Comparison

Universal TV Remote vs Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player

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

Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player

Control your smart TV, cast media, and mirror your screen from your phone. This app also includes an IPTV player to watch content from your own compatible sources. Connect easily over Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.

Highlights
  • Smart TV remote control
  • IPTV playback
  • Cast media to TV
  • Screen mirroring
  • Web video casting
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
Features
Read full description

Control your smart TV, share media on the big screen and play IPTV content from your phone. Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player brings remote control, casting, screen mirroring and IPTV playback together in one app. IPTV player • Watch IPTV content directly in the app using your own compatible content source. Enjoy IPTV playback alongside your everyday TV remote and casting tools. Smart TV remote • Navigate compatible TVs from your phone. Access supported controls for volume, channels, inputs and TV apps. Available controls depend on your TV model and connection. Cast media to your TV • Share videos, photos and music from your phone with a compatible TV or streaming device. Screen mirroring • Display your phone screen on a compatible TV to share photos, presentations and supported content on a larger display. Web video casting • Find and cast supported web videos using the built-in browser. Connect over Wi-Fi • Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network, find a compatible device and follow the pairing instructions. Compatibility and IPTV content • Remote control, casting and mirroring support vary by TV, streaming device and network. IPTV playback requires a compatible content source and an internet connection. DISCLAIMER The app does not provide TV channels, IPTV subscriptions or playlists. Users must supply their own content that they are authorized to access. This independent app is not affiliated with or endorsed by onn., Roku, Google or other TV and device manufacturers. SUBSCRIPTION & PURCHASE INFORMATION - Unlock premium features with subscription: weekly, monthly and yearly. - Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. - You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID Account Settings any time after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://xhao.app/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://xhao.app/terms-of-service

Screenshots

Universal TV Remote4 screens
Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player at 5.0 against Universal TV Remote's 4.3. Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player 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 Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player sells 4 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

Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 7 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Universal TV Remote versus Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversal TV RemoteSmart TV Remote & IPTV Player
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (8 ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Number of ratings8 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.016
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB220 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice ExpressTHI MY HAO TRAN

Customer experience

Universal TV Remote

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

Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player

All ratings7 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
4 purchases

Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly - Unlimited Access$5.997 Days
  • Monthly - Unlimited Access3 Days trial$15.991 Month
  • Yearly - Unlimited Access$35.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime - Unlimited Access$39.99

Questions

Is Universal TV Remote free?
Universal TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player free?
Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Universal TV Remote or Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player?
Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player is rated higher. Universal TV Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do Universal TV Remote or Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player have ads?
Universal TV Remote shows ads; Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player does not.
Which is updated more often, Universal TV Remote or Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player?
Universal TV Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, and Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player weekly. Most recently, Universal TV Remote was updated on October 28, 2026 and Smart TV Remote & IPTV Player on October 26, 2026.

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