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 powerful remote for your smart TV or streaming player. Control volume, power, keyboard input, and navigate channels seamlessly over Wi-Fi. Enjoy features like private listening and a trackpad for effortless control.

Highlights
  • Wi-Fi TV and player control
  • Volume, power, and keyboard functions
  • Private listening for audio
  • Channel tile navigation
  • Trackpad and one-hand mode
  • No TV setup required
Features
Read full description

Lost the remote? Your iPhone takes over — for good. Mote finds your streaming TV or player over Wi-Fi in seconds and hands you every button back: volume, power, keyboard, all of it. No account, no pairing code, nothing to install on the TV. WORKS RIGHT NOW • Your device shows itself in seconds — no setup, no typing • Every button of the real remote: d-pad, OK, home, back, mute, volume, power, options • Volume that actually works — even on TVs that block it. Mote reaches the TV directly and fixes it. WHEN THE REMOTE IS GONE • Lost it, broke it, dog ate it — your phone takes its place a minute later • Late-night mode: the TV goes silent and the audio lands in your earbuds • Search by typing on your phone's keyboard — no hunting letters with arrows • One-hand mode: the whole remote under your thumb, favorites a tap away • Trackpad: glide your thumb, tap when you're there • Your installed channels as tiles — straight into the one you want WHAT IT WORKS WITH Mote speaks to one streaming platform — a long list of TVs and players, but not every brand out there. Checking your own TV is a one-minute job. Put the phone on the TV's network, open Mote, and a TV it can drive turns up by itself. Nothing to type, nothing to buy first. It all happens over your home network — no infrared, no cables, no extra hardware. NEVER STUCK • Round-the-clock chat built in — ask about your TV, get an answer • Setup checks in plain words: network, Local Network permission — Mote says exactly what's off • TV staying invisible? Punch in its address manually and connect anyway TRY IT, THEN DECIDE • Your first 50 presses are free — no account, no card • After that Mote Premium keeps every button and the keyboard working • No ads between button presses, ever Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://rokumote.com/privacy

Screenshots

Universal TV Remote4 screens
TV Remote Control3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote Control at 4.8 against Universal TV Remote's 4.3. TV Remote Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). 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

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, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, TV Remote Control weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 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)4.8 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings8 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice ExpressDylan Ho

Customer experience

Universal TV Remote

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

TV Remote Control

All ratings4 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
3 purchases

TV Remote Control

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Weekly3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$59.99

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 4.8 from 4 ratings.
Do Universal TV Remote or TV Remote Control have ads?
Universal TV Remote shows ads; TV Remote Control does not.
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 weekly. Most recently, Universal TV Remote was updated on October 28, 2026 and TV Remote Control on October 31, 2026.

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