# Sam vs Universal TV Remote Control

The clearest difference is rating: Sam at 4.2 against Universal TV Remote Control's 3.6. Sam also leads on ratings volume (116K vs 4.1K). Universal TV Remote Control's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 26%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sam sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal TV Remote Control sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sam holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam has 116K ratings behind it against 4.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Sam's written reviews are positive against 65% of Universal TV Remote Control's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sam | Universal TV Remote Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (116K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-tv-remote-for-samsung/id838579136/reviews)** | [3.6 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id1492122256/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **116K** | 4.1K |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **65.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Codematics Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225541389) |

## What reviewers say

### Sam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-tv-remote-for-samsung/id838579136)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium version | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium version | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium version | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium version | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium version | $29.99 | per year |
| removal of advertising | $3.99 | one-time |
| removal of advertising | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium version | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Universal TV Remote Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id1492122256)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful universal TV remote. Easily control over 100 TV brands without needing your physical remote or dealing with battery issues. Enjoy fast setup and intuitive controls for all your entertainment needs.

**Highlights:** Control 100+ TV brands, Wi-Fi connectivity, Automatic TV discovery, Power, volume, input controls, App access and media playback, Navigation and directional controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $89.99 | per year |
| Remove Full Screen Ads | $24.99 | one-time |
| Ad Free Version | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful for lost remotes
- 🚀 Convenient remote alternative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work for some TV brands
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🐛 Connectivity issues

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes
- Buttons don't respond
- Incompatible with certain TV models

**Requested features**

- Support for more TV brands
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sam free?

Sam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Universal TV Remote Control free?

Universal TV Remote Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sam or Universal TV Remote Control?

Sam is rated higher. Sam averages 4.2 out of 5 from 116K ratings, while Universal TV Remote Control averages 3.6 from 4.1K ratings.

### Do Sam or Universal TV Remote Control have ads?

Both Sam and Universal TV Remote Control show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sam or Universal TV Remote Control?

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Universal TV Remote Control every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sam was updated on November 8, 2026 and Universal TV Remote Control on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*