Best Cheap Hearing Aids for Seniors, Tested and Reviewed in 2025

Jabra Enhance is our top choice for affordable hearing aids, as they offer the most value and excellent follow-up care.

Matthew Jones Ruth Reisman
Matthew Jones
Matthew Jones
Who is Matthew Jones?
Matthew Jones is a Senior Living researcher and writer who has spent the past five years producing in-depth guides for older adults and their families. His expertise spans long-term care planning and everyday tech like medical alert systems, hearing aids,… Learn More
Expert Verified
Expert Verified
This content has been reviewed and verified by relevant subject matter experts. Learn More
Writer and Editor
Ruth Reisman
Dr. Ruth Reisman
Who is Dr. Ruth Reisman?
Ruth Reisman, AuD MBA, is a licensed audiologist and hearing aid dispenser in New York state and is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. She is an associate adjunct professor for the CUNY Graduate Center and Touro College… Learn More
Expert Verified
Expert Verified
This content has been reviewed and verified by relevant subject matter experts. Learn More
Audiologist
Our Methodology

SeniorLiving.org’s resident audiologists and tech experts tested the industry’s leading hearing aids and narrowed the list to our top affordable picks.

100
Hours of Research
15
Products Tested
3
Experts Consulted
3
Products Selected

Our team testing out different hearing aids

How We Tested the Hearing Aids

How we test and evaluate hearing aids
Our tech team conducted over 100 hours of hands-on testing to compare the top affordable hearing aids fairly. They focused on a wide range of factors that could affect the efficacy of each model, as well as the upfront and long-term costs for users on a budget.

Here’s what our testing process looked like for OTC hearing aids that are available online:

  1. We tried out each brand’s online hearing test, comparing our results to evaluations from an audiologist.
  2. Then, we selected our hearing aids and made our purchase, evaluating the overall purchasing process. We considered the price and value of each hearing aid, current promotions, additional fees, and upfront costs. We also considered how these prices compare to the more expensive hearing aids we’ve tested.
  3. Once the devices arrived at our doorstep, we followed the instructions to set them up. If the brand had a mobile app, we downloaded it to our phones and set it up. We evaluated the ease of use and the total number of steps required to get our hearing aids out of the box and fully functional.
  4. We contacted customer service several times to evaluate the quality of care by phone, mobile app (if applicable), and online chat.
  5. Our team tested each hearing aid for a week, using them at home, in noisy environments, and in quieter conversational settings. We evaluated the hearing aid’s features, sound quality, and ease of use in each location.

For prescription hearing aids that can’t be ordered online, we spoke with Dr. Reisman about her expertise with each brand. We combined her experience in prescribing and testing these hearing aids with her patients’ feedback to evaluate and rank them. Dr. Reisman also spoke with us about patients’ experiences and the costs they encountered when seeking refittings, repairs, or replacements for their hearing aids.

How We Chose the Best Hearing Aids

Our team of tech experts collaborated with our resident audiologist, Dr. Ruth Reisman, to get dozens of hours of hands-on experience with the best hearing aid brands. After testing and researching various models, we assembled a list of the best affordable options. To make the cut, the providers needed to meet the following criteria:

  • Price and value. Of course, the hearing aids on our list had to be affordable, but they also needed to offer solid value. There’s no use in purchasing a cheap pair of hearing aids if they won’t meet your needs. We also considered factors such as the manufacturer’s warranty, which can help lower costs if the hearing aids don’t work as they should out of the box.
  • A good reputation. These hearing aid companies were already on our radar for providing top-quality devices. Some have been around for decades, while others have established themselves in the 2010s.
  • Payment options. Paying for a pair of hearing aids in a lump sum can be difficult for seniors on a fixed income. We’ve vetted products that offer flexible payment options, allowing you to pay for your hearing aids over several months.
  • A return period. No one knows if a hearing aid is right for them until they try it out. The providers on our list offer at least 45-day return policies to decide if the hearing aids work for you. You’ll be refunded if not.

Why Trust Us

Our team of tech experts tries out devices for seniors. We’ve spent hundreds of hours testing and reviewing affordable hearing aids.

We also worked with experts, like our resident licensed audiologist, Dr. Ruth Reisman. She has personally tested and prescribed hearing aids from providers on this list. She worked alongside us to choose the best options for older adults on fixed incomes or patients who simply want to pay less for their hearing aids.

She offered her feedback on specific models, as well as her firsthand experience prescribing them to patients with different budgets. Dr. Reisman has over 15 years of experience working with older adults with hearing loss.

SeniorLiving.org is supported by commissions from providers listed on our site. Read our Editorial Guidelines

Citations
  1. Medicare.gov. (2021). Hearing Aids.

  2. John Hopkins Medicine. (2021). The Hidden Risks of Hearing Loss.

  3. AARP. (2020). FTC Raps Hearing Aid Chains for ‘Deceptive’ COVID-19 Promotions.

Written By:
Matthew Jones
Writer and Editor
Matthew Jones is a Senior Living researcher and writer who has spent the past five years producing in-depth guides for older adults and their families. His expertise spans long-term care planning and everyday tech like medical alert systems, hearing aids,… Learn More About Matthew Jones
Reviewed By:
Dr. Ruth Reisman
Audiologist
Ruth Reisman, AuD MBA, is a licensed audiologist and hearing aid dispenser in New York state and is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. She is an associate adjunct professor for the CUNY Graduate Center and Touro College… Learn More About Dr. Ruth Reisman