Will Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Help Me?
If you’re not ready for prescription hearing aids, or you’re looking for a less-expensive way to hear better, over-the-counter hearing aids might benefit you.
The OTC hearing aids are made for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Signs of this level of hearing loss…
- You struggle to understand speech in background noise
- You have trouble hearing on the phone
- You turn up the television so loud it bothers others
- You frequently ask people to repeat themselves
However, if you can’t hear well even in quiet environments, or you have an underlying medical condition, OTCs may not help you.
Before you decide on next steps, an audiologist appointment for diagnosis and care is a good idea. For help finding and working with an audiologist, visit our webpage. Remember, sudden, severe hearing loss and ear pain are both medical emergencies – seek help right away.
You can find OTCs in the $100-300 range, though many brands cost significantly more. Some OTC hearing aids are available online. In Washington State, you can find OTCs at CVS, Walgreens, Best Buy, and Walmart stores.
Before you start shopping, we recommend doing your research. The Hearing Loss Association of America provides this helpful, free tip sheet to help you. Consumer Reports magazine also offers a comprehensive guide. And you can print and take HLAA’s OTC Hearing Aid Shopping Checklist with you so you know what to consider, like a return policy and telecoil and Bluetooth connectivity. For example, the Lexi Lumen OTC has a telecoil.
The National Council on Aging lists their top OTC hearing aids for 2026. The list includes the Jabra Enhance and the Eargo. There’s even an OTC designed to help with tinnitus, the Elehear Beyond.
As with all hearing aids, give yourself time to get used to hearing sounds you might not be used to. An audiologist may be able to help you with your OTC, too.
What About Hearables?
A different option for mild-to-moderate hearing loss: Apple Airpods Pro 2 and 3. These earbuds amplify sound to help you hear conversations, and they can boost the clarity of music, video, and phone calls. They’re even customizable – you can upload your audiogram or take a hearing test at home from your phone. If you’re tech-savvy, or willing to learn, this might be a good way to explore treating your hearing loss.
HLAA-WA does not endorse any brand or type of hearing aids, nor does exclusion of a product suggest our disapproval. We support the full spectrum of hearing technologies that allow people with hearing loss to thrive.