Methodology and sources

Every price on this site is a pair price printed by a named seller on its own public page, read on October 20, 2026. Nothing is estimated, averaged into a "typical" price or typed into a template: the figures live in src/_data/models.json, channels.json and rules.json, each record with its source URL and checked date.

Price sources

Rule and coverage sources

Method

• Pair prices. A price enters only when the seller's page shows it is for two aids ("pair", "includes two", or left and right aids in the box). Per-aid figures are the pair price divided by two.
• Ranges. ZipHearing prints one range per model name (its technology levels); the low end is used for ranking and medians. Its per-level tables were not used because some disagreed with its own listing.
• Medians are taken over each model's lowest listed price. Ranks count models with a strictly lower starting price, plus one.
• Worked costs (first-year outlay, follow-ups, deductible share, rewards, cost per warranty month) are arithmetic on the terms the seller printed; the engine is src/js/price.js and its tests reproduce the sellers' own figures, such as ZipHearing's $5,225 vs $4,164 comparison.
• Types. "OTC" where the seller or maker calls the device over-the-counter; "fitted" where it is sold through a provider or hearing center that programs it; Apple AirPods Pro 3 are earbuds with a hearing aid feature Apple says has FDA authorization.

Left out, and why

• Lexie (B1, B2 and other models). Lexie's US site now carries a wind-down notice: warranty and repair requests ended September 15, 2026 and customer support ends October 22, 2026. No current price. (page)
• Eargo. Eargo's site carries the same wind-down notice (support until October 22, 2026). No current price. (page)
• Go Hearing (Go Ultra and others). Wind-down notice for the LXE Hearing companies; support ends October 22, 2026. No current price. (page)
• Sharper Image OTC Rechargeable Hearing Aids (Sam's Club, $129.99). The listing does not say whether the price is for one aid or a pair, and the item was not available. (page)
• Lucid Hearing 64-Channel Bluetooth BTE (Sam's Club, $2,955.00). The listing does not say whether the price is for one aid or a pair. (page)
• Lucid Hearing OTC Fio (Sam's Club). Members-only price not shown on the page. (page)
• Sennheiser All-Day Clear Slim (Walmart). No price shown for the item on the check date. (page)
• Hearing Assist ReCharge! BTE. No price printed on the maker's page. (page)
• Sony CRE-C10, CRE-E10 and later Sony models. Sony's US store could not be reached from the collection tool. (page)
• MDHearing, Nano Hearing, Tuned, Elehear, Lucid Hearing (maker sites). The sites refused automated reading (robots rules), so no price could be recorded with a date.
• Costco Kirkland Signature models. Not listed on Costco's Hearing Aid Center page on the check date, and the Kirkland showcase page refused automated reading. (page)
• Best Buy, Walgreens and CVS OTC listings. Pages returned errors or no product listings to the collection tool.
• Audiologist bundled clinic prices. No clinic price list or state transparency filing with model prices was found in this collection run; the site shows only seller-published prices.
• ZipHearing per-level price tables. Some model pages' level tables disagreed with the range on the same seller's listing (for example Virto Infinio), so only listing ranges are used. (page)

Gaps

This launch covers 49 models, short of the 60 planned, because many makers and retailers either publish no price or refused automated reading. No audiologist clinic price lists or state price-transparency filings with model prices were found, so the bundled clinic channel is described but not priced. Medicare Advantage hearing allowances differ by plan and are not listed. Prices change often; each page shows its check date and links the seller so it can be confirmed.