CtrlTV vs Zapp
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CtrlTV
Control your smart TV from your iPhone without any setup. This app offers instant Wi-Fi connection for full remote functionality, including a built-in keyboard for faster typing. It seamlessly integrates with popular streaming services and supports major TV brands.
- Instant Wi-Fi connection
- Full remote control
- Built-in keyboard
- Touchpad and keypad modes
- Playback control
- Auto-reconnect
- Sleep timer
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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.
Zapp
Control your Samsung, LG, Roku, Google TV, or Fire TV using your phone over Wi-Fi. It automatically loads the correct remote layout for your specific TV brand, ensuring all buttons are functional. An optional Pro upgrade adds a keyboard, app shortcuts, and advanced features.
- Wi-Fi control for multiple TV brands
- Automatic brand-specific remote layouts
- Only displays functional buttons
- Large button mode for accessibility
- Pro upgrade with keyboard and app shortcuts
- No account or data collection
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Your TV's remote is missing. This replaces it. Zapp controls Samsung, LG, Roku, Google TV and Fire TV over your Wi-Fi. Every button works for free — the whole remote, on every TV you own, with no limit on how many you add. It becomes your TV's remote, not a generic grid. Zapp reads the brand and model and loads a matching layout: Samsung's colour keys, LG's Magic Remote, Roku's classic set. Only buttons your television can actually use are drawn, so nothing on screen is a dead button. Big buttons mode turns the remote into a handful of very large keys — power, volume, channel and navigation — for anyone who finds a dense remote hard to hit. Pro is one payment of $9.99. Not a subscription, not a trial, not a weekly charge. It adds four things: a keyboard for TV search boxes, one-tap shortcuts to the apps actually installed on your TV, the LG Magic Remote pointer, and waking a TV that's in standby. No account. No ads. No data collected. A few megabytes. Zapp is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Samsung, LG, Roku, Google, or Amazon. All product names, logos and brands are the property of their respective owners and are used only to identify the televisions Zapp can control.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CtrlTV at 5.0 against Zapp's 1.0. CtrlTV also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Zapp's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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 Zapp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
CtrlTV holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.
CtrlTV ships an update weekly, Zapp every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | CtrlTV | Zapp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anatoli Petrosyants | EGETECH LTD |
Customer experience
CtrlTV
Zapp
In-app purchases
CtrlTV
- Launch Apps on TV$1.99
Zapp
- Zapp Pro$12.99









