Arrival App is a browser-based check-in screen built by a psychiatrist for therapists and other appointment-based offices. A visitor taps a name and that person gets a text message. TapIn does the same core job with an iPad app on the waiting-room side and a push notification on the clinician's phone.
This page lists what each product does, using Arrival App's own website as the source for its side. Both products change over time, so check their site before deciding. If something here is out of date, email us and we'll fix it.
Side by side
| Arrival App | TapIn | |
|---|---|---|
| How the clinician is alerted | A text message (SMS) to the practitioner's phone. Each check-in uses one text. | Push notification in the free TapIn app on iPhone or Android. It also shows on an Apple Watch paired with the iPhone. |
| How the price is calculated | By number of check-ins per month. Every plan includes unlimited team members. | By number of clinicians. Check-ins are unlimited. |
| Waiting-room device | Runs in a web browser. They recommend an iPad locked to the page. Visitors can also check in by scanning a QR code with their own phone. | TapIn kiosk app on an iPad you own. |
| Multiple locations | Each location needs its own account. | One account for every location. Each location's kiosk lists the clinicians assigned there, with as many kiosks as you need. |
| What the client enters | Taps a name. Their site says no personal information is collected from visitors. | Taps their clinician's name or photo. A name field is on by default and can be turned off per kiosk. |
| Customization | Custom welcome screen and message, name display format, and name order. | Logo, colors, welcome text, clinician photos, and a custom clinician order for each kiosk. |
| Free trial | 14 days. | 14 days, no credit card. |
Arrival App details are from its own website and app listing, checked October 16, 2026.
Published pricing
Arrival App
- Just Starting: $12.99/month for up to 200 check-ins.
- For Small Spaces: $17.99/month for up to 500 check-ins.
- For Larger Spaces: $24.99/month for up to 1,000 check-ins.
- Unlimited team members on every plan. Yearly billing saves 15%. If you run out, 100 more check-ins cost $10, and higher volumes are a custom plan.
TapIn
- $5.99/month for the first clinician and $3.99/month for each additional clinician, billed monthly.
- Unlimited check-ins, kiosks, and locations on every account.
Where Arrival App is stronger
- Unlimited team members at one price, so a large team with few visits a month pays the same as a small one.
- Clinicians don't install anything. The alert is an ordinary text message.
- Runs in any web browser, and visitors can check in from their own phone with a QR code.
- A yearly plan with a 15% discount, if you prefer paying annually.
Where TapIn is different
- The price follows team size, not visit volume, so a busy week never runs into a check-in limit.
- Alerts are push notifications in an app rather than texts.
- Several locations live in one account, with each kiosk showing only that location's clinicians.
- Clinician photos on the kiosk, a custom order per kiosk, and English or French.
Which one fits your practice
Arrival App is probably the better fit if
- Your clinicians would rather get a text than install an app.
- You have a big team but relatively few client visits each month.
- You want visitors to be able to check in from their own phones.
TapIn is probably the better fit if
- You see a lot of clients and don't want to watch a monthly check-in allowance.
- You run more than one location and want them in one account.
- Your clinicians prefer a silent app notification on their phone or watch.
Setting up a TapIn kiosk takes about ten minutes; the iPad kiosk setup guide walks through every step.
Questions
Is TapIn a good Arrival App alternative for a busy group practice?
It's worth trying if your monthly check-in count is high or you have several locations, because TapIn's price depends on how many clinicians you have, not how many clients arrive, and every location sits in one account. If your team is large and your volume is low, Arrival App's unlimited-team pricing may suit you better.
Do our clinicians need to install anything?
Yes, the free TapIn app on their iPhone or Android phone. Each clinician gets an email invite with a short code, signs in, and starts receiving their own check-ins. Alerts go to the phone they signed in on most recently.
Does TapIn send text messages?
No. Check-in alerts are push notifications in the TapIn app, so they arrive silently and can be read on the phone's lock screen or an Apple Watch. Nothing is sent to a clinician's phone number.
Does TapIn connect to our EHR or scheduling system?
No. TapIn runs alongside whatever you use for scheduling, notes, and billing. There is nothing to integrate.
Can we try TapIn before cancelling Arrival App?
Yes. The 14-day trial doesn't ask for a card, so you can run both side by side on two iPads for a week and see which your team prefers.
Sources
Checked October 16, 2026. Arrival App is a trademark of its owner; this page isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them. Spot something out of date? Email alex@tapinforclinics.com.
More comparisons
- How TapIn compares to other check-in kiosksEHR-bundled kiosks, intake-form tablets, sign-in apps, and TapIn: what each type of patient check-in kiosk software does, what it costs, and which fits a small therapy practice.
- TapIn vs. Purple CouchTapIn and Purple Couch side by side: alerts, pricing, devices, locations, and languages, plus where each one is the better fit for a therapy practice. Sourced and dated.
Try TapIn next to Arrival App
Start a 14-day free trial with no credit card. Pair a spare iPad and see which one your team prefers.