# PhilRemote vs Box & SmartTV remote

The clearest difference is price: Box & SmartTV remote at Free against PhilRemote's $2.99. Box & SmartTV remote also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 28 months). PhilRemote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Box & SmartTV remote is free to download; PhilRemote costs $2.99 up front. Box & SmartTV remote sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PhilRemote asks for nothing beyond the download.

PhilRemote ships an update every 28 months, Box & SmartTV remote every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhilRemote | Box & SmartTV remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 28 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Size | 2 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steve Guedon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526017796) | [Cyrille Fougerouse](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615090587) |

## What reviewers say

### PhilRemote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philremote/id1552609148)

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### Box & SmartTV remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/box-and-smarttv-remote/id1615090585)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium (No ads) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium+ (No ads) | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhilRemote free?

PhilRemote costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Box & SmartTV remote free?

Box & SmartTV remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PhilRemote or Box & SmartTV remote have ads?

Box & SmartTV remote shows ads; PhilRemote does not.

### Which is updated more often, PhilRemote or Box & SmartTV remote?

PhilRemote ships an update every 28 months, and Box & SmartTV remote every 5 weeks. Most recently, PhilRemote was updated on October 25, 2026 and Box & SmartTV remote on October 27, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*
