Comparison

Phil vs TV Remote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Phil

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
Read full description

PhilRemote is a virtual remote control that allows you to control your Philips television. The application works on all TVs equipped with "Smart TV" technology and connected to your (WiFi or Ethernet) network. To use this Philips remote control, your iPhone/iPad must be on the same Wi-fi network as your TV. Detection of your TV will be automatic. With a realistic design, you can use all the functions of the original remote control very easily. We have integrated the most useful commands, the features are listed below: -Change the volume -Change the channel number -Use navigation pad -Video control (Play/Pause/Stop...) -Menu, Options, Info, Tools -Power off If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact us. For any comments or questions write us at the following address: contact@nstx.io DISCLAIMER PhilRemote is neither an official Philips product, nor are we affiliated with the Philips company. SUBSCRIPTION: We offer auto-renewing subscription: - Length: Weekly / Monthly / Yearly - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - You will be able to access the Premium features of the app for the duration of the subscription - Subscription automatically renews for the same price and duration period as the original period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the chosen package. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's iTunes Account Settings after purchase - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period - You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription setting through your Apple account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 for more information on how to proceed. - You may turn off the auto-renewal of your subscription via your Apple Account Settings. However, you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period - Any unused portion of a free-trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Privacy Policy : https://nstx.io/Phil/Phil_privacy.html Terms of Use : https://nstx.io/Phil/Phil_terms.html

About

TV Remote

Transform your iPhone into a universal remote for over 10,000 TV models. Discover personalized show recommendations, manage watchlists, and track viewing history all in one app.

Highlights
  • Universal remote control for 10,000+ TV models
  • Wi-Fi connectivity (no extra hardware)
  • Personalized show recommendations
  • Watchlist management
  • Viewing history tracker
  • Smart content filters
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into the ultimate Universal Remote Control, control over 10,000 TV models and discover the best movies and shows to watch. Remotly combines a fast, reliable remote with a built-in TV Assistant to help you pick something great in seconds. Use it to control your TV, manage watchlists, get personalized recommendations, and keep track of what you’ve watched—right from your iPhone. # Remote control that just works • Works with 10,000+ TV models across major brands, including Samsung, Roku, TCL, LG, Sony, and more. • Connects over your local Wi-Fi (no extra hardware). • Quick access to the essentials: volume, channels, input/source, and your favorite TV apps. # Your TV Assistant • Personalized recommendations based on what you like. • Watchlists for movies and series (save, organize, and come back later). • Watch history/tracker to remember what you’ve seen and what’s next. • Smart filters to find something that fits your mood (genre, movie/series, preferences). # Made for daily use • Clean, simple interface designed for one-hand control. • Custom settings to adapt the experience to your habits. • Frequent updates to improve compatibility and add new features. # DISCLAIMER This app is not an official app of Samsung, Roku, TCL TV, LG, Sony, or any TV manufacturer, we are not related to these companies in any way. # Subscription For the Pro subscription, subscriptions will be charged monthly or weekly for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions will automatically renewed unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Terms of Use: https://mwm.ai/legal/tv_remote/terms-of-use Privacy : https://mwm.ai/legal/tv_remote/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Phil4 screens
TV Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TV Remote at 4.5 against Phil's 3.1. TV Remote also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (38% vs 17%). Phil's advantage is ratings volume (9.8K vs 606) and iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Phil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and TV Remote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TV Remote holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phil has 9.8K ratings behind it against 606, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Phil's written reviews are positive against 38% of TV Remote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phil ships an update every 4 months, TV Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Phil versus TV Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhilTV Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (9.8K ratings)4.5 (606 ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.0% of reviews38.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9.8K — better606
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryohan teixeiraApp Rover

Customer experience

Phil

All ratings9,754 ratings
Positive52.6%
Neutral3.0%
Negative44.4%
Written reviews277 reviews
Positive17.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative78.7%

TV Remote

All ratings588 ratings
Positive86.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews79 reviews
Positive38.0%
Neutral11.4%
Negative50.6%

Bugs and requests

Phil

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Stopped working after TV update
  • Crashes on newer iOS devices
  • Fails to connect to TV

Requested features

2 requests
  • No ads option
  • Better TV compatibility

TV Remote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Phil

Subscriptions3
  • Pro mode$4.997 Days
  • Premium mode$9.991 Month
  • Premium version$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove Ads$19.99
6 purchases

TV Remote

Subscriptions5
  • Pro Plan Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Pro Plan Weekly3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Pro Plan Monthly3 Days trial$8.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Pro Plan Yearly3 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Pro Plan Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Plan Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Phil free?
Phil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TV Remote free?
TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phil or TV Remote?
TV Remote is rated higher. Phil averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while TV Remote averages 4.5 from 606 ratings.
Do Phil or TV Remote have ads?
Both Phil and TV Remote show ads.
Which is updated more often, Phil or TV Remote?
Phil ships an update every 4 months, and TV Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phil was updated on October 28, 2026 and TV Remote on October 27, 2026.

Other comparisons