Universal TV Remote vs TV Remote
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
Transform your iPhone into a universal smart TV remote. Control volume, change channels, type searches with your keyboard, and launch apps. Offers a free version with ads and a one-time purchase for Pro features like ad removal and multi-TV support.
- Universal smart TV control
- Keyboard and voice input
- App launching
- Touchpad for LG TVs
- WiFi connectivity
- One-time Pro purchase
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Lost the remote? Take back control. Turn your iPhone into a powerful remote control for your smart TV. Change the volume, find your next show and get back to watching. YOUR COUCH. YOUR TV. YOUR RULES. Stop hunting between the cushions. TV Remote puts everyday controls, a keyboard and TV app shortcuts right in your hand. Connect over WiFi, pair your TV and make yourself comfortable. No extra hardware. No account to create. A UNIVERSAL TV REMOTE FOR YOUR EVERYDAY WATCHING • Tap to navigate, adjust volume, change channels and control playback. • Press and hold volume or channel buttons to keep the action going. • Type searches with your iPhone keyboard on supported TVs. • Dictate into supported TV search fields instead of tapping letter by letter. • Swipe and point with the touchpad on compatible LG webOS TVs. • Browse and launch supported apps installed on your TV. • Find your TV over WiFi or add it by IP address, then reconnect for your next session. ONE TV. EVERYDAY CONTROLS. FREE. Use the in-app remote for one TV with advertising. Enjoy supported keyboard, voice input, app launching and LG touchpad features without a subscription. GO PRO ONCE. GET MORE FROM YOUR TV. One purchase unlocks TV Remote Pro: • Remove ads. • Save multiple TVs and switch between rooms. • Customize your TV app shortcut row. • Use Siri and Shortcuts for supported actions on a paired, saved TV. Buy once. No recurring subscription. MADE FOR POPULAR SMART TV PLATFORMS • Samsung TVs running Tizen • LG TVs running webOS • Roku TVs and streaming players • Google TV and Android TV models, including compatible Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips TVs • Amazon Fire TV devices with ADB debugging enabled • Vizio SmartCast TVs Compatibility and available controls vary by TV platform, model and firmware. Keyboard, voice input, touchpad, app launching and power controls are available where supported. Streaming apps and their content or subscriptions are not included. GET READY IN THREE STEPS 1. Connect your iPhone and TV to the same WiFi network. 2. Find your TV and approve any pairing request on its screen. 3. Open the remote and take control. Remote commands travel directly from your iPhone to your TV over your local network. Optional diagnostic reports help us investigate connection problems and can be turned off in Settings. Download TV Remote and put your next movie night back in your hands. Support: https://tvremote.puresoftltd.com/support Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TV Remote at every 4 days against Universal TV Remote's every 4 months. TV Remote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). 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
Both are free to download. Universal TV Remote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 4 months, TV Remote every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Universal TV Remote | TV Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nice Express | VietTS CO., LTD |
Customer experience
Universal TV Remote
TV Remote
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
- TV Remote Pro Lifetime$6.99
Questions
Is Universal TV Remote free?
Is TV Remote free?
Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote?
Do Universal TV Remote or TV Remote have ads?
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or TV Remote?
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