Comparison

Universal TV Remote vs TV Remote Control

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

TV Remote Control

Transform your iPhone into a universal smart TV remote. Control your TV over Wi-Fi with full functionality, including casting, voice search, and app shortcuts. Offers a free version with an optional Pro upgrade for advanced features.

Highlights
  • Wi-Fi TV control
  • Full button functionality
  • Trackpad and air-mouse
  • Voice control and keyboard
  • One-tap app shortcuts
  • Cast photos and videos
  • Wake-on-LAN support
Features
Read full description

Your iPhone is now the only TV remote you need. Control your Smart TV over Wi-Fi — no extra hardware, no complicated setup. Just connect and you're in control. — FULL CONTROL, ZERO HASSLE — • Every button: power, volume, channels, D-pad, OK, back, home and more • Smooth trackpad & air-mouse — navigate like a laptop touchpad • Number pad, playback controls and one-tap app shortcuts — DO MORE THAN A REAL REMOTE — • Cast photos & videos from your phone straight to the big screen • Voice control & keyboard — search and type without the painful on-screen keyboard • Open Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and more in a single tap • Wake-on-LAN — turn your TV on right from your phone • Connect and switch between every TV in your home — WORKS WITH YOUR TV — Samsung (Tizen), LG (webOS), Roku, Hisense (VIDAA) and Philips — with more brands added regularly. Your phone and TV just need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. — FREE TO USE • PRO UNLOCKS EVERYTHING — Download and start controlling your TV for free. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited control, casting, trackpad, voice, keyboard, multiple TVs and every premium feature — with a 3-day free trial. Pro is offered as a weekly, monthly or yearly auto-renewable subscription, with a 3-day free trial on the weekly plan. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://remotetvglobal.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://remotetvglobal.com/home/privacy Got a request or a TV that isn't working? Reach out — we read every message.

Screenshots

Universal TV Remote4 screens
TV Remote Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote Control at 5.0 against Universal TV Remote's 4.3. Universal TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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 TV Remote Control sells 3 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

TV Remote Control holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universal TV Remote has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Universal TV Remote versus TV Remote Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversal TV RemoteTV Remote Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (8 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice ExpressEmre Ayar

Customer experience

Universal TV Remote

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

TV Remote Control

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
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
3 purchases

TV Remote Control

Subscriptions3
  • One Week Subscription3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Universal TV Remote free?
Universal TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TV Remote Control free?
TV Remote Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote Control?
TV Remote Control is rated higher. Universal TV Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while TV Remote Control averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Universal TV Remote or TV Remote Control have ads?
Both Universal TV Remote and TV Remote Control show ads.
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote Control?
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, and TV Remote Control every 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal TV Remote was updated on November 4, 2026 and TV Remote Control on October 31, 2026.

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