Best RemoteNOW Alternatives for Hisense TVs in 2026

Short answer. If your Hisense TV runs Roku OS, the official Roku app is the best free alternative (Roku models only). Google TV models work with Google's own TV app. Fire TV Edition models work with Amazon's Fire TV app. If you want one app that covers all four Hisense platforms and adds Apple Watch + widgets, HiRemote is the only third-party iPhone app that covers every Hisense OS. Skip down to the comparison if you already know your TV's OS.

Why people search for a RemoteNOW alternative

Hisense's official RemoteNOW app sits at 1.9 stars on the App Store with thousands of reviews. The complaints are repetitive and specific:

• Forced "Hisense Connect" account — you can't use a free remote without signing up for an account you didn't ask for.
• Ads inside the remote. Full-screen interstitials on some versions, between button presses.
• Breaks after firmware updates. Model-specific outages that take weeks to fix.
• Doesn't recognise your TV. RemoteNOW only supports certain Hisense OS versions — Roku, Google TV, and Fire TV Hisense owners often find it simply doesn't connect at all.

If any of that matches your reason for searching, the rest of this guide is structured around fixing exactly those problems.

Step 1: figure out which Hisense OS your TV runs

Hisense ships four entirely different smart-TV operating systems depending on model and region. The right RemoteNOW alternative depends on which one you have:

• VIDAA U — Hisense's own OS. Most ULED A-series and U-series globally.
• Hisense Roku TV — R-series and select US models. Boot screen shows the purple Roku logo.
• Hisense Google TV — recent U-series and select A-series with the Google TV launcher.
• Hisense Fire TV Edition — UK and select US markets. Boot screen shows the Amazon Fire logo.

Fastest check: power-cycle the TV and watch the boot logo. Still unsure? Run the 4-question Hisense OS quiz — it tells you which platform your TV is on, then sends you to the right remote.

1. HiRemote — best overall (covers all four Hisense platforms)

Price: free · Pro $9.99/year  ·  Platforms: VIDAA, Roku, Google TV, Fire TV  ·  Account: none  ·  Apple Watch: yes (Pro)

The only third-party iPhone app that handles every Hisense smart-TV operating system from a single install. Auto-detects which OS your TV runs — no manual platform picker. Commands stay on your local Wi-Fi between phone and TV. Zero third-party SDKs, zero analytics.

Pros

• One app for every Hisense TV you own
• No signup, no Hisense Connect account, no email
• Apple Watch app + Lock Screen widgets + Home Screen widgets (Pro)
• Full QWERTY keyboard for streaming-service passwords
• Privacy-first — zero analytics, no remote logging

Cons

• iOS only — no Android build yet
• Free tier shows occasional ads (Pro removes them along with adding Watch + widgets)

Download HiRemote on the App Store →

2. Roku Official Remote — best for Hisense Roku TVs only

Price: free  ·  Platforms: Roku-powered TVs only  ·  Account: Roku login required  ·  Apple Watch: no

If your Hisense is an R-series (or any Hisense with the Roku launcher), the first-party Roku app is rock-solid. It's published by Roku, so firmware updates never break it, and it includes private listening — streaming TV audio to your iPhone earbuds. RemoteNOW doesn't have that.

Pros

• First-party — never breaks after Roku firmware updates
• Private listening to iPhone earbuds (huge for late-night TV)
• Voice search built in

Cons

• Roku-powered Hisense models only — won't see your VIDAA / Google TV / Fire TV Hisense
• Requires a Roku account
• No Apple Watch app, no Lock Screen widgets

Search "Roku" on the App Store, or grab it from roku.com/products/mobile-app.

3. Google TV app — best for Hisense Google TV models

Price: free  ·  Platforms: Google TV / Android TV  ·  Account: Google account  ·  Apple Watch: no

Google's own iOS app for Google TV-powered Hisense models — these are mostly the recent U-series and select A-series with the Google TV launcher. Replaces the entire physical remote, including the Google Assistant voice button.

Pros

• Free, official, no third-party concerns
• Google Assistant voice search
• D-pad + full QWERTY keyboard

Cons

• Google TV / Android TV Hisense models only
• Requires a Google account signed into your iPhone
• No Apple Watch, no Lock Screen quick actions

Look for "Google TV" on the App Store. On newer iOS versions the remote is also built into the Google Home app.

4. Amazon Fire TV — best for Hisense Fire TV Edition

Price: free  ·  Platforms: Fire TV Edition  ·  Account: Amazon login  ·  Apple Watch: no

Amazon's official iOS app for Hisense Fire TV Edition models. Alexa voice button, full remote layout, Fire TV-specific shortcut tiles.

Pros

• Official Amazon app — reliable update cycle
• Alexa voice search built in
• Keyboard for typing inside streaming apps

Cons

• Hisense Fire TV Edition only — won't work on VIDAA / Roku / Google TV models
• Requires an Amazon login
• No Apple Watch app, no widgets

5. Browser remote — no install, no signup

Price: free  ·  Platforms: Roku-powered Hisense TVs  ·  Account: none  ·  Apple Watch: no

If you just need to power on the TV right now and don't want to install anything, the in-browser Roku remote on hiremote.app works in any modern browser — Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android. Built on Roku's publicly-documented ECP HTTP API. No signup, no app, no tracking. Works only with Roku-powered Hisense models.

For VIDAA / Google TV / Fire TV Hisense models there's no browser-only equivalent, because those platforms don't expose a public unauthenticated HTTP control protocol.

Pros

• Zero install — open the URL, control the TV
• Works on iPhone and Android browsers identically
• No account, no tracking, no app to update

Cons

• Roku-powered Hisense TVs only
• No persistent app icon out of the box (you'd "Add to Home Screen" yourself for one-tap access)

6. CodeMatics, AnyMote, "Universal Smart TV Remote" — proceed carefully

Search "Hisense remote" on the App Store and you'll see a long tail of generic "Universal Smart TV Remote" apps from publishers like CodeMatics. Most of them share the same pattern:

• Heavily ad-supported (multi-second video ads between button taps)
• Subscription paywall pushed in the first session
• Claim to support every TV brand but only work reliably with one or two
• Embed third-party analytics SDKs — the opposite of what you want from a free utility

If you go this route, read the recent App Store reviews (sort by "most critical") and check the Privacy tab on the App Store listing. A remote-control app should not be collecting your contacts, location, or browsing history.

Side-by-side at a glance

HiRemote — all 4 Hisense OS · free / Pro $9.99/yr · Apple Watch ✅ · no account

Roku Official — Roku-powered Hisense only · free · Apple Watch ❌ · Roku account required

Google TV app — Google TV models only · free · Apple Watch ❌ · Google account required

Amazon Fire TV — Fire TV Edition only · free · Apple Watch ❌ · Amazon account required

hiremote.app browser remote — Roku-powered Hisense · free · Apple Watch ❌ · no account, no install

RemoteNOW (Hisense's own) — VIDAA + some · free · Apple Watch ❌ · Hisense Connect account required · 1.9★

Which alternative fixes which RemoteNOW pain

• Forced Hisense Connect signup → HiRemote (local, no account)
• Ads inside a remote app → HiRemote Pro · Roku official · Google TV app · Amazon Fire TV app
• Stopped working after a firmware update → first-party apps (Roku / Google TV / Amazon) or HiRemote (regular updates)
• Doesn't recognise my Hisense TV → HiRemote (covers all 4) · or match the first-party app to your TV's actual OS
• D-pad is painful for typing Netflix passwords → HiRemote (full QWERTY) · Google TV app (also has a keyboard)
• Want a quick power-off without unlocking the phone → HiRemote Lock Screen widget (Pro)

FAQ

Is RemoteNOW being discontinued?

No public discontinuation from Hisense — it's still on both stores. But the 1.9-star App Store rating and forced Hisense Connect account requirement have pushed enough owners to search for alternatives that a small ecosystem of third-party apps now exists.

Do any free Hisense remote alternatives work without Wi-Fi?

No iPhone-based alternative works without Wi-Fi — every option above (including HiRemote, RemoteNOW, Roku, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV apps) talks to the TV over your local network. If you need true offline control, you need an IR-blaster accessory or a universal physical remote. Modern Hisense TVs are 100% Wi-Fi-controllable, so the Wi-Fi requirement is essentially universal.

Can I use my phone as a Hisense remote without installing anything?

Yes — for Hisense Roku TVs only. The in-browser Roku remote at hiremote.app works in any iPhone or Android browser without installing an app. For VIDAA / Google TV / Fire TV Hisense models there's no browser equivalent, because those platforms don't expose a public unauthenticated HTTP API.

Does HiRemote actually work without a Hisense account?

Yes. HiRemote uses the local-network control protocols each Hisense platform speaks natively — Roku's ECP for Roku models, VIDAA's WebSocket for VIDAA models, ADB-over-Wi-Fi for Google TV and Fire TV. None of these require a Hisense Connect account or any Hisense cloud service. Pairing happens once on your local network.

I tried the Roku app and it doesn't see my Hisense TV. Why?

Your Hisense almost certainly isn't a Roku model — it likely runs VIDAA, Google TV, or Fire TV. The Roku app only works with Roku-powered TVs. Run the Hisense OS quiz to confirm which OS your TV uses, then pick the matching remote app from the list above.

What about CodeMatics, AnyMote, "Universal Smart TV Remote"?

They exist and some technically support Hisense, but most rely on aggressive ads, subscription paywalls, or unclear privacy practices. Before installing any "universal" remote app, check the App Store Privacy tab and the recent (last 90 days) reviews sorted by "most critical".