# Universal Remote vs Universal Remote

Universal Remote and Universal Remote both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 18% of Universal Remote's. Universal Remote also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Universal Remote's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (13K vs 9). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Remote sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 Universal Remote against 4.6 for Universal Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal Remote has 13K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of Universal Remote's written reviews are positive against 100% of Universal Remote's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Remote | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id6446663709/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id6468454544/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 17.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 144 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Node Excellence](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756942328) | [Nguyen Thi Bay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709923495) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-smart-tv/id6468454544)

Control your smart TV using your iPhone with this app. It offers a universal remote solution, allowing you to link and manage multiple TV devices easily. Upgrade to premium to remove ads and access all features.

**Highlights:** Universal TV control, Control all smart TVs, One-click linking to TV, Save remote controls, Ad-free premium option

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Universal Remote TV Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote TV Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Remote TV Universal Life Time | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Remote free?

Universal Remote 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, Universal Remote or Universal Remote?

Universal Remote is rated higher. Universal Remote averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do Universal Remote or Universal Remote have ads?

Universal Remote shows ads; Universal Remote does not.

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

Universal Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, and Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal Remote was updated on November 5, 2026 and Universal Remote on November 3, 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.*