# Phil vs Smart Link

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart Link at none against Phil's 4. Smart Link also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (50% vs 17%). Phil's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 23 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Smart Link asks for nothing beyond the download.

Phil ships an update every 4 months, Smart Link every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | Smart Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 17.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 157 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [SCHNEIDER CONSUMER GROUP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131606586) |

## 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 Link

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-link/id1601766404)

Control all your Thomson home appliances remotely from a single app. Schedule routines, manage multiple homes, and monitor device status in real-time. Enjoy effortless home management from your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Remote appliance control, Single application for all devices, Schedule custom routines, Manage multiple homes, Real-time device monitoring, Smartphone accessibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is Smart Link free?

Smart Link is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Phil or Smart Link have ads?

Phil shows ads; Smart Link does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phil or Smart Link?

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and Smart Link every 23 months. Most recently, Phil was updated on October 19, 2026 and Smart Link on October 4, 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.*