Comparison

Astral vs Magic Cue

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

Head to head
About

Astral

This app allows users to create the illusion of producing small objects from their phone. It features advanced AI for object extraction and a natural forcing mechanism to make the production seem impossible. It's designed for entertainment purposes, offering customizable performance presets.

Highlights
  • Force any object naturally
  • Produce small objects from phone
  • Advanced AI for object extraction
  • Quick Produce Mode for instant performance
  • Combine forcing and production effects
  • Create and store custom presets
Read full description

Astral lets you force anything and produce any small object from your phone. Created by Henry Harrius and Marc Kerstein, Astral includes *two* effects: the best way to force anything, and the best way to produce an object. These are even better when combined together. Unlike other object production effects, using Astral's force mode lets your spectator seemingly decide upon which object will be used, making the object's production seem even more impossible. Force anything: Astral uses a carefully developed forcing mechanism that feels totally natural, whilst ensuring the screen always remains in view. Make something appear: Whether you drag it or time it, Astral lets you make any small object appear in whichever way works best for you. Astral includes advanced but easy-to-use features, such as: * Advanced AI Cutting-edge AI automatically extracts any small object from a photo, making Astral super easy to use. * Quick Produce Mode Found a small item that would be perfect to produce? Astral's "Quick Produce Mode" combined with its AI image extraction ensures that you're ready to perform in no time. * Two Effects, One App Astral gives you the fairest selection process with the cleanest production. Combining these gives the feeling that *any* object could have been produced. And more... - Create and store multiple presets to customise your performance. - Force any object in a natural way before production. - Store separate force and production images the object. This app is for entertainment purposes only.

About

Magic Cue

This app provides comprehensive show control for performers, allowing them to program and visualize audio, video, and camera elements. It integrates seamlessly with smart buttons for easy triggering of custom commands and supports both wired and wireless setups for flexible performance environments.

Highlights
  • Show programming with audio, video, and camera
  • Integration with Flic Smart Buttons
  • Long-range Bluetooth connectivity
  • Wired and wireless setup options
  • Import/export show elements
  • Visual show programming
Features
Read full description

Magic Cue is the official companion app to the Magic Cue hardware product. Magic Cue is the revolutionary show control technology designed for performers by performers powered by the iQ Pro engine. - You Control the Show Magic Cue puts the power in your hands with an easy-to-use interface suitable for beginners and advanced features for professionals. Visualise and program your entire show with audio, video, and camera capabilities on the go. - Seamless Integration with Flic Buttons Experience unmatched control with Flic Smart Buttons, known for their stability and security. These lightweight, tactile buttons integrate directly with Magic Cue, allowing you to trigger custom commands from anywhere on stage. - Reliable and Long-Range Bluetooth Enjoy reliable Bluetooth connectivity with a range of up to 200 meters outdoors and 50 meters indoors. Perform without worrying about connection issues. - Wired or Wireless Setup Magic Cue supports both wired HDMI connections and wireless streaming via Apple TV, ensuring you stay in control regardless of your setup. - Effortlessly Import and Export your Show Import your own videos, music, and images, or download from the cloud. Share and backup your shows easily, accessible anytime, anywhere. Transform your performances with Magic Cue, the ultimate show control app. Download the app now and take full control of your show, wherever you go.

Screenshots

Astral4 screens
Magic Cue3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Astral at 100% against Magic Cue's 0%. Astral also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Magic Cue's advantage is price (Free vs $59.99) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Magic Cue is free to download; Astral costs $59.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Astral holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astral has 14 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Astral's written reviews are positive against 0% of Magic Cue's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astral ships an update every 2 weeks, Magic Cue every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Astral versus Magic Cue: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstralMagic Cue
Price$59.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (14 ratings) — better1.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc KersteinVanishing Inc. Magic LLC

Customer experience

Astral

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Magic Cue

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Astral

No in-app purchases

None

Magic Cue

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Astral free?
Astral costs $59.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Magic Cue free?
Magic Cue is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Astral or Magic Cue?
Astral is rated higher. Astral averages 5.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Magic Cue averages 1.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Astral or Magic Cue have ads?
Neither Astral nor Magic Cue shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Astral or Magic Cue?
Astral ships an update every 2 weeks, and Magic Cue every 4 months. Most recently, Astral was updated on November 7, 2026 and Magic Cue on November 4, 2026.

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