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Best for Seniors
Best for Seniors: Jabra Enhance
Pros
- Longest trial period in the industry with the premium package
- Three years of warranty coverage and remote audiology team support with the premium package
- Rechargeable battery options with quick-charge capability
Cons
- Only available online, limiting in-person purchase options
- Disposable batteries in the Enhance Select 50 model, which some customers may find less convenient than the rechargeable option
Price per pair: $995 to $1,995
- Type of hearing aid: Receiver-in-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to moderately severe
- Battery type: disposable (Enhance Seleect 50) or rechargeable (Enhance Select 100, Enhance Select 200)
- Bluetooth streaming: Yes
- Warranty and trial period: One- to three-year manufacturer’s warranty, three-year loss and damage protection, and 100-day money-back trial period
- Financing: Yes
Jabra Enhance unites the technology of personal sound equipment manufacturer Jabra with Lively's hearing aid expertise and reliable customer service. The resulting combination of affordability, ease of use (our reviews team found these hearing aids easy to set up and use), and high marks for customer satisfaction (with the premium package, Jabra Enhance has the longest warranty and money-back trial period on this list) makes this brand best for seniors. In our reviews team’s survey of 600 hearing aid users, respondents 54 and older chose “ease of setup and use,” “price,” and “ongoing care after setup” as the three most important things they value in a hearing aid.
Jabra Enhance hearing aids are made by GN ReSound, the same company that makes ReSound prescription hearing aids. The Enhance Select line includes three models, each of which offers distinct features and price points. All three models are designed to address mild to moderately severe hearing loss.
Jabra Enhance Features
All three Enhance Select models come with four preset listening profiles:
- All-Around
- Restaurant
- Outdoors
- Music
You can use the buttons on the hearing aids or the Jabra Enhance Select app to choose a setting based on your environment and make adjustments within each setting to focus on speech or reduce background noise.
Jabra Enhance hearing aids also come with options for tinnitus management and wireless accessories that allow you to stream sound directly from any audio device to your hearing aids.
Disposable vs. Rechargeable Batteries
Many customers prefer the convenience of rechargeable hearing aids in today’s market. Our reviews team’s survey of hearing aid customers found that rechargeability was the second most sought-after feature (after digital noise reduction), although some people still prefer disposable batteries. Disposable batteries were the second-least popular feature, and telecoil was the least popular feature.
Jabra Enhance does provide one model that uses disposable batteries — the Enhance Select 50, which includes a year’s supply of replacement batteries.
One drawback of rechargeable batteries is that you may be without your hearing aids for a few hours while waiting for them to charge. Jabra Enhance addresses this potential inconvenience with a quick-charge option on the Enhance Select 100 and 200 models.
One hour of charging will give you 15 hours of use, the same amount you’d get on a full charge with Eargo or Audicus hearing aids. A three-hour charge powers the hearing aids for up to 30 hours, depending on the amount of Bluetooth use. The charging case holds three full charges, which is helpful for people who are frequently away from home.
The Jabra Enhance Buying Process
Jabra Enhance Select hearing aids are only available online. The company recently released basic and premium package options.
The basic package:
- Jabra Enhance Select OTC hearing aids
- One-year warranty with loss and damage protection
The premium package:
- Jabra Enhance Select OTC hearing aids
- Three-year warranty with loss and damage protection
- Three-year access to professional hearing care
You can send in the results of a previous audiogram or take the website’s free online hearing screening before or after making your purchase. The Jabra Enhance audiology team will program your hearing aids based on your screening results before shipping them to you.
When you receive your hearing aids, you’ll have a one-on-one video appointment with an audiology team member to set them up and begin using them. The brand also offers premium package users three years of free, unlimited remote care.
Remote vs. In-Person Care
While the remote care offered by the Jabra Enhance premium package doesn’t match the level of care you’d get in-person at a hearing clinic, it is much better than having no after-purchase care (if this isn’t a concern for you, the basic package doesn’t include remote support). We’ve seen high marks from Jabra Enhance customers regarding the company’s remote assistance, and both our testing team and the Jabra Enhance customers we’ve interviewed find the app easy to navigate for making adjustments to the volume and hearing profiles.
People who are new to hearing aids or who want to visit a hearing clinic in person may want to explore prescription hearing aid options, some of which are similar in price to Jabra Enhance models. For instance, the entry-level Ruby or Siya hearing aids from Oticon are available at some clinics for a similar price to Jabra Enhance devices.
Hearing care professionals who fit prescription devices in person can see and adjust the hearing aids in your ears rather than looking at them through a computer screen. They can also conduct further testing using equipment designed to troubleshoot problems and adjust settings.
Jabra Enhance offers a 100-day trial period, the longest of any online hearing aid manufacturer. The company has a one-year warranty for the basic package and a three-year warranty with the premium package, both of which cover manufacturer’s defects, loss, and damage. This is on par with prescription hearing aid brands.
Customers can get financing for a Jabra Enhance hearing aid through third-party lender Bread. Bread accepts payments with no interest for up to 18 months, depending on your credit score.
For more information, read our Jabra Enhance hearing aids review.
Get Jabra Enhance at Jabraenhance.com.
Best OTC
Lexie
Pros
- OTC options significantly cheaper than prescription hearing aids, costing less than half the average $4,600 per pair
- Self-fitting models (B1 and B2 Plus) using advanced Bose sound technology for user-specific calibration
- B2 Plus streams phone calls on iOS, Android
- Includes telecoil feature in the Lumen model for better sound quality in public places with hearing loop systems
- Available both online and in major retail stores like Best Buy, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart
- Free remote audiology support for the lifetime of the hearing aids
Cons
- B1 has no streaming capability, only connection to the Lexie app for adjustments
- Remote support only, with no option for in-person audiology services
- Self-fitting may not provide the same precision as professional in-person fitting
Price per pair: $699 to $999
- Type of hearing aid: Behind-the-ear, receiver-in-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to moderate
- Battery type: Disposable (Lumen, B1) or rechargeable (B2 Plus)
- Bluetooth streaming: No
- Warranty and trial period: One-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
- Financing: No
Lexie offers several affordable options in the emerging over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid market. The brand’s integration of technology, low price, and knowledgeable customer care make it our reviews team’s pick for the best OTC hearing aid.
Self-Fitting OTC Hearing Aids
The FDA regulates all OTC hearing aids for efficacy and safety. Some OTC devices have an additional distinction that requires the submission of performance data regarding the hearing aid’s safety and efficacy to the FDA. This data proves that the hearing aid in question includes the software needed for users to fine-tune their devices at home.
Hearing aid companies that complete this process receive FDA clearance and can label these models as self-fitting hearing aids. The term self-fitting does not refer to the physical fit, but to how the hearing aid is calibrated to fit each user’s specific hearing needs.
Lexie offers two self-fitting models, the B1 and B2 Plus, both of which have been engineered using the same Bose sound technology that was previously in Bose SoundControl hearing aids, which were discontinued in mid-2022.
Bluetooth and Telecoil
With Lexie B1 and B2 Plus hearing aids, you can connect your hearing aids via Bluetooth to the Lexie smartphone app to adjust your hearing aids. But with the B2 Plus hearing aids, you can also stream phone calls on both iOS and Android.
The Lumen has the added advantage of a telecoil, a tiny wire wrapped around a metal rod inside the hearing aid that picks up electromagnetic signals from telephones and public facilities with a hearing loop system.
Like the Jabra Enhance premium packages, Lexie offers only remote support, but each purchase comes with free support from an audiology team for as long as you own the hearing aids. Lexie devices are sold both online and in stores that carry healthcare devices, including Best Buy, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart.
Keep reading in our full Lexie review.
Get Lexie at Lexiehearing.com.
Best Bluetooth
Audicus
Pros
- Three models with Bluetooth streaming capability
- Multiple financing options, including leasing and 0 percent financing
- Both disposable and rechargeable battery options available
- Two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
Cons
- Battery life shorter than some competitors, lasting about 16 hours
- Top models' prices similar to prescription hearing aids without the same customization
- Remote care only for most customers, with limited in-person clinics
Price per pair: $1,398 to $2,498
- Type of hearing aid: Receiver-in-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to severe
- Battery type: Disposable or rechargeable
- Bluetooth streaming: Yes
- Warranty and trial period: Two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
- Financing: Yes
Audicus is an affordable hearing aid brand with three models offering Bluetooth streaming capability, which is not easy to find among online options. This makes Audicus our choice for the “Best Bluetooth” hearing aid among budget-priced brands.
Most other brands available without a prescription offer Bluetooth connectivity to a smartphone for making hearing aid adjustments only. Only a few other online manufacturers, such as Jabra Enhance, provide Bluetooth streaming capability, whereas every prescription brand allows you to stream TV, music, and phone calls to your hearing aids.
The price tag reflects this added feature, but many customers find it useful. Bluetooth hearing aids allow you to listen to TV at a volume you prefer without disturbing others, talk on the phone or computer without background noise, and stream music directly from your phone or other Bluetooth device.
But they also tend to have a shorter battery life compared with non-Bluetooth devices.
Battery Options
Each of the Bluetooth-equipped Audicus models comes with your choice of disposable or rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable options are $400 more per pair, so it’s worth considering whether you want rechargeable batteries or are okay with changing disposable ones.
We conducted a focus group of hearing aid customers and received comments from people who like both types of batteries. One person preferred disposable batteries, commenting that they’re easy to find in stores, even while traveling, and they didn’t want to worry about having their charging case with them on trips. Others enjoyed the ease of rechargeable hearing aids and didn’t want to change out tiny disposable batteries every few days.
One downside of this brand, compared with others with rechargeability, is that Audicus battery life tends to be shorter — about 16 hours, depending on how much you use Bluetooth — as Bluetooth use drains the battery faster. Some other brands, such as ReSound, Signia, and Jabra Enhance, offer a battery life twice that long. They all sell Bluetooth models that last 30 hours or more on one charge.
Price and Technology
Each step up in functionality corresponds to a step up in price. The Spirit offers remote adjustments through the Audicus app, which isn’t available for the Wave. (Settings and volume on all three models are adjustable using buttons on the hearing aids.)
The Omni, a step up from the Spirit, has Audicus' most advanced technology. In addition to Bluetooth streaming, feedback cancellation, automatic background noise reduction that changes with your environment, and directional microphones (which are included with all three Bluetooth models), the Omni also has a feature called Speech Finder that optimizes understanding of speech in noisy environments.
It’s worth noting that the price of the top two Audicus models (Mini and Omni 2) is comparable to the cost of prescription hearing aids, although Audicus devices don’t come with the same level of functionality and customization as prescription brands. Audicus operates a handful of in-person clinics in three cities (Chicago, New York, and Denver). The majority of Audicus customers will only be able to get remote care from the manufacturer.
You can either submit results from a previous hearing test or take the Audicus online hearing screening, and Audicus will use your results to program your hearing aids before they ship them. Audicus customers receive unlimited support for the lifetime of their hearing aids, which is something not every hearing aid company offers.
Audicus Financing Options
Another unique feature of Audicus is the variety of financing options. The Audicus Plus subscription plan allows you to lease hearing aids rather than buy them. By paying a setup fee of $249 and $99 monthly fee, you enroll in an 18-month contract that includes unlimited service, cleaning, supplies, loss and damage protection, and new hearing aids every 18 months.
Audicus also provides financing for the Spirit and Omni through Allegro and Care Credit for all of its models, with zero-percent financing for up to 12 months.
For more information, read our Audicus hearing aids review.
Best Invisible OTC
Eargo
Pros
- Unlimited audiology team support for the lifetime of the hearing aids
- Rechargeable battery type, eliminating the need for disposable batteries
- Self-fitting models with adjustable listening settings
- Available online and at major retail stores like Best Buy and Victra-Verizon
Cons
- Bluetooth for app-based adjustments only, with no streaming capabilities
- Shorter battery life than some competitors for both rechargeable and disposable options
- One- to two-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is shorter than some competitors
- Not suitable for people with severe hearing loss
Price per pair: $799 to $2,950
- Type of hearing aid: Completely-in-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to moderate
- Battery type: Rechargeable
- Bluetooth streaming: No
- Warranty and trial period: One- to two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
- Financing: Yes
Eargo wins the title of “Best Invisible OTC” hearing aid for its three completely-in-canal (CIC) models, all of which are rechargeable and come with lifetime support from the Eargo audiology team.
While concern about how hearing aids look is decreasing, some people still want a small hearing aid that no one else can see. One person in our reviews team’s focus group of current hearing aids users said: “I am still very active in the workforce and have had to recently apply for a new job and go through interviews … so I would want [a hearing aid] that you couldn’t really detect.”
Eargo has designed its devices small enough that they fit completely inside the ear canal, making them invisible to others. The tips are designed differently from other hearing aid tips. Some have flexible fibers, and others have petal-style domes, so you can find the best fit. The company’s audiology team is also available to help you with remote support if needed.
Eargo Features
All Eargo models are equipped with Bluetooth connectivity (but not streaming, except for the Eargo SE) to allow for adjustments within the Eargo app. While you can connect to the app to make adjustments to your hearing aids, you won’t be able to stream audio to your hearing aids from a phone or TV.
The Eargo SE, Link, 6, and 7 are self-fitting devices. You can choose from one of four listening settings and make finer adjustments within each setting, similar to the fine-tuning adjustments available on Jabra Enhance, Lexie, and MDHearing models.
The Eargo 6 and 7 also come with Sound Adjust technology, which enables the hearing aids to immediately change settings based on your environment without your input.
Like Audicus, Eargo hearing aids have a shorter battery life than some competitors at about 16 hours per charge (although the OTC Eargo SE has 9 hours). Because they are small devices, the batteries are also tiny and don’t hold a charge as long as that of a larger model with larger batteries (such as an RIC or BTE hearing aid).
Eargo hearing aids are sold online and at Best Buy and Victra-Verizon stores. The company also offers financing with no interest for up to 24 months.
For more information, read our Eargo hearing aids review.
Get Eargo at Eargo.com.
Most Versatile OTC
MDHearing
Pros
- Four models with different capabilities in a budget-friendly price range
- Lifetime remote audiology support 24/7
- Rechargeable batteries in all models
- Financing available through Affirm with no interest for up to 12 months
Cons
- No Bluetooth streaming capability
- Shorter one- to two-year manufacturer’s warranty compared with some competitors
- Limited to behind-the-ear and in-the-canal styles
Price per pair: $297 to $397
- Type of hearing aid: Behind-the-ear, in-the-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to moderately severe
- Battery type: Rechargeable
- Bluetooth streaming: No
- Warranty and trial period: One- to two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
- Financing: Yes
MDHearing is an online over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid manufacturer that offers four models, each with a distinct set of features. Our reviews team chose this brand as the most versatile OTC choice because of its variety of models in a price range well below the average cost of prescription hearing aids.
MDHearing Features
The Air MDHearing model previously used disposable batteries. But MDHearing has since updated this to include rechargeable batteries. It has four sound settings that the user can adjust with a button on the back of the hearing aid.
The Neo is the brand’s newest model, an in-the-canal device with rechargeable batteries, advanced noise reduction (to help you focus on conversations), and feedback cancellation (to reduce whistling). In comparison to the Air, the Neo is in the same price range but addresses mild to severe hearing loss, while the Air is only appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss.
The Volt can also help people with mild to severe hearing loss and is similar to the Air in style, price, and number of listening settings.
The Volt Max is the brand’s top-of-the-line model and includes technology to automatically adjust to your sound environment, similar to the functionality of the Eargo devices. All prescription hearing aids come with auto-adjust capabilities as well.
After-Purchase Care
Like all OTC hearing aids, the user sets up MDHearing devices right out of the box. Our reviews team found the user manual easy to understand, with clear instructions. The father of one of our reviews team members recently ordered the Volt, and he was happy with the remote care he received. The MDHearing staff helped him learn how to make the appropriate adjustments to get a good fit and also sent follow-up emails to see if he needed any further assistance.
MDHearing provides financing through Affirm, with no interest for up to 12 months.
For more information, read our MDHearing review.
Get MDHearing at MDhearingaid.com.
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Most Budget-Friendly
Audien
Pros
- Lowest-priced hearing aid on the market
- Long rechargeable battery life (20 hours for the Atom and 24 hours for the Atom Pro)
- Durable, withstanding multiple six-foot drops without damage
- True hearing aids, not just personal sound amplification products (PSAPs)
Cons
- Only one hearing setting, lacking multiple listening profiles
- Volume control requires a tiny screwdriver, which is less convenient than other brands
- Limited features compared with more expensive brands
Price per pair: $99 to $249
- Type of hearing aid: In-the-canal
- Hearing loss: Mild to moderate
- Battery type: Rechargeable
- Bluetooth streaming: No
- Warranty and trial period: One-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day money-back trial period
- Financing: No
Audien is a no-frills hearing aid with two models that are priced well below any other FDA-registered hearing aid, giving this brand the distinction of “Most Affordable.”
The Audien Atom and Atom Pro are true hearing aids, unlike personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), which are not intended for people with hearing loss and are regulated as consumer electronics, not medical devices.
Audien Features
Audien hearing aids are inexpensive and offer few of the advanced features you’ll find in many other OTC hearing aids. For example, every brand on this list except for Audien provides multiple listening profiles that vary based on your environment. With Audien, you get only one hearing setting.
Our reviews team tested Audien hearing aids and found the volume control inconvenient compared with the other brands they tried. Audien hearing aids come with a tiny screwdriver, which is necessary to adjust the volume dial on the back of the hearing aids. No other hearing aid we tested required a tool to adjust volume — instead, other brands use either a mobile app or buttons on the actual hearing aid.
Audien hearing aids also don’t have Bluetooth capability, telecoil, or app-enabled adjustments. But one popular feature is rechargeability on both the Atom and Atom Pro, and the Atom and Atom Pro offer a good battery life of 20 and 24 hours respectively.
Our testing team also found the Audien devices to be durable, withstanding 10 six-foot drops without any scratches or other damage.
If you have mild to moderate hearing loss and need a hearing aid that’s lower priced than other brands, Audien may be just what you’re looking for.
Get Audien at Audienhearing.com.
Compare the Most Affordable Hearing Aids of 2024
