In the last 10 years, hearing technology has leaped forward. From artificial intelligence to Bluetooth streaming and telecare, there has never been a better time to be a hearing aid wearer.
It’s not just the inside of hearing aids that is changing, though. Hearing aids are getting smarter and smaller with every passing generation.
If you are looking for a hearing aid that disappears in your ear, this guide is for you.
Our team of hearing aid wearers and audiologists sifted through dozens of invisible and nearly invisible hearing aids to narrow down this list.
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These Invisible Hearing Aids Are Rebranding the Category
Soundly conducts regular research to guide prospective hearing aid wearers. We update this guide regularly with the latest products. To get to this list we underwent the research below:
- 50+ Hours Research Conducted Each Month
- 3 Licensed Audiologists Consulted
- 32 Total Brands Reviewed
- 1,000+ Customer Reviews Considered
Before we get to our top picks, let’s talk about invisible hearing aids in general.
Invisible hearing aids come with some obvious benefits but they aren't for everyone. Here are a few pros and cons to consider:
Invisible hearing aid pros:
- Hard to Notice - Here's the obvious one. Invisible hearing aids are...well invisible. Most styles are unnoticeable unless someone looks in your ear.
- Masks and Glasses - Invisible hearing aids sit inside the ear and don't interfere with masks and glasses.
- Convenience - Lyric (listed #2 below) stays in your ear 24 hours a day and doesn't require battery changes or charging.
- Natural sound - Some users report more natural sound using invisible style hearing aids because the devices use the natural shape of the ear.
Invisible hearing aid cons:
- Limited Functionality - The smallest designs come with limited Bluetooth and charging functionality.
- Dexterity Challenges - Smaller devices can be frustrating for those with limited dexterity.
- Fewer products to choose from - There are fewer invisible hearing aid products to choose from, and typically they come at a slightly higher cost
One more thing...
I started my own search for hearing aids to find something invisible. Ultimately I discovered that my receiver-in-canal hearing aids were far more discreet than I had expected. Most people have no idea I'm wearing hearing aids.
The list below is made up of hearing aids that sit entirely in your ear, BUT if you don't find what you are looking for, remember that RIC hearing aids can be invisible in many ears. Here's a picture of me wearing my Jabra Enhance Select hearing aids.
Ok, let's get to the list. These are the best invisible hearing aids for 2023.
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Eargo is the disruptor in hearing health. Their product is rechargeable, invisible, and designed with a patented tip that allows your ears to breathe.
Eargo 7 was released in 2023 with new features that adapt to your environment as you move through your day. Eargo has raised hundreds of millions to design their product from scratch and what they've pulled off is impressive.
Think of this product as the Tesla of hearing health. Eargo is best for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. If you want to try something new, this is a great option.
Overall notes: Eargo stands out for its design, innovation, size, and telecare team. The only drawback is that Eargo can be buggy. For thousands of happy customers, that's worth the tradeoff.
Price: $2,950 for Eargo’s newest product (currently on sale)
Features: Invisible, self-programmed, rechargeable
What audiologists say: “If you are looking for invisible devices Eargo is one of the best options on the market.” - Ramsay Poindexter
Eargo is a tiny device that sits entirely inside the ear
Eargo is more affordable then custom mold hearing aids
Eargo is self fit using an app
Only appropriate for those with mild to moderate hearing loss
Requires some tinkering to fine to the product
Eargo is not Bluetooth enabled due to the tiny size
The Phonak Lyric is a non-traditional option that sold as an annual subscription. The devices are placed deep in your inner ear by a hearing professional every 8 weeks and stay in your ears all day instead of coming out at night.
You can shower, work out, and even swim (without fully submerging) with the hearing aid in your ears. Lyric wearers receive a magnetic “magic wand” tool that turns the hearing aid up or down and remove the device if needed.
Many people find this option more comfortable than traditional invisible hearing aids and enjoy hearing at night if they have kids.
Overall Notes: Lyric can be thought of as contact lenses for the ears. Patients who are successfully fit with Lyric often never go back and share that they forget they are wearing hearing aids.
Price: Lyric hearing aids are sold on a membership that averages around $4,000 per year
Features: Lyric hearing aids use analog technology and boast an impressively small size
Totally invisible
Wear 24 hours a day including workouts and water
Clear sound that uses the shape of the ear
Expensive at $4,000 per year
Includes in-person changes every 6 weeks
Lack of background noise suppression technology
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Starkey is a U.S.-based manufacturer with a full line of hearing aids that includes behind the ear and in-the-ear styles. Starkey is known for intelligent features like fitness tracking, a virtual assistant, and the smallest Bluetooth hearing aid on the market.
They make the list for their elite status in custom molded (nearly invisible products). If you can afford to pay medical-grade prices and want an invisible style, you won’t be disappointed by Starkey.
Starkey custom-hearing aids are not rechargeable at the smallest invisible (IIC) size but are available with rechargeable batteries in the larger in-the-ear (ITE) models.
Overall Notes: Starkey Evolv AI is broadly considered the best for custom mold hearing aids. If you want a custom mold, and lead an active lifestyle, this product is a great choice.
Price: Starting at $2,998 through Zip Hearing (walk-in prices $5K-$8K)
Features: Full range of styles and features including Bluetooth, rechargeability, and fitness tracking.
What audiologists say: “Starkey has been making the smallest and best custom hearing aids for decades. Evolv AI is currently the smallest custom device on the market with Bluetooth streaming capabilities.” - Ramsay Poindexter, AuD
Smallest models are almost entirely invisible
Starkey is a leader in comfortable custom molded products
Larger sizes come with Bluetooth streaming and rechargeable batteries
This is a premium device which costs $3,000-$7,000 per pair
Custom molds require additional lead time and replacement time
The smallest versions of Starkey Evolv AI customs are not Bluetooth enabled or rechargeable
Signia Silk X is almost entirely invisible as it sits fully in your ear canal. The Signia Silk X gets all the customization you would expect from a medical-grade hearing aid and offers one key difference, it does not need to be custom molded to your ear. Many hearing aids of this size require a custom mold to fit your ear canal but this model provides a range of tips (called “click sleeves”).
This makes the hearing aids ready to wear and makes them a bit easier to trial and return. Signia Silk hearing aids allow for volume adjustments through an app. If you’re looking for a fully programmable, high-quality, and invisible option but don’t want to go with a custom mold, Signia Silk X is worth considering.
Overall Notes: Signia technology is well regarded by audiologists and hearing aid wearers. Silk isn't the most feature-rich option on the market, but it offers real customization, quality sound, and connection to smartphone volume and program adjustments. Importantly, it is nearly invisible but doesn't require a custom mold.
Price: Starting at $2,898 for a pair through Zip Hearing (pricing options presented in-clinic are typically 30% higher)
Features: Signia Silk has a few extra features. One is CROS, which is specifically for people with one ear that needs aid and one that does not. This feature allows you to wear a hearing aid in both ears to create a full sound picture. Silk also offers Twin Phone, which is a setting that allows the sound of your phone in one ear to come through in both hearing aids. The Silk X hearing aids come in simple red and blue colors to make it easy to know which goes in the left and right ear.
What Audiologists Say: "Signia Silk is a discreet, comfortable hearing aid. This is a nice option if you don't want to wait for a true custom buildout and can handle hearing aid batteries." - Ramsay Poindexter, AuD
Nearly invisible
Professionally programmed
No custom-mold required
Premium price point $2,998 - $5,000 for a pair
Requires an in person office visit
No Bluetooth or rechargeable features due to the size
Audicus sells hearing aids that are manufactured by top hearing aid manufacture, Sonova. They offer customizable and feature-rich hearing aids for less by cutting out the middle man and selling direct. This means you won’t see Audicus at your local audiologist, and that margin comes off the price.
The Audicus Mini is a completely in canal (CIC) hearing aid that is slightly larger than Eargo and Evolv AI. The product is available at $699 per ear and comes with support from a remote Audicus audiologist. The brand offers a 45-day trial and 1-year warranty.
Overall notes: Audicus has more than 7,000 reviews with an impressive average of 4.7 stars. Their customer service and lifetime specialist support are unique to the industry. If you are on a budget and want fully customized hearing aids, Audicus is among the best options available.
Price: Audicus Mini costs $999 per ear
Features: Audicus Mini is a simple hearing aid that is customized remotely by a hearing professional
What audiologists say: “Audicus is an affordable and mostly-hidden hearing aid. It has some drawbacks when compared to industry leaders, but Mini is far from a cheap amplifier.” - Garrett Thompson, AuD
Discreet style and size
Affordable price
Professionally programmed
Larger than other invisible options
Volume control requires tapping the ear (the hearing aid does not have buttons or an app)
Sony teamed up with WS Audiology (the second-largest hearing company in the world) to co-create its products. Sony's CRE-C10 devices are nearly invisible and offer prescription-grade sound quality controlled through your smartphone. CRE-C10 does not offer Bluetooth streaming or rechargeable batteries.
CRE-C10 uses a size 10 disposable battery that offers over 70 hours of continuous wear. Size 10 batteries are widely available and commonly used in small devices. Sony's hearing aids were released in mid-October, so there are few reviews of the product, but it's safe to say this will be a leading consideration for those who want an in-the-ear style device.
Nearly invisible
High quality sound for a lower price
Self-fit at home
Not as small as OTC competitors like Eargo
Not rechargeable
Does not allow Bluetooth streaming
That's the list, friends.
We hope you enjoyed this guide to the best invisible hearing aids available. We update this page regularly and will be back with new models as they come.
We created this site to make finding hearing products and care more accessible.
Use the shop tab to compare all the leading products on the market (with prices), or check your hearing with our 5-minute hearing test.
If you have questions, you can email our team at any time hello@soundly.com.
Frequently asked questions
Invisible hearing aids work much like traditional hearing aids. Most devices have a pair of microphones that pick up sounds, and the onboard processor then customizes the sound to match your hearing loss, and a speaker plays an amplified sound.
Invisible hearing aids are typically custom-molded to match your ear canal. To create a custom earmold, an audiologist will fill your ear with a silicone paste and let it set. They will then remove the dried mold and ship that mold to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer then builds a one-of-one hearing aid to match your ears and fits the components into that mold.
The result is a comfortable device that sits deep inside your ear.
Prices for invisible hearing aids vary fairly widely, and Prescription-level devices are typically 5K-7K per pair. You can find lower-cost care on this site by following the “find care” button on any page.
Invisible OTC devices start at $999 (Sony CRE-C10) and go up to around $2,600 (Eargo 7).
Most hearing aids last around 3-5 years. Warranties typically last for three years.
Most do not. Starkey’s completely-in-canal hearing aid (one size bigger than their smallest) does come with Bluetooth, and Starkey currently makes the smallest Bluetooth hearing aid on the market.
Most invisible hearing aids require a custom earmold, but there are some newer designs that push back on this trend. Eargo, Signia Silk, and Sony all use read-to-wear styles with various tips or domes to match your ear canal.
Some users report that ready-to-wear invisible hearing aids are less comfortable or don’t sit as far inside the ear canal.
Invisible prescription-level hearing aids are prescribed for mild-severe hearing loss. OTC hearing aids are only appropriate for mild-moderate hearing loss.
Larger devices may be prescribed for profound hearing loss.
Generally yes. Custom-molded devices should sit comfortably in your ear and will stay out of the way of glasses and masks.
Starkey is the leader in custom-molded products and Eargo is a clear favorite for ready-to-wear products. Full invisible hearing aid guide here.
Yes. Eargo and Sony are the leading invisible OTC hearing aid makers.
Invisible hearing aids can be challenging if you struggle to handle small pieces and batteries. Phonak Lyric can be a good option for seniors who want to set it and forget it until their regular appointments.
If you have small ear canals and want invisible hearing aids, you’ll likely want to get a custom-molded device like Starkey. We’ve found that Eargo can also work well in some small ear canals.
Yes. A quality pair of invisible hearing aids can be fitted to most hearing loss types. Some people with great hearing in low frequencies prefer open-fit hearing aids (these sit behind the ear) because that style allows natural low-frequency sound into the ear instead of blocking it.
Good question. A lot of hearing aids call themselves invisible, but the reality is that every ear canal is different. Phonak Lyric is truly invisible. Most of the others on this list are so discreet that they would rarely be noticed in most ears.
Click the “compare” section of this site. Each invisible-style hearing aid we’ve reviewed has numerous verified customer reviews.
