Comparison

Sam vs TV 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

TV Remote

Control your Roku device with your phone. Navigate menus, adjust volume, and use a keyboard for text input. Stream content and mirror your screen with an intuitive interface. Connect via Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.

Highlights
  • Roku mobile remote control
  • Text input via keyboard
  • Volume and channel adjustment
  • Navigation with arrow keys/sliding keyboard
  • Screen mirroring (video, photo, music)
Features
Read full description

This is a Roku mobile TV remote control. The interface in the application is intuitive, with no buttons stacking or complicated settings. Whether you're watching movies, listening to music, or projecting screens, it's easier to get rid of the hassle of finding the remote control and enjoy your Roku even more. All you need to do is connect your mobile device and Roku to the same Wi-Fi network and you're ready to go. FEATURES - Convenient mobile remote control for your Roku device - Use the keyboard to enter text quickly - Simple interface, easy and fast to use - Adjust volume and switch TV channels on Roku TV - Use the arrow keys or the sliding keyboard to navigate - Mirror projection, video projection, photo projection, music projection If you have any questions and suggestions in the process of using, please feel free to give us feedback in the App. Information about the auto-renewable nature of the subscription. - You can get unlimited access to all the Pro functions. - Subscription periods are 1 month or 1 week. Every 1 month or 1 week your subscription renews. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. - Privacy Policy : https://fix.mochawhite.com/web/remote/PrivacyPolicy - Terms of Service : https://fix.mochawhite.com/web/remote/UserAgreement

Screenshots

Sam4 screens
TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

Sam and TV Remote both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of TV Remote's written reviews are positive against 26% of Sam's. TV Remote also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16). Sam's advantage is ratings volume (116K vs 174) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 TV Remote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 TV Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam has 116K ratings behind it against 174, 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 100% of TV Remote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, TV Remote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sam versus TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamTV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (116K ratings)4.3 (174 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings116K — better174
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS1611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryohan teixeira欣 骆

Customer experience

Sam

All ratings116,472 ratings
Positive79.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative15.9%
Written reviews1,815 reviews
Positive25.6%
Neutral8.3%
Negative66.1%

TV Remote

All ratings166 ratings
Positive81.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative15.7%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

TV Remote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
2 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly VIP$4.991 Month
  • Yearly VIP3 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Sam free?
Sam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sam or TV Remote?
TV Remote is rated higher. Sam averages 4.2 out of 5 from 116K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.3 from 174 ratings.
Do Sam or TV Remote have ads?
Both Sam and TV Remote show ads.
Which is updated more often, Sam or TV Remote?
Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, and TV Remote every 2 months. Most recently, Sam was updated on November 9, 2026 and TV Remote on November 3, 2026.

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