The only site that honestly labels FDA regulatory pathway, translates Costco Kirkland generations to their actual manufacturer, and compares OTC self-fit vs Costco vs prescription costs over 5 years.
Six calculators that solve the actual confusing parts of buying a hearing aid. No email required, no quiz that funnels you to one brand's catalog.
Enter your dB thresholds at 250-8000 Hz per ear. Get PTA, NIDCD severity classification, FDA OTC scope check, asymmetry detection, audiogram shape (flat / high-freq slope / cookie-bite / notch), and matched openFDA-verified products.
Three questions — self-reported severity, FDA red-flag symptoms, and in-person vs DIY preference — route you to the right channel: OTC self-fit, Costco prescription, audiologist, or ENT.
UniqueIdentify your Costco Kirkland Signature hearing aid generation (KS5 through KS10), see who actually manufactured it (GN ReSound, Sivantos/WS Audiology, or Sonova), what the current equivalent is at Costco today, and which replacement supplies fit. Confirms KS11 was never launched.
Ten symptom questions estimate your hearing loss severity range. Routes to a free at-home hearing test, the Audiogram Interpreter, or an audiologist appointment based on the estimate.
Pick up to 4 products and we compute the 5-year total cost — device + subscription + dome replacement + wax filters + RIC receiver replacement. Compare OTC, Costco, and audiologist pathways side-by-side.
Plain-English coverage by plan type: Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, FEHB, VA, Medicaid, private employer, self-pay. Includes HSA/FSA guidance per IRS Pub 502.
Three picks that cover the vast majority of mild-to-moderate buyers — from the lowest-risk entry point to a premium Sonova-built OTC aid. All FDA-cleared, all under the audiologist price.
Apple
At $199-$249 with FDA-cleared hearing aid software (DEN230081), the AirPods Pro 3 turn an iPhone you may already own into a legitimate mild-to-moderate hearing aid. Lowest-risk way to start.
Lexie
Also stocked at Costco at $999. Rechargeable RIC. Subscription tier discontinued.
Bose-tuned, rechargeable, self-fitting via the Lexie app, with a 45-day trial. $899 — a fraction of the audiologist price for the same mild-to-moderate range.
Sennheiser
Filed under Sonova AG (parent of Phonak) — manufacturer is Sonova, brand is Sennheiser-licensed
Built by Sonova (the company behind Phonak), the All-Day Clear is a true QUH self-fit hearing aid with Bluetooth streaming and a 2-year warranty — around $949 street.
Picks are based on FDA regulatory pathway, price, and severity fit from our verified product database — not on which brand pays the most.
The OTC hearing aid market is built on regulatory ambiguity. We label every product honestly — and the math is transparent.
Only ~13 brands have actual OTC clearance. The rest are PSAPs, ride-on variants of a parent K-number, or Rx-cleared products self-certifying as OTC. We label each one honestly, with the K-number, so you can verify.
Your KS9 was made by Sonova. Your KS6 by GN ReSound. There is no KS11 — Sonova exited Costco on November 18, 2022. We compile the canonical map of who made each generation, and what to buy today if you owned one.
The sticker price is the easy part. We model subscriptions, dome and wax-filter replacement, RIC receiver replacement, and insurance reimbursement — so you can compare OTC, Costco, and audiologist pathways at their true 5-year cost.
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Hearing aids analyzed, FDA pathway verified
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Costco Kirkland generations canonically mapped
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Free calculators, no email required