Amalgam by Marc Kerstein vs PeekSmith (BS Magic)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein
This app offers a collection of powerful yet easy-to-use magic effects that can be performed using just your phone. It includes detailed instructions, customization options, and a community section for sharing tips.
- Multiple magic effects in one app
- Powerful yet easy to perform effects
- Requires only your phone
- Includes instructions and customization
- Community section for tips and routines
- Offline functionality for most effects
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Amalgam comprises of multiple effects, all within one app. All effects are chosen to be powerful, yet easy to perform. And each effect requires nothing more than just your phone. Amalgam includes instructions as well as various customisation settings. It even includes a community section for user-submitted tips and routines. AMALGAM INCLUDES: * Streets * Streets is finally back! John Archer has given his exclusive permission for this remake of his popular Streets app, which now incorporates new features including a modernised real map and a new "gyro crib". - Divine where in the world your spectator is thinking of! - A book test with no memory work required. - A new "legitimate mode" which supports all languages. * TimedOut * A customisable prediction effect that's all in your spectator's hands. Predict a number, dice roll, ESP symbol, star sign or more. - Prediction can be an image in your Photos or perhaps a drawing. - After making your prediction, you do not touch the phone again. - No Internet or Bluetooth required: nothing is sent to or from the device. - Your spectator checks the prediction themselves: the phone remains in their hands! - No voice recognition! - Perfect for pairing with other electronic mentalism effects: reveal a photo from two days ago of you predicting their dice roll, which even they don't know yet! * Watch * A revelation of a freely chosen time. Your spectator zooms in to a wristwatch in a photograph to find it's set to the time they just named. - Customisable: use your own photo. - Any time can be named to the minute. - Novel method: no voice recognition or unjustified inputs. * Word Search * Seemingly demonstrate superhuman memory abilities with this word search game from Harry De Cruz. Although you only look at the word search for a couple of seconds, you can reveal the positions and directions of all words hiding within. - Method keeps memory work to a minimum: if you know the alphabet, you can perform this effect. - No need to secretly obtain information during the effect. - Phone remains in the spectator's hands. * Inertia * Force text, photos and videos on any website, without hiding the screen from the spectator. Inertia works great as a prediction effect, or combined with your favourite revelation. - Predict a word on any website. - Force photos or videos on Instagram. - Reveal you predicted a selected Tweet, movie or Instagram post. * OneStopShop * This fully customisable effect allows you to force a product of your choosing from an online store. - Novel input method combining old and new mechanics. - Multiple built-in presets, or create your own. - Force multiple playing card back designs, thanks to Theory11, Daniel Madison and Patrick Kun. - Built-in clothing preset is perfect to combine with physical effects, such as Dresscode by Calen Morelli. * ChoiceMail * Your spectator's selection is impossibly revealed when listening to a received audio message. - Input mechanism allows you to secretly code the reveal in performance. - Novel input peek system is hidden in plain sight. - HUGE thanks go to AGT winner Shin Lim, who has recorded the built-in presets! - Also fully customisable with custom presets. * Amped * Using a combination of screenshots, Amped lets you demonstrate your apparent superhuman powers over technology. - Included settings allow for multiple customisation options. - Ends clean - device can be fully inspected at the end of the performance. - Combine with a Charge Card (sold separately) for a physical effect. MORE INFO: Each effect in Amalgam includes detailed in-app instructions and settings. The included effects are for entertainment purposes only, designed for professional performers. This app does not provide true mind reading abilities or anything similar. Please get in touch to discuss TV or video performance rights.
PeekSmith (BS Magic)
This free companion app enhances magic performances by connecting to a specialized Bluetooth display device. It allows magicians to integrate the device with various other applications that support its functionality, expanding creative possibilities.
- Connects to PeekSmith peek device
- Bluetooth display integration
- Compatible with supporting apps
- Free companion application
- User Guide included
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This is the official FREE companion app for our PeekSmith peek device, made for magicians. PeekSmith is a Bluetooth display that can be connected to my magic apps, and also to any other app that supports it. For more info please check out the in-app User Guide.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Amalgam by Marc Kerstein at 4.7 against PeekSmith (BS Magic)'s 3.7. Amalgam by Marc Kerstein also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (48 vs 3). PeekSmith (BS Magic)'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads 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
Both are free to download. Amalgam by Marc Kerstein sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. PeekSmith (BS Magic) asks for nothing beyond the download.
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amalgam by Marc Kerstein has 48 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Amalgam by Marc Kerstein's written reviews are positive against 100% of PeekSmith (BS Magic)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein ships an update every 4 days, PeekSmith (BS Magic) every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Amalgam by Marc Kerstein | PeekSmith (BS Magic) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (48 ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 93.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 48 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 14.1 | 12.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 82 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marc Kerstein | Bence Janos Kovacs |
Customer experience
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein
PeekSmith (BS Magic)
In-app purchases
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein
- TimedOutFree
- Amped$14.99
- Watch$24.99
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- Word Search$24.99
- OneStopShop$29.99
- ChoiceMail$29.99
- Streets$33.99
- Inertia$37.99
- Season One$69.99
- Season Two$84.99
PeekSmith (BS Magic)
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Amalgam by Marc Kerstein free?
Is PeekSmith (BS Magic) free?
Which has better reviews, Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or PeekSmith (BS Magic)?
Do Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or PeekSmith (BS Magic) have ads?
Which is updated more often, Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or PeekSmith (BS Magic)?
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