CtrlTV vs TV REMOTE for Bravia
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CtrlTV
Control your smart TV directly from your iPhone without any setup. This app connects to your TV over Wi-Fi, offering full remote functionality, a built-in keyboard for easy typing, and quick access to apps. It's designed to replace lost or broken remotes with a seamless user experience.
- Instant Wi-Fi connection
- Full remote control
- Built-in keyboard
- Touchpad and keypad modes
- Playback control
- Quick app launches
- Home Screen widgets
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Lost your TV remote? Control your smart TV from your iPhone fast, free, no setup. CtrlTV finds your TV on your Wi-Fi network and gives you full control right from your phone. No extra hardware. No batteries to replace. No more searching the couch. KEY FEATURES • Instant Wi-Fi connection no setup, no pairing dance • Full remote control: power, volume, channels, navigation • Built-in keyboard type passwords and searches in seconds • Touchpad and keypad control modes • Smooth playback control play, pause, skip • Auto-reconnect to your TV • Home Screen widgets in four themes • Quick app launches directly on your TV • Clean, modern, native iPhone design WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT • Replace your lost or broken remote in seconds • Type 10× faster than tapping arrow keys on your TV remote • Open your streaming apps on the TV straight from your phone • No ads. No clutter. No nonsense. COMPATIBILITY • Works with most Wi-Fi smart TVs from 2016 onward that support network remote control • Open CtrlTV on the same Wi-Fi network as your TV it lists every set it can reach • Not finding your TV? Contact support and we'll help REQUIREMENTS • iPhone and smart TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network • App launching is a one-time in-app purchase Download CtrlTV and turn your iPhone into the only remote you'll ever need. CtrlTV is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any television manufacturer. All product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
TV REMOTE for Bravia
Control your Sony TV with an iPhone, offering everyday remote functions and an experimental jog/shuttle dial for video scrubbing. It features auto-volume adjustment per app and customizable shortcuts for streaming services.
- Remote control functionality
- Experimental jog/shuttle dial for video scrubbing
- Auto-volume adjustment per app
- Customizable streaming service shortcuts
- Wake-on-LAN power on
- IP control auto-detection
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An iPhone TV remote tested on the Sony BRAVIA 4K VH21 (Google TV). It puts everyday controls on one compact screen and adds an experimental jog/shuttle dial for scrubbing YouTube, Netflix, and recorded video. ■ Easy setup - Auto-detects TVs on the same Wi-Fi (or add an IP manually) - Pair once with the PIN shown on the TV; reconnects automatically afterward - Recovers automatically if the TV's IP address changes - Power on via Wake-on-LAN ■ Remote screen - D-pad + OK, volume / channel, scroll wheel - Input switching, Home / Menu / Guide / Recordings / Back, color keys - Pick any 3 streaming-service shortcuts to place on the remote ■ Jog / shuttle (experimental) - Scrub playback in streaming apps (YouTube, Netflix, …) and recorded video with a dial - Switch between jog (step/skip) and shuttle (variable-speed FF/REW) - Playback transport and speed macros (optional, off by default) - Behavior varies by the app being controlled and by TV model ■ Auto volume (per app, per TV) - Ends the "YouTube too loud, Netflix too quiet" volume gap between sources - Remembers your usual volume for each streaming app and for broadcast, and restores it automatically when you switch from this remote - Levels are saved per TV (optional, off by default) ■ More - Number keys, launch installed TV apps - Flip-to-mute (optional) - Reorderable tabs, Japanese / English, dark glass UI Compatibility: tested only on the Sony BRAVIA 4K VH21 (Google TV). Other models are not guaranteed (they may work but are untested). Enable "IP control" and network power-on on your TV before use. Note: This is an unofficial app and is not affiliated with any TV maker or service provider. Product and service names are used only to indicate compatibility; trademarks belong to their respective owners. Note: Jog/shuttle and some buttons are experimental and may behave differently by model/firmware.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: TV REMOTE for Bravia at free against CtrlTV's free with in-app purchases. TV REMOTE for Bravia also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. CtrlTV sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and TV REMOTE for Bravia sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for CtrlTV against 5.0 for TV REMOTE for Bravia. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.
CtrlTV ships an update weekly, TV REMOTE for Bravia daily. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CtrlTV | TV REMOTE for Bravia |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anatoli Petrosyants | Yorihito Tada |
In-app purchases
CtrlTV
- Launch Apps on TV$1.99
TV REMOTE for Bravia
- Pro$1.99









