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Hearing aids can improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss. There is a range of hearing aid manufacturers to choose from.
This article looks at several different hearing aid manufacturers, discussing each brand’s products, their pros and cons, and what a person may wish to look for when choosing a hearing aid.
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A person can buy hearing aids as single units or in pairs.
Companies often sell hearing aids as part of a bundle, which may include the following items and services:
- the hearing aid
- any necessary hearing tests
- fitting the hearing aid
- further adjustments to the hearing aid
- routine cleaning
- warranty
Learn about the cost of hearing aids here.
When choosing a hearing aid manufacturer, people might wish to consider:
- price ranges and payment plans
- quality of products
- technological features that are compatible with the hearing aids, such as smartphone apps or remote controls
- ease of returns or refunds
- whether the company offers hearing tests
- additional services such as fitting of the hearing aid or adjustments and repairs
- sustainability of the product, e.g., whether rechargeable hearing aids are available
MNT chooses products that fit the following criteria where possible:
- FDA approval: MNT chooses products that have received FDA approval.
- Hearing aid styles: MNT chooses products in a range of styles, such as in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), and behind-the-ear (BTC).
- Features: MNT chooses products that have a range of features, such as rechargeable batteries, white noise, and smartphone app connectivity.
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.
Best for affordable price ranges: MDHearingAid
This company sells medical-grade hearing aids that the
MDHearingAid makes three different hearing aid models:
- Air: This model offers four different settings depending on background noise, alongside improved noise reduction so people can hear more clearly in a noisy location.
- Volt+: This hearing aid is water-resistant, has rechargeable batteries, and features additional microphones to drown out background noise.
- Core: Automatically adjusts to a person’s environment. Users can also fully adjust the controls on this model using a smartphone app, customizing what noises they want to hear.
Other MDHearingAid products and services include:
- free online hearing tests
- accessories including batteries, chargers, tips, and tubing
- care kits for hearing aids and a person’s ears
MDHearingAid offers customers a 45-day return period, free shipping, and 0% financing with its payment plan. MDHearingAid also offers protection plans.
MDHearingAid offers hearing aids at more affordable prices than the other brands included in this list.
Pros
- affordable
- easy to use
- rechargeable option
- customizable hearing options
Cons
- all aids are behind-the-ear
- one color option
Prices for MDHearingAid models range from $399–$799.
Learn more about the MDHearingAid brand here.
Best rechargeable models: Eargo
The FDA has approved Eargo’s medical-grade hearing aids that sit inside the ear canal. The company states that these aids are comfortably suspended by “Flexis,” which they describe as soft pieces of medical-grade silicone.
Eargo states that all its hearing aids are rechargeable and virtually invisible. These hearing aids offer sound amplification, dynamic feedback reduction, and active noise cancellation. Eargo 6 is also water-resistant.
Eargo sells three different hearing aid models, the Eargo 5, Eargo 6, and the Eargo Neo HiFi.
All Eargo models will work with the Eargo smartphone app and offer audio personalization, enhanced audio control, and smart help.
Additionally, all of Eargo’s hearing aids also come with:
- a portable charger
- a USB plug
- a USB cable
- a wax guard
- a cleaning brush
A person can request a free, non-working hearing aid sample to test for comfort. On top of that, a person can access free hearing tests and telephone or video checkups with a hearing specialist after buying an Eargo hearing aid.
Eargo states that a person can receive their hearing aid within 2–3 days. The company offers customers a 45-day money-back return policy and either a 1- or 2-year warranty, depending on the model a person chooses.
All of Eargo’s hearing aids are rechargeable.
Pros
- rechargeable batteries
- long-lasting battery life
- quick charging time
- multiple sizes and styles for the in-ear tip
- small size
Cons
- not as affordable as some other brands
- only one color option available
- one in-ear-canal (IEC) model
Prices for Eargo hearing aids range from $1,950–$2,650.
Learn more about the Eargo brand here.
Best range of colors: Lively
Lively sells FDA-approved hearing aids and states its products are nearly invisible and cost 50% less than the national average.
Lively sells one type of hearing aid available in both rechargeable or battery-operated models. The rechargeable model provides 30 hours of use per charge and comes with a portable charging case. The battery-powered model comes with a year’s supply of batteries.
Both models are available in different colors and use Bluetooth streaming, so users can use their phone or tablet to stream audio or take calls.
A person can customize their settings with the Lively smartphone app. As part of Lively’s follow-up care, customers can also speak to qualified audiologists using the app. These healthcare professionals can then remotely adjust the person’s settings in real-time.
To order a Lively hearing aid, a person must either upload a hearing test from their doctor or take one of Lively’s free online hearing tests.
Lively offers a 100-day risk-free trial. All purchases include a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty and 3-year loss and damage protection.
With multiple color options for users to choose from, these are the most customizable hearing aids included on this list.
Pros
- plentiful color options for all hearing aids
- more affordable than some other brands
- 100 days free trial
- choice of rechargeable or battery operated
- access to continued support via the app
Cons
- batteries for the battery-operated hearing aids last one year, which adds running costs onto the overall price
Prices for Lively hearing aids range from $1,595–$1,995.
Learn more about Lively hearing aids here.
Best discreet designs: Signia
Signia hearing aids work with a smartphone app or remote control. Using these, users can speak to hearing care professionals and control the hearing aid’s volume and other settings. Users can also control their hearing aid settings using the discreet remote control that is small enough to fit in pockets or on keyrings.
The hearing aids use Signia’s technology platform called Signia Xperience. Signia states that this offers the following features:
- motion detection to make sounds easy to hear in active situations
- enhanced speech understanding
- an AI digital assistant
- Bluetooth streaming
- clear sound
Examples of Signia hearing aids include:
- Signia Silk X: This model is a small in-ear hearing aid. It sits discreetly inside a person’s ear and comes in four sizes.
- Signia Styletto X: The Styletto sits outside the ear and is a rechargeable model. It also comes with a portable charging case that delivers 3 days of charge. This model also offers full Bluetooth connectivity with all devices, including smartphones and TVs.
- Signia Pure 13 Nx: The Pure 13 Nx sits discreetly behind a person’s ear. It also comes with a recharging case and offers Bluetooth connectivity. Signia states that this model processes the wearer’s voice and integrates it into the soundscape.
Signia also offers an online hearing test and free trials when a person purchases a hearing aid. Learn about the best online hearing tests.
This brand offers hearing aids with one of the most discreet designs included in this list.
Pros
- multiple style options
- earbud-style is virtually unnoticeable
- Bluetooth available
- rechargeable
- comes with an Ai assistant
Cons
- prices unavailable on website
- users need stable WiFi connection and a smartphone to be able to use the app
- one color option per hearing aid
A person cannot buy Signia’s hearing aids directly from the company’s website. Prices range from $1,349–$4,598 on Zip Hearing, but prices may vary depending on the retailer a person chooses.
Learn more about the Signia brand here.
Best for a connected lifestyle app: Starkey
Starkey offers an online hearing test and can connect people to local healthcare professionals with its hearing aids.
Starkey’s Thrive smartphone app works in connection with the company’s hearing aids. Depending on which product a person owns, a person can use the Thrive app to:
- adjust their hearing aid’s settings
- translate and transcribe speech
- set reminders
- send an automatic alert message to selected contacts
- use brain tracking, which monitors engagement
- use body tracking, which tracks daily steps, measures movement and monitors physical activity
Starkey supplies three models of hearing aid that work with the Thrive app:
- Picasso: This entry-level Starkey model comes with a chargeable case. The model delivers up to 24 hours of hearing on one charge. It does not offer the brain and body tracking features of the Thrive smartphone app. It also does not offer the transcribe or translate functionality or the fall detection and alert option.
- Livio AI: This model offers better sound quality than the Livio model. It offers the brain and body tracking feature of the Thrive app and the transcribe feature. However, this model does not offer translation functionality via the app or the fall detection and alert option.
- Livio Edge AI: This model offers superior sound quality compared to Starkey’s other models. It also provides better feedback management, more advanced tinnitus technology, and more reliable wireless streaming. It provides all the elements of the Thrive smartphone app, including fall detection and alerts, language translation, and transcription.
Each model is available in a variety of styles. That means a person can choose if they want their hearing aid to sit in their ear canal, in their ear, or behind the ear.
All of these hearing aids offer:
- Bluetooth connectivity
- wireless streaming
- rechargeable options
- smartphone connectivity
Starkey offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a warranty covering product failure, damage, and loss.
Starkey’s hearing aids differ from others included in this list because the accompanying smartphone app offers users a wide range of lifestyle and safety functionalities that can track steps, detect falls, and even help with language translation.
Pros
- includes a smartphone app that offers benefits such as a translator, a fall detector, and a step counter
- rechargeable options available
- Bluetooth connectivity
- multiple style options
Cons
- price is unavailable on their website
- only one color option per hearing aid
- not all hearing aids have access to all areas of the app
- 1 out of 5 stars on customer reviews at Better Business Bureau (BBB)
A person cannot buy Starkey’s hearing aids online.
Prices for Starkey hearing aids range from $500–$6,000, according to the company. Prices will vary between models and whether a person chooses to use additional services the company provides, such as maintenance.
Learn more about the Starkey brand here.
Best for hearing test and fitting support: Phonak
Phonak has a free online hearing test for individuals to take before purchasing a hearing aid. Upon receiving their results, a healthcare professional will contact the user to discuss their results and, if needed, arrange further appointments and hearing aid fittings. These appointments can take place virtually or in person.
Phonak provides hearing aids in a range of styles. These styles are:
- Behind the ear: Phonak Bolero Marvel and Phonak Naída
- Receiver in the canal: Phonak Audeo Paradise
- In the ear: Phonak Virto Paradise
- 100% invisible in-ear: Phonak Lyric
Each hearing aid provides different benefits. These can include:
- Bluetooth connectivity
- rechargeable options
- water-resistance
- motion sensor hearing
- ability to block out background noise
However, all Phonak hearing aids can connect to the myPhonak app. With the app, a person can adjust volume controls and hearing settings and access remote support and an assistant.
Phonak offers a wider range of ongoing support for users before and after purchasing a hearing aid compared to other brands included in this list.
Pros
- flexibility with virtual and in-person appointments
- multiple color options
- multiple style options
- rechargeable options
- water-resistant options
- app available for controlling hearing settings
- 3 out of 5 stars on Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Cons
- price unavailable on the Phonak site
- customers cannot buy directly from Phonak
A person cannot buy Phonak hearing aids directly from the company’s website.
Prices range from $1,349–$4,798 on Zip Hearing, but prices may vary depending on the retailer a person chooses.
Learn more about the Phonak brand.
Best range of hearing aids: Oticon
Oticon uses its patented BrainHearing technology in its hearing aids to provide users with a full sound scene. The company states that its hearing aid, Oticon More, works like a person’s brain, as it adapts and learns as a person uses the hearing aids to fine-tune sound.
Oticon claims that the Oticon More model delivers 30% more sound to a person’s brain and increases speech understanding by 15% when compared to an older model, the Oticon Opn S. The company lists a range of whitepapers detailing these types of claims on its website.
The Oticon hearing aids range includes:
A person can choose between rechargeable and single-use battery options and various styles and colors.
Other features of Oticon hearing aids include:
- Bluetooth connectivity
- aids to suit mild, severe, profound, and one-sided deafness
- access to relief sounds, such as ocean waves
- rechargeable batteries that take 3 hours to charge to full power for 24 hours
- access to Oticon App to control the settings on the hearing aid
- additional accessories for an extra cost
A person can find their nearest Oticon hearing screening provider via the company’s website. It does not state if a person has to pay for these screenings.
However, people can access a free hearing test on the Oticon website. This test may show if a person has signs of hearing loss.
Oticon offers the widest range of hearing aids for all types of hearing loss with different styles and colors from the brands included in this list.
Pros
- rechargeable and single-use battery options available
- wide range of hearing aids for all hearing loss levels
- offers children’s hearing aids
- range of styles and colors
- provides access to all sound
Cons
- prices not available on site
- not stated if hearings tests are free
- the access to all sound may not be preferable to a person who prefers background noise canceled out
- has a B- rating on BBB
A person cannot buy Oticon hearing aids on the company’s website. Instead, a person must order Oticon hearing aids through one of the company’s approved hearing professionals. A person can find an Oticon-approved hearing assessment provider on the company’s website.
Prices for Oticon hearing aids may vary depending on the hearing aid a person needs and the retailer they purchase it from.
The table below compares each of the hearing aid brands included in this article.
| Brand | Price | Available online | Rechargeable | App connectivity | Hearing test offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDHearingAid | $399–$799 | yes | Volt+ only | yes | yes |
| Eargo | $1,950–$2,450 | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Lively | $1,595–$1,995 | yes | single-use and rechargeable batteries available | yes | yes |
| Signia | $1,349–$4,598 | yes | Signia Styletto X, Signia Pure 13 Nx | yes | yes |
| Starkey | $500–$6,000 | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Phonak | $1,349–$4,798 | yes | single-use and rechargeable batteries available | yes | yes |
| Oticon | variable, not available to buy online | no | yes | yes | yes |
When choosing a hearing aid, a person should consider the following criteria:
- Price: A person should consider whether the price of their hearing aid suits their budget, as some models can be very expensive. A person may also wish to consider if they will have to pay for new batteries or if a rechargeable model would save them money long-term.
- Additional features: Some people may prefer a very simple hearing aid. Some hearing aids come with features such as connected mobile phone apps, Bluetooth connectivity, and high levels of customization, which may require users to be comfortable using technology.
- Style and color: Hearing aids come in many different styles. The most common styles are in-the-ear, in-the-canal, behind-the-ear and receiver-in-canal (RIC). Some brands also offer a wide range of colors, while others offer more limited color ranges. A person may wish to consider how the hearing aid will look against their skin tone and which style will be most comfortable for them.
- Healthcare provider advice: Before choosing a hearing aid, a person should consider discussing their hearing aid choice with a doctor to ensure it will suit their needs and level of hearing loss.
Around
While hearing aids do not cure deafness, they can make a person’s life easier to manage. Despite this, according to
Studies show that hearing aids benefit people with mild to moderate hearing loss. One
Audiologists can help people find the correct prescription for their hearing aid. However, a person should have follow-up appointments every 2–3 years to monitor any changes in their hearing, which may signal that a person needs a different prescription.
There is a wide variety of hearing aid manufacturers offering a range of models and technologies.
When choosing a hearing aid, a person should consider the type, features, cost, technology, and design. Checking online customer reviews and whether they can buy their chosen hearing aid model online may help people decide which hearing aid manufacturer is best for them.