# Sam vs TV Remote

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.

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.

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.

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, TV Remote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sam | TV Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (116K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-tv-remote-for-samsung/id838579136/reviews) | **[4.3 (174 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id6443551368/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **116K** | 174 |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [欣 骆](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636889966) |

## 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


### TV Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id6443551368)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly VIP | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly VIP | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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 11, 2026 and TV Remote on November 3, 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.*