· 6 min read
The best iPhone TV remote apps, compared
Search the App Store for a TV remote and you'll find dozens of apps. Almost all of them give you a basic D-pad and volume buttons. The interesting question isn't “does it work as a remote” — it's which extras actually change how you watch. Here's how to tell them apart.
The three kinds of iPhone TV remote
- Manufacturer apps (like Samsung SmartThings): rock-solid for that one brand, but tied to a single ecosystem and often heavier than you need.
- Free universal remotes: support lots of brands, but are usually ad-supported and stick to the basics.
- The built-in iOS Apple TV remote (in Control Center): great — but only for an Apple TV.
The features that actually matter
Beyond the D-pad, a handful of capabilities are what separate a remote you tolerate from one you reach for on purpose:
| Capability | Typical remote app | LazyBinger |
|---|---|---|
| Works across many TV brands | Some / varies | 12 platforms |
| Auto-skips intros & recaps | ✗ | ✓ (camera auto-pilot) |
| Hands-free voice control | ✗ | ✓ (even screen-locked) |
| Turns the TV back ON (Wake-on-LAN) | Off only | ✓ |
| Sleep timer | Rare | ✓ |
| No ads | Often ad-supported | ✓ |
| No account, fully local | Often cloud/account | ✓ |
How to choose
- You only have one brand and want the most official option → the manufacturer app.
- You want one remote for several TVs, plus auto-skip, voice and privacy → a feature-first app like LazyBinger.
- You only ever use an Apple TV → the built-in iOS remote is already on your phone.
Where LazyBinger fits
LazyBinger is the feature-first option: one remote for 12 TV platforms, a camera “auto-pilot” that skips intros and recaps for you, voice “magic words” that work with the screen locked, a sleep timer, and Wake-on-LAN to bring the TV back on. No ads, no account, and everything runs on your own Wi-Fi.