Comparison

Cognito magic vs Subliminal

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

Head to head
About

Cognito magic

This is the official companion app for a web-based magic tool. It provides access to a range of magic tricks and illusions. Enhance your magic performances with this digital assistant.

Highlights
  • Companion to web tool
  • Magic tricks and illusions
  • Digital assistant for performances
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This app is the official companion app to the Cognito web tool by Murphy's Magic Apps

About

Subliminal

Generate AI-powered images that creatively reveal a spectator's thought-of word. This tool integrates with existing magic effects to provide a unique visual reveal, leaving a memorable keepsake.

Highlights
  • AI-generated hidden text images
  • Photo grid reveal
  • Single image modes
  • Stretched and upside-down image reveals
  • Multiple input methods (gyro, voice, notes, web)
  • Integration with magic apps and APIs
  • URL triggers for automation
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Magicians already have a bunch of ways to peek or force a word: From analogue methods like a Center Tear, to something more modern, such as WikiTest or DFB X. But what magicians *don't* have are many interesting ways to reveal that word. This is why I created Subliminal: Subliminal uses AI generated imagery to reveal a spectator's thought, hidden in a photo that they were looking at *the entire time*! ** Here's an example of one effect possible with Subliminal: - To begin, you show your spectator a photo on your phone. - You zoom in on the photo, before leaving your phone on the table and you never touch it again. - The spectator is asked to name a word. - You then ask the spectator to zoom out of the image, where they now realise that the word they named has been seemingly hidden within the photo the entire time. ** Subliminal also works perfectly with your existing effects! Let's say you've performed an effect (perhaps you’ve peeked a word) and have learned the spectator's thought-of word. Rather than just telling your spectator their thought, Subliminal lets you reveal this thought creatively! It's perfect in conjunction with existing analogue and digital effects, from a Center Tear peek to DFB. Features: * Photo Grid You show the spectator some photos in the Photos app on your phone. As you slowly zoom out, the photos turn into letters, which reveal the spectator's thought! * Single Image Modes Reveal the spectator's thought of word within a photo of dogs, windows on a street, the tops of mountains, and more! * Stretched Images Stretched image modes further disguise the reveal until the spectator looks at the screen at an angle, for a fun reveal. * Upside down stretched images Flip the phone upside down to see the hidden word. ** Multiple input methods are included, enabling multiple effects: - Gyro input - for precision typing. - Voice input - with voice peek. - Earworm Notes - a realistic notes app input. - Earworm Web Search - use covert web search input with Subliminal. - WikiTest integration - have the spectator’s Wikipedia search automatically update the image. - Bridge integration - for use with many other apps and AI text inputs. - Open API - for third party integrations. - URL triggers - use Shortcuts to change your iPhone's wallpaper, and more! As well as native WikiTest, Earworm and Bridge integration, Subliminal also supports your favourite magic app’s API. Plus, Subliminal can even be triggered via a URL, meaning Shortcuts can tie in with the app to change your iPhone’s wallpaper, and more! Subliminal currently supports any words or phrases that use the characters A-Z, spaces, and numbers 0-9. At the conclusion of the effect performed with Subliminal, you can even share the photo with the word to your spectator, leaving them with the memory of the effect on their phone! No extra hidden costs, purchases or subscriptions - Subliminal is all you need to generate your own hidden text AI images!

Screenshots

Cognito magic4 screens
Subliminal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cognito magic at Free against Subliminal's $59.99. Cognito magic also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). Subliminal's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ratings volume and ads 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

Cognito magic is free to download; Subliminal costs $59.99 up front. Cognito magic sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Subliminal asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Subliminal holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Cognito magic's written reviews are positive against 78% of Subliminal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cognito magic ships an update fortnightly, Subliminal every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Cognito magic versus Subliminal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCognito magicSubliminal
PriceFree — better$59.99
Rating3.6 (28 ratings)4.9 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings28 — better14
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#200 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB186 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMurphy's MagicMarc Kerstein

Customer experience

Cognito magic

All ratings28 ratings
Positive60.7%
Neutral3.6%
Negative35.7%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral5.9%
Negative47.1%

Subliminal

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cognito magic

One-time1
  • Cognito$39.99
None

Subliminal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cognito magic free?
Cognito magic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Subliminal free?
Subliminal costs $59.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cognito magic or Subliminal?
Subliminal is rated higher. Cognito magic averages 3.6 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Subliminal averages 4.9 from 14 ratings.
Do Cognito magic or Subliminal have ads?
Neither Cognito magic nor Subliminal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cognito magic or Subliminal?
Cognito magic ships an update fortnightly, and Subliminal every 4 days. Most recently, Cognito magic was updated on September 19, 2026 and Subliminal on September 12, 2026.

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