The Logitech Harmony is, arguably, one of the best universal remotes for smart TVs.
However, since Logitech announced its decision to discontinue the Logitech Harmony line of remotes, people have been scrambling for alternatives.
While you can still find Logitech Harmony remotes on third-party marketplaces, there is always the risk that it will stop working if support is discontinued at some point.
If you are looking for a Logitech Harmony alternative because your old one got lost, or you are simply planning for the future and worried that your Harmony might stop working, keep reading.
Today, I will be showing you some of the best alternatives to Logitech Harmony remotes.
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Quick Summary
The best alternatives to the Logitech Harmony line of remotes are the Sofabaton X1S and the Sofabaton U2. These remotes are compatible with over 500,000 home entertainment devices of all kinds and highly customizable.
Another good option is the Remote Two from Unfolded Circle, which doubles as a universal smart home hub control. It’s a bit expensive, though.
Some cheap alternatives include the GE and Philips universal remotes, available on Amazon. They are affordable and can be used with a wide range of devices.
Finally, the Flipper remote is great for seniors who want large buttons and a distraction-free remote. And, if you have a Fire TV Stick or certain smart TVs with Fire TV built in, check out Amazon’s Voice Remote Pro with Alexa.
Best Logitech Harmony Alternatives
1. Sofabaton X1S
The Sofabaton X1S is the best alternative to the Logitech Harmony. It is compatible with over 500,000 devices from over 6,000 brands, including stereo systems, TVs, DVD players, Blu-ray players, and others.
One of the best things about the Sofabaton X1S is the ability to set up “scenes,” in which you can turn on and control multiple devices depending on your needs. For example, you can have one scene for playing music and another scene for watching television.
You can control these scenes straight from the OLED screen built into the remote itself.
If you want to switch from watching TV to playing games, simply click on the “Play Game” mode, and Sofabaton will switch your device from television mode to game mode, including setting the input signals to the correct sources.
In that way, you can eliminate all of your remotes and use one central, universal remote for all your devices and entertainment needs.
It works with new and old TVs alike, including smart TVs, the Fire TV Stick, and gaming devices such as the Xbox.
Sofabaton also lets you set up macros and multi-button controls on the Sofabaton screen, allowing you to quickly launch your favorite apps and shows. It’s extremely customizable and one of the reasons it is so popular.
The Sofabaton X1S remote is paired with the Sofabaton Hub, which is a central hub for controlling all your devices. You can put it anywhere near the TV, including in a cabinet.
It has two powerful infrared blasters and 360-degree control, allowing you to control your devices from up to 40 feet away. Since your X1S remote communicates with the Hub and not with the devices directly, you don’t have to keep aiming your remote at the device you wish to control.
Not only that, but voice control is built in. It works with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, allowing you to quickly launch apps and shows by issuing voice commands.
In the Sofabaton app, you can customize it even further by adding API (Application Programming Interface) functionalities, connecting with iOS Shortcuts and IFTTT (If Then This That).
The Sofabaton app is also useful in other ways. For example, the Find My Remote feature will cause your remote to beep when you lose it.
The Sofabaton X1S battery is extremely powerful, lasting a full 45 days on a single charge.
The X1S is not only extremely useful in terms of functionality, but it is also comfortable to use. Its size is perfect for your hand, while the buttons were arranged in such a manner to make them easy to reach with just one finger.
The remote also features backlit keys, making it easy to see what you are pressing in the dark.
The Sofabaton X1S is a new and improved version of the SofaBaton X1. It has fewer interference issues, and the scroll wheel and overall experience is smoother.
It has a nice feature as well: The LED screen lights up when you lift the remote, so you don’t have to press any buttons.
Also, it supports multiple languages.
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2. Sofabaton U2
The Sofabaton U2 is another excellent remote from Sofabaton. It is the latest of the remote controls in the U series (the X1S is the latest in the X series), and it is also among my favorite alternatives to the Logitech Harmony line of remotes.
It has a different design than the X1S. For example, it doesn’t have a LED screen.
Still, it can replace more than 15 remotes in one. It can replace both Bluetooth and infrared remotes.
It works with over 500,000 devices from over 6,000 brands, including speakers, TVs, gaming stations, and more. It even works with projectors and Blu-ray players!
In addition, it features a comfortable grip and a raise-to-wake feature (it “wakes up” as soon as you lift it up).
One of the best things about the Sofabaton U2 is its ability to clone infrared remotes. Yes, there is a cloud code library that you can use to connect it to various devices, but you can also clone the functions of the original remotes for those devices.
In addition, it will often be stronger than those original remotes. That’s because it comes with powerful infrared transmitters that transmit infrared signals over larger distances.
It also features the option to set up macros (combinations of functions). For example, you can activate and turn on your TV, music speaker, and multiple devices with just a click.
Not only that, but you can customize start times for each of the devices in a macro. For example, perhaps you want your music to turn on first and your TV to only turn on a short time later.
The Sofabaton U2 also features a scroll wheel at the top. You can easily scroll through and switch between your favorite devices with this scroll wheel.
All in all, the U2 remains one of my favorite alternatives to Logitech Harmony remotes due to its flexibility, ease of use, and (most of all) wide range of compatibility.
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3. Unfolded Circle Remote Two
The Remote Two from Unfolded Circle is an excellent replacement for the Harmony Logitech. It is more than just a remote for TVs, though.
It is a remote for all of your smart home and entertainment devices. If you have a smart home, it is the perfect alternative to a Logitech Harmony.
The Remote Two comes with an OLED display with popping colors, allowing you to see what you are doing graphically. The OLED screen also displays battery percentages, temperatures, and more.
You can map commands to buttons for a fully customizable experience. Another wonderful feature is the profiles, which are built into the remote!
If you have friends who come over frequently, live with roommates or in a large family, or even invite guests from time to time, you will love the flexibility user profiles offer.
The user profiles are easily managed from a web browser on any device, offering cross operating system compatibility.
In the web browser dashboard, you can also upload custom pictures and channel logos, add integrations, and more.
Not only that, but this remote incorporates haptic feedback, letting you get a real feel for what you are doing via small vibrations!
If you have a smart home hub, you can easily connect the Remote Two to your hub. It is compatible with various smart home hubs.
Don’t worry, though. It works over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and infrared as well, allowing you to control entertainment devices directly, without a smart home hub.
For example, you can control your Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Sonos, and other popular devices.
The Remote Two is a newer device, so check out the software roadmap for new updates that are coming soon. These include support for additional devices from additional brands.
When not in use, you can charge your remote in the Smart Charging Dock (which doubles as an infrared transmitter).
Best of all, the Remote Two runs fully locally, which means it doesn’t rely on any cloud servers or subscriptions.
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4. Amazon Voice Remote Pro
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If you have a Fire TV device, the Amazon Voice Remote Pro is one of the best alternatives to the Logitech Harmony for your Fire TV.
However, it’s not solely limited to people who have a Fire TV Stick. In fact, it is compatible with many other smart TVs and audio/video receivers, including Toshiba smart TVs which have Fire TV built in.
Check the compatibility guide to verify if your device is compatible.
It works with Amazon Alexa, which is a big plus. You can issue voice commands with Amazon Alexa and even use Alexa to find your lost remote.
For example, if you have the Alexa app, you can say, “Alexa, find my remote,” and the remote will ring. Never lose your remote under the pillow again!
You can also use Alexa to start watching series, find shows, or open apps. Furthermore, you can control smart home devices compatible with Alexa, check your front door camera, get weather updates, and more.
Just speak into the microphone on the remote control!
The motion-activated backlights light up automatically when you use the device in the dark. In addition to all the preset buttons, there are two customizable buttons to which you can map shortcuts to your favorite apps or channels.
There is also a dedicated headphones button. This button takes you to the Bluetooth menu so you can pair or connect your wireless headphones quickly.
This remote has a range of up to 30 feet, which is pretty good.
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5. Philips Universal Remote Control
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to the Logitech Harmony to control your devices, check out the Philips Universal Remote Control, available on Amazon.
It supports a wide range of brands and devices, including Samsung, LG, Vizio, Sony, and many others. It also supports branded devices like the Apple TV and Roku.
Note, however, that it won’t work with the Amazon Fire TV Stick. For that, you’d be better off getting the Amazon Voice Remote Pro.
It also has a massive code library, and it is compatible with most of the latest (and older) devices from all the popular brands. Whether you have a Blu-ray player, satellite receiver, or any other audio or video streaming device, there is a good chance it is compatible.
To pair it with your device, simply find the special code for the device in the code list that comes with the remote.
The Philips Universal Remote comes in three versions:
- Three devices
- Four devices
- Six devices
It all depends on how many devices you want to program with your remote control at the same time. For example, if you have a smart TV, soundbar, and Blu-ray speaker only, you can get the three-device version.
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6. GE Universal Remote Control
The GE Universal Remote Control is another excellent affordable alternative to Logitech Harmony remotes.
You can connect between four and eight devices to the remote at once, depending on which version you get. In addition, you can get it with backlit lights to help you use it in the dark.
It works with all major brands, including the Apple TV, Samsung, Sony, etc.
Not only does it have a large code database so you can pair it with a wide range of home entertainment devices, but it is also programmed to be compatible with Samsung smart TVs out of the box, without special programming or pairing required.
It has an ergonomic design and DVR functionality. It runs on two batteries, which are not included.
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7. Flipper Universal TV Remote for Seniors
This universal remote from Flipper is the perfect alternative to the Logitech Harmony for seniors. It features four big buttons for volume control, channel switching, muting, and turning the device on and off.
These buttons are easily visible and easy to press, making it perfect for seniors. It doesn’t have all the distractions typical of remotes with many buttons, which can be confusing for seniors who are not tech-savvy.
You can program your loved one’s favorites and allow them to easily switch between their favorite channels using the channel switching button.
It works with soundbars, infrared TVs, and cable and set-top boxes. It offers a wide compatibility with many brands of TVs and cable boxes, and you can manage both TVs and cable boxes at the same time from a single remote.
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Conclusion
So these are some amazing options you can use in place of Logitech Harmony.
I love the Sofabaton line, especially the X1S, due to its built-in screen and wide range of compatibility.
However, if you’re looking for a cheap and affordable option, try the Philips or GE universal remotes.
