About HearingAidMatch

hearingaidmatch.com is an independent resource that helps people match their audiogram, lifestyle, and budget to the right hearing aid — without paying $5,000 at an audiologist when a $200 OTC or $1,500 Costco option would work equally well.

We're not a review blog and we're not a brand quiz. We're a set of calculators backed by a verified product database where every entry has an explicit FDA regulatory pathway label — including the parts of the OTC hearing aid market that other sites don't talk about.

What makes this site different

1. Honest FDA regulatory pathway labels

Live-queried against the openFDA 510(k) database on 2026-05-31, only about 13 hearing aids have actual FDA-cleared OTC self-fit status (product code QUH) or De Novo software clearance (SCR). The rest of the "OTC hearing aid" market is:

• Prescription-cleared (QDD) sold as OTC under 21 CFR 800.30 self-certification — Jabra Enhance Select line, Sony CRE-C10/E10
• Ride-on variants of a parent K-number via letter-to-file — Lexie B1/B2 Plus/H1 ride on Lumen K223137; Eargo 7/8/SE ride on Eargo 5/6 K221698
• "FDA-registered Class I" only — establishment registration with no specific 510(k) under the brand's name — MDHearing's budget line, Audicus
• PSAPs marketed as hearing aids — Otofonix entire line, Audien EV1/EV3

Every product page on this site shows a color-coded pathway badge so buyers know what they're actually buying. No competitor labels this honestly.

2. The Costco Kirkland generational translator

KS5 and KS6 were made by GN ReSound. KS7 and KS8 by Sivantos (now WS Audiology) under the Rexton brand. KS9 and KS10 by Sonova on the Phonak Marvel and Paradise platforms. KS11 was never launched — Sonova exited Costco on Friday, November 18, 2022. We compile the canonical map of who made each generation, what the current equivalent is, and which replacement supplies fit. No public canonical page existed before this one.

3. Real 5-year cost math

The sticker price is the easy part. We model subscriptions (Audicus Premier tier), dome replacement every 2 months, wax filters monthly, and RIC receiver replacement every 3 years — so you can compare OTC self-fit, Costco prescription, and audiologist-dispensed aids at their actual lifetime cost.

Data sources

• openFDA 510(k) database — live-queried for every FDA clearance number cited on this site
• NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing Loss — prevalence and severity classification
• FDA OTC Hearing Aid Final Rule (21 CFR 800.30, August 2022) — OTC scope (PTA ≤ 55 dB, age 18+, output limits 111/117 dB SPL)
• HearingTracker — authoritative independent industry coverage, including the Costco Kirkland generational research that underlies our Translator
• Medicare.gov and VA.gov hearing benefits — insurance coverage
• IRS Publication 502 — HSA/FSA eligibility for hearing aids

Affiliate disclosure

What this site is not

HearingAidMatch is not medical advice. We provide informational guidance based on FDA, NIDCD, and manufacturer-published data. If you have hearing loss, consult an audiologist or ENT physician. For sudden hearing loss, see an ENT physician the same day — it's a time-sensitive condition.

Tools on this site

• Audiogram Interpreter — flagship, takes your dB thresholds and matches to FDA-cleared products
• Costco Kirkland Translator — unique, the canonical KS5-KS11 map
• OTC vs Audiologist vs ENT — for users without an audiogram
• Severity Quiz — 10 symptom questions, estimates your PTA range
• 5-Year Total Cost Calculator — compare lifetime cost across pathways
• Insurance Coverage Checker — Medicare/MA/FEHB/VA/Medicaid/private/self-pay plain-English breakdown

Last reviewed June 2026. HearingAidMatch is not affiliated with any hearing aid manufacturer, Costco, ZipHearing, HearingTracker, or any insurance carrier.