Comparison

Smart Remote vs TV Remote · Universal Cast

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

Head to head
About

Smart Remote

Features
Read full description

A smarter way to control your TV — with healthy screen habits for the whole family. Smart Remote is a powerful, user-friendly remote control app designed for modern homes. More than just a virtual remote, it offers customizable scene automation, Siri integration, and supports popular smart TVs and devices over your local Wi-Fi network.

About

TV Remote · Universal Cast

Control your smart TV with your iPhone. This app offers a touchpad, keyboard, app launcher, and casting features over WiFi. It supports a wide range of TV brands and models from 2014 onwards.

Highlights
  • Universal TV control
  • Touchpad navigation
  • Real keyboard input
  • App launcher
  • Photo and video casting
  • Home screen widget
  • Apple Watch companion
Features
Read full description

Replace every TV remote with your iPhone. One app for Samsung, LG, Sony, Roku, TCL, Hisense, Vizio, Panasonic, Sharp, and most Smart TVs from 2014 onwards. Touchpad. Real keyboard. App launcher. Photo and video cast. All over WiFi. No extra hardware. AUTO-DETECT YOUR TV Your TV appears the moment you open the app — no manual pairing, no IR remote, no Bluetooth. As long as your iPhone is on the same WiFi as your TV, you are one tap away from controlling it. TOUCHPAD WORTH ITS NAME Swipe to navigate menus, apps, and content with precision. The full-screen touchpad gives you laptop-trackpad responsiveness for browsing streaming apps and scrolling through content. No more hammering arrow keys. TYPE WITH A REAL KEYBOARD Stop hunting one letter at a time. Open the keyboard, type at full speed. Search for shows, enter WiFi passwords, paste URLs. Everything is faster. APP LAUNCHER Browse and launch streaming apps directly from your phone. Open any app with one tap, navigate inside it with the touchpad, and search with the keyboard. Bypass the TV home screen entirely. CAST PHOTOS AND VIDEOS Send your photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad straight to the big screen over WiFi. Vacation albums, family videos, slideshows — all wirelessly. HOME SCREEN WIDGET Power, volume, and navigation right on your iPhone or iPad home screen. Control your TV without opening the app. APPLE WATCH COMPANION Volume, play and pause, skip tracks, power on or off — all from your wrist. No need to reach for your phone. BUILT FOR YOUR LIVING ROOM ◉ Large buttons designed for one-handed use ◉ Dark mode for dim rooms ◉ Haptic feedback on every press ◉ Power, volume, channel, and media controls ◉ D-pad, touchpad, and keyboard modes ◉ Reconnects automatically when your phone wakes COMPATIBILITY Works with most WiFi-enabled Smart TVs from 2014 onwards. Direct support for Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Sony Bravia, Roku, Vizio SmartCast, Hisense VIDAA, Panasonic Viera, Philips JointSpace, Sharp, Toshiba, and Google TV (which also covers many TCL, Hisense, and Philips models). The app detects your TV and shows the right controls for your model. TRY BEFORE YOU SUBSCRIBE Download and connect instantly. Basic controls are free so you can verify compatibility with your TV. Premium unlocks the touchpad, keyboard, app launcher, photo and video cast, and unlimited devices. PRIVACY All communication stays on your local WiFi network. We do not track your viewing habits or sell your data. SUBSCRIPTION & PRICING TV Remote Plus unlocks all premium features. Choose a plan: • TV Remote Plus Weekly — $6.99 / week, auto-renewing First week $0.99 for new subscribers • TV Remote Plus Yearly — $44.99 / year, auto-renewing One-time purchase, never expires: • TV Remote Plus Lifetime — $99.99 (one-time, no recurring charges) Prices may vary by region. • Payment is charged to your Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Renewal is charged within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the same price. • Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://universaltv.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://universaltv.app/terms EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ This app is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any TV manufacturer. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Screenshots

Smart Remote4 screens
TV Remote · Universal Cast4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: TV Remote · Universal Cast at Free against Smart Remote's $5.99. TV Remote · Universal Cast also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks). Smart Remote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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 · Universal Cast is free to download; Smart Remote costs $5.99 up front. TV Remote · Universal Cast sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Smart Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Smart Remote ships an update every 6 weeks, TV Remote · Universal Cast every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Smart Remote versus TV Remote · Universal Cast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmart RemoteTV Remote · Universal Cast
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating—4.6 (11 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—11 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer建立 蒋AI Generated Inc.

In-app purchases

None

Smart Remote

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

TV Remote · Universal Cast

Subscriptions9
  • TV Remote Plus Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • TV Remote Plus Weekly$4.997 Days
  • TV Remote Plus Weekly7 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 6 more
  • TV Remote Plus Monthly7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • TV Remote Plus Yearly Saver$29.991 Year
  • TV Remote Plus Monthly$34.991 Month
  • TV Remote Plus Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • TV Remote Plus Yearly$44.991 Year
  • TV Remote Plus Yearly$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • TV Remote Plus Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Smart Remote free?
Smart Remote costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TV Remote · Universal Cast free?
TV Remote · Universal Cast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Smart Remote or TV Remote · Universal Cast have ads?
Neither Smart Remote nor TV Remote · Universal Cast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Smart Remote or TV Remote · Universal Cast?
Smart Remote ships an update every 6 weeks, and TV Remote · Universal Cast every 5 days. Most recently, Smart Remote was updated on October 30, 2026 and TV Remote · Universal Cast on November 6, 2026.

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