You can buy over-the-counter hearing aids at major retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco, at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, from online marketplaces like Amazon, and directly from manufacturers’ websites. No prescription, no audiologist appointment, and no hearing test are required. The FDA created this OTC category in October 2022 for adults 18 and older with mild to moderate hearing loss, and the number of places stocking them has grown rapidly since.
Big-Box Stores and Warehouse Clubs
Walmart carries a wide selection of OTC hearing aids both in-store and online, ranging from budget sound amplifiers to name-brand devices like the Audien Atom Pro 2, Sennheiser All-Day Clear Slim, and Lucid Hearing Engage. Best Buy stocks similar options and tends to lean toward the more tech-forward brands. Both retailers let you browse, compare, and in many cases try devices on the spot.
Costco and Sam’s Club are worth a separate trip. Costco’s in-store hearing aid centers have long been known for competitive pricing on prescription hearing aids, and they now carry OTC options as well. Costco also offers a free online hearing screening tool, though it notes this is not the same as the full test available at its hearing aid centers. If your hearing loss turns out to be more significant than you thought, having a professional nearby is a convenient fallback.
Pharmacies and Grocery Chains
CVS sells OTC hearing aids from several brands, including Lexie, Go Hearing, Hearing Assist, Persona Medical, iHEAR, and Lucid Hearing. Most of this selection is available through CVS’s website rather than on pharmacy shelves. Walgreens carries Lexie hearing aids (the Lumen and B2 models), but these are also online-only, so don’t expect to walk in and pick one up.
Hy-Vee, the Midwest grocery and pharmacy chain, is a notable exception. It stocks iHEAR OTC hearing aids in its physical stores, making it one of the easier places to buy a device in person without visiting an electronics retailer. If buying in-store matters to you, call ahead to confirm availability at your nearest location.
Online Retailers and Direct-to-Consumer Brands
Amazon has the broadest selection of any single marketplace, with dozens of brands at every price point. The tradeoff is that quality varies enormously. You’ll find legitimate FDA-cleared OTC hearing aids alongside basic sound amplifiers that are not the same thing. Look for products explicitly labeled as OTC hearing aids rather than “personal sound amplification products” or “sound amplifiers,” which are not regulated to the same standard.
Several established manufacturers sell directly through their own websites, often with better support and trial periods than you’d get through a third-party retailer. Jabra Enhance, Sony, Sennheiser, Lexie, Eargo, and Audicus all offer direct purchasing. Lexie and Eargo have been selling hearing aids online since before the FDA’s 2022 rule, so their customer support infrastructure is relatively mature. Buying direct also gives you access to the manufacturer’s own app-based fitting tools and, in some cases, remote support from hearing professionals.
Cellular providers like Verizon and T-Mobile have also entered the market, typically stocking a curated selection of Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids that pair with smartphones.
How Self-Fitting Works
Most OTC hearing aids today are “self-fitting” devices, meaning you adjust them yourself using a smartphone app rather than visiting an audiologist. When you first set up the device, the app walks you through an automated hearing test using tones played directly through the hearing aid while it sits in your ear. The results feed into a built-in algorithm that programs the device to amplify the specific frequencies you struggle with.
After that initial setup, you can fine-tune settings like overall volume and the balance between low, mid, and high frequencies. Nearly all current self-fitting hearing aids require a Bluetooth-capable smartphone running iOS or Android. A few models use on-board buttons instead of an app, but these are less common and offer less precise customization. Before you buy, check that the device is compatible with your phone’s operating system and Bluetooth version.
What OTC Hearing Aids Cost
Prices range widely. Basic models from lesser-known brands start under $100 for a pair, while premium devices from companies like Jabra, Sony, and Sennheiser typically fall between $500 and $1,000 per pair. For comparison, prescription hearing aids fitted by an audiologist often run $2,000 to $7,000 per pair, so OTC options represent a significant savings for people whose hearing loss falls in the mild-to-moderate range.
OTC hearing aids are eligible for purchase with flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). The IRS also allows you to count the cost of hearing aids, batteries, repairs, and maintenance as a medical expense deduction. Traditional health insurance plans rarely cover OTC hearing aids, but using pre-tax health dollars can effectively reduce your out-of-pocket cost by 20 to 30 percent depending on your tax bracket.
Who OTC Hearing Aids Are (and Aren’t) For
The FDA rule is specific: OTC hearing aids are for adults 18 and older who perceive mild to moderate hearing loss. In practical terms, that means you have trouble following conversations in noisy restaurants, you’ve been turning the TV volume higher than others prefer, or you sometimes miss words when someone speaks softly. You do not need a formal diagnosis to buy one.
OTC hearing aids are not designed for severe or profound hearing loss. If you struggle to hear even loud speech, or if you rely heavily on lip reading, a prescription device fitted by a professional will serve you far better.
Signs You Should See a Doctor First
Certain symptoms suggest your hearing trouble may have a medical cause that an OTC device won’t fix and could mask. The FDA flags several “red flag” conditions that call for a medical evaluation before buying any hearing aid:
- Sudden or rapid hearing loss that developed within the past 90 days
- Hearing loss in only one ear that came on suddenly or recently
- Ear pain, pressure, or discomfort
- Active drainage, bleeding, or pus from the ear
- Recurring or chronic dizziness or vertigo
- Visible deformity of the outer ear from birth or injury
- Significant earwax blockage or a foreign object in the ear canal
Any of these warrants a visit to an ear, nose, and throat doctor before you spend money on a hearing aid. In some cases, addressing the underlying problem (removing impacted earwax, for instance) resolves the hearing difficulty entirely.
Tips for Choosing Where to Buy
If you want to handle devices before committing, Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco are your best bets for in-store browsing. If convenience and selection matter more, Amazon and manufacturer websites offer the widest range. Buying direct from a manufacturer like Jabra, Lexie, or Eargo typically gives you the best post-purchase support, including app-guided fitting and, in some cases, access to remote audiologist consultations.
Wherever you buy, check the return policy before you pay. Hearing aids take time to adjust to, and your brain needs one to two weeks to adapt to amplified sound. A generous trial period (30 days or more) gives you a realistic window to evaluate whether a device actually helps in your daily life. Many direct-to-consumer brands offer 45- to 100-day trial periods, while retail return windows tend to be shorter.