Comparison

TV Remote vs Universal Control TV

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

Head to head
About

TV Remote

Transform your smartphone into a universal TV remote and screen mirroring device. Control your TV with a trackpad and keyboard, and cast your phone's screen to the big display wirelessly.

Highlights
  • Universal TV remote control
  • Intuitive trackpad navigation
  • Smart keyboard for easy typing
  • Auto-connect to Smart TVs
  • Real-time screen mirroring
  • Lag-free wireless display
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

TV Remote transforms your smartphone into a powerful Universal TV Remote Control, completely eliminating the need for physical remotes. Whether you have lost your remote, have a classic model, or the latest Smart TV with advanced hardware, TV Remote ensures seamless connectivity and full control. KEY FEATURES: Universal TV Remote Control: Intuitive Trackpad: Navigate menus and apps smoothly with a responsive, mouse-like touchpad. Perfect for browsing Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime. Smart Keyboard: Type passwords and search terms quickly on your phone—no more struggling with clumsy plastic remotes. Auto-Connect: Automatically detects Smart TVs on your Wi-Fi network for instant setup. The ultimate replacement remote for your home. HOW TO USE: Step 1: Ensure your phone and Smart TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Step 2: Open TV Remote and tap the "Tap to Connect TV" icon to scan for devices. Step 3: Select your TV brand from the list. Step 4: You are all set! Enjoy full TV control immediately. COMPATIBILITY: TV Remote is a universal remote control app designed to work with a wide range of major TV brands and operating systems, such as Samsung, Vizio, LG, Sony, Roku, TCL, Hisense, FireTV, Insignia, Onn, GoogleTV, Xumo, Vidaa, Toshiba, AppleTV, Sharp, Philips, Panasonic, Westinghouse, Element, Pioneer Simply connect devices to the same Wi-Fi network to begin using your phone as a remote. Terms of Use: https://techsmart.bio/remotetv/remote-tv-terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://techsmart.bio/remotetv/remote-tv-privacy-policy.html

About

Universal Control TV

Transform your iPhone into a smart TV remote without extra hardware. Automatically discover and control compatible TVs over WiFi, offering features like a trackpad, keyboard input, and one-tap app launching.

Highlights
  • Automatic WiFi TV discovery
  • Trackpad and keyboard input
  • One-tap app launching
  • Complete remote functions
  • Channel number pad
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a real universal remote for your smart TV — no IR hardware, no dongles, no clunky pairing codes. Universal Control TV finds your Roku, Samsung Tizen and other smart TVs automatically over WiFi in seconds, then hands you full control right from your pocket. Skip the fumbling with tiny on-screen keyboards and laggy factory remotes. This app gives you precision, speed and features your TV's original remote wishes it had. Automatic Discovery: scan your WiFi network and find compatible smart TVs instantly. One-time pairing means every TV you add is remembered and ready on future launches. Complete Remote Control: power, volume, mute, channel changes and a smooth circular D-pad for navigating menus without missing a beat. Trackpad Mode: swipe across your phone screen like a mouse to glide around the TV interface with precision instead of clicking arrow keys repeatedly. Keyboard Text Input: type searches, usernames and passwords using your iPhone's full keyboard instead of hunting-and-pecking on the TV's on-screen remote. One-Tap App Launch: jump straight into Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+ and other streaming apps with a single tap. Channel Number Pad: punch in exact channel numbers 0-9 instantly, just like a classic remote. Setup takes seconds — connect to the same WiFi as your TV, let the app find it, tap to pair, and you're in control. No extra hardware, no IR blaster required. Universal Control TV is offered as a premium weekly subscription with a 3-day free trial, so you can try every feature risk-free before you commit. Download now and start controlling your TV smarter, faster and from anywhere in the room. https://remotetvtotal.com/terms.html https://remotetvtotal.com/policy.html

Screenshots

TV Remote4 screens
Universal Control TV3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote at 4.5 against Universal Control TV's 1.7. TV Remote also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 0%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. TV Remote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Universal Control TV sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 766 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 0% of Universal Control TV's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TV Remote ships an update every 4 days, Universal Control TV every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
TV Remote versus Universal Control TV: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTV RemoteUniversal Control TV
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (766 ratings) — better1.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings766 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#131 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTechSmart LLCEND ONLINE SLU

Customer experience

TV Remote

All ratings763 ratings
Positive86.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative10.1%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

Universal Control TV

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions5
  • Pro Remote · Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Pro Weekly3 Days trial$11.997 Days
  • Pro Remote · Monthly3 Days trial$17.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Pro Remote · Yearly$39.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime2 variants$79.99
1 purchases

Universal Control TV

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days

Questions

Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Control TV free?
Universal Control TV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TV Remote or Universal Control TV?
TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 4.5 out of 5 from 766 ratings, while Universal Control TV averages 1.7 from 3 ratings.
Do TV Remote or Universal Control TV have ads?
Neither TV Remote nor Universal Control TV shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TV Remote or Universal Control TV?
TV Remote ships an update every 4 days, and Universal Control TV every 3 weeks. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on October 25, 2026 and Universal Control TV on October 24, 2026.

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