Best Hearing Aids in 2021

Price: Starting at $1,450 a pair

Range: Mild to Moderate

Purchase: Independent Practices

Test: Traditional

Lively has a lower price point for traditional hearing aids paired with modern technology. Also, with a purchase of Lively you have free follow-up access to an audiologist. For more information, head to our hands-on Lively review.

Price: $199 to $799 each

Range: Mild to Moderately–Severe

Purchase: Online

Test: Self-test

MDHearingAid has a great online hearing test and based on my hands-on review and investigation, I like their products for mild to moderate hearing loss. MDHearingAid is very affordable compared to most providers. For people with severe hearing loss, their background noise management and fitting flexibility may not be sufficient.

MDHearingAid has made some exciting developments in recent months! To help customers navigate the confusing world of insurance and hearing aid coverage, MDHearingAid recently launched a dedicated Insurance Team to help customers find out if hearing aids are covered and file claims for them. The company is also preparing to launch QuietTV Wireless headphones on Oct. 1. These new wireless TV headphones clarify and amplify the sound of your TV for crystal clear listening. To learn more, read our full MDHearingAid review.

Price: $1,500 – $2,950 per pair

Range: Mild to Moderate High-Frequency

Purchase: Online

Test: Self-test

Eargo is very clear about the niche they are after, which is folks with mild to moderate hearing loss. In looking at and test driving Eargo’s products, I found the company to be a perfect solution for a first time, high tech user. They get extra points from me for not trying to fit people they aren’t appropriate for and offering a rechargeable CIC. Visit our full Eargo review to learn more.

Price: $799 per pair of $49 per month for 24 months

Range: Mild to Moderate

Purchase: Online or at select Walgreens for a one-time payment or monthly subscription

Test: Online

Lexie Hearing offers affordable BTE devices that can either be purchased outright or through a monthly subscription. Lexie’s subscription option offers great perks, including protection against damaged or lost hearing aids and care kits with replacement batteries and accessories shipped straight to your door. While Lexie doesn’t offer the most advanced hearing aids on the market, I appreciate how inexpensive they are and that you can adjust your devices from home using their mobile app. Visit our Lexie Hearing review to learn more.

Price: $199 to $649 each 

Range: Mild to moderate

Purchase: Online, single payment or financing

Test: Online or email your audiogram

Otofonix is a “hearing amplifier” rather than a hearing aid but provides basic amplification for mild to moderate hearing loss. Overall, Otofonix devices have good build quality. Plus, Otofonix is a great option for those on a tight budget who spend most of their time in quiet settings talking to only one or two others at a time. Check out our latest Otofonix review for all the details on this provider.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just about average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase: Independent practices, Phonak-owned  Connect Hearing  stores, and VA Audiology

Test: Traditional

Phonak gets the prize for measurable improvement in hearing in a difficult setting, making it the audio logic champ of this list. That said, their best solution, Roger, is priced outside the range of many folks, and their other remote solutions are not quite as good as ReSound’s MultiMic. Their integration with Advanced Bionics cochlear implants is however better than the ReSound/Cochlear one. If Phonak’s higher prices fit in your budget, it’s worth considering. Read our latest Phonak review to learn more.

Price: $599 to $1199 per instrument

Range: Mild to Severe

Purchase: Direct to consumer, single payment, or up to 36 monthly installments via Care Credit.

Test: Online test or upload of your own audiogram

Embrace is an affordable provider, offering “white label” versions of Phonak, Unitron, and Rexton hearing aids at significantly lower prices than traditional sales channels. For a more hands-on look, head to this year’s Embrace review.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just above the average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Severe

Purchase: Beltone stores which are mostly independent franchises

Test: Self-test or in-store

I have fitted Beltone hearing aids extensively in my clinical practice. ReSound makes current Beltone hearing aids, and so have all the benefits of a “Big 6” company.  As such, they are audiologically suited for all types of hearing loss with two caveats. First, even though the hardware is ReSound, the software is proprietary, so they can only be serviced and adjusted at a Beltone location. Second, the typical partnership between ReSound and Cochlear for those with cochlear and bone-anchored implants is no longer valid. It’s possible that Beltone-branded wireless accessories will work with Cochlear products, but I don’t have that data. Visit our latest Beltone review for a closer look at this provider.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just about average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase:  Independent practices.

Test: Traditional

Widex fills out the “just below top shelf” group. If a patient was not a potential cochlear implant candidate I’d fit them with a Widex without hesitation. They get a small blip for performing musicians. Read our full Widex review for more information, or head to our Widex pricing guide to see how their prices stack up.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just about average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase:  Independent practices  and VA Audiology

Test: Traditional

Continuing with the “shelf” analogy I’d put Signia’s products on the same shelf as Oticon. Their products cover the full range of hearing loss and a nice group of wireless accessories. They work very well in both low and high tech modes and their rechargeable technology is leading the pack. Visit our review of Signia to learn more.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just about average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase: Independent practices, Starkey-owned stores, and VA Audiology

Test: Traditional

Starkey occupies their place next to Signia and Oticon as a company suited to fit all losses with the same cochlear-implant patient caveats. As the only US member of the Big 6, Starkey’s products get Made in the USA points corporate wise, but in reality, a lot of their tech is manufactured overseas. Check out our hands-on Starkey review for all the details.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run about  average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase: Independent practices and VA Audiology

Test: Traditional

ReSound sits squarely on the top shelf for patients of all groups primarily due to their long history of being honest about the reality that nearly everyone with hearing loss will need more than just hearing aids to perform optimally in the real world. Their 2.4 GHz accessories are well built and ReSound’s prices are affordable, and their partnership with Cochlear extends their fitting range to profound. Visit our full ReSound review to see if this provider is the right fit for you.

Price: Not listed, but based on reports from my patients, they run at or just about average for storefront dispensing of $1,500 to $3,500 per ear

Range: Mild to Profound

Purchase: Independent practices, Oticon-owned  Hearing Life stores, and VA Audiology

Test: Traditional

Oticon’s products sit just below the top shelf across all levels of hearing loss and has a full product lineup. While they don’t have a direct partnership with cochlear implant manufacturers, they fully support FM systems and offer telecoils in the majority of their power products and some accessories. Read our latest review of Oticon for more information.