6 Most Affordable Hearing Aids of 2023 | MarketWatch

There are a few important things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for the most affordable hearing aids.

Pros

Price

This is the obvious selling point of low-cost hearing aids, and for good reason. Spending thousands of dollars on a device that will only last about five years isn’t attractive to many people. Affordably priced hearing aids run in the $100–$2,000 range, much lower than higher-end devices. And with the availability of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, more manufacturers are expected to enter the market and drive prices down even further.

Online Availability

Many budget hearing aids are sold online directly from the manufacturer to the consumer without the need for an in-person exam or hearing aid fitting. You can take a free online hearing test, choose your hearing aid, order everything you need and start using them — all without leaving your house. This is an attractive option for many people and allows customers to buy hearing aids and get support on their schedule.

No Hearing Exam or Prescription Needed

Most of the affordable hearing aids, including every brand in this review, are available without a hearing exam or prescription. They also don’t require an in-person fitting, and cutting down on visits to a hearing professional can lower your costs. With many manufacturers offering free audiology support with a purchase, more customers are taking advantage of inexpensive hearing aids to treat their hearing loss.

Cons

Fewer Features

Lower-priced hearing aids often don’t include as many features as their more expensive counterparts. The expression “you get what you pay for” is generally true, and hearing aids are no different. Audien, for example, is by far the cheapest brand on the market, but its devices lack many of the features that most other brands include, such as Bluetooth capability, water resistance, an app for making adjustments, multiple listening profiles and directional microphones.

Lack of Customization

Hearing aids sold at hearing care clinics can be fully customized for your exact degree and type of hearing loss. Some online brands claim to provide this same degree of customization, but audiologists are skeptical of those claims.

Dr. Hadassah Kupfer, an audiologist in Brooklyn, N.Y., explained the difference between online hearing aid programming and customization based on in-person exams.

“When we check hearing, we check all the keys on the piano (frequencies) and measure the softest sound that one can hear at each pitch. The entire plot of responses turns into your prescription. Although there is a general trend for presbycusis (age-related hearing loss), it is rare to find two people with identical hearing loss,” she said.

Kupfer also pointed out the importance of a correct fit to ensure maximum performance of your hearing aids and help prevent issues such as discomfort and whistling due to feedback.

“When you get hearing aids in person, your [hearing] professional can measure your ears properly — even make custom shaped hearing aids for maximum comfort and invisibility — which will help with the best sound and best feeling,” she said

No In-Person Support

Because many of the more affordable hearing aid brands are sold online or through retail stores not staffed by hearing specialists, the chances of in-person support are lower. That may be fine for someone with mild to moderate hearing loss who is comfortable using technology and doesn’t mind getting remote support, but audiologists say that your chance of success with hearing aids can be even more dependent on your relationship with your hearing care provider than on the devices themselves.

That’s because the skill of the person fitting your hearing aid can make all the difference, Kupfer said.

“For some people, an OTC product may be good enough or all they could afford,” she said. “But it should be acknowledged that there is a substantive difference both in the equipment and the technical expertise of the professional handling your fitting.”