# PhilRemote vs Universal Remote

The clearest difference is price: Universal Remote at Free against PhilRemote's $2.99. Universal Remote also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 28 months). PhilRemote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Universal Remote is free to download; PhilRemote costs $2.99 up front. Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. PhilRemote asks for nothing beyond the download.

PhilRemote ships an update every 28 months, Universal Remote fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhilRemote | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (262 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id6472174351/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **262** |
| Positive reviews | — | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 28 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steve Guedon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526017796) | [Yury Mekhau](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827659705) |

## What reviewers say

### PhilRemote

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

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-control/id6472174351)

Control your smart TV with your phone, featuring a keyboard and touchpad. Discover personalized channel and show recommendations with an AI assistant. Connects via Wi-Fi for easy pairing.

**Highlights:** AI-powered show recommendations, Keyboard and touchpad control, Wi-Fi connectivity for pairing, Channel list access, Smart TV monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhilRemote free?

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

### Is Universal Remote free?

Universal Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PhilRemote or Universal Remote have ads?

Neither PhilRemote nor Universal Remote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PhilRemote or Universal Remote?

PhilRemote ships an update every 28 months, and Universal Remote fortnightly. Most recently, PhilRemote was updated on October 6, 2026 and Universal Remote on October 9, 2026.

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