Phil vs TV Remote Universal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Phil
Control your Philips Smart TV with your iPhone or iPad. This virtual remote offers realistic design and access to essential functions like volume, channel, navigation, and playback controls. Requires your device to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
- Volume control
- Channel selection
- Navigation pad
- Video playback controls
- Menu and options access
- Power off function
Read full descriptionHide full description
PhilRemote is a virtual remote control that allows you to control your Philips television. The application works on all TVs equipped with "Smart TV" technology and connected to your (WiFi or Ethernet) network. To use this Philips remote control, your iPhone/iPad must be on the same Wi-fi network as your TV. Detection of your TV will be automatic. With a realistic design, you can use all the functions of the original remote control very easily. We have integrated the most useful commands, the features are listed below: -Change the volume -Change the channel number -Use navigation pad -Video control (Play/Pause/Stop...) -Menu, Options, Info, Tools -Power off If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact us. For any comments or questions write us at the following address: contact@nstx.io DISCLAIMER PhilRemote is neither an official Philips product, nor are we affiliated with the Philips company. SUBSCRIPTION: We offer auto-renewing subscription: - Length: Weekly / Monthly / Yearly - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - You will be able to access the Premium features of the app for the duration of the subscription - Subscription automatically renews for the same price and duration period as the original period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the chosen package. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's iTunes Account Settings after purchase - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period - You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription setting through your Apple account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 for more information on how to proceed. - You may turn off the auto-renewal of your subscription via your Apple Account Settings. However, you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period - Any unused portion of a free-trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Privacy Policy : https://nstx.io/Phil/Phil_privacy.html Terms of Use : https://nstx.io/Phil/Phil_terms.html
TV Remote Universal
Control your smart TV directly from your iPhone or iPad. This app transforms your device into a universal remote, supporting major brands like Samsung, LG, and Roku. Enjoy seamless control over power, volume, channels, and smart TV features.
- Power ON / OFF
- Volume control
- Channel selection
- Navigation pad
- Media player functions
- Smart TV features
Read full descriptionHide full description
Lost your remote again? Your iPhone just became the only one you need. TV Remote Universal turns your phone into a fast, reliable remote for almost any smart TV — no infrared, no extra hardware, no hunting through couch cushions. Connect over Wi-Fi and take control in seconds. ONE APP. EVERY TV IN YOUR HOME. CONTROL EVERYTHING Power, volume, channels, inputs, playback and a full navigation pad — every button of your physical remote, right on your screen. Everything responds instantly. TYPE INSTEAD OF PECKING Stop clicking letter-by-letter across an on-screen grid. Use your phone's keyboard to search shows, sign in to apps and enter passwords in a fraction of the time. SWIPE TO NAVIGATE A smooth touchpad lets you glide through menus with your thumb — faster and more natural than tapping arrow buttons. CONTROL BY VOICE Speak instead of scrolling. Use voice to search and navigate on supported TVs, hands-free. OPEN YOUR APPS IN ONE TAP Jump straight to your favorite streaming apps without scrolling through the home screen. WORKS WITH YOUR TV Compatible with Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, RCA, Roku and Roku streaming sticks, Fire TV, Android TV and more. If it's a smart TV on your Wi-Fi, chances are we've got you covered. SET UP IN UNDER A MINUTE Connect your iPhone or iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV and follow the on-screen steps. That's it — no pairing codes, no cables. WHY YOU'LL KEEP IT - Clean, responsive design that just works - No IR blaster required - Light and dark mode - Works on iPhone and iPad UPGRADE TO PREMIUM Go ad-free and unlock the full experience Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://realvision.app/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://realvision.app/terms-of-use/ Disclaimer: This app is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or any other TV brand mentioned. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TV Remote Universal at every 3 weeks against Phil's every 4 months. TV Remote Universal also leads on rating (3.4 vs 3.1). Phil's advantage is iOS requirement (15 vs 17). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Phil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and TV Remote Universal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TV Remote Universal holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.8K and 12K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 17% of Phil's written reviews are positive against 14% of TV Remote Universal's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Phil ships an update every 4 months, TV Remote Universal every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.
| Parameter | Phil | TV Remote Universal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (9.8K ratings) | 3.4 (12K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.9% of reviews — better | 13.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9.8K | 12K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 157 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yohan teixeira | Real Vision Ltd |
Customer experience
Phil
TV Remote Universal
User reviews
Phil
From 9.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Works brilliantly
- 👍 Great alternative with extras
Room to improve
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🔋 Constant ads make it unusable
- 💰 Paid version still has ads
- 🤬 Aggressive monetization
TV Remote Universal
From 12K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🤩 Amazing
- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Works great
Room to improve
- 🐛 Mediocre, only works half the time
- 🐛 Does not work
- 🐛 Connection issues, won't connect or show available TV
- 🐛 Reconnecting issues after disconnecting
- 🔋 Too many ads, makes it unusable
Bugs and requests
Phil
Reported bugs
3 issues- Stopped working after TV update
- Crashes on newer iOS devices
- Fails to connect to TV
Requested features
2 requests- No ads option
- Better TV compatibility
TV Remote Universal
Reported bugs
3 issues- Fails to detect or connect to devices
- Constant ads interrupt usage
- Unreliable, frequently stops working
Requested features
2 requests- Better TV search and connection options
- Improved stability and reliability
In-app purchases
Phil
- Pro mode$4.997 Days
- Premium mode$9.991 Month
- Premium version$19.991 Year
- Remove Ads$19.99
TV Remote Universal
- Monthly Premium$3.991 Month
- Premium Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Premium version$3.99
- Lifetime Premium$34.99
Questions
Is Phil free?
Is TV Remote Universal free?
Which has better reviews, Phil or TV Remote Universal?
Do Phil or TV Remote Universal have ads?
Which is updated more often, Phil or TV Remote Universal?
Other comparisons















