# Sam vs TV Remote

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Sam at 116K against TV Remote's 618. TV Remote's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (38% 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 TV Remote sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam has 116K ratings behind it against 618, 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 38% of TV Remote's.

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, TV Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 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) | **[4.5 (618 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-control/id6444865789/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **116K** | 618 |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **38.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [App Rover](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448355489) |

## 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-control/id6444865789)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful universal remote for over 10,000 TV models. Discover personalized show recommendations, manage watchlists, and track your viewing history all in one intuitive app.

**Highlights:** Universal remote for 10,000+ TV models, Wi-Fi connectivity (no extra hardware), Personalized recommendations, Watchlist management, Watch history tracking, Smart content filters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Plan Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Plan Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Pass | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Plan Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Premium Pass | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## 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 4.5 from 618 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 3 weeks. Most recently, Sam was updated on November 5, 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.*