One of the biggest factors affecting hearing aid cost is the care model you choose. Fortunately, today’s hearing aid wearers have more options than ever. Here's a quick overview of the care models available and how they impact price.

1. OTC Hearing Aids

Over-the-counter devices became available in late 2022 after a major FDA ruling. They’re designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss and can be purchased via retailers like Soundly or in some stores like Walgreens—no hearing test or prescription required.

As a user, I’ve tested nearly every OTC option on the market. The best ones offer app-based controls, rechargeable batteries, and very strong sound performance. But they do require some independence and upfront research.

At Soundly, we currently offer just four OTC brands—out of dozens available—because they meet our quality standards. If you purchase through Soundly, you’ll get a guided setup call with an audiologist. Still, you’re the one pushing the buttons.

Typical brands: Nuance, Sennheiser, Jabra Enhance Select
Price: $899 – $1,9959 per pair
Good fit for: Tech-comfortable users with mild/moderate loss (take our test here to determine your hearing loss level)

3. In-Clinic Prescription Hearing Aids

This is the most common route. Purchasing hearing aids at a local audiologist means that you get face-to-face care, the latest technolgoy and hearing aids professionally programmed for your loss. Prescription hearing aids at a local clinic typically cost $6,000-$8,000 but you can get the same brands for $1998-4098 with a referral from Soundly.

Typical brands: Relate, Phonak, Oticon, Widex, ReSound, Signia
Price: $1,998 – $7,500+ per pair (often includes all services)
Good fit for: Those with complex needs or who want in-person care

4. Costco and Big Box Retailers

Costco offers a selection of house-branded hearing aids inside their big box stores. You’ll still get in-person support, a hearing test, and fittings, but selection is more limited.

Typical brands: Philips, Jabra, Rexton
Price: $1,399 – $2,999 per pair
Good fit for: People near a Costco who want in-person care at a lower price

A Closer Look at In-Clinic Pricing

If you've ever tried to get a quote from a local hearing clinic, you might have noticed it's surprisingly difficult to find a clear number. Here’s why.

Unlike many consumer goods, hearing aids aren’t priced by the manufacturer. Instead, manufacturers sell devices to audiologists and hearing centers, who set their own prices—much like car dealerships. That means the same device might cost thousands more or less depending on where and how you buy it.

There are two big variables that impact what you’ll pay at a local clinic:

1. Care Network vs. Walk-In Pricing

Most people start their hearing-aid journey by booking an appointment with a local audiologist. For premium prescription hearing aids with ongoing care, the total cost often lands around $6,500.

The challenge is that pricing is rarely clear upfront—and in many cases, people end up paying more than they need to for the same underlying technology.

This is where clinic networks (including ours) can make a real difference.

In a network model, groups of clinics agree to upfront, transparent pricing on both hearing aids and care in exchange for access to new patients. The technology is the same—but the cost is more predictable and often meaningfully lower.

At Soundly, we guide people toward RX care through this approach. Our users get access to 6,500+ trusted local clinics nationwide, with pre-set pricing that’s typically 25–50% lower than the national average—before you ever book an appointment.

Here’s how it breaks down:

2. Technology Levels Within Each Brand

Another reason hearing aid pricing gets confusing: most manufacturers sell the same model at multiple technology tiers.

Let’s take ReSound as an example. Their flagship model (ReSound Sensia) comes in four different tech levels:

• Essential (good for quiet environments, fewer features)
• Entry Level (has some premium sound features by not all)
• Mid-level (adds more background noise reduction and programming channels)
• Premium (fully loaded, best for complex hearing loss and noisy settings)

This is similar to how a car might be sold in basic, midrange, and fully loaded trims—all under the same nameplate. Here at Soundly we clearly list pricing for each tech level, so that you can see exactly what you are getting.