The short answer
Costco never made its own hearing aids. Every Kirkland Signature hearing aid from KS5 through KS10 was manufactured by one of the Big Five global hearing aid OEMs and rebadged for Costco at a lower price.
- KS5 and KS6 were made by GN ReSound (Danish — ReSound, Jabra Enhance, Beltone)
- KS7 and KS8 were made by Sivantos, the Siemens hearing aid spinoff that became WS Audiology in 2019 (sold at Costco under the Rexton brand)
- KS9 and KS10 were made by Sonova (Swiss — Phonak, Unitron, Lyric, AudioNova)
- KS11 never launched. Sonova exited Costco on Friday, November 18, 2022. Costco has since stocked branded OEM hearing aids (Philips, Rexton, Jabra, Sennheiser, and a Starkey pilot) rather than relaunching a Kirkland-branded private label.
Why was Kirkland so much cheaper?
Costco's hearing aid centers sell at significantly lower margins than independent audiologists, who typically bundle the device, fitting, follow-up adjustments, and warranty into one price. Costco unbundles those costs: the device itself is sold at near-wholesale, and the fitting, follow-up, and warranty are absorbed into membership economics. A Kirkland KS10 in 2021 cost $1,399.99 a pair. The same Phonak Audéo Paradise P90R chip dispensed by an audiologist that year cost $4,000–$6,000 a pair.
Why did Sonova exit Costco?
On Friday, November 18, 2022, a Costco-internal directive went out instructing stores to stop ordering Sonova products and remove the brochures. KS10 sales effectively ended in October 2022. Sandy Brandmeier (President, Hearing Instruments Wholesale, Sonova USA) wrote to dispensers that Sonova was choosing to "focus the distribution of our Phonak brand with strategic channels and eliminate our offering in certain large retail chains." Public reporting from HearingTracker and HHTM noted that complaints about the rechargeability of the KS10's lithium-ion cell were a contributing factor.
Costco continues to honor the 3-year manufacturer warranty on existing KS10 units and provides out-of-warranty repairs at approximately $200 for battery replacement. Receivers, domes, and wax filters remain readily available from third-party suppliers since they share the Phonak Marvel/Paradise/Lumity supply chain.
Why didn't KS11 launch?
Sonova's exit removed the OEM that was on contract for the next-generation Kirkland aid. Costco then shifted to a strategy of selling branded OEM hearing aids — Philips HearLink (Demant), Rexton Reach (WS Audiology), Jabra Enhance Pro (GN), Sennheiser Sonite R (Sonova's return via license in October 2024), and a Starkey SoundGear AMP pilot that began in November 2025. Per a Costco employee quoted in HearingTracker's forum in January 2023: "the manufacturer's prices are now so low that Costco doesn't need to have its own brand." As of September 2026, Costco has made no public announcement of a KS11.
Don't want to go back to Costco? OTC options you can order today
If you had a Kirkland aid for mild-to-moderate loss, these FDA-cleared OTC self-fit options ship to your door — no membership, no appointment. For moderately-severe loss or in-person fitting, Costco's current lineup above (or an independent audiologist) remains the better route.
Apple
AirPods Pro 2 with Hearing Aid Feature
FDA-cleared OTC hearing aid software
- Severity range
- 26–60 dB HL
- Form factor
- earbud-style
- Battery
- Rechargeable (6 hr)
- Bluetooth
- Apple H2 chip — pairs with iPhone/iPad on latest iOS/iPadOS
- Trial
- 14 days
- Warranty
- 12 months
FDA De Novo classification (DEN230081, product code SCR) — software is the cleared device, AirPods Pro 2 hardware is the supported platform. Requires latest iOS/iPadOS on iPhone or iPad. Apple discontinued the AirPods Pro 2 in September 2025 (replaced by the AirPods Pro 3), but the Hearing Aid feature remains fully supported; remaining stock sells renewed and through Costco at a discount.
Apple
AirPods Pro 3 with Hearing Aid Feature
FDA-cleared OTC hearing aid software
- Severity range
- 26–60 dB HL
- Form factor
- earbud-style
- Battery
- Rechargeable (10 hr)
- Bluetooth
- Apple H2 chip (3rd gen), improved transparency mode
- Trial
- 14 days
- Warranty
- 12 months
FDA-cleared OTC self-fit
- Severity range
- 26–60 dB HL
- Form factor
- BTE
- Battery
- Disposable
- Bluetooth
- App control only — no audio streaming
- Trial
- 45 days
- Warranty
- 12 months
Picks are based on FDA regulatory pathway, price, and severity fit from our verified product database — not on which brand pays the most.
