Comparison

The Stranger vs Notarized

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Reveal chosen playing cards
  • Reveal thought-of words
  • Reveal numbers from addresses
  • Reveal names of loved ones
  • International language support
  • Customizable phone screen language
Features
Read full description

“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.

About

Notarized

This app enables mind-reading and drawing duplication using a borrowed phone. It turns any iPhone into an impression pad, allowing you to instantly see what a spectator writes or draws. Perform advanced mentalism effects with features like colored line support and lock screen mind-reading.

Highlights
  • Mind reading with borrowed phone
  • Drawing duplication
  • Impression pad functionality
  • Colored line support
  • Telegram support for thought transmission
  • API integration
  • Lock screen mind reading
Features
Read full description

Now with support for iOS 26 devices! From theory11 and ThoughtCast Magic comes NOTARIZED! Amazing mind reading is now possible with a BORROWED PHONE! Turn any iPhone into your own personal Impression Pad, and see everything they write or draw with ease. Be able to read minds, perform drawing duplication, and more with Notarized! You open the Notes app on your spectators phone, ask them to enter any words or make any drawing, and you know exactly what word they are thinking of, or what image they drew - immediately! Any words that are typed into that note or drawings made are immediately viewable on your iPhone. Plus, you can set multiple force words and drawings and send them to their phone, as an amazing revelation. Then, cleanup and remove the evidence in five seconds. You can even clean up without ever touching their phone! You can now perform many Notarized routines WITHOUT NEEDING YOUR PHONE AT ALL! Their phone does ALL the work! Plus, with the NEW theory11 supercharge, now you can perform even more incredible effects with powerful new features, including: - Colored Line Support, for performing your favorite Color Matching-Style effects - Telegram Support, for sending the spectators thought of word to yourself or a friend! - API Support! Receive their thoughts from API based apps like WikiTest or Inject, or send them from an API app and reveal their thoughts on THEIR device! - Lock screen mode! With their phone locked, read their mind, then magically unlock their phone right in front of them! - Push Notification support for smart watches - And More! Get Notarized and perform miracles anytime and anywhere! This app is for entertainment purposes only and for use by magicians for magical performances only! This app requires a reliable internet connection to use all advertised features.

Screenshots

The Stranger4 screens
Notarized4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: The Stranger at 84 against Notarized's 2. Notarized's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. The Stranger sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Notarized sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for The Stranger against 5.0 for Notarized. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Stranger has 84 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Stranger ships an update fortnightly, Notarized every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
The Stranger versus Notarized: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe StrangerNotarized
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (84 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews95.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings84 — better2
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size246 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonathan Levit Consultingtheory11.com

Customer experience

The Stranger

All ratings86 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.2%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.9%

Notarized

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

The Stranger

Subscriptions2
  • Activate Friend Auto Texting$3.991 Month
  • Monthly Access Autocrib AI1 Month trial$29.001 Month
One-time8
  • Recording: Poor Cell Reception$14.99
  • Recording: Memdeck$14.99
  • Nail Writer Revelation$49.99
Show 5 more
  • Book Test Revelation$99.99
  • Activate Friend Auto Texting$99.99
  • Upgrade To Live From Lite$149.00
  • Playing Card revelation$149.99
  • Upgrade To Live From Trial$299.00
1 purchases

Notarized

One-time1
  • Base App Unlock$99.99

Questions

Is The Stranger free?
The Stranger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Notarized free?
Notarized is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Stranger or Notarized?
Notarized is rated higher. The Stranger averages 4.9 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while Notarized averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do The Stranger or Notarized have ads?
Neither The Stranger nor Notarized shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Stranger or Notarized?
The Stranger ships an update fortnightly, and Notarized every 6 days. Most recently, The Stranger was updated on November 2, 2026 and Notarized on November 4, 2026.

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