Universal TV Remote vs TV Remote · Universal Cast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Control multiple smart TVs
- Wi-Fi device discovery
- Full remote functionality
- Touchpad and keyboard input
- Quick launch streaming apps
- App launching from TV
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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.
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.
- Universal TV control
- Touchpad navigation
- Real keyboard input
- App launcher
- Photo and video casting
- Home screen widget
- Apple Watch companion
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: TV Remote · Universal Cast at none against Universal TV Remote's shown. TV Remote · Universal Cast also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Universal TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and TV Remote · Universal Cast sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TV Remote · Universal Cast holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively.
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 4 months, TV Remote · Universal Cast every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Universal TV Remote | TV Remote · Universal Cast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nice Express | AI Generated Inc. |
Customer experience
Universal TV Remote
TV Remote · Universal Cast
In-app purchases
Universal TV Remote
- Weekly Pro3 Days trial$3.997 Days
- Monthly Pro$7.991 Month
- Remote for Roku Lifetime access$24.99
TV Remote · Universal Cast
- TV Remote Plus Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
- TV Remote Plus Weekly$4.997 Days
- TV Remote Plus Monthly7 Days trial$12.991 Month
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- TV Remote Plus Monthly$34.991 Month
- TV Remote Plus Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- TV Remote Plus Yearly$79.991 Year
- TV Remote Plus Lifetime$99.99
Questions
Is Universal TV Remote free?
Is TV Remote · Universal Cast free?
Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote · Universal Cast?
Do Universal TV Remote or TV Remote · Universal Cast have ads?
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote · Universal Cast?
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