If you're searching for an alternative to Hisense's RemoteNOW app — or just trying to compare remote-control apps for your Hisense smart TV — the choice usually comes down to five practical criteria. Here's what each one means in plain terms, and how HiRemote handles them.
1. Platform support — VIDAA, Roku TV, Google TV, or Fire TV?
Hisense ships smart TVs on four different operating systems depending on year, model, and region. The home screen layout and pairing protocol differ across all four:
- VIDAA U — Hisense's in-house smart-TV OS (most ULED A-series and U-series globally)
- Hisense Roku TV — Roku TV OS (Hisense R-series, US and select markets)
- Hisense Google TV — Google's Android TV / Google TV (recent U-series and select A-series)
- Hisense Fire TV Edition — Amazon's Fire OS (UK and select US markets)
Some apps support only one of these platforms. If you've owned a couple of Hisense TVs over the years there's a good chance they don't all run the same OS — a single app that covers all four is more practical than four different apps.
HiRemote: covers all four platforms in one app. Auto-detects which one your TV runs.
2. Account requirements
Some remote apps require a sign-up — vendor account, email verification, or login to an existing platform account (Roku, Amazon, Google). Others communicate with the TV directly over your local Wi-Fi without any login.
Both approaches are valid. Account-based apps can sync settings across devices and personalize the experience. Local-only apps skip the friction of signup and don't keep account credentials on file.
HiRemote: local-only. No account, no signup, no email. The app talks to your TV the same way the original remote does — directly over Wi-Fi.
3. Apple Watch and widget support
If you wear an Apple Watch, having the basic remote on your wrist is genuinely useful — muting an ad without picking up the phone, powering off in pajamas, switching channels while doing something else. Same goes for Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets: a one-tap power button beats opening the app every time.
Watch and widget support requires extra development work and is usually gated behind a paid tier.
HiRemote: Apple Watch app, complications, Lock Screen widgets, Home Screen widgets — all included with Pro.
4. Pricing model
Most remote apps are either free with ads, fully paid, or freemium (free basic, paid premium). Read the App Store pricing page before you install — Apple shows the exact regional price.
HiRemote: free download, Pro from $9.99/year (Apple localises pricing per region — your exact local price is shown in the App Store at checkout). Pro adds Apple Watch, widgets, and ad-free mode.
5. Update cadence and platform compatibility
Smart-TV firmware updates occasionally break compatibility with third-party remote apps. The faster an app ships fixes, the less time you spend with a broken remote. Look at the "What's New" tab on the App Store listing — if updates are months apart, expect longer fix cycles when something breaks.
HiRemote: regular updates. Release notes on the App Store explain what changed in each version.
How HiRemote stacks up across all five criteria
| Criterion | HiRemote |
|---|---|
| Hisense platforms covered | All four (VIDAA, Roku, Google TV, Fire TV) |
| Account / signup required | No |
| Apple Watch + widgets | Pro tier |
| Pricing | Free download · Pro from $9.99/year |
| Update cadence | Regular, public release notes |
Try it
If those criteria match what you're looking for in a Hisense remote, HiRemote is on the App Store. The free download covers the full button surface — Pro adds Apple Watch, widgets, and ad-free mode.