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 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.

Highlights
  • Universal smart TV control
  • Auto-detect TV on Wi-Fi
  • Works with popular brands
  • Full remote key features
  • Subscription options
Features
Read full description

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

Sam4 screens
TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

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 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sam versus TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamTV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (116K ratings)4.4 (1.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.6% of reviews33.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings116K — better1.1K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS1614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryohan teixeiraSECURE SOFT LTD.

Customer experience

Sam

All ratings116,472 ratings
Positive79.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative15.9%
Written reviews1,814 reviews
Positive25.6%
Neutral8.3%
Negative66.0%

TV Remote

All ratings1,094 ratings
Positive84.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative11.0%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

User reviews

Sam

From 116K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

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
10 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions9
  • 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 more
  • 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
One-time1
  • TV Remote Lifetime Purchase$29.99

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 4.4 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Sam or TV Remote have ads?
Sam shows ads; TV Remote does not.
Which is updated more often, Sam or TV Remote?
Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, and TV Remote every 4 weeks. Most recently, Sam was updated on October 27, 2026 and TV Remote on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons