What’s the best universal TV remote for mixed brands and streaming?

Tv Remote Apps
1

I’m trying to simplify my setup with one universal TV remote that can reliably control an older Samsung TV, a newer LG soundbar, and multiple streaming devices (Roku and Apple TV). I’ve tried a couple of cheap remotes that either lose sync, miss a lot of functions, or stop working after updates. Can anyone recommend a durable, easy‑to‑program universal remote that actually works well across different brands and modern streaming gear?

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Hi all, here is what I ran into.

I got tired of playing “where did the remote go this time” every single evening. We have two TVs at home, Samsung in the living room and LG in the bedroom, so I kept juggling two different remotes that somehow both managed to disappear under the same couch cushion.

At some point I stopped trying to keep track of them and decided to test phone and Mac apps instead. My phone is always nearby, my Mac is usually open, so it felt like a decent way to stop buying replacement remotes.

I spent a few evenings trying out a bunch of universal TV remote apps on iPhone, Android, and Mac. Here is what I saw, bugs and all.

PART 1: iPHONE TV REMOTE APPS

I grabbed four of the more visible iOS ones from the App Store:

– TVRem Universal TV Remote
– TV Remote – Universal Control
– Universal Remote TV Smart
– TV Remote – Universal

All tests were on the same home Wi‑Fi with Samsung and LG TVs.

TVRem Universal TV Remote – my main pick on iPhone

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This one surprised me a bit. I installed it expecting the usual: nice screenshots, then “start free trial” on every tap. Did not happen.

What I used it with: Samsung and LG. It also lists Sony, Android TV, Roku, and more in the supported list.

What stood out for me:

• No paywalls. I did not hit any “upgrade” popup at all.
• It behaved like an actual remote, not like an ad viewer.

Stuff that worked well for me:
• Touchpad felt smooth. Easier to scroll Netflix than with the physical remote.
• Voice options on supported models (Google Assistant / Alexa) plus voice input.
• Built‑in keyboard for logins and search. This alone saves a stupid amount of time.
• Normal remote stuff: volume, channels, D‑pad, inputs.

Pros I wrote down

  1. Interface is simple enough not to confuse family members.
  2. Finding and pairing the TV was quick.
  3. Completely free, no “features locked” areas.
  4. Large list of supported brands and platforms.
  5. Covers everything my physical remotes do for daily use.

Cons

  1. No Vizio support. If your main TV is Vizio, skip this one.

Price
Free

Link

There is also a Reddit thread that compares universal TV remote apps vs physical remotes that I found while testing:
https://www.reddit.com/r/DataRecoveryHelp/comments/1qqa2bh/best_universal_tv_remote/

Want to know more? Visit the product page for the universal TV remote app:

My take
If your TV is supported, this is an easy default on iOS. No ads, no “trial ends in 3 days” stress, and the essentials work fine.

TV Remote – Universal Control

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This one goes the opposite direction. It connects over Wi‑Fi, works with a bunch of brands, and on paper checks all boxes. In practice, nearly everything asked me to start a trial.

Features that looked good during testing:
• Touchpad
• Voice control
• App / channel launcher
• Keyboard
• Media casting (I did not really need this, I only cared about remote basics)

To test most of it I had to activate the free trial. Once I did, stuff worked, but I kept bumping into paywalls before that.

Pros

  1. All my must‑have features are in there.
  2. Wide brand and platform support.

Cons

  1. Ads in the interface.
  2. Even simple actions are paywalled, so you keep running into “upgrade” prompts.
  3. The app crashed on me a couple of times while opening the menu.

Price
From $4.99 and up

Link

My take
Usable if you do not mind paying. I passed because I want something I can install for family members without worrying about subscription renewals.

Universal Remote TV Smart

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This one felt off the moment I opened it. It supports many brands, but the layout did not click with me at all.

What bothered me:
• Buttons felt cramped and oddly placed.
• Did not feel like using a real remote, more like a random button grid.

Still, the basics are there:
• Keyboard
• App navigation
• Volume
• Channel switching

Pros

  1. Wide device support.

Cons

  1. Awkward, uncomfortable UI layout.
  2. No voice control option.
  3. Video ads that hijack the flow and demand your time.
  4. Most paths lead to a paywall. Example: I tried to open YouTube on the TV, hit OK, got an offer screen instead.

Price
From $7.99 and up

Link

My take
Of all the iOS apps I tried, this one landed last. You pay more, put up with intrusive ads, and still get a clunky layout.

TV Remote – Universal

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This app turns your iPhone or iPad into a universal TV remote and supports LG, Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Android TV, etc.

Connection is over Wi‑Fi, so both the phone and the TV need to be on the same network.

Features I used:
• Switch channels and apps
• Keyboard input
• Rewind, pause, play, etc.

Pros

  1. Easy TV discovery and pairing.
  2. Interface is straightforward.
  3. Core functions work without much learning.
  4. You get a free trial to test everything.

Cons

  1. Ads inside the app, removable with payment.
  2. Most advanced parts trigger an upsell. Feels like every other button tries to charge you.

Price
From $4.99 and up

Link

My take
I used the trial and pushed all the buttons. Things worked, although the main screen lagged a bit on my phone. It is functional, but the constant upsell pattern and ad presence made me not want to keep it long‑term.

PART 2: ANDROID TV REMOTE APPS

My wife uses Android, so I grabbed a few remote apps from Google Play and tested them on the same Samsung and LG TVs.

Universal TV Remote Control (Codematics)

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This one has been around awhile. It turns your Android phone into a remote and supports many popular brands: Sony, Samsung, LG, Philips, TCL, Hisense, Panasonic, and others.

Features I saw:
• Trackpad navigation
• Voice search
• App control
• Built‑in keyboard
• IR remote support on phones that still have an IR blaster, plus Wi‑Fi control

On paper, this is exactly what I wanted. In daily use, the ads killed it.

Pros

  1. Works with a large list of TV models.
  2. Supports both Wi‑Fi and traditional IR control.
  3. All important features are technically free.

Cons

  1. Ad volume is huge. Sometimes I could not find a close button.
  2. The app crashed often enough that I had to reconnect to the TV multiple times in one session.

Price
Free

Link

My take
I went in optimistic because nothing was paywalled, but the constant interruptions made it unusable for me. If you are less sensitive to ads, you might tolerate it, but I dropped it.

Remote Control For All TV | AI

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This one targets many TV brands over Wi‑Fi too.

Free tier:
• Basic remote controls
• Plenty of ads
• TV detection felt slow on my network compared to others I tried

Paid tier adds:
• Ad removal
• AI assistant
• Keyboard with voice input
• Screen mirroring

Pros

  1. Broad TV brand support.
  2. Basic buttons work without paying.

Cons

  1. Ad density is high in free mode.
  2. Slow TV detection made me impatient.
  3. The useful add‑ons are behind the paywall.

Price
From $4.99 and up

Link

My take
If you only want volume and channel and do not mind some waiting and ads, it might be acceptable. For frequent use it felt too sluggish and too locked down.

Universal TV Remote Control (Unimote)

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This is another “universal remote” app that supports Wi‑Fi and IR (if your phone has it).

In my case, it spotted the TV quickly but then needed several attempts to complete the connection.

Once connected, the UI was simple and easy to read.

Pros

  1. Interface is clean enough for basic navigation.
  2. Works both as IR remote and as Wi‑Fi remote.

Cons

  1. Full screen video ads pop up a lot, which makes quick actions annoying.
  2. Many features are paid, the free variant is limited.
  3. Connection felt unstable and dropped without a clear pattern.

Price
From $5.99 and up

Link

My take
Ok as an emergency backup when your physical remote disappears. I would not rely on it as the only remote because losing connection mid‑movie gets old fast.

Universal TV Remote Control (Uzeegar)

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Last one on Android in my list. Also universal, supports TV brands like LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, and others.

Features:
• Main control screen for navigation
• Power on / off
• Home/Menu navigation
• Play, Stop, Back, Forward
• Wi‑Fi and IR support

Pros

  1. Has all the basic features you would expect.
  2. Free trial is available.

Cons

  1. Many ads squeezed into the experience.
  2. Most features are part of the paid plan.

Price
From $3.99 and up

Link

My take
The ironic part is that it has everything I want in terms of features, but they are paywalled, and the ad behavior in the meantime is heavy. If ads irritate you, it will not last long on your phone.

PART 3: MAC APPS FOR CONTROLLING YOUR TV

I also wanted to control the TV while working on my Mac, so I tested some Mac App Store options.

TVRem Universal TV Remote (Mac)

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Same name as the iPhone app, and behaves in a similar way.

I installed it from the Mac App Store and used it with a Samsung TV.

What I saw:
• Connection was quick and did not require weird manual IP inputs.
• Interface is clear, not full of clutter.
• I did not have to look up docs to understand it.

Features I used:
• Touchpad from the Mac trackpad
• Built‑in keyboard
• App launcher

Pros

  1. Simple UI that works fine even for non‑technical people.
  2. No ads, no “upgrade to Pro” stuff.
  3. Supports many major brands.
  4. Covers all the usual remote functions.

Cons

  1. No Vizio support, same as on iOS.

Price
Free

Link

My take
For Mac users, this is an easy recommendation if your TV is supported. It behaves like a utility instead of a storefront.

TV Remote, Universal Remote (Mac)

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This one is also on the Mac App Store and supports several popular brands.

Connection to my Samsung TV worked without issues, but the stability of the app itself was less great.

Pros

  1. Interface is fine, not confusing.
  2. Basic features are there and it recognizes various TV brands.

Cons

  1. Many useful options are paid, so you run into prompts.
  2. The app crashed on me a few times and needed a restart.

Price
From $4.99 and up

Link

My take
It works if you are ready to pay and do not mind occasional crashes. For me, the free and stable option made more sense.

PART 4: PHYSICAL TV REMOTE VS APP

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Here is how I see the difference after a few weeks of going back and forth.

Physical remote
The old dedicated remote that comes with the TV or that you order later.

Remote app
Software on your phone or tablet that turns it into a remote.

Why an app sometimes feels better

  1. Harder to lose
    I carry my phone around the apartment. The remote goes missing multiple times a week. I stopped tearing apart the couch once I leaned on apps.

  2. Typing does not feel like punishment
    Phone and Mac apps have proper keyboards. Some have touchpads. Entering Wi‑Fi passwords, searches, and logins is much faster. With the original remote I often gave up halfway through typing.

  3. Cost
    Replacement Samsung TV remotes for recent years (2019–2025) sit around 15–20 dollars on Amazon when I checked. LG replacements were roughly 13 to 35 dollars depending on model.
    A lot of remote apps are free or cheaper than that, even paid ones. If you tend to lose remotes, the math favors apps.

  4. Multiple TVs, one device
    The big one for me. One app on my phone, two TVs. Less clutter on the coffee table.

  5. Interface quality
    Some TV manufacturers still ship slow or clunky remotes. Apps are often more responsive and laid out in a way that needs fewer clicks.

Where apps fall short

– Network requirement
Many apps need the TV and phone on the same Wi‑Fi. If the TV is off or in some sleep mode, or if Wi‑Fi is flaky, the app stops working.
IR‑based apps are a partial workaround, but not all phones have IR now.

– Phone dependency
If your phone battery dies, so does your remote. Also, if your phone is in another room, it is less convenient than a dedicated remote waiting on the table.

– Limited feature support on some TVs
A few older or low‑end models only expose basic controls to apps. You do not always get advanced features you have on the original remote.

WHAT I ENDED UP USING

After all this back and forth, here is where things landed at my place.

I use an iPhone
• My main pick is TVRem Universal TV Remote. It is free, there are no ads, and it has everything I need daily. Touchpad and keyboard feel the most useful.
• Only drawback is missing Vizio support. If I had a Vizio TV, I would be stuck looking for something else.

My backup on iOS
• TV Remote – Universal is fine as a paid alternative. After testing the trial, I think some people will like it enough to subscribe, but I kept the free TVRem instead.

My wife uses Android
She picked Universal TV Remote Control (Codematics). Feature-wise it is solid, but the amount of ads drives me up the wall. She tolerates it more than I do, so we left it on her phone.

If you want to avoid subscriptions and loud video ads, try TVRem first on iPhone/Mac, or dig around for Android options that do not bury the remote behind full‑screen ads.

Hope this helps you decide faster than I did.

2 Likes
3

Short version. For your exact mix, I would skip more “universal” cheap remotes and pick something that handles activities and HDMI‑CEC cleanly.

You want:

  1. One remote for:
  • Older Samsung TV
  • LG soundbar
  • Roku
  • Apple TV
  1. Simple rules:
  • Power on TV and soundbar together
  • Volume always from soundbar
  • Input switching that does not get stuck

Here is what tends to work best in practice.

  1. Sofabaton X1 (or U2 if you want cheaper and IR only)

X1:

  • Controls IR, Bluetooth, and Wi‑Fi devices
  • Official profiles for Roku and Apple TV
  • Activities like “Watch Roku” or “Watch Apple TV”
  • Hub in the cabinet, small remote in your hand

Setup idea for you:

  • Activity “Watch Roku”
    • TV on, set to HDMI that Roku uses
    • Soundbar on, set HDMI ARC or optical
    • Roku controlled by Bluetooth
  • Activity “Watch Apple TV”
    • Same logic, different input and device

Pros:

  • Works with mixed brands
  • Family can just hit one button
  • No phone needed like in @mikeappsreviewer’s app‑first setup

Cons:

  • Setup takes 30–45 minutes if you are picky
  • App has some UX quirks
  • X1 price is not low

If budget is tight, Sofabaton U2:

  • Pure IR, no hub
  • Works fine if your Roku uses IR and your Apple TV is older IR model
  • If your Apple TV is the newer Siri remote type, X1 is safer
  1. Use HDMI‑CEC smartly

Your Samsung and LG soundbar likely support CEC:

  • Turn CEC on in TV settings
  • Set sound output to soundbar (HDMI ARC)
  • Disable TV speakers

Result:

  • Volume buttons on the universal remote control soundbar volume
  • Power on TV also wakes the soundbar

This reduces the “teaching” you need to do on any universal remote.

  1. Why I would not rely only on phone or Mac apps

Here I disagree a bit with @mikeappsreviewer. Apps are nice backup and great for typing, but for a primary remote:

  • You grab phones with low battery all the time
  • Other people get confused switching apps
  • Network hiccups break the remote at the worst time

I like apps as a second option:

  • Use a TV remote app only for text entry and occasional navigation
  • Keep a solid hardware remote for daily on/off, volume, play, pause
  1. Simple fallback if you want cheaper than Sofabaton

If you want minimal cost and do not care about fancy activities:

  • Get a mid‑tier universal IR remote, not the 10 dollar ones
  • Program TV power and inputs on it
  • Let Roku and Apple TV be controlled mostly by CEC:
    • When you turn on Roku or Apple TV with the box remote, the TV switches to that HDMI and the soundbar wakes
  • Then your universal remote handles power and volume, and you still use the Roku and Apple TV remotes for navigation

It is not perfect, but it is much better than juggling four remotes.

If you share the exact Apple TV model and whether your Roku remote uses IR or only RF/Bluetooth, you get a more precise pick between X1 and U2.

4

Short version: there isn’t one “magic” cheap universal that will cleanly handle your Samsung + LG soundbar + Roku + Apple TV. The closer you get to “one remote that actually works,” the more you end up in the Sofabaton / hub / app territory… or you rethink what “one remote” actually means.

@​mikeappsreviewer basically went all‑in on phone/Mac apps. That’s great as a backup and for typing passwords, but as a primary remote? Personally I hate depending on Wi‑Fi and battery just to change volume. Network burps = no pause button. I’d only treat apps like TVRem as your “second remote,” not the main brain.

@​sognonotturno leans into Sofabaton X1 / U2. That’s closer to what actually works with your mix, but I don’t fully buy the idea that you must have a hub just to make this livable.

Here’s what I’d actually do for your setup:

  1. Turn HDMI‑CEC into your friend, not your enemy

    • On the Samsung TV, enable CEC (Anynet+ in settings).
    • Plug the LG soundbar into the TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port and set TV audio to use it.
    • Turn on CEC / ARC features on the LG soundbar too.

    Result: TV power and volume commands “pass through” to the soundbar. So any half‑decent universal that controls the TV correctly will control soundbar volume indirectly. You do not always need to program the soundbar as a separate device on the remote, which is where a lot of cheaper remotes start falling apart.

  2. Let the streaming devices drive input switching

    • Newer Roku and Apple TV models can wake the TV and switch inputs over HDMI‑CEC when you press their own Home/Power buttons.
    • So you don’t need your universal to be a perfect Roku/Apple TV brain as long as CEC is behaving.
    • You can get away with the universal doing: TV power, volume, basic nav, and then use the Roku / Apple TV remotes for deep app control if needed.

    This is where I mildly disagree with both of them: you can simplify without a super‑fancy universal if you accept keeping the Roku/Apple remote nearby for “smart” actions and use the universal as the master for power + sound + “get me to the right input.”

  3. If you still want true one‑remote control, pick your poison

    • Sofabaton X1: use it if your Roku and Apple TV are newer Bluetooth‑style boxes and you want activities like “Watch Roku” that turn everything on and set inputs.
    • Sofabaton U2: only if your Roku and Apple TV respond to IR. If your Apple TV uses the Siri remote with no IR, U2 will be a headache.

    Both are better than the no‑name 20 dollar remotes you’ve tried, but be prepared: the apps are clunky, programming takes patience, and firmware updates sometimes break stuff for a bit. This is not plug‑and‑play magic.

  4. “Cheap but sane” compromise that actually works in real life

    • Get a mid‑range Logitech‑era style universal (used Harmony, or a decent RCA/GE/One‑For‑All that supports Samsung + LG) and let it:
      • Power TV
      • Control volume via CEC to soundbar
      • Select basic HDMI inputs

    • Keep the Roku and Apple TV remotes next to it.

    • Use a phone app like TVRem (agree with @​mikeappsreviewer there) only when you need to type a password, search, or when the physical remote is hiding.

Is this as “pure” as one remote that rules the living room? No. But it’s the combo I see actually surviving more than a month in normal households:
• One universal for power & volume & input
• Original Roku / Apple remote for deep streaming control
• Phone app as emergency backup + keyboard

If you post the exact Roku model and Apple TV generation, you can narrow it down to “X1 is worth it” vs “don’t bother, just do CEC + a simpler remote.”

5

Short version: for your specific mix (older Samsung TV + newer LG soundbar + Roku + Apple TV), I’d forget “one physical remote to rule them all” and go hybrid:

• Use HDMI CEC and ARC to glue TV and soundbar together
• Let Roku / Apple TV handle input switching and deep app control
• Use a universal remote only for power + volume + “get me to the right input”
• Keep a phone app as the keyboard and emergency backup

That is slightly different from @sognonotturno’s heavier Sofabaton angle and @cacadordeestrelas’s hub‑centric mindset, and I disagree with @mikeappsreviewer on using apps as the main remote. Apps are fantastic helpers, not primary control.

Concrete setup that tends to work:

  1. Wire it so the TV is the boss
    • Plug the LG soundbar into the Samsung’s HDMI ARC/eARC port.
    • Turn on Anynet+ (CEC) on the Samsung and HDMI‑CEC/ARC on the LG.
    • Set TV audio output to the soundbar.
    Result: any “TV volume” command hits the soundbar, even from a basic universal.

  2. Let Roku and Apple TV wake the TV
    • Enable CEC on Roku and Apple TV.
    • When you hit Home on Roku or Apple TV, the TV powers on and switches input.
    So your universal does not need to perfectly mimic Roku / Apple TV. It just needs to get the system on and set to a default input if CEC flakes.

  3. Use a mid‑range universal as your daily driver
    Something like a One‑For‑All / GE / older Harmony that can:
    • Control Samsung TV power
    • Control TV volume (which actually hits LG via ARC)
    • Toggle between HDMI inputs if CEC misbehaves

    You then only grab the Roku or Apple TV remotes for scrolling apps and using voice. This avoids the repeated frustration you had with cheap “does everything” universals that in reality do nothing reliably.

  4. Keep a remote app as the secret weapon
    Here I actually agree with big parts of @mikeappsreviewer’s tests: phone and Mac apps are unbeatable for typing and quick fixes. In that category, a universal TV remote app like TVRem stands out on Apple devices because it behaves like a tool instead of an ad farm.

    Pros for TVRem Universal TV Remote:
    • Free, without nagging trials or locked “Pro” areas
    • Simple UI that non‑technical family members can actually use
    • Keyboard and touchpad make logins and searches sane
    • Works across major brands and streaming platforms, so it backs up your physical universal nicely

    Cons for TVRem Universal TV Remote:
    • Needs your TV and device on the same Wi‑Fi, so no control if the network flakes
    • Lacks Vizio support, which is a deal breaker if you ever swap to that brand
    • Still not ideal as a primary remote since you are dependent on battery and network

Think of it like this:

• Physical universal: power, volume, quick input change
• Original Roku / Apple TV remotes: deep navigation, voice
• TVRem Universal TV Remote (or similar): keyboard, fine control when remotes wander into the couch

You end up with way fewer remotes in daily use, no fragile “one magic remote” setup that breaks when a firmware update hits, and you avoid living inside subscription‑heavy remote apps that @mikeappsreviewer kept running into.