Best Invisible Hearing Aids of 2024: Which Are the Smallest?

Audien Atom series is an affordable OTC brand for people who want a nearly invisible hearing aid with simple features and advanced background noise cancellation. Audien offers an ideal hearing aid device for those who don’t want to deal with an app for making adjustments. At under $200 per pair, Audien is our top pick for having the lowest-priced rechargeable hearing aids.

• Price per pair: $189-$289
• Hearing aid style: Completely in-canal and behind-the-ear options
• Battery: Rechargeable
• Bluetooth capabilities: No
• Adjustment: Buttons on hearing aid
• Warranty and trial period: One-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day, risk-free trial period
• Financing available: No

If you don’t need advanced features like Bluetooth streaming and want an affordable hearing aid with simple features, the Audien Atom 2 or Atom Pro 2 may be your best choice.

Among the three Audien hearing aids we tested, the Atom Pro 2 stood out. This model is equipped with a one-of-a-kind UV light sanitizing case, ensuring your hearing aids stay clean and hygienic. Our testers found the hearing aids to be a secure fit, and they appreciated their universal design, allowing for comfortable use in either ear.

The Atom 2 is priced under $200 at just $189 a pair, while the Atom Pro 2 costs $289, making both options among the lowest-priced hearing aids on the market. A few things to remember with the more affordable price point is that the hearing aids are not water resistant and don’t offer low-battery warnings while in the ear. To find out how much battery power remains, you need to insert them into the charging case. You’ll also make adjustments using buttons on the hearing aids rather than an app, which can be an inconvenience for some people or a positive feature for those who don’t wish to use an app. 

When you purchase Audien hearing aids, you’re covered by a 45-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try them risk-free. While there is no post-purchase audiology support, the customer service team can assist you with any queries or concerns via phone and web chat.

Audien also offers a behind-the-ear hearing aid for $489, but we don’t recommend the Audien BTE because there are other hearing aids on the market with more features at similar price points.

MDHearing is a company that manufactures OTC hearing aids and sells them online. As with all OTC hearing aids, they are appropriate for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. This brand is by far the most affordable option when shopping for an in-the-canal hearing aid, which is why we named MDHearing the “Most Budget-Friendly” invisible hearing aid.

Price per pair: $999.98–$1,499.98 ($297–$397 on sale)

Hearing aid style: Completely-in-canal

Battery: Rechargeable

Bluetooth capabilities: No

Adjustment: Buttons on hearing aid

Warranty and trial period: One-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day, risk-free trial period

Financing available: Yes

MDHearing is a company that manufactures OTC hearing aids and sells them online. MDHearing offers two nearly invisible hearing aids, NEO and NEO XS. The NEO XS is the brand’s smallest rechargeable hearing aid, featuring enhanced noise reduction and all-day comfort. 

As with all OTC hearing aids, they are appropriate for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. This brand is by far the most affordable option when shopping for an in-the-canal hearing aid because the devices are often deeply discounted, which is why we named MDHearing the “Most Budget-Friendly” invisible hearing aid.

Hearing aids can be an expensive purchase. Because Medicare and private insurance may not cover the cost, many people don’t get help for their hearing loss. In fact, we found cost was the second-most important consideration among respondents over the age of 54 who use hearing aids—behind only ease of use. ^[1] NCOA Adviser Hearing Aids Survey. 600 respondents. Conducted using Pollfish. Launched March 2022.

MDHearing delivers on budget-friendliness in two ways. First, the purchase price is about $1,300 below the average price of OTC hearing aids based on our market research. Second, the company’s founder and CEO, Doug Breaker, has worked to increase Medicare coverage for MDHearing products in order to make them even more affordable.

In addition to the low price, we’re impressed with the remote audiology care this company offers, which lasts for as long as you own the hearing aids. Before purchasing, you can even take a free online hearing test on the MDHearing website and consult an audiologist online at no charge. That’s something not all hearing aid companies offer, and we appreciate the extra care and value offered by MDHearing.

Performance of the MDHearing NEO and NEO XS

The rechargeable battery that comes with the NEO lasts longer (17–18 hours) than the Eargo brand’s more expensive hearing aids, which last only 16 hours. You can choose between nine volume levels using a button on the hearing aid. The NEO also includes standard hearing aid features, like feedback suppression (to reduce whistling) and digital noise reduction (to lower background noise).

The NEO XS is MDHearing’s smallest hearing aid. Its rechargeable battery lasts 18+ hours, and the device has feedback cancellation, background noise reduction, and four sound settings.

Customer satisfaction and reviews

MDHearing has a customer rating of 3.71 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) from 121 reviews. Most customers are happy with the level of care they receive from the company’s customer support team, but some people have had issues with devices that stop working after a few months. Rachel Magann Faivre, AuD, owner of Oklahoma City-based Ash Audiology, also noted how in her experience, some MDHearing hearing aids have had issues with feedback.

Another drawback to consider is the NEO only has one listening setting. The NEO XS has four but lacks features when compared to other OTC brands. 

Testers say the NEO XS is an “intuitive” device and appreciate its comfort and small size. Others note the device has basic features, and proper placement can be tricky.

While it’s more basic than higher-end hearing aids, if you have mild or moderate hearing loss and need a device that costs hundreds less than other brands, MDHearing may be a good choice.

Read our MDHearing review for more information.

Eargo is considered a top-of-the-line OTC brand for people who want a tiny, invisible hearing aid. When fully inserted, it can hardly be seen by other people. Eargo devices also include automatic sound adjustments, Bluetooth connectivity to an app, and water resistance, making them our choice for the “Best OTC” invisible hearing aid.

Price per pair: $799–$2,950

Hearing aid style: Completely-in-canal

Battery: Rechargeable

Bluetooth capabilities: Yes, LINK by Eargo offers Bluetooth phone/music streaming

Adjustment: App or buttons on hearing aid

Warranty and trial period: One- to two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 45-day, risk-free trial period

Financing available: Yes

You have the choice of four options with Eargo hearing aids: the LINK by Eargo, SE, 6, and 7. They all look the same and are shaped like tiny cylinders with petal-style tips, aside from LINK by Eargo, which features an earbud-style design. Additionally, all four are self-fitting hearing aids, which means the Eargo app uses a quick hearing screening to adjust the aids to your results when you set them up the first time.

The SE, 6, and 7 do have different levels of sound technology. All three models have four preset listening profiles to choose from, but the 6 and 7 employ a feature called Sound Adjust, which changes the amplification of speech and suppression of background noise depending on your environment. As you move up from the LINK by Eargo to the 7, you also get increasing levels of water and sweat resistance. This is a great feature for people who enjoy exercising or working outside.

Like MDHearing, Eargo hearing aids come with lifetime remote audiology support at no extra charge. Most hearing care clinics that sell prescription devices don’t offer this length of service.

Eargo devices are also sold at Victra-Verizon stores. We mystery-shopped at one location to see how much the staff knew about the hearing aids they sold. Our shopper found the salesperson to be knowledgeable and helpful with both the hearing aids and the app.

Customer satisfaction and reviews

Eargo has the highest BBB customer rating of any OTC device we’ve tested, at 4.44 out of 5 stars from 273 reviews. Similar to MDHearing, the majority of reviews reflected a great experience with customer service and the improved quality of life that often comes with better hearing.

Still, some people have had issues with poor sound quality, difficulty pairing their hearing aids with the app, and devices that don’t hold a charge. But the majority of reviewers are happy with their devices and especially like the comfortable fit.

If you can afford to pay more for an invisible OTC hearing aid, Eargo offers a quality device with advanced sound technology and excellent customer service.

Read our Eargo review for more details.

According to our experts, it’s impossible for anyone to know you’re wearing the Phonak Lyric unless you tell them. It’s so tiny, you may even forget you’re wearing it. At less than half an inch long, the Lyric is by far the smallest invisible hearing aid on the market.

Price per pair: $3,500–$4,000

Hearing aid style: Invisible-in-canal

Battery: Disposable

Bluetooth capabilities: No

Adjustment: Audiologist or remote control

Warranty and trial period: Depends on the hearing clinic where you purchase the hearing aids

Financing available: Yes

Unlike other hearing aids that are taken out of your ears at night for cleaning and charging, your audiologist or hearing professional will insert the Lyric deep into your ear canal, where it will stay in place for about one to four months at a time. Replacing the Lyric with a new one only requires a 10-minute appointment. Audiologists say this model is a great choice for anyone with dexterity issues or dementia since it requires no maintenance.

Phonak Lyric features

The Lyric includes several features we find attractive, including a battery that doesn’t need changing. It’s designed to withstand moisture and the deep-ear environment for the life of the hearing aid. You don’t need to charge this hearing aid or replace the batteries.

Because it sits so far in your ear canal, you can wear headphones or earbuds for listening to music without even thinking about your hearing aids. It comes in seven sizes, so your hearing professional can find the right fit for your ear canals.

This model is so small it doesn’t have room to include Bluetooth technology, so you can’t adjust it with an app. But your audiologist can make remote adjustments, or you can buy a remote that works with your Lyric to adjust the volume and settings.

The Lyric is more expensive than some other prescription devices because you will need to have it replaced periodically. As mentioned, this can vary in length from one to four months depending on a number of factors, like ear wax production, skin sensitivity, and how much water comes in contact with the hearing aids.

But the time commitment is about the same compared to other prescription devices, because hearing professionals recommend regular checkups for cleaning and maintenance. The Lyric is maintenance-free, so you can skip those appointments, but routine visits for a new Lyric will replace them.

Customer satisfaction and reviews

Phonak has a BBB customer rating of 2.11 out of 5 stars from just nine reviews. Keep in mind it can be difficult to get an accurate picture of customer satisfaction with prescription hearing aid brands from third-party reviews. That’s because all prescription hearing aid manufacturers sell only through hearing care clinics they’ve negotiated a partnership with. This means reviews about customer service are most likely referring to the hearing care clinic where the reviewer bought the hearing aids, rather than the hearing aid company itself.

Still, reviews like those on BBB can give us insight into device quality and the problems customers face when their hearing aids need to be mailed to the company for repairs. With Phonak, we’ve seen issues with lengthy repair times and problems with the app. But Phonak responds to every BBB review (both positive and negative), which is a good sign the brand cares about the customer experience.

For convenience and a completely discreet look and feel, the Phonak Lyric is our top choice. Go to the Phonak website for a list of hearing clinics in your area that carry the Lyric.

Read our Phonak review for more details on this brand.

The Signia Silk X is a tiny hearing aid with excellent prescription-level sound processing. It’s less expensive than most other in-ear prescription devices because it comes with four sizes and shapes of tips, rather than the custom ear molds that many in-ear devices use. Your audiologist can help you find the best tip for the most comfortable fit.

We named the Silk X the “Best for Active Seniors” because of its small size and great sound quality, with six customizable listening programs and 48 processing channels. You can adjust the volume and settings using either the Signia app or a small remote control. Directional microphones help you focus on conversation in a variety of environments, and this hearing aid has motion sensors that detect when you’re moving and adjust the amplification accordingly.

Price per pair: $1,540–$5,545

Hearing aid style: Completely-in-canal

Battery: Disposable

Bluetooth capabilities: Yes (only for making adjustments with the app; no streaming)

Adjustment: Audiologist, smartphone app, or remote control

Warranty and trial period: Depends on the hearing clinic where you purchase the hearing aids

Financing available: Yes

Customer satisfaction and reviews

Signia doesn’t have a BBB presence, but it has been reviewed by 19 customers on Trustpilot, where it has a rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars. Problems with functionality and lengthy repairs, similar to Phonak, are a common theme in reviews.

One thing to keep in mind is the Silk X is only appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss, similar to OTC hearing aids. If you have severe hearing loss, look into the last invisible hearing aid in our review, the Oticon Own.

Signia provides a hearing clinic locator so you can find one nearby that carries the Silk X. Read our Signia review for more details.

Oticon introduced a new line of in-ear and in-canal hearing aids in 2022 that use the company’s newest operating system for some of the fastest sound processing available. This line of five hearing aid models is called the Own, and it’s our choice for the “Best Sound Processing” among invisible hearing aids.

Price per pair: $2,150–$5,945

Hearing aid style: In-the-ear, completely-in-canal, invisible-in-canal

Battery: Disposable

Bluetooth capabilities: No

Adjustment: Remote audiology support, smartphone app, or buttons on hearing aid

Warranty and trial period: Depends on the hearing clinic where you purchase the hearing aids

Financing available: Yes

Oticon checks a lot of boxes. It’s a fully customizable hearing aid with the best sound processing in the industry, thanks to artificial intelligence that scans your environment thousands of times each second to find the best combination of listening settings.

Once your Own hearing aids have been programmed by your hearing professional, they should do all of the work from that point on. The only setting you may need to change is the volume, as well as activating Bluetooth streaming for audio or phone calls.

The streaming ability of this model is a noteworthy point. The Oticon Own is one of the only invisible hearing aids that comes with Bluetooth streaming. Two other models on this list, from Eargo and Signia, can connect to an app with Bluetooth for making adjustments, but they don’t allow you to stream music or phone calls. With the Oticon Own, you can do all three.

Magann Faivre also pointed out how the Own can treat up to moderately severe hearing loss due to the customized ear mold. “The custom fit allows more power to be placed in the ear without feedback,” she said.

Customer satisfaction and reviews

Oticon has the worst BBB customer rating we’ve seen at 1.33 out of 5 stars. But this rating is from only three reviews, not enough to give an accurate view of the company’s products. Of the reviews on BBB, two mention poor customer service and one refers to devices that stopped working. If you’re interested in Oticon devices, ask your hearing provider what other customer experiences have been and how they handle repairs and maintenance requests.

If you want a high-tech, customizable hearing aid that’s also discreet, check out the Oticon Own. You can find a list of hearing clinics in your area that carry Oticon hearing aids on the company’s website.