If you have searched for bilateral stimulation devices, you have almost certainly run into TouchPoints. It is one of the most recognised names in the category. ALMA is newer, cheaper, and built around a different physical idea. This article compares the two honestly, including where TouchPoints is the better choice.
Short answer: TouchPoints are wrist-worn wearables designed to be strapped on and forgotten during daily activity. ALMA tappers are palm-held silicone devices designed to be felt in the hand during a focused session. If you want hands-free wearability, TouchPoints wins. If you want tactile comfort, water resistance, and a lower price, ALMA is the stronger fit. Neither is a medical device and neither treats a condition.
What is the actual difference between ALMA and TouchPoints?
The core difference is form factor. TouchPoints are worn, typically on the wrists with straps, or tucked into pockets. ALMA tappers are held, one in each palm. Everything else follows from that single design decision.
Both deliver alternating left and right vibration, the same principle used for decades in EMDR therapy settings as an alternative to eye movements. Both are controlled from a smartphone app. Both are consumer wellness products, not treatments.
A wearable is optimised for background use across a long stretch of the day. A hand-held tapper is optimised for a session you actually pay attention to. Those are genuinely different use cases, and it is worth being clear about which one you want before comparing spec sheets.
Side by side comparison
Prices below reflect publicly listed pricing at the time of writing. Vendors change pricing and bundle configurations regularly, so always check the current listing before buying.
| Feature | ALMA | TouchPoints |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Palm-held, food-grade silicone | Wrist-worn wearable with straps |
| Listed price | $139 | From roughly $190 for the classic model |
| App control | iOS and Android: intensity, speed, light, duration | Yes, app-controlled with preset modes |
| Water resistance | IPX7 rated | Not rated for immersion |
| Charging | USB-C, 3 hours plus of runtime | USB charging, runtime varies by model |
| Best for | Focused sessions, therapy rooms, tactile comfort | Hands-free use during daily activity |
| Returns | 30-day money-back guarantee, free US shipping | Varies by retailer |
Where TouchPoints is the better choice
TouchPoints is the better pick if you specifically want the device on your body while you do something else. That is the product's whole reason for existing, and a hand-held tapper cannot replicate it.
Concretely, TouchPoints suits you better if:
- You want to use bilateral stimulation while typing, driving as a passenger, walking, or presenting
- You want a device that stays attached without you thinking about it
- You prefer a brand with a longer commercial track record in the consumer wearable space
- Budget is not the deciding factor
TouchPoints also launched a newer AI-assisted wearable in early 2026 at a higher price point, so the product line has continued to evolve. If wearability is your non-negotiable requirement, that is where to look.
Where ALMA is the better choice
ALMA is the better pick when the physical sensation in your hand is part of the point, and when price matters. At $139, ALMA sits below most wireless competitors in this category, which run from roughly $190 up to $588 for clinical kits.
Three things tend to matter most to people who choose ALMA:
The material
ALMA tappers are moulded in food-grade silicone with a soft, slightly yielding surface. This is not a cosmetic detail. A device you are holding for ten or twenty minutes at a time is something you notice. Hard plastic shells feel like equipment. Soft silicone feels reassuring in the hand, and many users describe the object itself as part of what makes a session feel settling. The palm-sized shape means you can close your hand around it rather than balance it.
Water resistance
ALMA is rated IPX7, which is uncommon in this category. Practically, that means sweaty hands, a spilled glass of water, or a proper clean between clients will not be a problem. For therapists sharing devices between sessions, being able to wipe a device down thoroughly is a real operational advantage over a fabric-strapped wearable.
Price and risk
$139 with a 30-day money-back guarantee and free US shipping makes this a low-stakes thing to try. Bilateral stimulation does not suit everyone, and finding out should not cost $300.
A note on how this works: alternating left and right stimulation has been studied in therapy settings for decades as a component of EMDR. It is not a treatment on its own, and a device is not a substitute for working with a qualified therapist. Many people report simply feeling calmer and more settled during and after a session, which is a reasonable reason to use one.
What about therapists specifically?
Therapists evaluate these devices differently from individual buyers. The questions are durability across hundreds of sessions, ease of cleaning, whether clients find the device intuitive, and whether a client can reasonably use something similar between appointments.
On those criteria, ALMA does well. App control means the clinician holds the settings and the client only has to hold the tappers. The silicone surface and IPX7 rating make between-client cleaning straightforward. The price means a practice can equip a room without a significant capital decision, and can recommend the same device to a client for home use without asking them to spend $250 plus.
The gap in this category has always been continuity: what a client does between sessions is largely invisible to the clinician. ALMA has a video session feature on the roadmap that would let a therapist control a client's tappers remotely during a remote appointment. This is coming soon and is not available today, so it should not factor into a purchase decision right now, but it indicates where the product is headed.
If you are evaluating devices for a practice specifically, our guide to choosing tappers for a practice goes deeper on durability, cleaning, and client handoff.
Are there other options worth considering?
Yes, and it is worth knowing the landscape before deciding between just two. The category splits roughly into consumer wearables, hand-held tappers, and clinical kits.
| Device | Category | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| ALMA | Wireless hand-held | $139 |
| TouchPoints | Consumer wearable | From roughly $190 |
| TheraTapper | Wired hand-held with control box | Check vendor listing |
| NeuroTek TAC kits | Clinical, tactile plus auditory | Varies by kit configuration |
| Bi-Tapp | Wearable, pocket or sock | Check vendor listing |
| Wevana (formerly Dharma Dr.) | Wireless tabs | $249 |
| EMDR Kit Wireless | Clinical set with dock | $588.50 |
Wired systems like TheraTapper and NeuroTek remain popular in clinical settings because they are simple, durable, and have no pairing to fail mid-session. The tradeoff is cables and a control box, which does not travel well. For a fuller breakdown across the whole category, see our 2026 comparison guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is ALMA a direct replacement for TouchPoints?
Not exactly. Both deliver alternating bilateral vibration inspired by EMDR therapy, but the use case differs. TouchPoints is designed to be worn during activity. ALMA is designed to be held during a session. If your reason for using TouchPoints was hands-free wearability, ALMA will not replicate that.
Can children use these devices?
Whether a tapper is appropriate for a particular child is a decision for a qualified professional who knows them. It isn't something we can advise on, and we don't make safety claims about children's use of our product.
Why is ALMA cheaper than most competitors?
Mostly because ALMA sells direct rather than through clinical distribution channels, and because the product does one thing rather than bundling auditory stimulation, docking stations, and clinician software. Clinical kits at $500 plus include hardware and support that a home user does not need.
Do I need a therapist to use bilateral stimulation devices?
No, and many people use them independently for winding down or settling before sleep. That said, if you are working through difficult material, doing so with a qualified EMDR therapist is a meaningfully different thing from using a device alone. We looked at the evidence and the practical limits in this article on using tappers without a therapist.
The bottom line
Choose TouchPoints if hands-free wearability is the feature you actually need. Choose ALMA if you want a device you hold, a material that feels good over a long session, water resistance you can clean properly, and a price around $139 rather than $190 or more.
Both are wellness products inspired by EMDR therapy, not medical devices, and neither diagnoses or treats anything. If you want to try the hand-held approach, the ALMA bilateral stimulation tappers ship free within the US and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so trying them costs you very little if they turn out not to be for you.