# Sam vs Universal TV Remote Control ◦

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Sam at 116K against Universal TV Remote Control ◦'s 208. Sam also leads on review sentiment (26% vs 14%) and iOS requirement (16 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sam sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Universal TV Remote Control ◦ sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal TV Remote Control ◦ 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 208, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Sam's written reviews are positive against 14% of Universal TV Remote Control ◦'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, Universal TV Remote Control ◦ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sam | Universal TV Remote Control ◦ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (116K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-tv-remote-for-samsung/id838579136/reviews) | **[4.4 (208 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id6476391520/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **116K** | 208 |
| Positive reviews | **25.6% of reviews** | 14.4% 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 | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Aalto Studio FZE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1617055935) |

## 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


### Universal TV Remote Control ◦

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id6476391520)

Transform your smartphone into a universal TV remote. Control LG, Samsung, and other brands with ease, featuring volume, channel, and navigation controls. Premium features include live activity updates, customizable widgets, and media casting.

**Highlights:** Universal TV compatibility, Volume, channel, and navigation controls, Live TV activity display, Customizable home screen widgets, Media casting to TV, Simple Wi-Fi setup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Premium Access | $9.99 | per year |
| Monthly subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription Remote Control | $29.99 | per year |
| Family Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription Half price | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Purchase | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sam free?

Sam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Universal TV Remote Control ◦ free?

Universal TV Remote Control ◦ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sam or Universal TV Remote Control ◦?

Universal TV Remote Control ◦ is rated higher. Sam averages 4.2 out of 5 from 116K ratings, while Universal TV Remote Control ◦ averages 4.4 from 208 ratings.

### Do Sam or Universal TV Remote Control ◦ have ads?

Both Sam and Universal TV Remote Control ◦ show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sam or Universal TV Remote Control ◦?

Sam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Universal TV Remote Control ◦ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sam was updated on November 3, 2026 and Universal TV Remote Control ◦ on November 4, 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.*