Comparison

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein vs Maxim magic

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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.

About

Maxim magic

Instantly calculate and discreetly reveal any freely named card from a spectator-shuffled deck. Offers multiple reveal methods, including counting to specific dates or spelling card names, with zero memory work or math required. Perfect for magicians of all skill levels.

Highlights
  • Instant card reveal calculation
  • Spectator-shuffled deck support
  • Multiple customizable reveal methods
  • Zero memory work or math
  • Works with any card stack
  • Covert phone usage
Features
Read full description

"A lot of apps come and go with trends. Maxim lives on my homescreen. It's genius." - Christian Grace MAXIM is a covert app that instantly calculates and discreetly delivers to you the perfect hands-off reveal for any freely named card in a deck that's been mixed by the spectators. Effect: You hand the spectator a deck. (in any stack of your choice). They "shuffle" the deck under the table or behind their back whilst freely naming any card. Let's say the name the "King of Diamonds". They bring the deck out and immediately you know up to three different ways that they can reveal their own card. For example; They deal down to the exact date of the month and their card is exactly there! All without any brain work, math, no nothing. Allowing you to be fully engaged in your performance. Any random card at any arbitrary number is more impressive to magicians than laymen. But when the number has meaning, whether it's counting to their birthday, spelling the card's name or even counting to the exact date of the year, the boring old ACAAN takes on new life, feels more personal and more importantly more magical. The beauty of maxim, unlike most other apps, is that your phone is used in a covert way, and to the spectator has nothing to do with the trick. Easy to do. Perfect for beginners. You do not need to know any stack. There is zero memory work. No mental math at all. Works in any language and can be fully customized. Works with any stack in the world. Including a visual stack editor. Every reveal can be fully customized. Multiple input options. Multiple peek options including notifications. Customizable spectator profiles to take MAXIM to miracle status. MAXIM is an app that lives on your phone. With you everywhere you go. Ready to perform at a moment's notice anywhere, anytime. Never before has it been so easy, to perform such unexplainable miracles. With MAXIM, now you can.

Screenshots

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein4 screens
Maxim magic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Amalgam by Marc Kerstein at 93% against Maxim magic's 33%. Amalgam by Marc Kerstein also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.6) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Maxim magic's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.1). On price, update cadence, 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. Amalgam by Marc Kerstein sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Maxim magic 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

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Amalgam by Marc Kerstein's written reviews are positive against 33% of Maxim magic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein ships an update every 4 days, Maxim magic every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein versus Maxim magic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAmalgam by Marc KersteinMaxim magic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (48 ratings) — better3.6 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings48 — better16
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.112.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB21 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMarc KersteinMurphy's Magic

Customer experience

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein

All ratings48 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%

Maxim magic

All ratings15 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Amalgam by Marc Kerstein

One-time10
  • TimedOutFree
  • Amped$14.99
  • Watch$24.99
Show 7 more
  • Word Search$24.99
  • OneStopShop$29.99
  • ChoiceMail$29.99
  • Streets$33.99
  • Inertia$37.99
  • Season One$69.99
  • Season Two$84.99
1 purchases

Maxim magic

One-time1
  • Maxim App$24.99

Questions

Is Amalgam by Marc Kerstein free?
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Maxim magic free?
Maxim magic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or Maxim magic?
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein is rated higher. Amalgam by Marc Kerstein averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Maxim magic averages 3.6 from 16 ratings.
Do Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or Maxim magic have ads?
Neither Amalgam by Marc Kerstein nor Maxim magic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Amalgam by Marc Kerstein or Maxim magic?
Amalgam by Marc Kerstein ships an update every 4 days, and Maxim magic every 6 days. Most recently, Amalgam by Marc Kerstein was updated on October 24, 2026 and Maxim magic on October 24, 2026.

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