The Stranger vs Echolocation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Stranger
This app enables performers to create impossible moments where a random stranger reveals information chosen by the audience. It supports various revelations, including playing cards, words, numbers, and names, with international language support for a global audience.
- Reveal chosen playing cards
- Reveal thought-of words
- Reveal numbers from addresses
- Reveal names of loved ones
- International language support
- Customizable phone screen language
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“There are very few effects that transcend ‘magic trick’. ’The Stranger' is one of those effects." -David Regal, "Genii Magazine" “The Stranger” offers unlimited scenarios: A playing card is chosen, a word is thought of from a Book Test, the numbers from someone’s address are named, an envelope is freely selected, or the name of someone’s loved one is offered…and then, a random stranger is called. The audience has a conversation with the stranger and the stranger reveals the information. This is an impossible moment. It leaves the audience with a feeling they cannot explain and they erupt in applause! Not out of a desire to be kind, rather as an uncontrollable, visceral reaction. And it happens every time. With this purchase, you can have a playing card—any card, using no force of any kind—revealed by a stranger. Other effects can be unlocked to allow a number or a word revealed, read an NFC tag, or to simply allow the audience member to speak and have key details revealed by the stranger on the other end of the call without the performer saying a word. “It crushed! One guy jumped out of his seat and ran out of the theater!” —Larry Wilmore “So clever... the method alone opens up SO many possibilities” —Danny Garcia "It may just be the most fantastic five minutes of entertainment possible with a cell phone!” —Jim Steinmeyer “This is one of the strongest and most well put together phone app effects I've ever seen!” —Tony Clark “This brilliantly thought-out routine defies explanation.” —Mike Caveney “Jonathan has put a lot of work into this versatile app to make it an incredibly useful approach to the modern day Mr. Wizard effect… and much more!” — Marc Kerstein "I am having a blast with ‘The Stranger.’ A perfect, offbeat trick that I pull out when I want to send them over the edge.” —Paul Gertner “You did it! This is definitely the best 'Call a Stranger' idea ever! For the working pro to the beginner. This is a real winner!” —Dan Harlan “When I watched Jonathan Levit perform ’The Stranger,' he received the largest explosive reaction I've ever heard inside the Chicago Magic Lounge.” —Danny Orleans “Jonathan has thought of everything. Do yourself a huge favor, download 'The Stranger' today!” —Carl Andrews, "Vanish Magazine" INTERNATIONAL GLOBALIZATION: Support for International regions and languages include the following: Phone Number Display: When dialing a phone number within or to a country, the proper phone number format will display on screen. Ringer Tones: The tones you hear while waiting for the call to pick-up are correct for the region. Disconnected Number Recording Convincer: This convincer prior to calling a recording or a live Stranger, will be in the language of the region set by the user. Phone Screen Language Translation: The phone dial screen and active call screen display the correct language for the screens. Conversation Recordings: Phone conversations are in the language of the region chosen by the user. ___________________________ REGIONS AND INTERNATIONAL FEATURES SUPPORTED: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China (Cantonese), El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Phone screen translation, Recordings China (Mandarin), Denmark (Danish), Netherlands (Dutch), Russia, Switzerland, Belgium, Kuwait, Philippines, Croatia, Vietnam, Romania: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Phone screen translation India, Japan: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Recordings NOTE: If you do not see your region listed above, please feel free to contact me directly at thestranger@jonathanlevit.com to request for your region to be included in a future update. This app is for entertainment purposes only. Click here (http://thestrangerapp.com/terms/) to see Terms of use for more information.
Echolocation
This app enables magicians to perform "Which Hand" and "Free Will" routines using an iPhone and compatible AirPods. It leverages AirPods' motion sensing to secretly provide cues, allowing for predictions to be revealed later. Perform impressive mentalism without extra gadgets, from up to 60 feet away.
- Perform "Which Hand" and "Free Will" magic routines
- Uses AirPods motion sensing for secret cues
- Vibrates iPhone or displays information discreetly
- Predict outcomes with perfect accuracy
- No extra gadgets required
- Operates from 30-60 feet away
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Perform amazing "Which Hand" and "Free Will" routines using your iPhone and AirPods.* This app harnesses the high-end technology inside of the AirPod to secretly cue the magician when it is in motion. Keep your iPhone in your pocket to feel a vibration, or peek the information in plain sight. And at the end of the routine, you can open your Notes app to prove you had perfectly predicted the outcome... every time. This classic mentalism plot has never been more practical—you do not need to carry any extra gadgets to perform. There is no touching or scanning, and you can retrieve the information from 30-60 feet away. These electronic methods have long been inaccessible to the casual magician. Echolocation is here to help. *This app functions with AirPods Pro, AirPods (3rd generation), and beyond.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Echolocation at none against The Stranger's 15. The Stranger's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. The Stranger sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Echolocation asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Stranger holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of The Stranger's written reviews are positive against 88% of Echolocation's.
The Stranger ships an update fortnightly, Echolocation every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Stranger | Echolocation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (86 ratings) — better | 4.5 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.6% of reviews — better | 87.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 86 — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 246 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonathan Levit Consulting | Plainsight Magic LLC |
Customer experience
The Stranger
Echolocation
In-app purchases
The Stranger
- Activate Friend Auto Texting$3.991 Month
- Live to Pro (1 month)$18.991 Month
- Monthly Access Autocrib AI1 Month trial$29.001 Month
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- Live to Pro (1 year)$199.991 Year
- Recording: Poor Cell Reception$14.99
- Recording: Memdeck$14.99
- Nail Writer Revelation$49.99
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- Upgrade To Lite$49.99
- Book Test Revelation$99.99
- Activate Friend Auto Texting$99.99
- Upgrade To Live From Lite$149.00
- Playing Card revelation$149.99
- Listen Revelation$199.99
- Upgrade To Live From Trial$299.00
- Stranger system$999.99
Echolocation
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Stranger free?
Is Echolocation free?
Which has better reviews, The Stranger or Echolocation?
Do The Stranger or Echolocation have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Stranger or Echolocation?
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