OTC hearing aids are available at major pharmacies, big-box retailers, and online stores without a prescription or hearing exam. Since the FDA created the over-the-counter hearing aid category in October 2022, adults 18 and older with mild to moderate hearing loss can walk into a store or visit a website and buy a pair the same way they’d pick up reading glasses.
Major Retailers That Stock OTC Hearing Aids
The fastest way to get your hands on OTC hearing aids is through national retail chains you probably already shop at. Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens all carry OTC hearing aids on their shelves and websites. Amazon is another major channel, with dozens of brands available for delivery in a few days. Costco, which has long been a popular destination for prescription hearing aids through its in-store audiology centers, also sells OTC options.
Some brands sell directly through their own websites as well. Lexie, for example, sells through its site and through Amazon, CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens. Other manufacturers follow a similar approach, offering both direct-to-consumer sales and retail partnerships. If you prefer to try a device in person before buying, a pharmacy or big-box store lets you see the physical size and style, though most stores won’t let you open the box and test them on the spot. For that reason, understanding the return policy before you buy matters.
What OTC Hearing Aids Cost
Prices vary widely depending on the brand and feature set. At the low end, Apple’s AirPods Pro function as FDA-cleared self-fitting hearing aids and cost up to $250 per pair, making them the least expensive self-fitting option currently on the market. Most dedicated OTC hearing aid brands fall in a broad middle range, with many pairs priced between $400 and $1,000. More advanced models with Bluetooth streaming, rechargeable batteries, and sophisticated noise processing push closer to $1,300 per pair.
For comparison, prescription hearing aids fitted by an audiologist typically start around $1,300 per pair and can run well above $4,000. The key trade-off: prescription aids are programmed to match your specific hearing profile based on a clinical exam, while OTC devices rely on you to adjust them yourself, usually through a smartphone app.
Popular Brands Worth Knowing
Lexie is one of the more visible OTC brands, offering four models across two styles. Their behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-canal (RIC) options range from a basic entry-level device (the Lexie H1) to the B2 Plus, their most advanced model with Bluetooth streaming. The mid-level B1 is a self-fitting model that lets you tune the sound through the Lexie app.
Sony, Jabra, and HP Hearing are other names you’ll see frequently. Sony’s OTC aids lean on the company’s audio engineering background. Jabra Enhance, built on the hearing aid technology of parent company GN Hearing, offers app-based self-fitting and a subscription support model. Each brand takes a slightly different approach to design, app experience, and sound quality, so narrowing your priorities (comfort, streaming, discreetness, price) helps filter the options quickly.
How Self-Fitting Works
Nearly all OTC hearing aids pair with a smartphone app over Bluetooth. Once connected, the app typically walks you through a basic hearing check or lets you adjust sound levels across different frequency bands, similar to an equalizer on a music player. You can raise the volume on high-pitched sounds (where most age-related hearing loss occurs) without boosting everything else.
Many apps also let you create custom listening programs for specific situations: one profile for quiet conversations at home, another for noisy restaurants. Some devices come with preset programs you can toggle between. Streaming is increasingly standard on mid-range and higher models, letting you route phone calls, music, and video audio directly into your hearing aids.
The self-fitting process takes a little patience. Most people need a few days of wearing the devices and tweaking settings before the sound feels natural. Adjusting too aggressively at first can make everything sound tinny or overwhelming.
Who OTC Hearing Aids Are Designed For
The FDA created this category specifically for adults 18 and older who perceive mild to moderate hearing loss. In practical terms, that means you can still hear sounds well enough to participate in conversations, but you struggle in certain situations: following dialogue on TV, keeping up in group conversations, hearing clearly on phone calls, or catching what someone says in a noisy room. You find yourself asking people to repeat themselves more often, or you notice that others seem to mumble.
OTC hearing aids are not intended for severe or profound hearing loss. If you have significant difficulty hearing even in quiet, one-on-one settings, or if sounds seem absent rather than muffled, a clinical evaluation with an audiologist is the appropriate starting point. The same applies to anyone under 18, who must obtain hearing aids by prescription.
Safety Limits and Volume Caps
Every OTC hearing aid sold in the U.S. must comply with FDA output limits designed to prevent further hearing damage. The maximum sound output is capped at 111 decibels. Devices that use automatic compression (a feature that adjusts volume dynamically based on incoming sound) are allowed a slightly higher ceiling of 117 decibels. These limits exist because a hearing aid that amplifies too aggressively can cause additional noise-induced damage, which would be counterproductive. You don’t need to monitor decibel levels yourself; the device hardware enforces these caps automatically.
Tips for Buying Smart
Check the return policy before you purchase. Hearing aids are personal devices, and a model that works well for one person may feel uncomfortable or sound wrong for another. Many brands offer 30- to 45-day trial windows, and some retailers have their own return policies on top of that. Buying from a retailer with a generous return window gives you time to genuinely test the device in your daily life rather than making a snap judgment.
Look for rechargeable batteries if you don’t want to deal with tiny disposable button cells every few days. Bluetooth connectivity is worth prioritizing if you spend a lot of time on calls or watching video. If discretion matters to you, receiver-in-canal models tend to be less visible than behind-the-ear styles, though BTE models are often easier to handle for people with limited dexterity.
Finally, keep your expectations realistic. OTC hearing aids can make a meaningful difference for mild to moderate loss, but they won’t replicate the precision of a device custom-programmed by an audiologist after a full hearing evaluation. If you try an OTC pair and find it isn’t enough, that experience still gives you useful information to bring to a hearing professional.