# Phil vs Smart TV Remote Control Plus

The clearest difference is rating: Smart TV Remote Control Plus at 4.5 against Phil's 3.1. Smart TV Remote Control Plus also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks 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 Smart TV Remote Control Plus sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smart TV Remote Control Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.8K and 20K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Phil's written reviews are positive against 25% of Smart TV Remote Control Plus's.

Phil ships an update every 4 months, Smart TV Remote Control Plus every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | Smart TV Remote Control Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews) | **[4.5 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tv-remote-control-plus/id1570275114/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9.8K | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 16.9% of reviews | **24.9% 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 | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [DREAMTEAM APPS sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626812597) |

## 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


### Smart TV Remote Control Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tv-remote-control-plus/id1570275114)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful remote control for your smart TV. Easily navigate menus, adjust volume, and change channels using your mobile device over Wi-Fi. Supports a wide range of popular smart TV operating systems and brands.

**Highlights:** Use iPhone/iPad as TV remote, Supports popular smart TV OS, Works with 100+ brands, Auto-detects smart TVs, Wi-Fi connectivity, All common remote commands

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Universal Remote Control Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| 1 Week Premium with Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Week Premium with Trial | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Week Premium Access | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Month Premium with Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Premium Access | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Premium with Trial | $24.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Works well with various TVs
- 💡 Useful for lost remotes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🔒 Requires subscription for full functionality
- 🔋 Drains device battery

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to enter TV PIN
- Incompatible with certain TV models
- Buttons not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improve connection stability
- Offer free version with limited features
- Add support for more TV brands


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is Smart TV Remote Control Plus free?

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

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

Smart TV Remote Control Plus is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while Smart TV Remote Control Plus averages 4.5 from 20K ratings.

### Do Phil or Smart TV Remote Control Plus have ads?

Both Phil and Smart TV Remote Control Plus show ads.

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

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and Smart TV Remote Control Plus every 2 weeks. Most recently, Phil was updated on November 10, 2026 and Smart TV Remote Control Plus 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.*