# Universal Control vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is ads: Universal Control at none against TV Remote's shown. TV Remote's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 — 5.0 for Universal Control against 5.0 for TV Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Universal Control ships an update every 2 months, TV Remote every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on August 4, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Control | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-control-tv-remote/id6739201253/reviews) | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id6748515879/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anwar Kamal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1710877432) | [Nothern Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/907836066) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-control-tv-remote/id6739201253)

Control your smart TV directly from your iPhone or iPad. This app offers seamless navigation, media casting, and screen mirroring without needing extra hardware. It's a convenient solution for managing your TV experience.

**Highlights:** Smart Auto-Detection, Smooth Navigation Touchpad, Quick Channel Access, On-Screen Keyboard, Media Casting, Screen Mirroring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| weekly subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Premium (Weekly) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Premium (Monthly) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $29.99 | one-time |


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id6748515879)

Transform your iPhone into a universal remote for Smart TVs and streaming devices. Easily control power, volume, channels, and use your phone's keyboard for searching. Cast photos and videos directly to your TV.

**Highlights:** Universal TV control, Wi-Fi connectivity, Smart keyboard input, Media player control, Photo & video casting, Quick setup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Pro Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $3.99 | per year |
| Monthly Pro Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Pro Plan | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Control free?

Universal Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TV Remote free?

TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Universal Control or TV Remote?

Universal Control and TV Remote are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 7 ratings respectively.

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

TV Remote shows ads; Universal Control does not.

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

Universal Control ships an update every 2 months, and TV Remote every 2 days. Most recently, Universal Control was updated on August 4, 2026 and TV Remote on September 17, 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.*