Comparison

TV Remote vs Zapp

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TV Remote

Transform your iPhone into a universal smart TV remote. Control volume, change channels, type searches with your keyboard, and launch apps. Offers a free version with ads and a one-time purchase for Pro features like ad removal and multi-TV support.

Highlights
  • Universal smart TV control
  • Keyboard and voice input
  • App launching
  • Touchpad for LG TVs
  • WiFi connectivity
  • One-time Pro purchase
Features
Read full description

Lost the remote? Take back control. Turn your iPhone into a powerful remote control for your smart TV. Change the volume, find your next show and get back to watching. YOUR COUCH. YOUR TV. YOUR RULES. Stop hunting between the cushions. TV Remote puts everyday controls, a keyboard and TV app shortcuts right in your hand. Connect over WiFi, pair your TV and make yourself comfortable. No extra hardware. No account to create. A UNIVERSAL TV REMOTE FOR YOUR EVERYDAY WATCHING • Tap to navigate, adjust volume, change channels and control playback. • Press and hold volume or channel buttons to keep the action going. • Type searches with your iPhone keyboard on supported TVs. • Dictate into supported TV search fields instead of tapping letter by letter. • Swipe and point with the touchpad on compatible LG webOS TVs. • Browse and launch supported apps installed on your TV. • Find your TV over WiFi or add it by IP address, then reconnect for your next session. ONE TV. EVERYDAY CONTROLS. FREE. Use the in-app remote for one TV with advertising. Enjoy supported keyboard, voice input, app launching and LG touchpad features without a subscription. GO PRO ONCE. GET MORE FROM YOUR TV. One purchase unlocks TV Remote Pro: • Remove ads. • Save multiple TVs and switch between rooms. • Customize your TV app shortcut row. • Use Siri and Shortcuts for supported actions on a paired, saved TV. Buy once. No recurring subscription. MADE FOR POPULAR SMART TV PLATFORMS • Samsung TVs running Tizen • LG TVs running webOS • Roku TVs and streaming players • Google TV and Android TV models, including compatible Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips TVs • Amazon Fire TV devices with ADB debugging enabled • Vizio SmartCast TVs Compatibility and available controls vary by TV platform, model and firmware. Keyboard, voice input, touchpad, app launching and power controls are available where supported. Streaming apps and their content or subscriptions are not included. GET READY IN THREE STEPS 1. Connect your iPhone and TV to the same WiFi network. 2. Find your TV and approve any pairing request on its screen. 3. Open the remote and take control. Remote commands travel directly from your iPhone to your TV over your local network. Optional diagnostic reports help us investigate connection problems and can be turned off in Settings. Download TV Remote and put your next movie night back in your hands. Support: https://tvremote.puresoftltd.com/support Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

TV Remote4 screens
Zapp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote at 5.0 against Zapp's 1.0. TV Remote also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). Zapp's advantage is ads (none vs shown). 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. TV Remote 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TV Remote ships an update every 4 days, Zapp every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TV Remote versus Zapp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTV RemoteZapp
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVietTS CO., LTDEGETECH LTD

Customer experience

TV Remote

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Zapp

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TV Remote

One-time1
  • TV Remote Pro Lifetime$14.99
1 purchases

Zapp

One-time1
  • Zapp Pro$12.99

Questions

Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Zapp free?
Zapp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TV Remote or Zapp?
TV Remote is rated higher. TV Remote averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Zapp averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do TV Remote or Zapp have ads?
TV Remote shows ads; Zapp does not.
Which is updated more often, TV Remote or Zapp?
TV Remote ships an update every 4 days, and Zapp every 9 days. Most recently, TV Remote was updated on October 25, 2026 and Zapp on October 24, 2026.

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