💨 In a hurry? Our top hearing aid brands for 2023 are:
Jabra Enhance Select (Telehealth care and affordable pricing)
Phonak Audeo Lumity (Best Bluetooth connection)
Lexie B2 Powered by Bose (Best OTC)
I got my first pair of hearing aids in 2020. The research process sent me down a rabbit hole of what felt like endless options. At the time, I didn't realize that there are more than 120 hearing brands on the market today in a wild web of holding companies.
Among those 120 brands are 60-year-old market leaders like GN Resound, new OTC hearing aid innovators like Bose and retail players like Costco. This number doesn't include the hundreds of junk brands that regularly pop up on the internet to make a quick buck with extremely low-cost devices.
If it takes you a moment to orient yourself, welcome to the club.
After thousands of Google searches and countless conversations with industry leaders and audiologists, I eventually got a better sense of the hearing aid brands available. In this guide, I'll share what I've learned.
All The Best and Worst Hearing Aid Brands of 2023
Soundly conducts in-depth research to guide prospective hearing aid wearers. Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
Prefer to watch?Here’s a 5 minute video about hearing aid brands. 👇
Group #1: Tried and Trusted Traditional Brands
Today, most hearing aid wearers work with a local audiologist to select and program their hearing aids. These audiologists are licensed to carry medical-grade hearing aids made almost exclusively by five big holding companies. Here are the leading audiologist-prescribed brands on the market organized by their size.
#1. Sonova - Maker of Phonak, Unitron, Audicus and Lyric
Sonova is a Swiss company that commands more than 30% of the industry. Sonova sells Phonak and Unitron products. Sonova also makes products for top brands like Unitron, Audicus, and Lyric.
Phonak Audeo Lumity is Sonova’s top selling product.
#2. Demant - Maker of Oticon, Philips and Sonic
Demant is the only company globally that covers all areas of hearing healthcare, from hearing devices and hearing implants to diagnostic equipment and professional hearing care. Demant's top brands include Oticon, Philips, and Sonic. Demant also owns the popular hearing health site HealthyHearing.com.
Oticon More is Demant’s most popular product.
#3. WS Audiology - Maker of Widex, Signia and Rexton
According to the WSA website, one of their brands manufactures 1 in 3 hearing aids worn worldwide. WSA owns popular brands like Widex, Signia, and Rexton. My mother has worn Widex custom, completely in canal, hearing aids for years and loves the brand. WSA owns hear.com, which publishes hearing information and sells its own brand.
Widex Moment Sheer and Signia AX are the most popular hearing aids from WSA.
#4. GN Hearing - Maker of ReSound, Jabra, Beltone, and Interton
ReSound GN hails from Denmark, where they create products Jabra, Interton, and Beltone brands. ReSound is also the manufacturer of my favorite online hearing aid, Jabra Select. ReSound has been behind several important breakthroughs over the years, including the first connection to Apple's iPhone in 2013 and a 3rd microphone inside the ear in 2020.
ReSound OMNIA is the most popular hearing aid from GN.
#5. Starkey - Maker of Starkey, NuEar, Audibel
Starkey Hearing Technologies is the only American-owned company in the top 5. Starkey has led the way in AI tech and intelligent hearing aids that track fitness and even translate foreign languages. Starkey is also the manufacturer behind Audibel and NuEar products. Starkey announced in 2022 that it will soon release an OTC hearing aid under the name Start One.
Starkey Evolv AI is currently Starkey’s most popular hearing aid.
For the nerds out there, here’s a 2019 breakdown of each hearing aid brand’s market share.
Full Hearing Aid Brand List 👇
If you want to go deeper, the founder of HearingTracker.com put together an enlightening map of all hearing aid brands on the market. No wonder things can get confusing!
Group #2: Innovative Online Brands
The five brands above provide quality and licensed service; they also cost from $5-$7K for a pair of hearing aids and require multiple in-person visits to a physical audiology office. Fortunately, new brands are emerging to fill the gap.
A few brands now offer direct-to-consumer audiology services.
#6. Jabra Enhance - Medical grade quality for internet prices
Jabra Enhance is currently my favorite online hearing aid brand available. Jabra Enhance (formerly named Lively) delivers high-quality, Bluetooth hearing aids at a third of the cost by providing care through Telehealth instead of a brick-and-mortar clinic. Jabra has a team of licensed audiologists who guide you through an online hearing test (you can take their online test here). A licensed professional then programs your hearing aids and ships them to your home.
Outside of price, Jabra Enhance offers some competitive perks, including a 100-day trial and three years of unlimited care. I've spent six months wearing my Jabra Enhance hearing aids and found them among the most comfortable and practical that I have tried.
Learn More About Jabra Enhance Here
#7. Audicus - Custom programmed at low prices
Audicus offers customizable and feature-rich hearing aids for less by cutting out the middle man and selling direct to consumer. This approach means you won't see Audicus at your local audiologist, and that margin comes off the price. Audicus offers several hearing aid models ranging from $499-$1,699 per ear. Audicus also offers monthly payment plans which start at as little as $39 per month. The brand offers a 45-day trial and a 1-year warranty. Top 5 hearing aid maker Sonova manufactures Audicus products. Audicus operates a limited (but growing) number of local retail stores.
#8. Bose - Self-tuned through a smart app
In July 2022 Bose formed a strategic partnership with Lexie (a well respected hearing healthcare company) to release B1 and B2 hearing aids. Bose hearing aids are self-fit using an innovative app that allows hearing aid wearers to fit, program, and control their hearing aids with clinically proven, audiologist-quality results. Compare Bose and Lexie hearing aids starting at $799 a pair here.
Learn More About Bose Hearing Aids | Read My Full Bose Review
#9. Eargo - Sleek, invisible design, self-tuned
Pro tip: You can get a free, non-working, sample of Eargo hearing aids here.
Eargo is a tech disruptor in the hearing aid space. The brand is based in Mountain View, CA, and has built a sleek and innovative product delivered entirely online (no doctor's visit). The product is almost invisible, comes with a rechargeable case, and uses a palm tree-shaped tip so your ear can get natural airflow. Instead of white-labeling their product from one of the big six brands listed above, Eargo created it from scratch significant investment.
#10. Costco - Gets the job done at a great price
Costco is one of the leading sellers of hearing aids in the US and has developed a reputation for sensible service and low prices. Their popular Kirkland 10.0 hearing aids get top marks for reliability, comfort, and sound quality. These are no-nonsense hearing aids that get the job done for a fair price. Today, Costco sells more than 10% of all hearing aids in the US and partners with Sonova to manufacture its devices.
Group #3: Worst Hearing Aid Brands
Junk hearing aids have been racking up sales on the internet for a decade, and the problem isn't going anywhere. The brands listed above have their pros and cons, but each is a reputable option with an actual operation behind it. In contrast, some internet brands are just junk. If you aren't sure about the brand you are considering, here are a few factors to watch for.
Clear pricing - Flash sales, more than 50% discounts, and buy one get one free offers are all red flags. Importantly, double-check whether you are getting a PAIR or a SINGLE hearing aid for the advertised price. Many brands advertise a low cost for just one hearing aid.
Return policy - Make sure any hearing aid you buy has at least a 45-day return policy. Also, double-check that there is no minimum trial period. Some cheap brands try to make it hard to return products by requiring that you keep your product for 30 days and then giving you a short time to return them before the 45 day deadline.
Reviews - If you choose to purchase hearing aids outside of an audiologist, make sure you find reviews on a 3rd party site. You might consider searching YouTube for product reviews as well.
Amazon or Alibaba Only - If a product doesn't have an actual website, I would avoid it. A brand that only sells on Amazon or Alibaba is likely trying to make a quick buck.
Specific Brands to Avoid
If you have more questions on which brands to avoid, watch this informative video from Dr. Cliff Olson:
So what's the best hearing aid brand in 2023?
It depends on your budget and goals. Right now, my favorite online product is from Jabra (made by ReSound).
The brand I'm most impressed with for its tech-forward approach, and use of AI is Oticon.
Bose is a great option if you are looking for a pair of hearing aids under $1,000.
Regardless of what brand you choose, I hope this guide makes your search a bit more informed.
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