NameForge vs iPuppet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NameForge
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.
- 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
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NAMEFORGE - MODERN MENTALISM, FORGED TO PERFECTION Created by professional mentalist Paul Brook, NameForge is a cutting-edge mentalism tool that transforms a simple word into a powerful, personalised moment of mentalism. Take a name - typed, spoken*, or selected - and instantly generate a compelling acrostic, where the first letter of each line spells out the original word. It feels deeply personal to your participant, yet the method remains entirely invisible. Whether you’re performing on stage, close-up, or over video, NameForge delivers genuine impact - without giving away your secrets. CUSTOMISED INPUT AND OUTPUT, SEAMLESS DELIVERY Any word can be inputted into NameForge, which will then be turned into an acrostic - where the first letter of each word creates another word. After the acrostic is made, it can then be sent virtually anywhere you want, via the predefined outputs, or use the customisable outputs to send to somewhere specific. PRO FEATURES FOR WORKING PERFORMERS Enhance your routines with optional Pro features (In-App Purchases): • Apple Watch Peek – discreet reveals on your wrist • Voice Input – speak the word aloud to create the acrostic • Camera Input – show a written word to any of your phone's cameras to input it • Unforged Sending – send unformatted words to any integration • Search Result Output – make their phone show your prediction • Add More API Outputs – connect to more integrations COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SHARING Profiles and word lists can be shared between performers with ease, letting you explore and perform community-favourite routines in seconds. CONSTANTLY EVOLVING NameForge is packed with tools and always evolving - ready to help you create miracles, anywhere, anytime. *Voice Input requires the ‘Voice Input’ In-App purchase.
iPuppet
Transform your phone into a dynamic puppet with this digital companion. It features expressive animated characters that react, blink, and talk in sync with your performance, offering a unique interactive experience for entertainers.
- Expressive animated characters
- Real-time sync with performance
- Customizable button layout
- Seven expressive character states
- Finger-tracking eyes
- Upload custom photos for character appearance
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iPuppet "Digital Ventriloquist Companion" Turn your iPhone into a living puppet. iPuppet puts an expressive, animated character right on your screen, one that blinks, looks around, reacts, and talks in perfect sync with your performance. No wires, no hand puppet, no rehearsed animatronics. Just you, your phone, and a character that feels alive. Built for real performance, not just for show! iPuppet was designed with working performers in mind: ventriloquists, magicians, and anyone who wants a genuinely interactive digital character. Every feature exists because it solves a real problem on stage. Faint, performer only touch zones. Trigger expressions with barely visible circles positioned exactly where you want them. You'll know where to tap. Your audience won't have a clue. Fully customisable button layout. Drag and drop every control exactly where you want it. Left-handed? Move everything to suit you. No fixed layouts, no compromises. Seven expressive character states. Normal, Happy, Angry, Love, Dizzy, Star Struck, and Crying, each with its own animated eyes, brows, and mouth. Fluffy Angry comes with blazing red eyes and a proper shake. Star-struck and dizzy get a mesmerising "ooooh" mouth. Crying has real falling teardrops. Finger-tracking eyes. Drag your finger across the screen and watch the character's eyes follow, adding another layer of lifelike presence to your act. Two characters in one app Choose the classic animated face, picking from expressive eye and mouth styles on a bold colour background, or unlock Fluffy Character mode, iPuppet's signature trick. Upload a photo of your own phone's home screen, and a soft, fluffy character appears to magically pop up right out of your app icons. Position it, resize it, recolour its fur to any shade you like, and place your control buttons anywhere on screen. It's a genuine "wait, what?" moment the first time someone sees it. Make it yours! Custom fur colours with quick presets or full custom sliders Drag-and-drop face layout, positioning the eyes and mouth exactly where you want them on the character Save multiple character presets and switch between them instantly Ten background colours for classic mode Adjustable talk speed and idle animation behaviour Why performers choose iPuppet This isn't a novelty filter or a one-trick gimmick. iPuppet was built from the ground up by a working performer who understands that on stage, timing and invisibility matter more than flashy menus. Every control is designed to be silent, precise, and completely under your command, because the moment the audience sees you operating something, the illusion breaks. Whether you're a professional ventriloquist looking for a genuinely responsive digital companion, a magician wanting a fresh piece of visual comedy, or a performer who just wants their phone to come alive with personality, iPuppet gives you a character that reacts instantly, looks great close up, and puts you fully in control. No internet connection required. No accounts, no subscriptions to use the core character. Your character, your control, your performance. Download iPuppet and bring your puppet to life
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: iPuppet at $4.99 against NameForge's $69.99. iPuppet also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (100% vs 90%). NameForge's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads, monetization model, device support 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
NameForge costs $69.99 and iPuppet $4.99 up front. NameForge sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. iPuppet asks for nothing beyond the download.
NameForge ships an update every 8 days, iPuppet every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NameForge | iPuppet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $4.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Paul Michael Brook | JAMES BUCHANAN COWAN |
Customer experience
NameForge
iPuppet
In-app purchases
NameForge
- Unforged Output$29.99
- API Inputs$29.99
- Watch Peek$49.99
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- Voice Input$49.99
- Camera Input$49.99
- Search Result Output$49.99
iPuppet
No in-app purchases









