iDeal vs Codex by Lloyd Barnes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iDeal
This app allows magicians to perform card tricks by predicting or forcing cards. It enables users to know a card thought of by an audience member without a physical deck and practice card stacks. Customize the app with your own name and card stacks for unique performances.
- Predict random cards
- Force cards at random numbers
- Know audience's thought-of card
- Practice card stacks
- Customizable app name
- Create custom card stacks
- Peek chosen card on Apple Watch/PeekSmith
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iDeal - Stack it, Predict it, Force it, Peek it! Want to read the minds of your audience who is thinking of a 'Random' Card? Want to predict a randomly chosen card? Want to force a card at a random number? Want to a know the card your audience member is thinking of without a deck of cards? Want to practice your favourite card stack? iDeal is for magicians of all ages to fool their audience with this diabolically simple app. Customise your app with a name of your choice, choose a card to force from a preselected stack, or create your own card stack to force. Peek the chosen card on any Apple Watch or a PeekSmith, and know the position of it instantly in a chosen stack. iDeal can be used for any live or online magic show.
Codex by Lloyd Barnes
This app offers a rapid day-of-week calculation and a reference tool for various card stacks. It's designed for practice and quick lookups with customizable feedback options for different environments.
- Day of week calculator
- Speak dates for weekday display
- Optional haptic feedback
- Customizable tones and volume
- Reference for common card stacks
- High-contrast interface
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Codex is a fast day-of-week calculator and card-stack reference tool designed for practice, rehearsal, and quick lookup. It provides accurate results with flexible output options so you can use it in different environments. Day of Week Calculator - Enter or speak a date and Codex displays the correct weekday. - Optional haptic feedback and optional sounds can be enabled for hands-free or silent operation. Customisation - Configure haptic strength, timing, and patterns. - Choose optional tones and volume. Card & Stack Tools - Quick reference and practice utilities for common stacks and arrangements (e.g., Mnemonica, Aronson, Si Stebbins, Eight Kings, and more). - High-contrast, readable interface for rapid lookup. Codex is built to be quick, reliable, and easy to use—whether you’re practicing at home or reviewing information on the go.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: iDeal at $24.99 against Codex by Lloyd Barnes's $49.99. iDeal also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and device support (3 vs 1). Codex by Lloyd Barnes's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 29 months). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases 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
iDeal costs $24.99 and Codex by Lloyd Barnes $49.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
iDeal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
iDeal ships an update every 29 months, Codex by Lloyd Barnes every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iDeal | Codex by Lloyd Barnes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 — better | $49.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Magic Media Ltd | Lloyd Barnes |
Customer experience
iDeal
Codex by Lloyd Barnes
In-app purchases
iDeal
No in-app purchases
Codex by Lloyd Barnes
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is iDeal free?
Is Codex by Lloyd Barnes free?
Which has better reviews, iDeal or Codex by Lloyd Barnes?
Do iDeal or Codex by Lloyd Barnes have ads?
Which is updated more often, iDeal or Codex by Lloyd Barnes?
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