# Astral vs NameForge

The clearest difference is price: Astral at $59.99 against NameForge's $69.99. Astral also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). NameForge's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Astral costs $59.99 and NameForge $69.99 up front. NameForge sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Astral asks for nothing beyond the download.

Astral holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Astral's written reviews are positive against 90% of NameForge's.

Astral ships an update every 2 weeks, NameForge every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astral | NameForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$59.99** | $69.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-harrius-and-kerstein/id6449741307/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nameforge/id6740408392/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 40 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marc Kerstein](https://appshunter.io/developer/821255617) | [Paul Michael Brook](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789794964) |

## What reviewers say

### Astral

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-harrius-and-kerstein/id6449741307)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### NameForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nameforge/id6740408392)

This tool transforms any word into a personalized acrostic for mentalism performances. It offers seamless input and output options, with optional pro features for enhanced routines and community sharing.

**Highlights:** Word to acrostic generation, Customizable input and output, Pro features via in-app purchases, Apple Watch integration, Voice and camera input, Community sharing of routines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unforged Output | $29.99 | one-time |
| API Inputs | $29.99 | one-time |
| Watch Peek | $49.99 | one-time |
| Voice Input | $49.99 | one-time |
| Camera Input | $49.99 | one-time |
| Search Result Output | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astral free?

Astral costs $59.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NameForge free?

NameForge costs $69.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Astral or NameForge?

Astral is rated higher. Astral averages 5.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while NameForge averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Astral or NameForge have ads?

Neither Astral nor NameForge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astral or NameForge?

Astral ships an update every 2 weeks, and NameForge every 8 days. Most recently, Astral was updated on October 30, 2026 and NameForge on October 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*