Sam vs TV 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
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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
TV Remote
Control your smart TV directly from your smartphone. This app automatically detects compatible TVs on your Wi-Fi network and offers most of the key features found on a physical remote for a seamless viewing experience.
- Universal smart TV control
- Auto-detect TV on Wi-Fi
- Works with popular brands
- Full remote key features
- Subscription options
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TV Remote - Universal Control• The Universal Remote - Control TV app is for all Brand Smart TV. The TV Remote Control app works to operate your Smart TV smoothly from your phone. Try it & enjoy a better TV experience. Features: - Auto detect smart TV on the same WIFI network. - Work with the most popular brand Smart TVs. - Maximum key features of a physical Remote available here Subscription details: Length of subscription: - 1 week - 1 Year - Life Time Subscription cost: - 1 week for 4.99 - 1 year for 19.99 (Including a three-day free trial) - Life Time for 29.99 • Payment will be charged to iTunes account at the confirmation of purchase. • Subscription will automatically renew unless auto renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of current period, and identify the cost of renewal. • Account will be the charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto renewal may be turned off by going to the users account settings after purchase. • Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Read our privacy policy: https://sites.google.com/view/securesoft/privacy-policy Terms of use: https://sites.google.com/view/securesoft/tnc
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Sam at free with in-app purchases against TV Remote's subscription. Sam also leads on ratings volume (116K vs 1.1K). TV Remote's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.4 vs 4.2). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Sam sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam has 116K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Sam's written reviews are positive against 33% of TV Remote's.
Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, TV Remote every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sam | TV Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (116K ratings) | 4.4 (1.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 116K — better | 1.1K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yohan teixeira | SECURE SOFT LTD. |
Customer experience
Sam
TV 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
TV Remote
From 1.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Responsive app
- 💡 Helpful when TV remote is not working
Room to improve
- 💰 Requires paid subscription
- 🔒 Bluetooth required for connection
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🚫 Doesn't work as expected
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
Reported bugs
2 issues- Pairing device code not working
- Doesn't connect to multiple TVs
Requested features
2 requests- Free version without subscription
- More features like casting and touch calibration
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
TV Remote
- TV Remote Weekly Subscription$4.997 Days
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription$5.991 Month
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$6.991 Month
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$7.991 Month
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$8.991 Month
- TV Remote Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
- TV Remote Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- TV Remote Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- TV Remote Lifetime Purchase$29.99
Questions
Is Sam free?
Is TV Remote free?
Which has better reviews, Sam or TV Remote?
Do Sam or TV Remote have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sam or TV Remote?
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