Comparison

TV Remote Control 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

TV Remote Control

Transform your smartphone into a universal TV remote. Control over 100 brands, navigate with a touchpad, and launch streaming apps instantly. Say goodbye to lost remotes and dead batteries.

Highlights
  • Universal remote for 100+ TV brands
  • Quick and easy setup
  • One-tap app launching
  • Smooth touchpad navigation
  • Built-in keyboard for searching
Features
Read full description

Tired of losing your TV remote? Frustrated with dead batteries? Or maybe you’re juggling different remotes for different TVs? We get it – it’s inconvenient. But your phone is always within reach. That’s where our TV Remote App comes in, making your TV time easier and more enjoyable. Features You’ll Love: – Works with 100+ TV Brands: One app for all your TVs – no need to guess if it’s compatible. – Quick and Easy Setup: Connect in seconds and get back to watching. – Instant Access to Your Favorite Apps: Launch Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and more with a single tap. – Smooth Touchpad Navigation: Control your TV effortlessly – no clunky buttons. – Built-in Keyboard: Search and type with ease, right from your phone. Say goodbye to lost remotes and low batteries. With our TV Remote App, smarter control is always in your pocket—just download, connect, and enjoy. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION - Subscribe for unlimited access to certain app features. - Subscription options: Yearly or Weekly. - Payment is charged to your iTunes account at the time of purchase. - Your subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. - Renewal charges occur within 24 hours before the subscription period ends at the same price as your original package. - Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew in your iTunes Account Settings. - You cannot cancel the current subscription during its active period. - Free trial cancellations must be made 24 hours before the trial ends to avoid charges. - Unused portions of a free trial are forfeited when a subscription is purchased. Have any questions, suggestions, complaints? Please drop us a line at support@tinyboom.com. Privacy Policy: https://tinyboom.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Services: https://tinyboom.com/terms-of-service/

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

TV Remote Control4 screens
Universal TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: TV Remote Control at none against Universal TV Remote's shown. TV Remote Control also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (4.9K vs 4). Universal TV Remote's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6). 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. TV Remote Control sells 13 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

Universal TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote Control has 4.9K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TV Remote Control ships an update every 3 weeks, Universal TV Remote every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TV Remote Control versus Universal TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTV Remote ControlUniversal TV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (4.9K ratings)4.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.9K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size312 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTiny Boom Ltd.Nice Express

Customer experience

TV Remote Control

All ratings4,884 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral2.9%
Negative8.4%
Written reviews227 reviews
Positive15.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative82.4%

Universal TV Remote

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

Bugs and requests

TV Remote Control

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Connectivity issues with certain TV models
  • Crashes and freezes on some devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Free version with ads
  • Ability to cancel subscription

Universal TV Remote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

13 purchases

TV Remote Control

Subscriptions13
  • Universal TV Remote Pro3 Days trial2 variants$6.997 Days
  • TV Remote Pro3 variants$6.997 Days
  • TV Remote Pro3 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 10 more
  • TV Remote Pro$7.997 Days
  • TV Remote Pro3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • TV Remote Pro2 variants$10.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro$17.491 Year
  • TV Remote Pro3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro2 variants$29.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro3 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro$34.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro$39.991 Year
  • TV Remote Pro3 Days trial$49.991 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 TV Remote Control free?
TV Remote Control 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, TV Remote Control or Universal TV Remote?
Universal TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote Control averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.9K ratings, while Universal TV Remote averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.
Do TV Remote Control or Universal TV Remote have ads?
Universal TV Remote shows ads; TV Remote Control does not.
Which is updated more often, TV Remote Control or Universal TV Remote?
TV Remote Control ships an update every 3 weeks, and Universal TV Remote every 4 months. Most recently, TV Remote Control was updated on October 22, 2026 and Universal TV Remote on October 17, 2026.

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