keyboard not working on some TVs
  • 🐛 Disconnects frequently

Bugs and requests

iR Universal Remote Control

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Doesn't recognize devices
  • Requires license that doesn't work

Requested features

2 requests
  • Compatibility with more devices
  • Ability to use own IR hardware

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

In-app purchases

None

iR Universal Remote Control

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium$4.997 Days
  • Annual Premium$19.991 Year

Questions

Is iR Universal Remote Control free?
iR Universal Remote Control costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iR Universal Remote Control or TV Remote?
TV Remote is rated higher. iR Universal Remote Control averages 1.3 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.6 from 58K ratings.
Do iR Universal Remote Control or TV Remote have ads?
TV Remote shows ads; iR Universal Remote Control does not.
Which is updated more often, iR Universal Remote Control or TV Remote?
iR Universal Remote Control ships an update every 6 weeks, and TV Remote every 4 days. Most recently, iR Universal Remote Control was updated on September 25, 2026 and TV Remote on September 28, 2026.

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