Here's something that confused me when I first started researching hearing aids: Jabra and ReSound hearing aids look basically identical.
Same features. Same form factor. The way the apps work—really down to the detail, these are very similar products.
ReSound is available at a local clinic and Jabra is available online or at Costco. Different names. Usually different pricing structures. Even different fitting ranges.
When I first started researching hearing aids, this didn't make sense. I could tell I was seeing very similar products, but they had different names slapped on them.
Turns out, there's a method to the madness. In this guide, we'll make sense of all of it—the 120+ brands on the market, why so many look similar, and which ones are actually worth your attention.
Prefer to watch? Check out our video guide below👇
- 50+ hearing aid brands reviewed and rated by our team of hearing aid wearers and audiologists
- 200+ hours each month spent researching brands and care options
- 2,000,000 people shopped on Soundly in 2024
- 100% independently owned and operated
Read more about our company, services and process here.
- 50+ hearing aid brands reviewed and rated by our team of hearing aid wearers and audiologists
- 200+ hours each month spent researching brands and care options
- 2,000,000 people shopped on Soundly in 2024
- 100% independently owned and operated
Read more about our company, services and process here.
Featured in this article
Group #1: Prescription Hearing Aid Brands
Many hearing aid wearers work with a local audiologist to select and program their hearing aids. These audiologists are licensed to carry medical-grade hearing aids made almost exclusively by five big holding companies.
Below are the leading audiologist-prescribed brands on the market organized by their size.
These five manufacturers all have decades of experience, significant R&D budgets, and established infrastructure. That staying power matters when you're buying a device you'll wear for 5-7 years. They stand behind their products. They're not going anywhere.
#1. Sonova - Maker of Phonak, Sennheiser, Unitron, Audicus and Lyric
Sonova is a Swiss company that commands more than 30% of the industry. Sonova sells Phonak and Unitron products. Sonova also makes our favorite OTC product under the Sennheiser brand, and an invisible hearing aid called Lyric.
Phonak Sphere Infinio is Sonova’s top selling product.
One thing to note about Sonova: all of their products use the same Bluetooth connection method—Bluetooth Classic. Many of them use the same base chipsets. When you put in a Sonova hearing aid, you can actually hear the similarity in how they manage background noise or sudden sounds.
That shared engineering philosophy runs through everything they make, whether it's a $7,000 Phonak at your local clinic or a $1,000 Sennheiser device you buy online.
Sonova also makes a really unique product called Phonak Lyric. This is an invisible style device that goes deep inside your ear canal and actually stays in there 24/7. You just swap it out every 6 to 8 weeks. I tried this a while ago—definitely interesting to check out.
#2. Demant - Maker of Oticon, Philips and Sonic
Demant is the only company globally that covers all areas of hearing healthcare. Not just hearing devices—they make hearing implants, diagnostic equipment, and run professional hearing care services. They also own the popular hearing health site HealthyHearing.com.
Demant's top hearing aid brands include Oticon and Philips
Oticon Intent is Demant's most popular product.
If you compare the feature sets of the most recent Philips hearing aid and the Oticon Intent, you'll see they're sharing a lot of the same features. These are virtually identical products—they're just sold through different channels under different names.
#3. WS Audiology - Maker of Sony, Widex, Signia and Rexton
According to the WSA website, one of their brands manufactures 1 in 3 hearing aids worn worldwide. WSA sells hearing aids under popular brands like Widex, Signia, and Rexton. WSA also makes our favorite in-ear OTC hearing aid—Sony CRE-C20.
Widex Allure, Sony CRE-C20 and Signia Pure Charge&Go are the most popular hearing aids from WSA.
Widex is known for its speed—how fast it brings sound from the outside world into your ears. The latency or delay time for Widex is really low. A lot of music lovers prefer Widex for this reason. My mom actually wore Widex for about 20 years.
Signia is more of a workhorse. It has a great charger, long-lasting battery life, and I find it's really comfortable in the ears. Great Bluetooth connection. It's a modern, well-rounded, all-around product that we recommend to a lot of folks.
The other hearing aid brands WS Audiology manufactures include Sony hearing aids. Just like Demant, WS Audiology has a special brand designated for Costco—that's the Rexton brand.
#4. GN Hearing - Maker of ReSound, Jabra, Beltone, and Interton
GN hails from Denmark, where they create products for ReSound Jabra, and Beltone brands.
ReSound Vivia and Jabra Enhance Select are the most popular hearing aid from GN.
GN also manufactures most of the devices for Beltone locations. This is a chain of hearing aid retailers. If you go into a Beltone office, you'll most likely come out with a GN-manufactured hearing aid, typically under special names that Beltone gives to these products. Beltone’s current flagship is called envision, but this changes from year to year.
ReSound has been behind several important breakthroughs over the years, including the first connection to Apple's iPhone in 2013 and a 3rd microphone inside the ear in 2020. In 2023, ReSound became the first hearing aid brand to launch Auracast-enabled devices.
#5. Starkey - Maker of Starkey, NuEar, Audibel
Starkey Hearing Technologies is the only American-owned company in the top 5. Starkey has led the way in AI tech and intelligent hearing aids that track fitness and even translate foreign languages.
Starkey is also the manufacturer behind Audibel and NuEar products. Starkey is best known for their excellent, custom-mold devices. Starkey famously fit Ronald Reagan during his presidency.
Starkey Omega AI is currently Starkey's most popular hearing aid.
For the nerds out there, here’s a breakdown of each hearing aid brand’s market share.
Full Hearing Aid Brand List 👇
If you want to go deeper, the founder of HearingTracker put together an enlightening map of all hearing aid brands on the market. No wonder things can get confusing!
Group #2: Over The Counter Brands
The five brands above provide prescription products that require visits to an audiologist or hearing professional. Alternatively, online hearing aid brands combine convenience, affordability, and app-based programming to give consumers excellent options without the need for in-person visits.
Many OTC hearing aids are produced by the same parent companies behind the prescription models found in clinics, but they are sold under different brand names.
These are some of the top brands you might see in the OTC category.
Sennheiser Hearing Aids (Made by Sonova)
Sennheiser All Day Clear is our current choice for the best overall OTC hearing aid. We've sold and fit hundreds of these devices in the past year and consistently see outstanding consumer ratings and low returns. Sennheiser hearing aids are made by Sonova, the largest global hearing aid manufacturer.
Sony Hearing Aids (Made by WSA)
For the best in-ear hearing aid, we typically recommend Sony's CRE-C20. Nearly invisible in most ears, it's perfect for those who value discreet design.
Manufactured by WS Audiology (WSA), a global leader in hearing technology, Sony's devices share the same core technology as the Signia Silk (the in-clinic sister product), offering strong performance.
Jabra Hearing Aid (Made by GN)
Jabra hearing aids are produced by GN, the world's fourth-largest hearing aid manufacturer. Known for their excellent sound processing and reliable manufacturing, the Jabra brand is highly respected in the industry and available both online and at Costco.
The Jabra Enhance Select 500 stands out as our top telehealth-provided product for 2025.
Nuance Audio Hearing Aids (Made by Essilor Luxottica)
Nuance Audio is one of the newest and most innovative entries in the hearing aid market—and it takes a completely different approach.
These are hearing aids built into eyeglass frames. There's actually a speaker in the armband that plays sound into your open ear canal. It sends in a little sound boost based on an array of microphones on the front of the glasses.
This is a brand new product, just in the last year.
What makes Nuance Audio interesting is who's behind it: Essilor Luxottica, the world's largest eyewear maker. They make Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses and many, many others. So it's a new entrant into the hearing aid category that comes from a very credible parent brand.
It'll be interesting to watch over the next few years, see if Essilor Luxottica takes a stronger position in the hearing health category.
Elehear Hearing Aids (Independent)
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ELEHEAR is a newer brand that has gained popularity among budget-conscious shoppers. Originally specializing in chip design for laptops, ELEHEAR entered the hearing market in 2023 and launched their product, the ELEHEAR Beyond, in 2024.
This is a new independent company—no connection to the big five. But we think they have good R&D for the price point, and they do a nice job managing background noise and sudden sounds.
Our favorite product on their line is the ELEHEAR Beyond. They do have a new pro version of their product, which we don't find is worth the step up in price.
Eargo Hearing Aids (Owned by LXE)
Eargo is a pioneer in the OTC hearing aid category, known for its ultra-small, rechargeable devices that rival Sony's invisible options. Unlike many competitors, Eargo operates independently of the big five manufacturers, designing and producing its own products.
Since its launch in 2013, the market has grown more competitive, but Eargo continues to lead with its modern, innovative designs.
Update: Eargo and Lexie are now owned by the same company after a recent merger.
Lexie Hearing Aids (Owned by LXE)
Lexie has become a leading name in the OTC hearing market, thanks in large part to its licensed use of Bose technology. Their flagship product, the Lexie B2+ Powered by Bose, is one of the top OTC options available.
Unlike many competitors, Lexie independently manufactures its devices rather than partnering with one of the big five hearing aid manufacturers.
Update: Lexie and Eargo are now owned by the same company after a recent merger.
AirPods Pro Hearing Aids (Made by Apple)
In late 2024, Apple released a software update that effectively transforms AirPods Pro into OTC hearing aids.
While their form factor and performance may not fully replace traditional hearing aids, they present an exciting new option for individuals just beginning their hearing care journey.
Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3, released in late 2025, build on the hearing aid functionality of previous models with longer battery life and a few subtle improvements.
Learn More About AirPods as Hearing Aids
Sam's Club / Lucid Hearing
Another mid-sized brand to know about is Lucid Hearing. They make all the hearing aids available in Sam's Club.
If you walk into Sam's Club, you wouldn't have a range of brands available. You would just be looking at Lucid. Think of Lucid as the house brand for Sam's Club.
I just recently did a full review of the Sam's Club process and the Lucid hearing aid. In our opinion, they're not market leaders, but they are a solid option for folks who shop at Sam’s regularly.
Read Our Full Review of Sam's Club Hearing Aids
Costco (Various Manufacturers)
Costco is one of the leading sellers of hearing aids in the US and has developed a reputation for sensible service and low prices. They sell GN's Jabra, Demant's Philips and WSA's Rexton hearing aids.
These are no-nonsense hearing aids that get the job done for a fair price. Today, Costco sells more than 10% of all hearing aids in the US and partners with Sonova to manufacture its devices.
Group #3: Worst Hearing Aid Brands
Low quality hearing aids have been racking up sales on the internet for a decade, and the problem isn't going anywhere.
The brands listed above have their pros and cons, but each is a reputable option with an actual operation behind it. In contrast, some internet brands are just junk.
I've personally tested many of these budget products. Many claim "crystal clear sound" or "advanced noise reduction," but they can't handle a door slam or restaurant conversation. Some aren't comfortable to wear for more than an hour.
Brands We Often Don't Recommend
Let me be specific about a few brands we typically don't recommend:
Audien is an example. We have a full review of Audien on our channel, and it's not a product we'd suggest for most people.
MDHearing is another lower-cost and, in our opinion, lower-quality product that doesn't often deliver results for consumers.
Nano hearing aids have fluctuated in popularity and have also had some legal troubles over the years.
Then there are a whole host of white label or unknown products that are available for anywhere from $25 to $200 on Amazon. They often come from the same contract manufacturers overseas and are shipped in in bulk, then sold on Amazon or through Alibaba.
Red Flags to Watch For
If you aren't sure about the brand you're considering, here are a few factors to watch for:
Clear pricing - Flash sales, more than 50% discounts, and buy one get one free offers are often red flags.
Importantly, double-check whether you are getting a PAIR or a SINGLE hearing aid for the advertised price. Many brands advertise a low cost for just one hearing aid.
Return policy - Make sure any hearing aid you buy has at least a 45-day return policy.
Also, double-check that there is no minimum trial period. Some brands try to make it hard to return products by requiring that you keep your product for 30 days and then giving you a short time to return them before the 45-day deadline.
Amazon or Alibaba Only - If a product doesn't have an actual website, I would avoid it.
A brand that only sells on Amazon or Alibaba is likely trying to make a quick buck. Many of these come from the same contract manufacturers overseas. Without an actual company website or support infrastructure, you're taking a big risk.
Why Unknown Brands Are Risky
In our opinion, if you're going to go with over-the-counter hearing aids or prescription hearing aids, there are a lot of advantages to going with a known brand.
Think of one of the top 15 or 20 brands, likely with a connection to one of these large manufacturers. Maybe it's an upstart like Nuance Audio, which is brand new to the category but backed by a big company.
Typically, that's what we recommend as you're sorting through brands.
With unknown brands, it's harder to predict quality. There's no guarantee the company will be around to honor your warranty. They can't service your product long-term. You're on your own.
So what's the best hearing aid brand for 2025?
It depends on your budget and goals. Right now, our favorite OTC products are Sennheiser and Sony.
Our top pick for prescription care is Signia with Phonak as a strong runner up. Regardless of what brand you choose, I hope this guide makes your search a bit more informed.
Watch our recent overview of the best hearing aids on the market in 2025 here. 👇
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