Best Online Hearing Tests of 2024 | Fortune Recommends Health (2024)

While hearing loss can be isolating, it’s a common condition affecting one in eight people ages 12 and over. ( 9 ) When you can’t hear well, it impacts more than just your ears. Hearing loss is associated with social isolation, increased risk of falls, and worsening cognitive function, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. ( 2 , 8 ) Early detection of hearing loss can help you receive the treatment you need to improve your quality of life and prevent further damage.

“Hearing loss is a common problem that everyone experiences from time to time,” begins Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM. “Most commonly it occurs when flying or traveling up a mountain, and a full sensation develops in the ears, leading to the feeling of wanting to pop the ears open to hear better. Diminished hearing may also occur during an ear infection. These causes of hearing loss are usually short-lived. The other extreme is the permanent sensorineural hearing loss that occurs with aging, which we will all experience to some degree.”

Online hearing tests offer a convenient way to test your hearing health from the comfort of your home. They’re fast and free and can help determine whether you should seek additional evaluation from a hearing specialist or consider over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids .

Our team of testers and expert reviewers conducted firsthand testing of multiple online hearing tests to help you determine which ones are worth taking. We’ve included our review of the six best online hearing tests based on the testing method, test length, and follow-up process.

Our picks for the best online hearing tests

• Best overall: Jabra Enhance
• Best with helpful results: MDHearing
• Best easy to use: Eargo
• Best with fast follow-up: Hear.com
• Best for realistic sounds: Amplifon
• Best all-in-one: Starkey

Best overall online hearing test: Jabra Enhance

Why we like Jabra Enhance as best overall

Jabra Enhance is a well-known brand within the audio technology industry. The website offers a quick hearing test to help you determine whether you’d be a good candidate for hearing aids. If you are, your results can help customize your devices for optimal hearing.

To complete the test, you’ll need headphones or earbuds—any functioning pair will work. Before you start, you’ll test your headphones and complete a practice round to help you understand how the test works.

The test will go through four frequencies in each ear, starting with the right ear. We found the instructions simple to follow. You’ll see a screen with numbers one through 10. As you click each number, you listen for the sound and stop at the number you can barely hear.

It took us about two minutes to complete the test, and we could see the results immediately. However, you do have to provide your first name, email, and phone number first.

The results were easy to understand, and the format was appealing. For each ear, you can see your level of impairment as outlined below:

• No impairment
• Impaired
• Significantly impaired
• Severely impaired

We liked that Jabra took the results one step further by explaining how your impairment level at each frequency can impact your hearing. For example, impairment at high frequencies might cause difficulties hearing higher-pitched voices, like those of women and children, or consonant sounds, like K, F, S, and TH.

Because I provided my contact information, I received a call immediately from a Jabra representative to help discuss my results. Additionally, I received an email with a link to my results within 10 minutes and another email from a Product Advisor offering to answer my questions through a quick call or email.

If you order hearing aids through Jabra, your results can help calibrate your devices. Jabra offers a 100-day free trial that allows you to test a device risk-free.

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Best online hearing test with helpful results: MDHearing

Why we like MDHearing as best with helpful results

The MDHearing test was quick and simple to complete, yet it provided a more extensive hearing report than many of the other hearing tests we evaluated. Additionally, we wasted no time finding it on the website since it’s the first thing you see when you enter the site.

There is only one test option using a true-tone approach; you’ll need a computer or smartphone and headphones or earbuds to complete it. Before starting the test, you must create a profile using your full name and email address. We liked that the phone number field was optional, so we didn’t have to worry about marketing or sales calls and texts.

This test felt similar to other true-tone tests we’ve completed. You select the volume level that plays the softest sound you can hear. Each ear is tested separately at six different frequencies.

You receive your results online and through your email. However, we noticed a longer delay in receiving the email results than other competitors.

The results’ mix of colorful visual representations and text information made them quick to review and easy to understand. They display each ear’s hearing level on a healthy to profound hearing loss scale.

Additionally, MDHearing includes an audiogram as another way to view your degree of hearing loss based on the frequencies tested. Audiograms can be especially useful when evaluating hearing loss; this was the only test we found that displayed results this way. ( 10 )

If you want to speak to an audiologist about your test results and what they mean, a number is displayed to call or text. Reviews found it easy to book a 30-minute call. However, when I tried texting the number, it took two hours to receive a response.

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Best easy-to-use online hearing test: Eargo

Why we like Eargo as best easy-to-use

Our experience evaluating the Eargo hearing test was simple from start to finish. The website prominently displays the hearing test at the top of the front page, so you don’t have to weed through product information to find it. The test is straightforward, asking you to click the button when you hear a sound. It felt similar to the hearing tests we’ve experienced in a medical provider’s office.

We found the Eargo test took a few minutes longer than other hearing tests because it required additional set-up steps. However, the easy steps may contribute to a more accurate test.

Additionally, Eargo factors in six questions about your everyday hearing experiences to help better understand how you feel about your hearing and if specific situations are more troublesome than others. Research shows that hearing questionnaires can be a reliable method for assessing the impacts of hearing impairment. ( 3 )

Another highlight of the Eargo hearing test is its interactive virtual appointment calendar. The calendar makes scheduling a 30-minute consultation appointment quick so you can talk to a representative about which Eargo products may be appropriate for you based on your results.

We did find the overall results page disappointing, though. Unlike other online hearing tests, you don’t get a detailed hearing health report. The only information you get is whether you’re a good candidate for Eargo hearing aids. You don’t get ear-by-ear impairment indicators or an audiogram.

We didn’t like that Eargo also required our phone number, full name, and email address. The small print indicated that we agreed to receive marketing and sales communications. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see our results without completing this step.

The hearing simulator at the end of the hearing test was a unique feature. It’s not based on your results. Instead, it allows you to experience impaired and improved hearing so you can hear the difference.

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Best online hearing test with fast follow-up: Hear.com

Why we like Hear.com as best with fast follow-up

Hear.com provides a personalized approach to providing hearing care solutions. Once we completed the hearing test, we found it easy to quickly connect with a hearing aid expert to discuss our results and determine the next steps.

We also liked that the follow-up happened on our terms. We weren’t required to provide contact information before completing the hearing test or receiving our results, which ensured we wouldn’t be bothered with multiple phone calls, texts, or emails.

The Hear.com test took a different approach than many other tests we evaluated. In the first segment, you adjust the volume until it is as loud as you feel comfortable to sustain for at least 15 minutes. We found this question more challenging since knowing if something is too loud is more complicated than determining if you can hear a quiet sound or a specific frequency.

The rest of the test follows a format similar to other online tests. You must adjust the volume indicator until you barely hear the sound.

The test takes about five minutes, and you can see your results immediately. Each ear is scored based on hearing loss in a range of Significant Loss, Loss, or Good. We were disappointed that the results didn’t provide as much detail about hearing health at each frequency or how that may impact our ability to hear particular sounds.

However, the test does provide a visual and text explanation of how hearing aids can improve hearing based on your results.

If you feel ready to explore your hearing device options, Hear.com can connect you with one of their local partner providers for a more in-depth assessment. You can explore hearing aid models and get fitted in that same appointment.

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Best online hearing test for realistic sounds: Amplifon

Why we like Amplifon as best for realistic sounds

Amplifon doesn’t ask you to find a quiet space to complete its hearing test. Instead, it simulates noisy environments while asking you to follow along with conversations. Understanding speech in noisy environments is a common challenge for many in daily life. ( 4 ) Speech-in-noise hearing tests, like Amplifon’s, can help improve hearing assessments and treatment in some cases. ( 1 )

During Amplifon’s hearing test, you listen to conversations in real-world environments, such as a sports stadium, coffee shop, park, and train station. At the end of each conversation, you answer a brief question about what you heard.

The test only takes about three minutes to complete, and the results are displayed instantly with a score between zero and 10. Based on your score, Amplifon briefly describes how severe your hearing loss may be.

We liked this real-life approach to hearing loss screening. However, we were disappointed in the vague results we received. We would have liked to get more information on the degree of hearing loss in each ear.

If your results indicate hearing loss, Amplifon suggests completing a more comprehensive in-clinic hearing evaluation. You can easily search for one of Amplifon’s partner clinics near your location and request an appointment. I found 14 clinics in Wisconsin, where I live, including one within 11 miles of my rural location.

Feeling nervous about completing a full hearing evaluation in a clinic is normal. We found that Amplifon has an easy-to-follow guide that can help you understand what to expect, how to prepare, and what to do after your appointment.

Research indicates that cost is a significant barrier to receiving hearing care. ( 5 ) Amplifon’s website has a simple form you can fill out to check your insurance coverage for hearing services and devices.

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Best all-in-one online hearing test: Starkey

Why we like Starkey as best all-in-one

Starkey merges everything we like about each hearing test method into one fast and simple screening. You answer a brief questionnaire about your hearing experiences, move into true-tone testing, and finish with speech-in-noise testing. Even though you complete multiple testing methods, the screening only takes about five minutes.

Our testers also appreciated that they didn’t have to provide an email or other personal information to perform the test and receive the results. Starkey only asks you to share your age and gender before starting the screening.

The test begins with a questionnaire that includes questions similar to those of other tests we reviewed. After that, you start the true-tone portion of the test. With eight tones, Starkey tests more frequencies than any other test we took. However, it doesn’t indicate which frequency you’re testing to help you identify which ones may be harder for you to hear.

The test rounds out with the speech comprehension section. You’ll listen for a word spoken over light background noise. Then, you select the word you heard from a short list. The background noise in this test felt more natural than other tests that used overly noisy environments.

After all the ways we tested our hearing during this screening, we were surprised at how little detail was in our results. However, they were still more detailed than some of the most basic test results we received through other websites.

The results display your hearing loss within a range from normal to severe. Additionally, you get a brief explanation of how your level of hearing loss might show up for you. For example, moderate hearing loss indicates you can hear speech but have difficulty understanding words. It also demonstrates what sounds or syllables may be challenging to hear in a specific sentence.

If you feel ready to take a complete hearing evaluation or explore hearing aid options, Starkey provides a directory of authorized hearing professionals to help you find a clinic. When I searched my location in rural Wisconsin, I found five clinics within 20 miles.

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