Comparison

Stick vs Universal TV Remote

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

Head to head
About

Stick

Transform your smartphone into a versatile TV remote control. Easily navigate menus, change channels, and type using your phone's screen. Offers a touchpad, joystick, and keyboard for seamless interaction with various TV models.

Highlights
  • Universal TV compatibility
  • Touchpad and joystick control
  • On-screen keyboard for typing
  • Channel and audio control
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Stick - Remote Control For TV turns your phone into a simple and easy-to-use remote for your TV. A physical remote is always hard to find, but this one stays in your pocket for the whole time! Key Features: *** - Works with many different TV models: Control your TV easily. It’s simple to switch channels, control audio, and navigate the menu! *** - Touchpad and Joystick on Your Phone: Use your phone's screen as a touchpad or joystick to control the TV. *** - Type and Select with Ease: Comes with a keyboard for typing and numbers for channel control. *** - Simple and User-Friendly: Designed for everyone to use without any hassle. Disclaimer: Stick - Remote Control For TV is NOT the official application for any TV brand, and it is NOT affiliated with or endorsed by any company. Try Stick - Remote Control For TV and make controlling your TV simple and convenient with just your phone! Upgrade to Premium Unlock exclusive features with the Premium version: - No Ads: Enjoy your app experience without any ads. - Smart Keyboard: Easily type and search on your TV using your phone’s keyboard. - Unique App Themes: Personalize your remote with unique custom themes. Subscription Details: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription with a free trial period will automatically renew to a paid subscription. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the rate of the selected plan. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase. You can cancel your subscription or free trial in the iTunes settings at least 24-hours before the end of the free trial period. The cancellation will take effect the day after the last day of the current subscription period and you will be downgraded to the free service. Subscription Options: - Weekly: $6.99 - Annual: $29.99 For other currencies, the price corresponds to the same tier on the App Store Pricing Matrix. Privacy policy: https://aiapps.com.co/privacy-policy/ Terms of use: https://aiapps.com.co/terms/ Contact: support@aiapps.com.co

About

Universal TV Remote

Control all your smart TVs with a single app. Easily connect to devices on your Wi-Fi network for instant remote access. Features a touchpad, keyboard for typing, and quick launch buttons for streaming services.

Highlights
  • Control multiple smart TVs
  • Wi-Fi device discovery
  • Full remote functionality
  • Touchpad and keyboard input
  • Quick launch streaming apps
  • App launching from TV
Features
Read full description

One remote for every TV in the house. SmartCtrl finds Roku, Samsung, LG, Fire TV, Android TV / Google TV, Hisense VIDAA and Vizio devices on your Wi-Fi in seconds — no account, no setup — and gives you a full remote for each. EVERY BUTTON, EVERY BRAND • Navigation pad, OK, back, home, volume, mute, channel, play/pause • Number keypad, inputs, settings and colour keys where your TV has them • Quick launch for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+ and more TOUCHPAD Swipe to move, tap to select. On LG the pad drives the Magic Remote cursor. KEYBOARD Type searches with your iPhone keyboard instead of the on-screen letter grid. YOUR TV'S APPS Every app installed on the TV, with its real icon. Star your favourites. PAIR ONCE Roku needs nothing. Samsung and LG ask once on the TV. Fire TV, Android TV, Hisense and Vizio show a code. After that it just works, every time. WORKS ON YOUR WI-FI Everything runs on your local network. No cloud, no account, nothing leaves your home. PRO Remove ads and unlock five themes — Liquid Glass, Aurora, Carbon, Studio — plus 3D relief keys. Supported: Roku and Roku TV (TCL, Hisense, Sharp, Philips), Samsung Tizen (2016+), LG webOS (2014+), Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Android TV and Google TV (Sony Bravia, TCL, Philips, Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield), Hisense VIDAA (and the Toshiba and Sharp sets that run it), Vizio SmartCast. Your phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Pro is available as a one-time Lifetime purchase, or as a Weekly (3-day free trial) or Monthly auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://appxcellence.net/smartctrl/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://appxcellence.net/smartctrl/terms/ Support: contact@appxcellence.net Roku, Samsung, LG, Fire TV, Android TV and Google TV are trademarks of their respective owners. SmartCtrl is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.

Screenshots

Stick4 screens
Universal TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Stick at none against Universal TV Remote's shown. Stick also leads on ratings volume (16K vs 8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and 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

Both are free to download. Stick sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Universal TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stick holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stick has 16K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stick ships an update every 3 weeks, Universal TV Remote every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stick versus Universal TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStickUniversal TV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (16K ratings) — better4.3 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews45.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings16K — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAPPSPRO LTDNice Express

Customer experience

Stick

All ratings15,832 ratings
Positive86.1%
Neutral3.3%
Negative10.6%
Written reviews768 reviews
Positive45.4%
Neutral3.0%
Negative51.6%

Universal TV Remote

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Stick

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Doesn't connect to TV
  • Stops working after updates
  • Fails to detect TV on network

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add source/input button
  • Improve compatibility with more TV brands

Universal TV Remote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Stick

Subscriptions2
  • Stick - Premium3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Stick - Premium for One Year$29.991 Year
3 purchases

Universal TV Remote

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Pro3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Monthly Pro$7.991 Month
One-time1
  • Remote for Roku Lifetime access$24.99

Questions

Is Stick free?
Stick is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal TV Remote free?
Universal TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stick or Universal TV Remote?
Stick is rated higher. Stick averages 4.5 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Universal TV Remote averages 4.3 from 8 ratings.
Do Stick or Universal TV Remote have ads?
Universal TV Remote shows ads; Stick does not.
Which is updated more often, Stick or Universal TV Remote?
Stick ships an update every 3 weeks, and Universal TV Remote every 4 months. Most recently, Stick was updated on October 24, 2026 and Universal TV Remote on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons