Purple Couch is a client check-in app for therapists, counselors, and small practices, built by a therapist and on the App Store since 2020. A client taps Check In, chooses a staff member, and that person gets a text, an email, or both. TapIn does the same core job and alerts the clinician with a push notification in its app instead.
This page lists what each product does, using Purple Couch's website and App Store listing as the source for its side. Both products change over time, so check their listing before deciding. If something here is out of date, email us and we'll fix it.
Side by side
| Purple Couch | TapIn | |
|---|---|---|
| How the clinician is alerted | A text, an email, or both, chosen for each staff member. | 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 | A flat monthly price for a band of staff (1–5, 6–10, and so on). | Per clinician. |
| Devices | iPad and iPhone. Android isn't available. | Kiosk on iPad. Clinician app on iPhone and Android, plus a web dashboard. |
| Multiple locations | Not mentioned on their site. | 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 | Picks a staff member and can add an optional note, such as "I'm a few minutes early." | Taps their clinician's name or photo. A name field is on by default and can be turned off per kiosk. |
| Customization | Logo, colors, buttons and messages, staff photos and credentials. | Logo, colors, welcome text, clinician photos, and a custom clinician order for each kiosk. |
| Languages | English. | English and French. |
| Free trial | 30 days. | 14 days, no credit card. |
Purple Couch details are from its own website and app listing, checked October 16, 2026.
Published pricing
Purple Couch
- 1–5 staff: $14.99/month. 6–10: $19.99. 11–15: $24.99. 16–20: $29.99, rising in steps to $49.99 for 36–40 staff.
- Over 40 staff is a custom plan. Billed monthly as an in-app subscription through Apple.
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 Purple Couch is stronger
- A 30-day free trial, twice as long as TapIn's.
- Flat pricing by staff band, which stays low as a team grows.
- Clients can leave a short note with their check-in.
- Staff credentials can be shown next to each name on the kiosk.
- Staff get a text or email, so they don't need to install an app.
- A longer track record: on the App Store since 2020.
Where TapIn is different
- Clinicians can use iPhone or Android, and admins manage everything from a web dashboard.
- Alerts are silent push notifications in an app rather than texts or emails.
- Several locations live in one account, with each kiosk showing only that location's clinicians.
- The kiosk and dashboard work in English and French.
Which one fits your practice
Purple Couch is probably the better fit if
- Your whole team uses Apple devices and would rather get texts or emails.
- You'd like a longer trial, or clients to be able to leave a note.
- You want flat pricing by team size.
TapIn is probably the better fit if
- Some of your clinicians use Android phones.
- You run more than one location and want them in one account.
- You need a French-language kiosk, or want silent app notifications instead of texts.
Setting up a TapIn kiosk takes about ten minutes; the iPad kiosk setup guide walks through every step.
Questions
Is TapIn a good Purple Couch alternative?
It's worth trying if your team mixes iPhone and Android, you have more than one location, or you'd rather get app notifications than texts. If you want flat pricing by team size or a 30-day trial, Purple Couch 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 Purple Couch?
Yes. The 14-day trial doesn't ask for a card, so you can run both side by side on two iPads and see which your team prefers. Purple Couch is billed through Apple, so you'd cancel it in your Apple ID subscriptions.
Sources
Checked October 16, 2026. Purple Couch 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. Arrival AppTapIn and Arrival App side by side: how clinicians are alerted, how pricing works, multiple locations, and where each one is the better fit for a therapy practice. Sourced and dated.
Try TapIn next to Purple Couch
Start a 14-day free trial with no credit card. Pair a spare iPad and see which one your team prefers.