Published · 12 min read · by SuePrise
Stream Deck alternatives for hypnosis and coaching: twelve devices compared
A key pad with labelled keys next to the chair makes a session look visibly professional: one press, the music moves smoothly into the next phase, and your attention stays entirely with the person in front of you. The market for these has grown well beyond Elgato — there is now a whole range of devices doing the same job for half the price. This comparison covers what actually matters in our line of work, and where the cheaper alternatives really stand.
Prices and rating counts below were researched in the European market and are given in euro; US prices sit in a similar range but move with promotions. Several of these devices are also sold under different brand names in different regions — if a model is unavailable where you are, the specifications are the reliable way to find its twin.
What actually matters in a session
For streaming, key count and plugin ecosystems matter. In a hypnosis, coaching or relaxation session, other things do:
- Form factor and viewing angle — does the device stand upright or lie flat? Some prefer it upright because it can be read without moving your head. Others would rather have something flat on the desk. Both are legitimate — so each device below states what it can do.
- Noise — in deep relaxation any click stands out more than it would elsewhere. Rubberised keys have a clear advantage over mechanical keyboards here.
- Usable without looking — labelled display keys can be found by feel and memory. That is the actual reason to own one of these.
- Reliability — the single most important criterion, and where these devices differ most. A pad that drops into standby after ten minutes is worse than no pad at all.
- Price — this is where the biggest surprise sits: the range runs from about €51 to €349 — almost seven times, for a principle that is the same everywhere. A device with dials costs €51 or €230 depending on the maker.
How these devices work with Hypnotika
Every key pad mentioned here ships with its own software in which you can assign a keyboard shortcut to each key. That is exactly what Hypnotika needs: the software registers six system-wide combinations (Ctrl+Alt+F1 to F6, on Linux Ctrl+Alt+1 to 6) which work even when Zoom is in the foreground.
So any device that can send keyboard shortcuts will work. No special support from our side is required.
The Elgato family
Stream Deck + — keys and dials
Eight display keys, four dials and a touch strip. The dials are the interesting part for our purpose: with the Hypnotika plugin, music volume sits directly on one — one detent equals five percentage points, so you can adjust finely while speaking instead of pressing a key repeatedly.
List price $199 / €229.99, frequently discounted to around $160–170. View Stream Deck + on Amazon.com
Stream Deck MK.2, Neo and Mini
- MK.2 — 15 keys, around $150. The classic when you need many keys. on Amazon.com
- Neo — 8 keys plus info strip, $99.99 list. Elgato states the stand as „integrated, 3 positions" — adjustable, but not removable. Whether one of those three positions is genuinely flat is not clear from the manufacturer's specifications — if you need it flat, choose a device with an explicitly detachable stand (see below). on Amazon.com
- Mini — 6 keys, fixed stand. Cheapest entry, but no choice of angle. on Amazon.com
- XL — 32 keys, around $190–230. Clearly oversized for a session; only interesting if several ways of working sit side by side (hypnosis, yoga nidra and birth preparation each with their own key area). on Amazon.com
- Stream Deck + XL — the largest model, on the market since March 2026, around $350. 36 keys, six dials and a touch strip. Hard to justify for our purpose — we simply do not need six dials. But it marks the upper end: between the cheapest and the most expensive device in this comparison lies almost a factor of seven — for very similar basic functionality.
What all Elgato devices share: mature software and our ready-made plugin. That is why they are worth recommending despite the higher price.
The cheaper alternatives — and what to know
For a few years now there have been many devices following the Elgato principle: display keys, own software, drag and drop. The hardware is often surprisingly good — the difference is almost always the software.
For a session, that is the decisive point. A key pad that fails to respond at the wrong moment costs more calm than it ever saves. If the price difference matters to you, use the device in everyday work for a few weeks before it goes anywhere near a real session — and treat the 30-day return window deliberately as a test period.
That is not a reason to rule them out. These devices are not tested by us; our assessment comes from other buyers' reviews. If the build quality is there, the principle works exactly as it does on the original — the device sends keyboard shortcuts and Hypnotika listens. What you do not get with an unknown brand is a manufacturer you can still reach in five years.
The practical way to handle it: order so that you can send it back — and use the return window as a genuine test period rather than a formality. That keeps the risk of an unknown brand well contained.
SOOMFON Stream Controller — 15 keys, detachable stand
The most-reviewed clone in this category: over 1,400 ratings at 4.1 stars. 15 display keys plus a side info strip, around €80. The stand is explicitly detachable — so the device can lie flat or stand angled, whichever you prefer. Rubber feet against slipping are included.
Reviews frequently describe the hardware as a „perfect Elgato clone". The criticism concerns the software: functional, but less mature, with individual reports of stability problems. Roughly one in ten reviews gives a single star. View SOOMFON Stream Controller on Amazon.com
ActionRing x VSDinside N4 Pro — keys, four dials, switchable click
Around €130 for ten display keys, four dials and a touch strip — the feature set of a Stream Deck + at a considerably lower price. Two details stand out for our purpose: an adjustable stand and switchable haptic key feedback. The latter is exactly where noise sensitivity is decided.
Caveat: a young brand with few ratings so far (4.0 stars from 6). That is not a bad sign, just a blank page — there is simply no long-term experience yet. Note also that this device is sold under several brand names (see the box above); in the US store the same specification appears as the upHere N4 and the Streonor S10 Pro.
TreasLin N3 — dials for around €51
Six display keys, three additional buttons and three dials for around €51. 130 grams. 4.3 stars from over 100 ratings — build quality is praised, setup described as straightforward.
The honest flip side from the reviews: one user describes the device dropping into standby and responding only after repeated presses or re-plugging; in one case it did not work on macOS at all. For the price, having dials at all is still remarkable. View TreasLin N3 on Amazon.com
More devices in the same field
- ULANZI D200X — 14 display keys and 3 dials, plus a USB-C hub built into the same housing. The only maker here with a proper company behind it besides Elgato. view on Amazon.com
- STREONOR S15 — 15 keys with three status displays. view on Amazon.com
- upHere Stream Controller — 15 macro keys, adjustable stand. view on Amazon.com
- SOOMFON SE — smaller variant with 6 display keys, 3 scene keys and dials — the most-reviewed entry point in this class. view on Amazon.com
MIDI controllers — the tactile alternative
A completely different class of device works here too, and is often overlooked: MIDI controllers. These are the pad surfaces from music production that Akai, Korg and M-Audio have been building for decades.
They need no additional software. Hypnotika recognises USB MIDI devices directly: plug it in, click „Learn" in Settings, press the pad you want — the assignment is made. There is no detour through a helper program that translates MIDI into keyboard shortcuts.
The case for them: the pads are the most pleasant control surface in this entire comparison. Large, rubberised, with a soft landing instead of a click — precisely what they were built for, because in a studio they get played. If you genuinely want to work without looking, a grid of eight big rubber pads is easier to hit than a row of small display keys. And second-hand they are very cheap.
The case against: no display. A MIDI pad does not show what is assigned to it — you either know the layout or label it by hand. That is exactly why display keys were invented. And the feature set is smaller: over MIDI, Hypnotika currently reaches six actions — intro, swap track, climax, outro, soft stop and cancel queue. Volume, microphone and the sound anchors are not available over MIDI; those need the Stream Deck plugin.
| Device | Controls | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akai LPD8 | 8 pads, 8 knobs | approx. $60 | The classic. Very compact, no power supply needed |
| Korg nanoPAD 2 | 16 pads | approx. $70 | Flat and slim — fits beside a keyboard |
| Korg microKEY 25 | 25 piano keys | approx. $90 | Only sensible if you play piano anyway |
Who this suits better: anyone who works by feel, remembers six positions anyway, and would rather put the difference in price into their own music. Step-by-step setup: MIDI mapping.
Why we do not recommend foot pedals
The idea is appealing: what sits under the desk cannot be seen. In practice two things argue against it:
They are louder than you expect. Inexpensive USB foot switches use a mechanical switch that clicks audibly — and a noise from the floor stands out more in a quiet room than one from the desk. On hard flooring they also slide away as you press.
They have too few switches. One to three pedals is the most you can reliably hit without looking. Four phases, soft-stop and anchors do not fit. What remains is half a control concept — you still reach for the keyboard, and now there is something under the desk as well.
A flat key pad solves the same problem better: quieter, more keys, labelled.
A tablet as the control surface
There are apps that turn an existing tablet into a key pad. It sounds obvious, but it has three inherent drawbacks: a tablet display is considerably brighter than illuminated keys and draws attention in a dimmed room. Glass gives no tactile feedback — operating it without looking is barely possible. And the connection runs over the network rather than a cable: if it drops, your controls are gone.
Fine as a stopgap with a tablet you already own. Not worth planning a purchase around.
All devices at a glance
| Device | Keys / dials | Form factor | Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgato Stream Deck + | 8 + 4 dials + touch | upright | established | ~€170–195 |
| Elgato MK.2 | 15 | stand detachable (per mfr.) | established | ~€158 |
| Elgato Neo | 8 + info strip | integrated stand, 3 positions | established | ~€88–100 |
| Elgato Mini | 6 | fixed stand | established | ~€80–90 |
| Elgato XL | 32 | upright | established | ~€200–240 |
| Elgato Stream Deck + XL | 36 + 6 dials + touch | upright | established | ~€349 |
| SOOMFON 15 | 15 + info strip | stand detachable | 4.1★ · 1,404 | ~€80 |
| ActionRing N4 Pro | 10 + 4 dials + touch | adjustable stand | 4.0★ · 6 ⚠️ | ~€130 |
| TreasLin N3 | 6 + 3 keys + 3 dials | stand detachable | 4.3★ · 103 | ~€51 |
| ULANZI D200X | 14 + 3 dials | — | 47 ratings | ~€93 |
| STREONOR S15 | 15 + info display | — | bestseller | ~€77 |
| SOOMFON SE | 6 + 3 scenes + dial | — | 637 ratings | ~€60 |
| Keyboard only | already there | already on the desk | — | stickers from €5 |
Prices and ratings as of 7 August 2026, Amazon.de and Thomann. Both change quickly — check before buying. Elgato form-factor details are taken from the manufacturer's product pages.
Three recommendations for three situations
„I want to find out whether I need one at all"
Your keyboard plus matte stickers, under five euros. The six combinations work system-wide, even while Zoom is in front. After a few weeks you will know which keys you actually use — and then buy the right device rather than the biggest one.
„It should simply work and never let me down"
An Elgato device. The software is mature, and our plugin removes the setup entirely — including live track display and volume on a dial. If you want dials, take the Stream Deck +; if you need many keys, the MK.2; to start small, the Neo. The premium mostly buys reliability — and in a session that is worth more than anywhere else.
„The price difference matters to me"
SOOMFON with 15 keys at around €80 — the most-reviewed clone, and with a detachable stand it works flat or angled. If you want dials for even less: TreasLin N3 from around €51. In both cases: test it in everyday work for several weeks first, before it goes into real sessions. That is what the return window is for.
What about the sound anchors?
They sit on Q W E R T Z (anchors 1 to 6; on a QWERTY keyboard Y also triggers the sixth). These six only work while the Hypnotika window is in front — on a key pad they therefore fire only when Hypnotika has focus. To trigger anchors regardless, while Zoom is in the foreground, you need the Hypnotika plugin and therefore an Elgato device.
Conclusion
A key pad changes how a session feels: instead of reaching for the screen you press a labelled key — and to the person in front of you that reads as quiet competence. Whether the device stands upright or lies flat is a matter of taste; what matters more is that it responds at the decisive moment.
And the cheapest answer remains a good one: start with your keyboard. The software can do all of it that way too. Everything else only makes the operation calmer — and that decision is better made with a few weeks of experience than before the first attempt.
Continue reading
* Affiliate link. If you buy through a link marked with an asterisk, we receive a commission. The price stays the same for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.