Our favorite budget hearing aids
Tired of stressing yourself over the cost of hearing aids? It's true that most prescription hearing aids will cost a pretty penny -- these days, the average price for prescription-grade hearing aids is estimated to fall anywhere between $1,000 and $3,500, making this a steep investment for people looking for a solution to mild to moderate hearing loss.
Thankfully, you have some options. Instead of spending your valuable summer vacation time (and money!) hunting for affordably priced hearing aids, read through our roundup of the best over the counter (OTC) hearing aids that cost a fraction of the price of more expensive models.
Save on hearing aids with these top five brands
Whether you're on the lookout for a new hearing aid with the best features, the comfiest fit, or the lowest price tag, we have some of the best and most affordable hearing aid options below.
- Best overall: Jabra
- Best price, hands down: Audien Hearing
- Best behind-the-ear fit: MDHearing
- Best with Bluetooth connectivity: Go Hearing
- Most tech features: Lexie
Shop the best budget-friendly hearing aids from brands like Jabra and MDHearing below.
Best overall: Jabra Enhance Plus
One of the best OTC hearing aids out there is the Jabra Enhance Plus hearing aid. Featuring a sleek, nondescript design and more than 10 hours of battery life per charge, these hearing aids belong at the top of our list.
Unlike many prescription hearing aids that can cost thousands of dollars a pair, these hearing aids -- Jabra's first OTC model -- offer impressive sound quality and features for a price that's under $1,000.
Prices start at $799 for the Jabra Enhance Plus hearing aid.
Pros:
- Jabra Enhance mobile app is intuitive and easy to use.
- Decent battery life.
- Good overall balance of affordability and accessibility.
Cons:
- Jabra Enhance app is currently only available for iOS users.
- Background noise cancellation could be a smidge better in our opinion.
Most budget-friendly: Audien Hearing Atom 2
If you want quality hearing aids from the most budget-friendly hearing aid brand, look no further than the Atom 2 hearing aids by Audien Hearing.
These super-small hearing aids make for a great low profile look. With four hearing settings that can be just as useful for people with severe hearing loss as they are for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, this hearing aid offers solid background noise cancellation.
Don't just take our word for it -- according to Audien Hearing, this hearing aid currently holds a 4.5 out of five star rating with more than 500,000 customer reviews.
These budget-friendly hearing aids are available for just $189 at Audien Hearing below.
Pros:
- The absolute lowest price you're going to find for high quality OTC hearing aids from a trusted and budget-friendly hearing aid brand.
- Multiple preset programs can make these a great pick for people with varying degrees of hearing loss, as well as anyone with the inner ear disorder Ménière disease, which can require multiple adjustments throughout the day.
- 24-hour battery life on a single charge.
Cons:
- Small size and sleek design can make these difficult to maneuver or configure for older adults.
- Sound amplification and background cancellation features aren't as crisp or robust as other, pricier models.
Best behind-the-ear fit: MDHearing Air
One of the most affordable hearing aids out there is the MDHearing Air model, the hearing aid brand's latest OTC hearing aid.
If you'd prefer larger hearing aids, which can be easier to configure with bigger buttons and less prone to getting lost, consider this behind-the-ear design by MDHearing. This hearing aid sits snugly around and behind the ear for easy access.
This budget hearing aid offers impressive features like background noise reduction and omnidirectional sound amplification.
This hearing aid brand offers some of the lowest prices on our list, with the price of a pair of MDHearing Air devices sitting at just $297.
Pros:
- Super affordable for anyone uninterested or unable to consider prescription hearing aids.
- Excellent customer support according to customer reviews.
- Free shipping, free lifetime support, a one-year warranty, and a 45-day risk-free trial make this one of the best and safest purchases you can make when shopping for new hearing aids.
Cons:
- Limited tech capabilities when compared to other, more expensive devices.
- Behind-the-ear design can be more noticeable than other in-the-ear hearing aids.
Best Bluetooth streaming quality: Go Hearing Ultra OTC
Another behind-the-ear design that's worth your money is from Go Hearing. The Go Hearing Ultra OTC hearing aid comes with several standout features, such as Bluetooth streaming capability, hands-free calls, and a whopping 20-hour battery life.
Thanks to its flexibility and included measuring tool, this hearing aid is easily fitted and configured on your own -- no visits to an audiologist or specialist required if you'd prefer a DIY approach.
Pros:
- Comfortable and lightweight, especially for behind-the-ear hearing aids, which can sometimes be on the bulkier side.
- Impressive battery life for OTC hearing aids.
Cons:
- Sound performance isn't as impressive as other hearing aids.
- No mobile app, so adjustments are limited to the device's buttons.
Most tech features: Lexie Lumen OTC
On the higher end of budget hearing aid brands is Lexie. But the Lexie Lumen OTC hearing aid has standout features and a price tag that's still half what you'd pay for quality prescription hearing aids, make these worth your consideration.
Perfect for mild to moderate hearing loss, the Lexie Lumen OTC hearing aid comes with multiple pre-programmable listening settings that can be matched with different environments and noise levels.
This hearing aid is also equipped with a telecoil setting that lets wearers bypass background noise and tap into nearby speakers -- useful whether you're at the movies, a museum, or a busy train station.
Right now, you can save $100 by shopping this hearing aid at Amazon below.
Pros:
- Good background noise cancellation.
- Custom features make this hearing aid useful for a variety of scenarios.
Cons:
- No Bluetooth connectivity.
How much do hearing aids cost?
When it comes to hearing aid prices, there are two groups to consider: prescription hearing aids and over-the-counter, or OTC hearing aids.
One 2018 survey of over 2,000 adults found that the average price for high quality prescription hearing aids cost around $4,600 -- with the caveat that prices range widely for a number of reasons and can be anywhere from $1,000 to more than $8,000 per pair.
OTC hearing aids are a relatively new category where customers can get their hands on decent devices for much lower costs -- less than $1,000 a pair. These typically come with less robust tech features (making them ideal for people with mild to moderate hearing loss) and none of the complex extras that you get with a prescription hearing aid.
How can I save money on hearing aids?
Explore your OTC options. Some big-box retailers like Walmart offer low prices on both prescription and OTC hearing aids. One such deal is the Lexie B2 OTC hearing aid by Bose, which you can purchase directly through retailers such as Amazon.
Right now, you can save $200 on the Lexie B2 OTC hearing aid, a top pick for quality and affordable OTC hearing aids, at Walmart -- a 20% discount off the original price of $999.
How we compared the best budget hearing aid brands
For a closer look at how we rate products, here is what we prioritized while looking at budget-friendly hearing aid brands:
- Affordability: We looked plenty of budget-friendly OTC devices to make sure we only highlight the highest-quality hearing aids.
- Sound technology: We looked for important features like background noise cancellation and speech amplification.
- Customer reviews: All of our hearing devices hold a four-star review or higher from happy customers just like you.
- Comfortability: We paid attention to the design, shape, and fit of each hearing aid to ensure only the most comfortable hearing aids made the list.
