Best Cheap Hearing Aids for Seniors, Tested and Reviewed

Price

• Enhance Select 50R: $995 to $1,195 per pair
• Enhance Select 300: $1,495 to $1,695 per pair
• Enhance Select 500: $1,795 to $1,995 per pair

Jabra Enhance prices are low compared to those of traditional prescription hearing aids. Even with the lower cost, consumers benefit from three years of personalized care from a Jabra Enhance audiologist with Premium packages. This ups the value of Jabra Enhance hearing aids. If you’re on the fence about Jabra Enhance, they offer a 100-day risk-free trial. That’s more than three months to try out the devices and decide if they’re the right fit for you.

» Our Full Review: Jabra Enhance hearing aids review 2024

The most affordable Jabra Enhance model is the Enhance Select 50R, which starts at $995. However, if you want more advanced tech for complex listening situations and Bluetooth LE Audio connectivity, you’ll need to upgrade. Two alternative models are the Enhance Select 300 and the Enhance Select 500, with starting prices of $1,495 and $1,795, respectively. These prices aren’t nearly as low as MDHearing’s prices, which start at $297 per pair, but they offer better sound quality and more bang for your buck.

Plus, if you’re willing to spend $200 more to upgrade to the Premium package, you get customized programming, a three-year warranty, and audiologist support. We think the Premium package is worth the extra cost, but if it’s outside your budget or you want lifetime audiologist support at no extra cost, you may prefer a comparable hearing aid from Eargo.

Our Experience With Jabra Enhance

One of the best parts of choosing Jabra Enhance is the pricing transparency. You can buy any of their three models directly from the company’s website, and you can see exactly what perks and features you get for the price. We ordered the Jabra Enhance 300 and received them in the mail in just three days.

» Also Check Out: Jabra Enhance Select 300 review

The hearing aids arrived with easy instructions to get everything set up. We got all our questions answered during the initial programming appointment (via Zoom) with a Jabra Enhance audiologist. Our tech expert didn’t experience any feedback noise when putting the hearing aids in or taking them out. We found the sound quality was crisp, clear, and natural.

We did need to change the wires based on the audiologist's recommendation, and we had to handle this process ourselves. It wasn’t time-consuming, but it could prove difficult for seniors with dexterity issues. We also had the option to schedule additional appointments with an audiologist if we needed the devices reprogrammed, but the Jabra Enhance mobile app made it easy to make adjustments and customizations on the fly.

Making adjustments using the Jabra Enhance mobile app

Price

• MDHearing AIR: $297 per pair
• MDHearing NEO: $297 per pair
• MDHearing VOLT: $397 per pair
• MDHearing NEO XS: $397

The cost of a pair of MDHearing devices is a fraction of what you’ll pay for other OTC brands like Eargo or Jabra Enhance. Their lowest-priced BTE model (MDHearing AIR) is $297 per pair, thanks to the company’s ongoing sale, which is affordable for most budgets. They also offer a payment plan for those who need it. If you don’t mind paying a bit more, the MDHearing NEO XS is $397 per pair and offers a more discreet, in-canal design.

MDHearing's ITE hearing aids, including the NEO XS that we've tested, are small and discrete.

Alternatively, the MDHearing VOLT is a BTE model with an even better sound quality and more ways to reduce background noise, priced at $397 per pair. If you’re not happy with your purchase, MDHearing offers a 45-day risk-free trial. While this is about half the length of Jabra Enhance’s 100-day risk-free trial, it still gives you enough time to test out your devices and get a full refund if you’re not satisfied. We also appreciate that, like Eargo, MDHearing offers lifetime remote support at no extra cost.

Our Experience With MDHearing

We tested out the MDHearing VOLT and NEO XS to see how the company’s different offerings compared. The NEO XS is designed to be in-canal, but we had to change the domes to get them to rest more comfortably in our ears. Much like our experience changing the wires on the Jabra Enhance Select 300, this was slightly challenging on our own. However, the lack of in-person help is part of the experience of OTC hearing aids. If you’re looking for in-person support from a hearing professional, we’d recommend upgrading to a prescription hearing aid. While they are more expensive, they offer in-depth hearing screenings, customization, and follow-up care.

» Learn More: Best behind-the-ear hearing aids

Our tech expert noticed a bit of feedback when putting in the VOLT and NEO XS models that went away over time. While this may not be a huge issue, it can be annoying for some. The devices also lacked the “bells and whistles” of more expensive OTC hearing aids from Jabra Enhance and Eargo.

Expert Insights

From Dr. Ruth Reisman, Audiologist

Some MD Hearing models may provide more amplification than required for a mild to moderate loss. So if things sound too loud, they just might be. You can navigate this by reducing the volume to the lowest setting and slowly navigate to a volume that is comfortable for the user. Alternatively, the in-the-ear models tend to have gain levels that are more appropriate.

MDHearing discontinued its mobile app, so all adjustments are either made remotely with a hearing care professional or directly on the devices themselves. This was a drawback for us, as we love the convenience of a mobile app. However, those without smartphones or less tech-savvy users won’t mind the lack of an app. Additionally, the company doesn’t offer Bluetooth hearing aids, so if you want to stream sound directly from your phone or TV, we’d recommend other OTC providers like Jabra Enhance.

» Our Full Review: MDHearing reviews

Price

• LINK by Eargo: $799 per pair
• Eargo SE: $1,650 per pair
• Eargo 6: $2,250 per pair
• Eargo 7: $2,950 per pair

Ranging from $799 to $2,950 per pair, Eargo’s top models are some of the highest-priced hearing aids on our list. For comparison, Jabra Enhance’s top-tier model, the Enhance Select 500, costs $1,995 with a Premium package. That’s around $1,000 less than the Eargo 7. However, Eargo’s devices are all rechargeable and nearly invisible — which is worth the boost in price for some users. Plus, the company offers monthly payment options starting at $26 per month if you’re on a budget.

» Learn More: Best rechargeable hearing aids December 2024

Keep in mind that each Eargo model is very different. For example, the earbud-style LINK by Eargo is the most affordable option. It features Bluetooth connectivity, but it isn’t compatible with the mobile app. Also, it only offers up to nine hours of listening time on a single charge. On the other hand, the completely-in-canal models (Eargo SE, Eargo 6, and Eargo 7) cost far more and lack direct-to-device Bluetooth streaming. These models do offer a bit more discretion and allow for longer battery life, with up to 16 hours of listening time. You’ll need to consider which model works best for your budget and needs.

» For Optimal Discretion: The best invisible hearing aids of 2024

Our Experience With Eargo

When we tested Eargo’s hearing aids, we found them best suited for those who may be new to hearing aids and want a discreet, rechargeable option. You can find less expensive BTE hearing aids from Jabra Enhance or MDHearing, but you won’t find an in-the-ear, rechargeable option with advanced features for much less. Eargo also comes with an intuitive mobile app, but it was disappointing to see that the app only worked with newer Android or iPhones. Also, it was not compatible with the LINK by Eargo.

Using the Eargo app to adjust our hearing aid settings

We would have liked to get more listening time with each charge. All Eargo charging cases hold at least two charges, but none of them offer a full 24 hours of listening time on one charge. While 16 hours is sufficient to get you through the day if you set your Eargo SE, Eargo 6, or Eargo 7 to charge overnight, we found the LINK by Eargo had to be charged in the middle of the day if we wanted to use it for more than nine hours at a time.