Comparison

Sam vs Universal Remote

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

Head to head
About

Sam

Transform your iPhone into a virtual remote for your smart TV. Easily control channels, volume, menus, and media with a simple tap. It syncs automatically via Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for physical remotes and batteries.

Highlights
  • Virtual remote control
  • Channel switching
  • Volume adjustment
  • Menu navigation
  • Media management
  • Automatic Wi-Fi sync
  • No setup required
Features
Read full description

SamRemote: Transforms your iPhone into a powerful, virtual remote for your smart TV. Our intuitive TV remote app streamlines your tv experience, allowing you to easily control your TV with all the features of the original remote control. With a simple tap, switch channels, adjust volume, navigate through menus, and manage your media - all from your iPhone or iPad. The best part? SamRemote requires zero setup. Simply launch the app and it automatically syncs with your Smart TV via your Wi-Fi. You're all set to take command of your TV Say goodbye to the days of losing your physical remote or scrambling to replace batteries. With Sam, your ultimate TV control is always in your pocket, ready whenever you are. Experience smart TV viewing as it should be - simplified and under your command. DISCLAIMER Sam is neither an official Samsung product, nor are we affiliated with the Samsung Electronics company. SUBSCRIPTION: We offer auto-renewing subscription: - Length: Yearly-Monthly-Weekly - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - You will be able to access the Premium features of the app for the duration of the subscription - Subscription automatically renews for the same price and duration period as the original period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the chosen package. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's iTunes Account Settings after purchase - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period - You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription setting through your Apple account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 for more information on how to proceed. - You may turn off the auto-renewal of your subscription via your Apple Account Settings. However, you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period - Any unused portion of a free-trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Privacy Policy : http://nstx.io/SamRemote/samremote_policy.html Terms of Use : http://nstx.io/SamRemote/samremote-terms.html

About

Universal Remote

Transform your phone into a smart TV remote. Easily control volume, channels, power, and more for compatible Samsung and LG smart TVs over your WiFi network. Offers premium features through a subscription.

Highlights
  • Control smart TVs from your phone
  • WiFi network connection
  • Volume, channel, power control
  • Source and smart function control
  • Compatible with Samsung and LG TVs
Features
Read full description

Ξ Use your Phone to control your Smart TV easily. Ξ Compatible with Samsung, LG, and other Smart TV brands coming soon... "Control your Smart TV directly from your device! " Key Features: - Fully functional free virtual TV Remote control - Connect to your Smart TV on your WiFi Network - Control your TV: volume, source, power, channel, smart... Samsung Compatibility: C Series (2010), D Series (2011), E Series (2012), F Series (2013), H Series (2014), J Series (2015), K Series (2016), Q-M Series(2017), Q-N Series (2018) and R Series (2019). LG Compatibility: All WebOS TV series DISCLAIMER This app is not an official Samsung or LG product. We are not affiliated with the company Samsung or LG. SUBSCRIPTION: We offer auto-renewing subscription: - Length: weekly and yearly - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - You will be able to access the Premium features of the app for the duration of the subscription - Subscription automatically renews for the same price and duration period as the original period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the chosen package. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's iTunes Account Settings after purchase - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period - You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription setting through your Apple account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 for more information on how to proceed. - You may turn off the auto-renewal of your subscription via your Apple Account Settings. However, you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period - Any unused portion of a free-trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://planecubes.com/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://planecubes.com/terms/

Screenshots

Sam4 screens
Universal Remote3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sam at every 2 weeks against Universal Remote's every 2 months. Sam also leads on ratings volume (116K vs 13K). On price, rating, review sentiment 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Sam sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Sam against 4.3 for Universal Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam has 116K ratings behind it against 13K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Sam's written reviews are positive against 18% of Universal Remote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, Universal Remote every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Sam versus Universal Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamUniversal Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (116K ratings)4.3 (13K ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.6% of reviews — better17.8% of reviews
Number of ratings116K — better13K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS1615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryohan teixeiraPlane Cubes

Customer experience

Sam

All ratings116,472 ratings
Positive79.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative15.9%
Written reviews1,814 reviews
Positive25.6%
Neutral8.3%
Negative66.0%

Universal Remote

All ratings12,865 ratings
Positive82.7%
Neutral3.5%
Negative13.8%
Written reviews461 reviews
Positive17.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative80.3%

User reviews

Sam

From 116K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works well when connected
  • 👍 Easy to set up
  • 👍 Convenient to use phone as remote

Room to improve

  • 🔋 Frequent disconnection issues
  • 📺 Can't turn TV on with app
  • 💸 Expensive paid version
  • 📢 Excessive ads in free version
  • 🐛 Inconsistent functionality

Universal Remote

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Universal remote control
  • 💯 Works as advertised
  • 🤩 Great app for managing TV

Room to improve

  • 💸 Expensive subscription
  • 🚫 Doesn't work with some TVs
  • 🔍 Requires original remote for setup
  • 🤬 Lots of ads
  • 🔒 Hard to cancel subscription

Bugs and requests

Sam

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Fails to connect to TV consistently
  • Buttons stop working after a while
  • Paid version loses ad-free functionality

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add option to turn TV on/off
  • Improve stability and reliability
  • Reduce frequency of ads in free version

Universal Remote

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App keeps disconnecting from TV
  • Doesn't recognize TV or remote commands
  • Crashes or freezes during use

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add keyboard and mouse support for TV browser
  • Improve compatibility with more TV models
  • Provide better troubleshooting and support options

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Sam

Subscriptions5
  • Premium version3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Premium version$7.997 Days
  • Premium version$14.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Premium version3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium version$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • removal of advertising$3.99
  • removal of advertising$19.99
  • Premium version$34.99
4 purchases

Universal Remote

Subscriptions3
  • Start Free Trial3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Universal Remote Pro Week3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Universal Remote Pro Year$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Go Pro Universal Remote TV$9.99

Questions

Is Sam free?
Sam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Universal Remote free?
Universal Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sam or Universal Remote?
Universal Remote is rated higher. Sam averages 4.2 out of 5 from 116K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.3 from 13K ratings.
Do Sam or Universal Remote have ads?
Both Sam and Universal Remote show ads.
Which is updated more often, Sam or Universal Remote?
Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Universal Remote every 2 months. Most recently, Sam was updated on November 7, 2026 and Universal Remote on November 7, 2026.

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