Comparison

Universal TV Remote vs TVSync

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, 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.

About

TVSync

Features
Read full description

TVSync turns your iPhone into your TV's remote. No cables, no infrared: it works over your own Wi-Fi network and connects in under a minute. THE WHOLE REMOTE, FROM DAY ONE Power, D-pad, OK, volume, channels, mute, back, menu, home, number pad and input selector. The buttons you already know, on your phone's screen. TRACKPAD Move the TV's pointer by sliding your finger, just like the trackpad on a laptop. KEYBOARD Type into the TV's search boxes with your iPhone keyboard, instead of picking letters one by one with the arrows. YOUR APPS, INSTANTLY Open Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ or YouTube with one tap, without walking through the TV's menus. SIRI AND WIDGET "Hey Siri, turn the volume up in TVSync." You can also put the buttons you use most on your home screen. SEVEN STYLES Pick how the remote looks: plain, wool, frost, steel, gold, leather or marble. SEVERAL TVS Save the one in the living room and the one in the bedroom, name them, and switch between them from the top. WHAT YOU NEED A Wi-Fi TV on the same network as your iPhone. TVSync works with LG (webOS), Samsung, Sony and Roku televisions, all four tested on real sets. Televisions from other manufacturers are not supported yet: if yours doesn't respond, write to us before rating the app and we'll tell you whether your model is on the way. PRIVACY TVSync collects no data. No accounts, no ads, no servers of our own: commands travel straight from your iPhone to your TV over your local network, and nothing leaves your home. SUBSCRIPTION TVSync is a paid app with two plans: weekly (with a 3-day free trial) and yearly. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the period, from your Apple account settings. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://tvsync26-pixel.github.io/tvsync/

Screenshots

Universal TV Remote4 screens
TVSync4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: TVSync at none against Universal TV Remote's shown. TVSync also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 TVSync sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Universal TV Remote ships an update every 4 months, TVSync every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Universal TV Remote versus TVSync: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversal TV RemoteTVSync
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice ExpressFrancisco Javier Campos

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
2 purchases

TVSync

Subscriptions2
  • TVSync Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • TVSync Annual$34.991 Year

Questions

Is Universal TV Remote free?
Universal TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TVSync free?
TVSync is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Universal TV Remote or TVSync have ads?
Universal TV Remote shows ads; TVSync does not.
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or TVSync?
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 4 months, and TVSync every 2 weeks. Most recently, Universal TV Remote was updated on October 17, 2026 and TVSync on October 20, 2026.

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