Sam vs Universal Remote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Virtual remote control
- Channel switching
- Volume adjustment
- Menu navigation
- Media management
- Automatic Wi-Fi sync
- No setup required
Read full descriptionHide 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
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.
- Control smart TVs from your phone
- WiFi network connection
- Volume, channel, power control
- Source and smart function control
- Compatible with Samsung and LG TVs
Read full descriptionHide 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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, Universal Remote every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.
| Parameter | Sam | Universal Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (116K ratings) | 4.3 (13K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews — better | 17.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 116K — better | 13K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yohan teixeira | Plane Cubes |
Customer experience
Sam
Universal Remote
User reviews
Sam
From 116K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Sam
- Premium version3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Premium version$7.997 Days
- Premium version$14.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Premium version3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Premium version$29.991 Year
- removal of advertising$3.99
- removal of advertising$19.99
- Premium version$34.99
Universal Remote
- Start Free Trial3 Days trial$2.997 Days
- Universal Remote Pro Week3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Universal Remote Pro Year$39.991 Year
- Go Pro Universal Remote TV$9.99
Questions
Is Sam free?
Is Universal Remote free?
Which has better reviews, Sam or Universal Remote?
Do Sam or Universal Remote have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sam or Universal Remote?
Other comparisons















