# Phil vs Universal TV Remote Control

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universal TV Remote Control at 65% against Phil's 17%. Universal TV Remote Control also leads on rating (3.6 vs 3.1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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 TV Remote Control sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Universal TV Remote Control holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.8K and 4.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Phil's written reviews are positive against 65% of Universal TV Remote Control's.

Phil ships an update every 4 months, Universal TV Remote Control every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | Universal TV Remote Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews) | **[3.6 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id1492122256/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 4.1K |
| Positive reviews | 17.0% of reviews | **65.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Codematics Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225541389) |

## 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 TV Remote Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-tv-remote-control/id1492122256)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful universal TV remote. Easily control over 100 TV brands without needing your physical remote or dealing with battery issues. Enjoy fast setup and intuitive controls for all your entertainment needs.

**Highlights:** Control 100+ TV brands, Wi-Fi connectivity, Automatic TV discovery, Power, volume, input controls, App access and media playback, Navigation and directional controls

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $89.99 | per year |
| Remove Full Screen Ads | $24.99 | one-time |
| Ad Free Version | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful for lost remotes
- 🚀 Convenient remote alternative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work for some TV brands
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🐛 Connectivity issues

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes
- Buttons don't respond
- Incompatible with certain TV models

**Requested features**

- Support for more TV brands
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is Universal TV Remote Control free?

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

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

Universal TV Remote Control is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while Universal TV Remote Control averages 3.6 from 4.1K ratings.

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

Both Phil and Universal TV Remote Control show ads.

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

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and Universal TV Remote Control every 2 weeks. Most recently, Phil was updated on October 31, 2026 and Universal TV Remote Control on October 29, 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.*