Card2Phone vs The Stranger
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Card2Phone
Perform stunning visual magic tricks directly from your phone. This app offers a vast library of currency and playing card designs, with additional everyday objects available for creative performances. Elevate your magic with realistic illusions anytime, anywhere.
- 62 different currencies
- 52 playing card faces
- 70+ playing card back designs
- Everyday objects for magic (Pro)
- Visual magic performances
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Card2Phone is the best magic app on the market and lets you do visual magic anywhere! "Amazing app for any magician" - David Blaine "Bought it the second I saw it!" - Chris Kenner, Magic Consultant for David Copperfield • 62 different currencies • 52 playing card faces • More than 70 playing card back designs • Everyday objects for creative minds (Pro only*) All questions can be sent to contact@halskov.com * Pro is available as an in-app purchase and includes more than 50 extra objects.
The Stranger
This app enables performers to create impossible moments where a random stranger reveals information chosen by the audience. It supports various revelations, including playing cards, words, numbers, and names, with international language support for a global audience.
- Reveal chosen playing cards
- Reveal thought-of words
- Reveal numbers from addresses
- Reveal names of loved ones
- International language support
- Customizable phone screen language
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“There are very few effects that transcend ‘magic trick’. ’The Stranger' is one of those effects." -David Regal, "Genii Magazine" “The Stranger” offers unlimited scenarios: A playing card is chosen, a word is thought of from a Book Test, the numbers from someone’s address are named, an envelope is freely selected, or the name of someone’s loved one is offered…and then, a random stranger is called. The audience has a conversation with the stranger and the stranger reveals the information. This is an impossible moment. It leaves the audience with a feeling they cannot explain and they erupt in applause! Not out of a desire to be kind, rather as an uncontrollable, visceral reaction. And it happens every time. With this purchase, you can have a playing card—any card, using no force of any kind—revealed by a stranger. Other effects can be unlocked to allow a number or a word revealed, read an NFC tag, or to simply allow the audience member to speak and have key details revealed by the stranger on the other end of the call without the performer saying a word. “It crushed! One guy jumped out of his seat and ran out of the theater!” —Larry Wilmore “So clever... the method alone opens up SO many possibilities” —Danny Garcia "It may just be the most fantastic five minutes of entertainment possible with a cell phone!” —Jim Steinmeyer “This is one of the strongest and most well put together phone app effects I've ever seen!” —Tony Clark “This brilliantly thought-out routine defies explanation.” —Mike Caveney “Jonathan has put a lot of work into this versatile app to make it an incredibly useful approach to the modern day Mr. Wizard effect… and much more!” — Marc Kerstein "I am having a blast with ‘The Stranger.’ A perfect, offbeat trick that I pull out when I want to send them over the edge.” —Paul Gertner “You did it! This is definitely the best 'Call a Stranger' idea ever! For the working pro to the beginner. This is a real winner!” —Dan Harlan “When I watched Jonathan Levit perform ’The Stranger,' he received the largest explosive reaction I've ever heard inside the Chicago Magic Lounge.” —Danny Orleans “Jonathan has thought of everything. Do yourself a huge favor, download 'The Stranger' today!” —Carl Andrews, "Vanish Magazine" INTERNATIONAL GLOBALIZATION: Support for International regions and languages include the following: Phone Number Display: When dialing a phone number within or to a country, the proper phone number format will display on screen. Ringer Tones: The tones you hear while waiting for the call to pick-up are correct for the region. Disconnected Number Recording Convincer: This convincer prior to calling a recording or a live Stranger, will be in the language of the region set by the user. Phone Screen Language Translation: The phone dial screen and active call screen display the correct language for the screens. Conversation Recordings: Phone conversations are in the language of the region chosen by the user. ___________________________ REGIONS AND INTERNATIONAL FEATURES SUPPORTED: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China (Cantonese), El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Phone screen translation, Recordings China (Mandarin), Denmark (Danish), Netherlands (Dutch), Russia, Switzerland, Belgium, Kuwait, Philippines, Croatia, Vietnam, Romania: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Phone screen translation India, Japan: Phone number, Ringer tones, Disconnected number recording, Recordings NOTE: If you do not see your region listed above, please feel free to contact me directly at thestranger@jonathanlevit.com to request for your region to be included in a future update. This app is for entertainment purposes only. Click here (http://thestrangerapp.com/terms/) to see Terms of use for more information.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: The Stranger at Free against Card2Phone's $4.99. The Stranger also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (96% vs 73%). On ratings volume, 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
The Stranger is free to download; Card2Phone costs $4.99 up front. Card2Phone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Stranger sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
The Stranger holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 84 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Card2Phone's written reviews are positive against 96% of The Stranger's.
Card2Phone ships an update every 3 weeks, The Stranger fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.
| Parameter | Card2Phone | The Stranger |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (64 ratings) | 4.9 (84 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews | 95.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 64 | 84 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 14.7 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 113 MB | 246 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Halskov | Jonathan Levit Consulting |
Customer experience
Card2Phone
The Stranger
Bugs and requests
Card2Phone
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes on launch after updates
- Doesn't work after multiple updates
- Can't restore pro version purchase
- Issues with iPhone 12 and iOS 14 compatibility
Requested features
8 requests- Ability to upload custom card images
- Add Australian currency
- Add Nepalese currency
- Add Iranian coins
- Add Egyptian currency
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- Add full card backs, not just folded
- Add more full card back designs
- Add ability to take photos of custom objects
The Stranger
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Card2Phone
- Card2Phone Pro$3.99
The Stranger
- Activate Friend Auto Texting$3.991 Month
- Live to Pro (1 month)$18.991 Month
- Monthly Access Autocrib AI1 Month trial$29.001 Month
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- Live to Pro (1 year)$199.991 Year
- Recording: Poor Cell Reception$14.99
- Recording: Memdeck$14.99
- Nail Writer Revelation$49.99
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- Upgrade To Lite$49.99
- Book Test Revelation$99.99
- Activate Friend Auto Texting$99.99
- Upgrade To Live From Lite$149.00
- Playing Card revelation$149.99
- Listen Revelation$199.99
- Upgrade To Live From Trial$299.00
- Stranger system$999.99







