Comparison

Playing Arts vs Onyx Magic

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

Head to head
About

Playing Arts

Features
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Playing Arts is a collective art project for creative people who are into art, playing cards and sometimes magic. Download the app, point to a physical playing card from Playing Arts collection and enjoy animations right in your hands.

About

Onyx Magic

This utility uses AI to remotely alter captured photos in real-time. It allows for seamless modifications to images moments after they are taken, directly on a spectator's device. Create impossible effects like changing playing cards, revealing hidden messages, or altering clock times within photos.

Highlights
  • Real-time AI photo modification
  • Remote image alteration
  • Spectator's camera integration
  • Physical photo printing (Onyx Print)
  • Third-party app integrations
  • Variable delayed input
Read full description

Onyx is a revolutionary utility that allows you to modify a captured image in real-time using variable input data. Using cutting edge AI, Onyx lets you remotely create seamless alterations to photos moments after they've been taken - all with your spectator's camera. For example: — Make a playing card appear in your spectator's wallet. — Morph your spectator's shadow to look like their thought of animal. — Take a photo of your spectator holding a signed card. They name *any* other card. The signed card in the photo transforms to match their thought. — Supplement your Gypsy Queen routine with Onyx: zoom in on a photo of your spectator holding the Queen of Hearts for the reveal. — Reveal a thought-of word, name, or initials hidden naturally in the light reflections of a spectator's eye. — Change the time on a photo of a clock. — Remove your spectator's wristwatch in a photo, making it sbeem that it was removed earlier. ...and more! If you can describe it, Onyx can likely create it. Onyx is particularly great for revealing something ephemeral. Photograph a shadow, clouds, a TV screen or more, and Onyx will realistically insert their free choice. * Variable Delayed Input Inspired by the popular variable trigger system featured in DFB X, Onyx pauses and automatically waits for input, letting you remotely modify a photo *after* it's been taken. * Cutting Edge Technology Take a photo, then have your spectator make a free choice. Onyx's advanced technology seamlessly transforms the photo remotely. * Create Unlimited Effects Change signed playing cards, reveal initials and names, or modify writing. Reveal *anything you can imagine* within a genuine photo you just took. * Your Integrations. Their Camera The effect happens entirely with the spectator's camera. With Onyx's powerful integrations, your phone never needs to leave your pocket. * Invisible, Advanced Technology As only the spectator's device is in play, Onyx remains hidden and inconspicuous. * Third Party Integrations Use your favourite magic apps' input methods, including: — Earworm's covert typing Web Search & Notes input — Native voice input — Native clock swipe input — WebFX's Wrist Gestures — WikiTest — PeekSmith — Bridge ...and any compatible third-party app. # Introducing: Onyx Print Onyx Print brings Onyx’s digital effect into the real world. # Produce Physical Photographs Instead of revealing information only on a screen, Onyx Print can generate and automatically print images on a pocket printer, allowing you to produce a real photograph from your wallet, pocket, or envelope for a powerful ending. # Dynamic Prompting Onyx Print uses the same dynamic prompting and covert input system that powers Onyx. Use any of Onyx’s input methods, and Onyx Print will automatically generate and print an image to match. # Use Your Own Photos You can even modify existing photos. For example: have Onyx Print set up with a photo of yourself and have a spectator name any place in the world. Onyx Print will then create and automatically print a realistic photo of you in that exact location, ready to reveal. # Works With Other Apps Onyx Print can even monitor your photo library and automatically print images saved by other apps. When an app saves a photo, Onyx Print can print it. Onyx Print is an in-app purchase within Onyx, and currently supports the Instax mini Link+, with plans for additional printers in the future. Onyx is a tool specifically designed for entertainment purposes. It uses purchaseable in-app credits or a funded OpenRouter account for best-in-class automatic edits. Onyx supports: Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese simplified and traditional, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

Screenshots

Playing Arts4 screens
Onyx Magic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Playing Arts at Free against Onyx Magic's $64.99. Playing Arts also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). Onyx Magic's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and chart position (#196 vs unranked). On 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

Playing Arts is free to download; Onyx Magic costs $64.99 up front. Onyx Magic sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Playing Arts asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Playing Arts ships an update every 5 months, Onyx Magic fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on May 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Playing Arts versus Onyx Magic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlaying ArtsOnyx Magic
PriceFree — better$64.99
Rating—5.0 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Paid
Best chart rank—#196 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDigital Abstracts SLMarc Kerstein

In-app purchases

None

Playing Arts

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Onyx Magic

One-time2
  • 100 Onyx Credits$19.99
  • Onyx Print$49.99

Questions

Is Playing Arts free?
Playing Arts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Onyx Magic free?
Onyx Magic costs $64.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Playing Arts or Onyx Magic have ads?
Neither Playing Arts nor Onyx Magic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Playing Arts or Onyx Magic?
Playing Arts ships an update every 5 months, and Onyx Magic fortnightly. Most recently, Playing Arts was updated on May 16, 2026 and Onyx Magic on September 18, 2026.

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