Spellcasting Statistics: What People Ask a Witch For, and What It Costs

This page collects the figures people most often ask about spellcasting: what people come to a witch for, which problems a spell can and cannot help with, what it costs and how it works. The shop figures are counted directly from the WitchWhisper catalog every time the site is published, so they stay current. The national figures come from a Pew Research Center survey. Nothing here is an estimate or a guess.
What do people turn to spellcasting for?
The WitchWhisper catalog is organised by the situations people bring to a witch. It currently offers 319 personal spells and readings across 19 intentions. The largest group is Apology, Forgive, Loyal, with 54 spells. Many spells belong to more than one intention, so the counts below add up to more than the total.
Of the 319 services, 318 are spells and 1 is a tarot reading; 70 are bundles that combine two related intentions in one ritual.
Which problems can a spell help with, and which can it not?
A spell gives an intention focus and a clear beginning. It works alongside practical steps and never guarantees an outcome. The table shows the situations that come up most, what spellwork focuses on, and what has to come first.
| Situation | What a spell focuses on | What it cannot do, or what comes first |
|---|---|---|
| Money worries, debt, irregular income | Prosperity, opportunity, steady income, clearing blocks | It does not replace a budget, debt advice or paid work. Money spells guide |
| Job search, interview, promotion | Confidence, opportunity, recognition | It cannot make a particular employer hire you. Career spells guide |
| Finding love, a cooling relationship | Attraction, connection, commitment | It cannot guarantee how another person feels or acts. Love spells guide |
| A break-up or estrangement | Reconnection, communication, forgiveness | Results are not guaranteed. Reconciliation guide |
| An ex or a person you cannot stop thinking about | Release, boundaries, a clear ending | If someone is threatening you, contact the police first. Cord cutting guide |
| Bad luck, feeling stuck | Road opening, good fortune, a fresh start | It cannot promise a win or a windfall. Good luck guide |
| Negativity, conflict at home, feeling unsafe | Protection, cleansing, boundaries | Locks, support and the police come first if you are in danger. Protection guide |
| Confidence and self-image | Glamour, radiance, self-love | It does not change your body or features. Glamour guide |
| Illness, exhaustion, burnout | Comfort, rest, energy, calm | It never replaces medical or mental health care. Healing guide |
| A pet’s safety, health or loss | Protection, calm, comfort, remembrance | A vet comes first for any health problem. Pet magick guide |
| Confusion about a situation | A tarot reading for insight and perspective | A reading cannot verify unknown facts or fix the future. Tarot guide |
What does choosing a spell look like in practice?
The examples below are illustrative. They show how someone in a common situation might choose; they are not customer stories and they do not describe results.
- An interview on Friday. Someone preparing for an interview chooses a job interview success spell, cast the same day, and spends the rest of the week practising answers. See career spells.
- A relationship that has gone quiet. Someone whose partner has become distant starts with a sweetening or communication spell before considering anything stronger. See sweetening spells.
- An ex who keeps coming back to mind. Someone who has decided a relationship is over chooses a cord cutting, then mutes the person on social media. See a single-candle cord cutting.
- A new home. Someone moving house chooses a home protection spell and sets a salt ward at the door on the first night. See home warding with salt.
- Not sure what to do. Someone torn between two options starts with a tarot reading rather than a spell. See spell or tarot reading?
How much does a spell cost?
| Type | Standard price | How many are at that price |
|---|---|---|
| Single spell | US$37.92 | 231 of 249 |
| Bundle of two related intentions | US$66.80 | 61 of 70 |
Across all 319 spells and readings, prices range from US$37.92 to US$230.48; the highest prices are custom spells that combine several intentions. Prices are in US dollars and the shop can display other currencies.
How does casting work, and how long does it take?
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Casting time | The same day, once your order is confirmed and your details are complete |
| What you receive | Photographs of your ritual and a personal written report |
| Replies to messages | A personal reply within 24 hours |
| Cancelling | A full refund while your order shows "Order received" |
| Results | Not guaranteed; how things develop also depends on factors outside spiritual work |
I explain each step in what happens after you order a spell, and timing in how long a spell takes to work.
How many Americans use tarot and astrology?
The Pew Research Center surveyed 9,593 U.S. adults from October 21 to 27, 2024. Its report, published in May 2025, found:
| Finding | Share of U.S. adults |
|---|---|
| Consult astrology, tarot cards or a fortune teller at least once a year | 30% |
| Consult astrology or a horoscope at least once a year | 28% |
| Believe in astrology | 27% |
| Consult tarot cards | 11% |
| Take part in one or more of these practices at least weekly | 6% |
| Rely on these practices a lot when making major life decisions | 1% |
| Rely on them a little | 5% |
Pew also found that nearly a quarter of adults aged 18 to 29 consult tarot cards at least annually, compared with 3% of those 65 and older, and that 43% of women aged 18 to 49 say they believe in astrology. Most people who use these practices told Pew they do so mainly for fun rather than for guidance.
What does research say about rituals?
Psychologists have tested what rituals do for the people who perform them. These studies measure feelings and behaviour, such as grief, anxiety and confidence; none of them tested whether a spell changes outside events, and none studied paid spellcasting.
| Study | What was tested | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Norton and Gino, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General (2014) | Three experiments on rituals after losing a loved one, a partner or a lottery | People who performed or recalled a ritual after a loss reported less grief. The benefit came from regained feelings of control, and it appeared even in people who did not believe rituals work. |
| Lang, Krátký and Xygalatas, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (2020) | 75 people in Mauritius, made anxious by a public-speaking task, then either performed their usual temple ritual or sat and relaxed | The ritual group reported lower anxiety and showed lower physiological anxiety, measured through heart-rate variability. |
| Damisch, Stoberock and Mussweiler, Psychological Science (2010) | Four experiments with lucky charms and good-luck sayings before golf, dexterity, memory and word games | Activating a good-luck superstition improved performance by boosting confidence. A 2014 replication by Calin-Jageman and Caldwell in Social Psychology did not reproduce the effect, so treat this one with caution. |
| Gollwitzer and Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (2006) | A review of 94 studies of "if-then" plans | Specific plans about when and how to act made people more likely to reach their goals, which is why every guide here pairs a spell with practical steps. |
| Hobson and colleagues, Personality and Social Psychology Review (2018) | A review of ritual research across psychology, anthropology and neuroscience | Rituals serve three main functions: regulating emotions, regulating performance goals and strengthening social connection. |
A widely cited 2016 study claiming that rituals improve performance by reducing anxiety was later retracted by its journal, so it is not included here.
How many Americans hold spiritual or "New Age" beliefs?
An earlier Pew Research Center analysis, published in 2018, looked at four beliefs often grouped under the "New Age" label:
| Belief | Share of U.S. adults |
|---|---|
| Hold at least one of the four beliefs below | About six in ten |
| Spiritual energy can be located in physical things, such as mountains or trees | About four in ten |
| Believe in psychics | About four in ten |
| Believe in reincarnation | 33% |
| Believe in astrology | 29% |
Pew found these beliefs among religious and non-religious Americans alike, and in larger shares among women than men on all four measures.
How much does WitchWhisper publish about the craft?
The Learning Witchcraft library holds 52 guides and 5 reference tables with 63 entries, covering candle colours, moon phases, days of the week, crystals and herbs. Safety notes cite 64 public sources, including the ASPCA, the National Institutes of Health, the Gemological Institute of America, NASA and the National Fire Protection Association.
How are these figures produced?
- Shop figures are counted from the live catalog each time the site is published. They include personal spells and readings on sale, and exclude gift cards, tips and priority upgrades.
- Intention counts count each spell once per intention it belongs to. Bundles, tips and custom builds are ways to order rather than intentions, so they are not listed as intentions.
- Survey figures are quoted from the Pew Research Center reports linked below; see their methodology for sampling details.
- Research is summarised from the published abstract and record of each study, linked below. Retracted studies are left out.
- This page does not report customer outcomes or success rates, because no spell’s results can be guaranteed or measured that way.
Questions people also ask
What do people most often ask a witch for?
In the WitchWhisper catalog the largest group is Apology, Forgive, Loyal, with 54 spells. The full breakdown by intention is in the table on this page.
How much does a spell cost?
At WitchWhisper most single spells cost US$37.92 and most bundles US$66.80. Prices across all spells and readings range from US$37.92 to US$230.48.
How many people use tarot cards?
According to a 2025 Pew Research Center report, 11% of U.S. adults consult tarot cards, rising to nearly a quarter of adults aged 18 to 29.
What is the success rate of spells?
There is no honest success rate for spells, and results are not guaranteed. A spell gives an intention focus and works alongside practical steps.
Is there scientific evidence that rituals work?
Studies show that rituals can reduce grief and anxiety and restore a sense of control, as in Norton and Gino (2014) and Lang and colleagues (2020). They measure how people feel, not whether a spell changes outside events.
Can a spell solve any problem?
No. A spell can focus intention on love, money, protection, luck and more, but it never replaces medical care, legal advice or police help when you are in danger.
Sources
- 30% of Americans Consult Astrology, Tarot Cards or Fortune Tellers, Pew Research Center (2025)
- Methodology: astrology, tarot cards and fortune tellers survey, Pew Research Center
- "New Age" beliefs common among both religious and nonreligious Americans, Pew Research Center (2018)
- Rituals alleviate grieving for loved ones, lovers, and lotteries, Norton & Gino, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General (2014)
- The role of ritual behaviour in anxiety reduction: an investigation of Marathi religious practices in Mauritius, Lang, Krátký & Xygalatas, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (2020)
- Keep your fingers crossed! How superstition improves performance, Damisch, Stoberock & Mussweiler, Psychological Science (2010)
- Replication of the superstition and performance study by Damisch, Stoberock, and Mussweiler (2010), Calin-Jageman & Caldwell, Social Psychology (2014)
- Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta-analysis of Effects and Processes, Gollwitzer & Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (2006)
- The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework, Hobson et al., Personality and Social Psychology Review (2018)

