Comparison

Universal TV Remote vs Universal Smart

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

Head to head
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 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 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, Hisense, Philips, Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield), 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.

About

Universal Smart

Control your smart TV and streaming devices with your phone. This app automatically connects over Wi-Fi to offer a full remote layout, keyboard for easy typing, and quick launch buttons for popular streaming services.

Highlights
  • Automatic Wi-Fi connection
  • Full remote control layout
  • Phone keyboard for typing
  • One-tap streaming shortcuts
  • Compatible with major smart TV brands
  • Control from any room on Wi-Fi
Features
Read full description

Lost your TV remote? ROMOT is a universal remote app for Roku, TCL, Hisense, Samsung and LG Smart TVs — connects automatically over Wi-Fi in seconds, no setup needed. Control your Smart TV from your iPhone with the full remote layout, phone keyboard for fast typing, and one-tap shortcuts for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+. Why ROMOT beats your physical remote: - Auto-Detects Your TV Instantly — connects to Roku, TCL, Hisense, Samsung and LG Smart TVs on your Wi-Fi in seconds. - Full Remote Controls — navigate, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, volume. Every button from your physical remote. - Phone Keyboard — type titles and log into apps at full speed. No more letter-by-letter on screen. - One-Tap Streaming Shortcuts — launch Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+ and more instantly. - Works Anywhere — no pointing required. Control from any room on the same Wi-Fi network. Compatible with: Roku TV · Roku Streaming Stick · Roku Express · TCL Roku TV · Hisense Roku TV · Samsung Smart TV · LG Smart TV · Sharp · ONN · Philips This app is not affiliated with or endorsed by Roku, Samsung, LG, TCL or any TV manufacturer. All brand names are trademarks of their respective owners. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MYcFotTax6Cjw44-5BzHQR06HUZfuyBHILm9bue7okU/edit?tab=t.0 Terms and Conditions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15nTlNcfLUgmVlV2JGBNiNpVzO9AOoqdaASAnYJmTYFQ/edit?tab=t.0 Subscription Details: -Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the time of confirmation of purchase (or after any applicable free trial period). -Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. -Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, at the same price as your initial plan. - You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal anytime by going to your Account Settings in the App Store after purchase. -Any unused portion of a free trial (if offered) will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. If you need any support, feel free to contact us at phantomapps00@gmail.com

Screenshots

Universal TV Remote4 screens
Universal Smart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Smart at 5.0 against Universal TV Remote's 4.3. Universal Smart also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Universal TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Universal Smart sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal Smart holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, Universal Smart every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Universal TV Remote versus Universal Smart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversal TV RemoteUniversal Smart
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (8 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings8 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice ExpressUmer Javed

Customer experience

Universal TV Remote

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

Universal Smart

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

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
4 purchases

Universal Smart

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Roku TV Remote Controller3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Universal Remote — Pay As You Go7 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Yearly Smart TV Remote Control$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Universal TV Remote Pro$39.99

Questions

Is Universal TV Remote free?
Universal TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Smart free?
Universal Smart is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote or Universal Smart?
Universal Smart is rated higher. Universal TV Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Universal Smart averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Universal TV Remote or Universal Smart have ads?
Both Universal TV Remote and Universal Smart show ads.
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or Universal Smart?
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, and Universal Smart every 10 days. Most recently, Universal TV Remote was updated on October 25, 2026 and Universal Smart on October 24, 2026.

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