Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

The Roku App (Official) vs Universal remote for Roku tv

The Roku App (Official) 4.7★ · Free to download 80
Winner The Roku App (Official)
Universal remote for Roku tv 4.4★ · Free + IAP 40

The Roku App (Official) is the clear winner due to its official status, better reliability, and lack of intrusive ads, despite some connection issues and recent update complaints.

Full reviews: The Roku App (Official) · Universal remote for Roku tv

The Roku App (Official) offers a more reliable and ad-free experience for controlling Roku devices, though some users report connection problems and dissatisfaction with recent updates. Universal remote for Roku tv is plagued by excessive ads and subscription issues, making it a less desirable option despite some users finding it functional.

Head to head

Features edge: The Roku App (Official)R3R5R6R17
The Roku App (Official) Users appreciate the remote functionality, including private listening with headphones, and the convenience of having all entertainment in one place R5R17. Some users dislike the new center OK button and changes to TV inputs R3. There are also requests for features like turning off auto-play for next episodes R6.
Universal remote for Roku tv Users like the basic remote options and the ability to turn the real remote on and off . Some mention it works for non-Roku TVs, indicating a broader 'universal' capability . However, the app's functionality is often overshadowed by ads and payment requirements R63R64R78.
Ease of Use edge: The Roku App (Official)R2R8R11R14
The Roku App (Official) Many users find App A easy to use once connected R2R8R11R14. However, recent updates have made the interface more complicated for some .
Universal remote for Roku tv When it works, users find App B straightforward . However, the constant barrage of ads significantly hinders usability, making simple actions frustrating R63R72.
Reliability tieR1R10R12R18
The Roku App (Official) App A suffers from frequent connection issues, with users reporting it takes multiple tries to connect, disconnects often, or stops working entirely requiring reinstallation R1R10R12R18. Some users also report the app kicking them out .
Universal remote for Roku tv App B also has significant reliability problems, with many users stating it doesn't connect at all or stops working after a short period R64R79. Even paid subscribers experience disconnects and non-functionality .
Price/Value edge: The Roku App (Official)R7R28R55R63
The Roku App (Official) App A is free and generally does not have ads for its remote functionality R55. However, some users report unexpected charges for subscriptions or issues with canceling them, which may be related to Roku's broader ecosystem rather than the app itself R7R28.
Universal remote for Roku tv App B is free to download but is heavily monetized with frequent, intrusive ads that appear every few clicks R63R72. Many users feel forced to pay for a subscription to remove ads, but even then, some report being charged incorrectly or that the app still doesn't work R64R79.
Support tieR16R28R64R79
The Roku App (Official) Users express frustration over the lack of accessible customer support, with no clear way to contact a real person or even a chatbot for technical issues or billing problems R16R28.
Universal remote for Roku tv Reviews do not mention specific support experiences for App B, but the numerous complaints about unexpected charges and non-working subscriptions suggest a lack of effective support R64R79.
Pick The Roku App (Official) if

You own a Roku device and want an official, ad-free remote app with features like private listening, and are willing to tolerate occasional connection issues or recent UI changes R5R41.

Pick Universal remote for Roku tv if

You are desperate for a remote and have exhausted all other options, are willing to pay to remove ads, and hope it works for your specific TV, even if it's not a Roku .

Evidence note: App B's reviews are heavily skewed negative due to pervasive ads and subscription issues, which is common for 'free + IAP' apps where the free tier is intentionally frustrating. App A, being the official app, has a higher lifetime rating and fewer complaints about monetization, but still faces significant criticism for reliability and recent updates.

Frequently asked

Does The Roku App (Official) have ads?
No, The Roku App (Official) generally does not have ads for its remote control functionality, which users appreciate R55.
Why does Universal remote for Roku tv have so many ads?
Universal remote for Roku tv has an excessive number of ads, with users reporting them appearing every 2-10 clicks, making the app frustrating to use unless a paid subscription is purchased R63R72R76R78.
Can I use headphones with The Roku App (Official)?
Yes, The Roku App (Official) offers a private listening feature that allows users to listen with headphones, which is a highly valued feature R41R51R60.
Are there billing issues with these apps?
The Roku App (Official) users occasionally report unexpected charges or difficulty canceling subscriptions, though this seems related to the broader Roku ecosystem R7R28. Universal remote for Roku tv users frequently report being charged incorrectly, even after canceling free trials, or being forced to pay for an app that then doesn't work R64R79.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] The Roku App (Official) 3/5 · US Center OK button: I don't like the new center OK button
  2. [R5] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Good for remote: I’m a lazy girl so when my clicker is to far away from me I just use my phone for the remote and it’s nice so yeh
  3. [R6] The Roku App (Official) 3/5 · US Could be better: This many years into the streaming era has not having the ability to turn off auto-playing the next episode of a TV series keeps this app basic and out of the majors. Same goes for its companion, Howdy.
  4. [R17] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US To Roku from Dylan dancer: Thank you for still letting us use our TV what are phones that save my life a lot so when I lose my remote, I can just use it with my phone
  5. [R2] The Roku App (Official) 4/5 · US It does its job: It does it's job, what more can I say?
  6. [R8] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Good Going: More than I expected
  7. [R11] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Great: Great!
  8. [R14] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US tv: the best
  9. [R1] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US Update sucks: Updated app because it kept dropping the private listening. Now it won’t control my sound at all?!!!
  10. [R10] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US Terrible: Controller takes 5 tries to actually connect and multiple open and closing of app
  11. [R12] The Roku App (Official) 3/5 · US Doesn’t work all the time: Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to get it to work and every few months it stops working and I have to delete it and reinstall for it to work again but when it does work it’s nice
  12. [R18] The Roku App (Official) 3/5 · GB Bug issue: Very handy and useful, bugs stressful. We use this app as we keep losing remotes but when we try to connect to the TV it takes a while and wastes time and causes frustration.
  13. [R7] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US Charges: Money keeps taken away me even after I cancel subscriptions
  14. [R28] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US ROKU: I’m getting charged $8.55 per month to have ROKU and I have never used it as I don’t know how and I don’t know how I got enrolled in it and I don’t know how to get out of it so I don’t have to pay for this service I don’t use. Please help me out. I don’t know where to call if that’s what I need to do. I’m not tech-savvy so please help.
  15. [R55] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Love it: No ads , easy to access , i would say 10/10. best remote app to use i hope they do not add any ads anytime soon
  16. [R63] Universal remote for Roku tv 3/5 · US ads: yes it works… but unless you have premium you will literally get 100 ads in less than 5 minutes. it gets really annoying
  17. [R16] The Roku App (Official) 1/5 · US No chat, no phone: There’s no way to contact a real person or even a chat bot on Roku. I subscribed to Fox one to watch World Cup soccer. All of a sudden the screen changed to a “Your program will return soon.” There’s absolutely no tech support available to figure out why I’m getting this message. I’m thinking about switching to a different streaming device. 🤬
  18. [R64] Universal remote for Roku tv 1/5 · US Service review: Horrible app. Incredible scam. They charged my card 4.99$ weekly it only worked the first day. Now they want 7.99$. No good. Stay away from this scam
  19. [R79] Universal remote for Roku tv 1/5 · US Doesn’t work at all!: So it worked amazing for a few weeks, but now anytime I try to use it ever since updating it makes me watch an ad and then connect it. So I try to connect it but it makes me pay for something. It says it’s free, but I have to pay? it won’t let me use the app at all without paying.
  20. [R72] Universal remote for Roku tv 3/5 · US Nice when it works: I understand needing ads but every 3-4 clicks? It's excessive.
  21. [R76] Universal remote for Roku tv 1/5 · US Awful: Every 2 clicks there’s an add
  22. [R78] Universal remote for Roku tv 3/5 · US To many ads: I can’t keep up with my remote so I downloaded this remote app but it has to many ads that is just crazy every 2 taps you make a ad pops up really then wants you to pay $5.99 omg please do something about that so I’m only giving 3 stars
  23. [R41] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Upgraded Experience: So nice to not have buy replacement batteries any more. And the headphone connection feature has made living in an apartment with thin walls easier.
  24. [R51] The Roku App (Official) 5/5 · US Awesome: The app allows me to listen with my AirPods. The best idea
  25. [R60] The Roku App (Official) 2/5 · US Private Listening: Man the private listening is not working anymore I don’t now what you guys did to the app but bring it back. Before the private listening worked fine now even with the aux cable I still can’t get it to work? It screen mirrors fine but not words come out?

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store