Why You Can Trust Our Expert Review
Our experts independently research and recommend products we believe provide value in the lives of our readers. We’ve spent collectively more than 5,000 hours conducting in-depth research on hearing aids. Throughout this process, we did the following:
- Engaged in ongoing independent research
- Consulted with independent audiologists
- Consulted with geriatric care experts
- Mystery shopped the brands
- Surveyed hundreds of hearing aid users
- Tested various models of hearing aids
- Interviewed experts in the field
- Read thousands of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties such as Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports
Why We Reviewed Audien Hearing Aids
We reviewed Audien hearing aids due to its extremely competitive price point—with pairs of hearing aids starting at $89, Audien is a market leader when it comes to cost.
And although Audien is not one of the best hearing aids on the market due to its lack of advanced features, its simple functionality may be a good fit for those who want a basic hearing aid at a budget-friendly price.
Audien Hearing Aids Review
Pros and Cons of Audien Hearing Aids
Pros
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Extremely affordable, starting at $89 for a pair
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Rechargeable, eliminating the need to buy batteries
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Wireless charging options available for most Audien models
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Small and not easily visible
Cons
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Not medical-grade hearing aids
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Not fit to the ear or tuned to a specific level of hearing loss
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Don’t reduce background noise to any level and may not be effective in noisy settings
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Lack some of the features commonly found in some of the best Bluetooth hearing aids
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Audien was cautioned about misleading advertising practices
Audien was founded by Arthur Garber. After his grandmother started to experience hearing loss, he found that, while purchasing hearing aids can cost several thousand dollars, the cost to produce them is far less. Audien hearing aids are sold directly to the consumer, without the involvement of an audiologist or a hearing test, for much cheaper than many other hearing aids on the market. This has made Audien stand out as a reputable provider of inexpensive hearing aids.
But Audien’s history isn’t all good. The National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) said on July 21, 2021, that Audien must stop claiming that Audien hearing aids are “rechargeable hearing aids for $89/pair,” have “similar technology to $5000 hearing aids,” and that they “can be used for tinnitus management.” Audien agreed to stop making those claims and also agreed to stop claiming that they were ”the best rechargeable hearing aid” and “audiologists’ #1 recommended online hearing aid,” and that they are the “best hearing aid for tinnitus management.”
Since Audien hearing aids do not require a prescription from an audiologist to obtain, unlike custom-programmed hearing aids, they are not classified as hearing aids—which are medical devices registered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Instead, they fall under the category of “personal sound amplification products.” Because of that, they aren’t covered by health insurance plans.