Smart Remote+ vs Varibits
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Smart Remote+
Transform your Apple devices into a comprehensive remote for LG smart TVs. Control playback, volume, and navigation directly from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or home screen widgets. Features like Live Activities and Wake-on-LAN offer seamless, instant access to your TV.
- Live Activities and Dynamic Island integration
- Full Apple Watch app with directional pad and Digital Crown
- Home Screen Widgets for instant control
- Wake-on-LAN for powering on TV
- Automatic TV discovery and multi-TV support
- Customizable remote layouts
- Service menu and number pad access
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Turn your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch into the ultimate TV remote — now for LG webOS, Samsung, Sony Bravia, Google TV / Android TV, and Apple TV. With Live Activities, Dynamic Island support, powerful widgets, and ultra-reliable Wake-on-LAN, controlling your TV has never felt this seamless. Whether you're across the room or anywhere in your home, your TV is always just a tap away. Works With Your TV • LG webOS TVs (2016 and newer) — the full experience: touchpad, Scenes, picture settings, Live Activities, service menu, and more • Sony Bravia TVs — power, volume, inputs, navigation, and media playback; connects instantly with no pairing codes • Samsung TVs — power, volume, inputs, navigation, and media playback; just accept the pairing on the TV • Google TV and Android TV devices (TCL, Philips, Nvidia Shield, Chromecast with Google TV, US Hisense, and more) — power, volume, inputs, navigation, media playback, and app launching • Apple TV — pair with the on-screen code, navigate with the D-pad or swipe gestures, control playback, and launch installed apps. Choose a saved TV for volume control while using your Apple TV remote. Live Activity & Dynamic Island (LG webOS) See what's playing on your TV directly from your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Control play/pause, volume, and mute instantly — with app-themed colors for Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and more. Your TV controls, without even opening the app. Full Apple Watch App Control your TV from your wrist. Includes: • Directional pad navigation • Media playback controls • Power on/off • HDMI input switching Perfect when your phone isn't nearby. Powerful Home Screen Widgets Access your TV controls instantly without opening the app. Widgets let you: • Power on your TV • Adjust volume • Switch HDMI inputs • Launch streaming apps (LG and Google TV) • Control playback Available in multiple sizes and fully integrated with Wake-on-LAN. Scenes (LG webOS) Save picture mode, sound output, and input as a one-tap preset. Movie night, gaming, daytime TV — set the whole TV up in a single tap from the app, widgets, or Shortcuts. Automatic TV Discovery Find the TVs on your network with a single tap. The app automatically detects your TV's name, IP address, and MAC addresses — no manual configuration required. Customizable Remote Layout Build your ideal remote. Rearrange, show, or hide: • Volume slider • Volume buttons • Media controls • Navigation controls • And more Give every TV its own layout — or share one default across them all. The editor only offers controls your TV actually supports, and layouts are independent on iPhone and Apple Watch. TV Self-Test Not sure everything's working? Run a live command sweep that proves what your TV responds to and produces a shareable report — perfect for diagnosing tricky network setups. Configuration Import & Export Back up or transfer your TV configurations between devices with ease. Service Menu Access (LG webOS) Access the TV service menu and number pad for hotel mode and advanced settings when needed. Multiple TV Support Easily switch between different TVs in your home — even different brands. Each TV maintains its own connection and settings for effortless multi-room control. Built for Reliability • Improved auto-reconnect after background idle • Enhanced Live Activity state tracking • More stable watch command handling • Continuous performance improvements Pay once for Pro — no subscriptions, no ads. Experience the convenience of complete TV control — through the full app, widgets, Live Activities, or right from your wrist. No more searching for the remote.
Varibits
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Configure supported Varibits devices directly from your iPhone using NFC, even before removing the device from its box. Varibits gives commissioning technicians a clear overview of each device and the settings it supports. Prepare devices in the workshop or on site. SUPPORTED DEVICES • Serial Broker 1000 (SB1000) • HAN2X Gen 2 CONFIGURATION • Device identity and NFC access • Ethernet and Wi-Fi addressing • RS485 and Modbus RTU/TCP • MQTT details and credentials • BACnet/IP identity and networking REUSABLE TEMPLATES • Save proven configurations for repeated jobs • Request device-specific values when a template is applied • Share .varibitsconfig files with AirDrop, Mail, Messages, or Files • Import an attachment on another phone • Passwords and other secret values are never stored in template files BUILT FOR EFFICIENT COMMISSIONING • Prepare devices in batches before they are unpacked or installed • No account or cloud connection required • Product and supported settings are identified automatically • Passwords are write-only and are never returned by the device • Pending changes are clearly identified before writing • Optionally scan again to verify the device’s configuration receipt A compatible Varibits device with supported firmware is required.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Varibits at none against Smart Remote+'s 1. Smart Remote+'s advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Smart Remote+ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Varibits asks for nothing beyond the download.
Smart Remote+ ships an update every 9 days, Varibits every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 10, 2026.
| Parameter | Smart Remote+ | Varibits |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bouncing Ball Games | Varibits |
In-app purchases
Smart Remote+
- Smart Remote+ Pro$2.99
Varibits
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Smart Remote+ free?
Is Varibits free?
Do Smart Remote+ or Varibits have ads?
Which is updated more often, Smart Remote+ or Varibits?
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