# Phil vs Universal Remote

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Remote at 4.3 against Phil's 3.1. Universal Remote also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). 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 Universal Remote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.8K and 13K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 17% and 18% positive.

Phil ships an update every 4 months, Universal Remote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews) | **[4.3 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9.8K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 16.9% of reviews | **17.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Plane Cubes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712487303) |

## 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


### Universal Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-remote-tv-remote/id1487434765)

Transform your phone into a smart TV remote. Easily control volume, channels, power, and more for compatible Samsung and LG smart TVs over your WiFi network. Offers premium features through a subscription.

**Highlights:** Control smart TVs from your phone, WiFi network connection, Volume, channel, power control, Source and smart function control, Compatible with Samsung and LG TVs

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Start Free Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote Pro Week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Universal Remote Pro Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Go Pro Universal Remote TV | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Universal remote control
- 💯 Works as advertised
- 🤩 Great app for managing TV

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🚫 Doesn't work with some TVs
- 🔍 Requires original remote for setup
- 🤬 Lots of ads
- 🔒 Hard to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps disconnecting from TV
- Doesn't recognize TV or remote commands
- Crashes or freezes during use

**Requested features**

- Add keyboard and mouse support for TV browser
- Improve compatibility with more TV models
- Provide better troubleshooting and support options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is Universal Remote free?

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

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

Universal Remote is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while Universal Remote averages 4.3 from 13K ratings.

### Do Phil or Universal Remote have ads?

Both Phil and Universal Remote show ads.

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

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and Universal Remote every 2 months. Most recently, Phil was updated on November 6, 2026 and Universal Remote on November 7, 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.*