Comparison

Marvin's Magic vs LEGO® Powered Up

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

Head to head
About

Marvin's Magic

Enhance your magic tricks with augmented reality and interactive elements. This app brings your magic set to life, offering video instructions and bonus features when you register your product. Experience magic in a new, engaging way.

Highlights
  • Augmented Reality enhancements
  • Interactive magic tricks
  • Video instructions
  • Product registration
  • Bonus features access
Features
Read full description

Bring your Marvin's Magic set to life with this amazing magic app. Many of the props in your set can be enhanced with Augmented Reality, interactive magic tricks and even video instructions. Register your product by using this app to scan the QR code (found in the instructions booklet) and gain access to bonus features such as video instructions and augmented reality illusions. For 30 Years Marvin's Magic has been Number One for Magic Worldwide. This innovative application works in conjunction with most Marvin's Magic sets keeping you up to date with the wonderful World of Marvin's Magic. Privacy Policy: https://www.marvinsmagic.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.marvinsmagic.com/terms-conditions/

About

LEGO® Powered Up

Control motorized LEGO sets like trains and the Batmobile via Bluetooth. Bring your custom LEGO creations to life by coding movements and sounds using drag-and-drop programming. Experience interactive play with lights, sensors, and motors.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth control for LEGO vehicles
  • Customizable coding for models
  • Drag-and-drop programming
  • Add sounds and lights
  • Control speed and direction
  • Bring custom builds to life
Features
Read full description

Combine this app with the LEGO DC Super Heroes App-Controlled Batmobile (76112), the LEGO City Cargo Train (60198), or the LEGO City Passenger Train (60197) (each sold separately) to operate the motorized engines via Bluetooth controls, or use your imagination and build entirely new creations using LEGO Powered Up components and bring them to life by coding them. Make your models move and respond to real-world events. The LEGO Powered Up app puts you in the driver’s seat of the awesome 4-wheel-drive Batmobile to speed through the streets of GOTHAM CITY™. Drive forwards, backwards, left and right… or pull 360-degree turns! You can even activate cool tricks and stunts as you become the Dark Knight and fight crime. You can customize and code your Batmobile tricks and choose your sounds and movements – pretty awesome! The LEGO Powered Up app also controls LEGO trains to haul goods or pick up passengers around LEGO City. You can control the speed, change directions, and bring even more life to your play with various sounds such as a whistle, passenger announcement, railroad crossing bell, and more! The Bluetooth remote control app and the remote control handset included in the LEGO City train sets aren’t compatible with older infrared remote-controlled LEGO train sets. Thanks to Powered Up components like hubs, motors, sensors, and lights you will be able to bring your customized creations to life. You can also bring your existing LEGO models to life. Is your device compatible? Please go to LEGO.com/devicecheck to check if your device is compatible. Ask your parents’ permission before going online. The LEGO Powered Up App Feature List - Access control panels for DC Super Heroes App-Controlled Batmobile, LEGO City Cargo Train or LEGO City Passenger Train. - Control speed and direction of LEGO vehicles with a variety of exciting interfaces. - Add playful sounds and take your play to the next level. - Use LEGO Powered Up hardware components in your customized models to bring them to life! - Code movements and sounds for your models to create real-life behaviors. - Simple, easy-to-understand programming language based on drag’n’drop coding. LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group

Screenshots

Marvin's Magic4 screens
LEGO® Powered Up4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LEGO® Powered Up at 3.6 against Marvin's Magic's 3.0. LEGO® Powered Up also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support 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. Marvin's Magic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. LEGO® Powered Up asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LEGO® Powered Up holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 139 and 554 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Marvin's Magic's written reviews are positive against 42% of LEGO® Powered Up's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Marvin's Magic ships an update every 3 months, LEGO® Powered Up every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Marvin's Magic versus LEGO® Powered Up: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarvin's MagicLEGO® Powered Up
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (139 ratings)3.6 (554 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.1% of reviews41.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings139554 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size278 MB1.5 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarz-UK LtdLEGO

Customer experience

Marvin's Magic

All ratings122 ratings
Positive48.4%
Neutral9.0%
Negative42.6%
Written reviews135 reviews
Positive34.1%
Neutral6.7%
Negative59.3%

LEGO® Powered Up

All ratings550 ratings
Positive61.8%
Neutral8.2%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews407 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral15.2%
Negative43.2%

User reviews

Marvin's Magic

From 139 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📚 Helpful video instructions for learning tricks
  • 🎯 Works well with compatible magic sets
  • ✨ Engaging augmented reality features (when functional)
  • 🎬 High-quality video content
  • 👨‍🎓 Useful for beginners learning magic

Room to improve

  • 🐛 QR code scanning frequently fails or doesn't work
  • 🐛 App crashes constantly during video playback
  • 🔊 Missing audio on videos
  • 📵 404 error pages when accessing content
  • 🐛 Augmented reality features malfunction

LEGO® Powered Up

From 554 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 🚀 Excellent app
  • 🚀 Awesome thing
  • 👍 Good app
  • 👍 Works like a dream

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Doesn't work
  • 🐛 Wouldn't work
  • 🐛 Not working
  • 🐛 Terrible
  • 🐛 Doesn't work at all

Bugs and requests

Marvin's Magic

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • QR code scanning returns 404 errors
  • App crashes when loading or playing videos
  • Missing audio on video content
  • Augmented reality features not functioning
  • Camera image appears flipped or upside down
Show 9 more
  • App freezes during registration
  • Access codes not recognized by app
  • Video playback loops and crashes repeatedly
  • AR mini Marvin character impossible to use
  • X-ray vision trick doesn't display dice
  • Card reveal videos don't show
  • App shows blank screen on launch
  • Fly section causes app to glitch to home screen
  • No signal error despite having Wi-Fi connection

Requested features

8 requests
  • Optional QR code scanning (allow manual code entry)
  • Better offline access to instructions
  • More tricks and weekly content updates
  • Alternative registration methods besides QR codes
  • Improved camera functionality and orientation
Show 3 more
  • Audio narration for all instructional videos
  • Clearer in-app guidance for first-time users
  • Ability to access instructions without physical materials

LEGO® Powered Up

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Bluetooth connection drops
  • Motors not controllable through app
  • Timer blocks don't work
  • Motor code blocks don't work
  • Coding canvas is broken
Show 7 more
  • Loses Bluetooth connection randomly
  • Coding blocks not working properly
  • App doesn't run in background
  • Doesn't work on latest iOS
  • Doesn't work with new hubs and motors
  • Can only connect one hub at a time
  • Train stops when app closes

Requested features

12 requests
  • Add more sound effects
  • Add more music to the playlist
  • Allow custom sounds
  • Improve parameters
  • Add more controls
Show 7 more
  • Add more widgets
  • Allow custom themes
  • Add documentation
  • Add support for LEGO Boost and Mindstorms
  • Add loop option for sounds
  • Add dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Marvin's Magic

Subscriptions2
  • Magic Academy Access$0.991 Month
  • Magic Academy Access$9.991 Year
None

LEGO® Powered Up

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Marvin's Magic free?
Marvin's Magic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LEGO® Powered Up free?
LEGO® Powered Up is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Marvin's Magic or LEGO® Powered Up?
LEGO® Powered Up is rated higher. Marvin's Magic averages 3.0 out of 5 from 139 ratings, while LEGO® Powered Up averages 3.6 from 554 ratings.
Do Marvin's Magic or LEGO® Powered Up have ads?
Marvin's Magic shows ads; LEGO® Powered Up does not.
Which is updated more often, Marvin's Magic or LEGO® Powered Up?
Marvin's Magic ships an update every 3 months, and LEGO® Powered Up every 2 months. Most recently, Marvin's Magic was updated on October 24, 2026 and LEGO® Powered Up on October 29, 2026.

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