# Sam vs DeviceShelf

The clearest difference is update cadence: DeviceShelf at every 3 days against Sam's fortnightly. Sam's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and DeviceShelf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sam ships an update fortnightly, DeviceShelf every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sam | DeviceShelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 26 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hoa Truong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1790005398) | [Christof Müller](https://appshunter.io/developer/987990115) |

## What reviewers say

### Sam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-tv-remote-control/id6740446432)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $6.99 | per year |


### DeviceShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deviceshelf/id6779666567)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DeviceShelf Mobile | $17.99 | one-time |
| DeviceShelf Complete Upgrade | $34.99 | one-time |
| DeviceShelf Complete | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sam free?

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

### Is DeviceShelf free?

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

### Do Sam or DeviceShelf have ads?

Neither Sam nor DeviceShelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sam or DeviceShelf?

Sam ships an update fortnightly, and DeviceShelf every 3 days. Most recently, Sam was updated on September 18, 2026 and DeviceShelf on September 25, 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.*