TV Remote Manager vs Universal Control TV
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TV Remote Manager
Transform your iPhone into a universal TV remote. This app connects to your television over Wi-Fi, offering full control without extra hardware. Easily find and manage your TVs, launch streaming apps, and even use your TV as a photo frame.
- Wi-Fi TV control
- Automatic TV detection
- Full remote functionality
- One-tap streaming shortcuts
- Sleep timer
- Photo frame mode
- Channel blocking
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Turn your iPhone into a full remote for the TV you already own. TV Remote Manager talks to your television over your home Wi-Fi network, so there is no infrared, no extra hardware and nothing to plug in. FINDS YOUR TV BY ITSELF Open the app and it scans your Wi-Fi network for compatible televisions and streaming players. Tap the one you want, confirm the prompt or the code shown on screen, and you are in control. Your TVs are saved with the names you choose, and the app can reconnect to the last one automatically every time you open it. A COMPLETE REMOTE • Directional pad, OK, Back and Home • Volume, mute and channel up/down • Play, pause, rewind, fast forward • Number keypad for direct channel entry • Power on/off and input switching where the TV allows it • Haptic feedback on every key, so it feels like real hardware ONE-TAP STREAMING SHORTCUTS Launch the apps you actually watch straight from your phone. The app reads the real app list from your television whenever the brand exposes it, so shortcuts open the version installed on your set instead of failing silently. SLEEP TIMER THAT RUNS ON THE TV Choose a duration on the rotary dial and, on televisions that expose their own sleep timer over the network, the countdown is stored inside the TV. You can close the app and fall asleep — the television turns itself off. On sets without a network timer the app tells you honestly that it has to stay open. TV PHOTO FRAME Send photos from your iPhone library to the big screen over your network and turn the television into a photo frame. The screen shows which brands accept photos, and warns you clearly if the connected TV does not support it. CHILD PROTECTION Set a PIN and block chosen channels so they cannot be opened from this remote. The PIN is stored securely on your iPhone. This protection applies to the app's remote only — it does not change any setting inside the television. WIDE BRAND COVERAGE Samsung, LG, Sony BRAVIA, Panasonic VIERA, Philips, Roku players and Roku TVs (TCL, Hisense, Sharp, JVC, RCA, Insignia, Element, Westinghouse, onn., Sanyo, Hitachi, Magnavox, Polaroid, InFocus, Pioneer and more), plus any Android TV or Google TV device — Xiaomi, Toshiba, Skyworth, Haier, TCL and Hisense Google TV models, Chromecast with Google TV and Nvidia Shield. The in-app Brand Coverage panel always shows the current list and exactly which models are covered. Some features may require a subscription. Subscription details, renewal terms and cancellation options are shown before purchase. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/privacyvrtg/inicio TV Remote Manager is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any television manufacturer or streaming service. All brand names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to describe compatibility.
Universal Control TV
Transform your iPhone into a smart TV remote without extra hardware. Automatically discover and control compatible TVs over WiFi, offering features like a trackpad, keyboard input, and one-tap app launching.
- Automatic WiFi TV discovery
- Trackpad and keyboard input
- One-tap app launching
- Complete remote functions
- Channel number pad
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Turn your iPhone into a real universal remote for your smart TV — no IR hardware, no dongles, no clunky pairing codes. Universal Control TV finds your Roku, Samsung Tizen and other smart TVs automatically over WiFi in seconds, then hands you full control right from your pocket. Skip the fumbling with tiny on-screen keyboards and laggy factory remotes. This app gives you precision, speed and features your TV's original remote wishes it had. Automatic Discovery: scan your WiFi network and find compatible smart TVs instantly. One-time pairing means every TV you add is remembered and ready on future launches. Complete Remote Control: power, volume, mute, channel changes and a smooth circular D-pad for navigating menus without missing a beat. Trackpad Mode: swipe across your phone screen like a mouse to glide around the TV interface with precision instead of clicking arrow keys repeatedly. Keyboard Text Input: type searches, usernames and passwords using your iPhone's full keyboard instead of hunting-and-pecking on the TV's on-screen remote. One-Tap App Launch: jump straight into Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+ and other streaming apps with a single tap. Channel Number Pad: punch in exact channel numbers 0-9 instantly, just like a classic remote. Setup takes seconds — connect to the same WiFi as your TV, let the app find it, tap to pair, and you're in control. No extra hardware, no IR blaster required. Universal Control TV is offered as a premium weekly subscription with a 3-day free trial, so you can try every feature risk-free before you commit. Download now and start controlling your TV smarter, faster and from anywhere in the room. https://remotetvtotal.com/terms.html https://remotetvtotal.com/policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: TV Remote Manager at 50% against Universal Control TV's 0%. TV Remote Manager also leads on rating (4.4 vs 1.7) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Universal Control TV's advantage is ads (none vs shown). 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
Both are free to download. TV Remote Manager sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Universal Control TV sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TV Remote Manager holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TV Remote Manager has 99 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of TV Remote Manager's written reviews are positive against 0% of Universal Control TV's.
TV Remote Manager ships an update every 6 days, Universal Control TV every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TV Remote Manager | Universal Control TV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (99 ratings) — better | 1.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 99 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vertigo SL | END ONLINE SLU |
Customer experience
TV Remote Manager
Universal Control TV
In-app purchases
TV Remote Manager
- Premium3 Days trial$6.997 Days
- Premium3 Days trial$39.991 Year
Universal Control TV
- Premium Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Questions
Is TV Remote Manager free?
Is Universal Control TV free?
Which has better reviews, TV Remote Manager or Universal Control TV?
Do TV Remote Manager or Universal Control TV have ads?
Which is updated more often, TV Remote Manager or Universal Control TV?
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