Comparison

TV Remote for Google & Android vs Game Controller for Smart TV

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

Head to head
About

TV Remote for Google & Android

Features
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Turn your iPhone or iPad into a remote for your Google TV television or streaming box. It works over your Wi-Fi network rather than infrared, so you never have to point it at anything, and it keeps working from the other side of the room. WHAT YOU GET β€’ A full directional pad, with a large centre key that is easy to hit without looking β€’ Volume, channel, mute, back, home and power β€’ Play, pause, rewind and fast forward β€’ Your phone's keyboard, instead of hunting letters one at a time with arrow keys β€’ Voice search β€” speak it rather than type it β€’ One-tap shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+ β€’ Rename your televisions to whatever you actually call them TYPING, FINALLY Searching on a television means walking a cursor around an on-screen keyboard one letter at a time. When your set asks for text, this app opens your phone's keyboard and the words appear on the television as you type. Dictate instead if you would rather. ONLY THE BUTTONS THAT WORK The app asks your television what it can do and draws only that. You will not find a button here that quietly does nothing. PAIRING, ONCE Your television shows a six-character code and you type it in. That happens once, and is remembered. WHICH DEVICES Google TV devices β€” most televisions from Sony, Philips, TCL and Hisense, plus NVIDIA SHIELD and Chromecast with Google TV. Your television and your iPhone have to be on the same Wi-Fi network. On a small number of sets the manufacturer ships with the remote service switched off. If yours is not found, that is usually why, and it is not something an app can change. PRIVACY The app asks for permission to find devices on your local network. That is how it finds your television, and the only thing it is used for. Commands go straight from your device to your television over your own network β€” nothing is sent to us, because there is no server to send it to. FREE, WITH ADVERTS The app is free and paid for by advertising. Adverts never sit next to the controls and never interrupt you mid-press. In Europe and the UK you are asked before any advert is requested, and you can change your answer at any time in Settings. If you would rather not see them, Settings can turn the adverts off: monthly, every three months, yearly, or once and for good. That is all it does β€” every button and every feature is in the free version and stays there. A subscription is charged to your Apple ID and renews until cancelled, which you can do any time in your Apple ID settings. The one-off does not renew. Google TV and Chromecast are trademarks of Google LLC. This app is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google. Netflix, YouTube and other services are named only to identify the applications this remote can open on your television. β€” Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tonuidavies.github.io/atv-remote-legal/

About

Game Controller for Smart TV

Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a convenient controller for compatible streaming devices and smart TVs. Game Controller combines everyday remote functions, touchpad navigation, quick channel access, and a dedicated game mode in one easy-to-use app. Connect to a device on the same Wi-Fi network and start controlling your TV from your phone. KEY FEATURES β€’ Complete Remote Control Navigate with directional buttons, confirm selections, return to the previous screen, go Home, control playback, adjust volume, and mute audio on supported devices. β€’ Responsive Touchpad Swipe in any direction to move through menus and tap to select. Haptic feedback makes every gesture feel clear and responsive. β€’ Dedicated Game Mode Use a virtual joystick for smooth multidirectional movement, including diagonal control in supported games. A separate action button provides quick access to in-game commands. You can also switch to a traditional button layout when playing games that work better with standard remote input. β€’ Channel Launcher Browse the channels installed on your connected device and open them directly from your phone. β€’ Channel Favorites Save frequently used channels for faster access without searching through the full list every time. β€’ Automatic Device Discovery Quickly find compatible devices connected to your local Wi-Fi network. You can also refresh the device list whenever your network changes. β€’ Multiple Control Styles Choose between physical-style buttons, touchpad gestures, and game controls to match what you are watching or playing. Game Controller is designed for comfortable one-handed navigation, casual TV control, and more responsive gameplay. Whether you are browsing channels, watching entertainment, or playing a game, the controls you need stay close at hand. REQUIREMENTS β€’ Your iPhone or iPad and the TV or streaming device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. β€’ Local Network access is required to discover and communicate with nearby devices. β€’ Some buttons and features may vary depending on the connected device or TV model. Game Controller is an independent application and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Roku, Inc. Roku is a trademark of Roku, Inc. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://chandlerbin-1213.github.io/rokugame.github.io/RokuPliotWeb/static/PrivacyPolicy/index.html

Screenshots

TV Remote for Google & Android3 screens
Game Controller for Smart TV4 screens

Verdict

The call

TV Remote for Google & Android and Game Controller for Smart TV are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters β€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them β€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
TV Remote for Google & Android versus Game Controller for Smart TV: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTV Remote for Google & AndroidGame Controller for Smart TV
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better16.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size48 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnn ANN WAMBUI NJUGUNA庆源 ιƒ­

In-app purchases

None

TV Remote for Google & Android

No in-app purchases

None

Game Controller for Smart TV

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TV Remote for Google & Android free?
TV Remote for Google & Android is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Game Controller for Smart TV free?
Game Controller for Smart TV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TV Remote for Google & Android or Game Controller for Smart TV have ads?
Both TV Remote for Google & Android and Game Controller for Smart TV show ads.
Which is updated more often, TV Remote for Google & Android or Game Controller for Smart TV?
TV Remote for Google & Android ships an update weekly, and Game Controller for Smart TV weekly. Most recently, TV Remote for Google & Android was updated on October 16, 2026 and Game Controller for Smart TV on October 10, 2026.

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