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

Tv Remote Apps
2

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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.

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