# Phil vs TV Remote, Universal Remote

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote, Universal Remote at 4.8 against Phil's 3.1. TV Remote, Universal Remote also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (25% vs 17%). Phil's advantage is ratings volume (9.8K vs 2.9K). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Remote sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TV Remote, Universal Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.8K and 2.9K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Phil's written reviews are positive against 25% of TV Remote, Universal Remote's.

Phil ships an update every 4 months, TV Remote, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phil | TV Remote, Universal Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-tv-remote/id876814361/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id1660719609/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | 16.9% of reviews | **25.2% 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 | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [yohan teixeira](https://appshunter.io/developer/488660484) | [Inston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1660719611) |

## 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 Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-remote-universal-remote/id1660719609)

Transform your smartphone into a universal TV remote. Control power, volume, channels, and menus for over 1000 TV models worldwide. Simplify your entertainment setup and eliminate the need for multiple physical remotes.

**Highlights:** Universal TV control, Power on/off, Volume adjustment, Channel navigation, Menu access, Simple setup, Wide compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro: Unlock All | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro: Full Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro: Ultimate Access | $12.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Access IPTV Channels - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Pro | $27.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $32.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🙌 Helpful for finding lost remote
- 💡 Allows room/location customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Excessive paid features
- 🚫 Limited functionality in free version
- 📺 Compatibility issues with some TV models
- 💤 Frequent ads interrupting usage

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to connect to TV
- Buttons not responding as expected
- Subscription not canceling properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to control more TV functions without subscription
- Option to disable ads in free version
- Support for more TV brands and models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phil free?

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

### Is TV Remote, Universal Remote free?

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

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

TV Remote, Universal Remote is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while TV Remote, Universal Remote averages 4.8 from 2.9K ratings.

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

Both Phil and TV Remote, Universal Remote show ads.

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

Phil ships an update every 4 months, and TV Remote, Universal Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phil was updated on November 11, 2026 and TV Remote, Universal Remote on November 12, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*