HemiStim vs Visual Attention Therapy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HemiStim
This app offers visual stimulation for specific brain lobes, aiding in hemispheric connectivity. It utilizes color patterns and eye-tracking exercises for targeted left or right brain stimulation, controllable via simple taps and swipes. Therapy sessions are automatically tracked and can be emailed to clinicians.
- Visual stimulation of frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal lobes
- Hemispheric brain stimulation
- Color pattern selection
- Eye tracking for saccadic and pursuit movements
- Adjustable blink rate and timer
- Automatic therapy session tracking
- Clinician-patient email communication
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Hemistim can be used as a visual stimulation of areas of the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes hemispherically. It is a specific brain stimulation which is rarely used in conjunction with other treatments but can be used as a portion of a home-based program or an office-based program. Such usage may lead to improved hemispheric connectivity specific, targeted areas of the brain and its connections to the parietal/temporal or frontal cortices. Hemistim provides a visual stimulation through utilizing color patterns and eye tracking that can be used for specific left or right visual exercise. The stimulus is recognized and interpreted by the contralateral (opposite) occipital lobe. Pursuit and saccadic eye movements are created by targeting on the moving object. Pursuit away from and saccade towards the alternating squares are initiated by the ipsilateral (same side) parietal and frontal cortex, respectively. This gives the doctor the ability to work the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes hemispherically. HemStim is easy to use. Swipe left or right to select a different colored pattern. Multiple patterns are available. Tap a pattern to make it begin blinking. The pattern will blink until the timer stops it. Double tapping the pattern will also make it stop. The blink rate and timer can be changed using the sliders. Target motion is controlled by the tapping the small target to the right of the speed control. Choose among no motion, saccade, and pursuit by successive taps on the small target. Exterior motion is indicated by purple arrows on the target and interior motion by white arrows. The new Saccades screen only displays target motion. Drag the purple target with one finger to set the direction and length of its motion. Tap the screen once simultaneously with two fingers to switch between saccades, a dashed line, and pursuits, a solid line. Tap the screen once with one finger to start the saccades or pursuits. Double tap the screen with one finger to stop the target motion. HemiStim automatically tracks therapy sessions, recording all pertinent information about each one. Maintain close communication between clinician and patient via email.
Visual Attention Therapy
This app retrains the brain to scan from left to right, improving reading, concentration, and memory. It features two modes to help individuals with left neglect and professionals assess and treat visual attention deficits.
- Left-to-right scanning training
- Visual attention deficit assessment
- Target finding exercises
- Immediate feedback with cues
- Automated scoring and reports
- Adjustable difficulty and layouts
- Printable exercise options
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RETRAIN THE BRAIN to move the eyes correctly by scanning from left to right across the screen. Strengthening this essential skill can improve reading, concentration, memory, attention to detail, and speed of processing. TWO POWERFUL MODES help brain injury and stroke survivors with left neglect improve at home while also helping occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (SLP) professionals to efficiently assess for right or left neglect and provide more effective treatment. * Use the Test mode to determine if and where a visual attention deficit exists. * Use the Practice mode to train scanning by finding targets in order. ++ SEE HOW IT CAN HELP – Download Visual Attention Therapy Lite for FREE! ++ ----------- CANCELLATION TASKS JUST GOT BETTER. This professional cognitive training app takes a familiar format for treating left neglect and transforms it into a dynamic, interactive tool for all ages. Visual Attention Therapy offers benefits that can only be achieved through technology: * Targets must be tapped from left to right, top to bottom in Practice mode, which trains users to slow down and scan the entire screen before they move on. * Immediate feedback with visual and auditory cues keeps users engaged. * Timed exercises increase motivation to work quickly and accurately. * Stop wasting time counting errors! Automated scoring includes data for accuracy by quadrant, time for completion, and mistakes in professional e-mailed reports. * Adjustable layouts and 10 levels of difficulty allow you to customize the experience to meet changing needs or multiple users. * Sidebar signal can flash in a variety of colors to draw attention to the left or right. * An endless variety of combinations eliminates the need to photocopy exercises, with the option to print screenshots when you need a traditional exercise. * Use only one target to focus on scanning, or use two targets at once to challenge users with working memory and alternating attention deficits. ----------- RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK to improve scores while improving cognitive and reading skills. Levels featuring letters can support literacy goals, while symbol-based levels challenge visual memory skills. It’s an occupational therapy dream come true! Visual Attention Therapy was developed by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and is used worldwide in speech and occupational therapy (OT) to help adults with left neglect after stroke and brain injury. It is also used with children with dyslexia and attentional deficits by reading specialists and neuropsychologists. DON’T JUST TELL YOUR PATIENTS TO LOOK TO THE LEFT – TRAIN THEM. Modernize your occupational therapy or speech therapy exercises with a left neglect training tool that improves stroke and brain injury rehab. DOWNLOAD IT NOW! ----------- Looking for something different in a stroke therapy app? Tactus Therapy offers a wide range to choose from. Find the right one for you at https://tactustherapy.com/find
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Visual Attention Therapy at 92% against HemiStim's 38%. Visual Attention Therapy also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.4) and ratings volume (486 vs 5). HemiStim's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $19.99) and chart position (#196 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
HemiStim costs $9.99 and Visual Attention Therapy $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Visual Attention Therapy holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Visual Attention Therapy has 486 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of HemiStim's written reviews are positive against 92% of Visual Attention Therapy's.
HemiStim ships an update every 8 months, Visual Attention Therapy every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HemiStim | Visual Attention Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 2.4 (5 ratings) | 4.7 (486 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | 92.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 486 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #196 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Linsay Associates, LLC | Tactus Therapy Solutions Ltd. |
Customer experience
HemiStim
Visual Attention Therapy
In-app purchases
HemiStim
No in-app purchases
Visual Attention Therapy
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HemiStim free?
Is Visual Attention Therapy free?
Which has better reviews, HemiStim or Visual Attention Therapy?
Do HemiStim or Visual Attention Therapy have ads?
Which is updated more often, HemiStim or Visual Attention Therapy?
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