# Phil vs TV Remote Universal

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | TV Remote Universal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews) | **[3.4 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal/id1447773150/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9.8K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **16.9% of reviews** | 13.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Real Vision Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447773149) |

## What reviewers say

### Phil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361)

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.

**Highlights:** Volume control, Channel selection, Navigation pad, Video playback controls, Menu and options access, Power off function

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro mode | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium mode | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium version | $19.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works brilliantly
- 👍 Great alternative with extras

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🔋 Constant ads make it unusable
- 💰 Paid version still has ads
- 🤬 Aggressive monetization

**Reported bugs**

- Stopped working after TV update
- Crashes on newer iOS devices
- Fails to connect to TV

**Requested features**

- No ads option
- Better TV compatibility


### TV Remote Universal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal/id1447773150)

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.

**Highlights:** Power ON / OFF, Volume control, Channel selection, Navigation pad, Media player functions, Smart TV features

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium version | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Amazing
- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Works great

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to detect or connect to devices
- Constant ads interrupt usage
- Unreliable, frequently stops working

**Requested features**

- Better TV search and connection options
- Improved stability and reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is TV Remote Universal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Phil or TV Remote Universal?

TV Remote Universal is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while TV Remote Universal averages 3.4 from 12K ratings.

### Do Phil or TV Remote Universal have ads?

Both Phil and TV Remote Universal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phil or TV Remote Universal?

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and TV Remote Universal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phil was updated on November 10, 2026 and TV Remote Universal on November 10, 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.*