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The average price of a pair of hearing aids is $2,694, according to a January 2026 survey by HearingTracker, a significant drop from $4,672 in 2018. Over-the-counter hearing aids, with an average price of $502 per pair, could be one factor behind this decline. But people with mild to moderate hearing loss can pay around $160 for refurbished Apple AirPods Pro 2 or $249 for a new set of AirPods Pro 3, and use a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Apple hearing aid solution that can be installed at home.
Interestingly, AirPods Pro models don’t appear in HearingTracker’s report, even though Apple’s Hearing Aid Feature (HAF) was authorized in 2024. The authorization came about two years after the FDA announced a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids, intended to make hearing aids more accessible. According to the agency, some 30 million American adults have varying degrees of hearing loss, but only about a fifth of them can use hearing aids. This health feature of AirPods Pro was the first OTC hearing aid software cleared by the FDA when it was released.
AirPods Pro retain features like active noise cancellation (ANC) and media playback while still functioning as hearing aids. They offer a customizable fit thanks to the different sizes of ear tips included, and the ANC can isolate background noise when listening to content or when the headphones are used as hearing aids. In comparison, background noise reduction is not a guaranteed feature for medical-grade hearing aid models, which tend to be more expensive than AirPods Pro.
Testing your hearing with AirPods
Apple’s hearing aid feature is intended for people over 18 with mild to moderate hearing loss and requires an iPhone or iPad paired with AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. Users must wear their AirPods Pro to take the hearing test, which requires going to the iPhone or iPad’s settings, tapping the AirPods Pro model, and selecting Hearing Aid. There is a Take a Hearing Test option here, or users can upload an audiogram from a previous test via the Use a Previous Test Result option.
The AirPods hearing test can be performed at home, without medical supervision, and repeated if necessary. In contrast, medical-grade hearing aids generally require an appointment with a healthcare professional for this test. Then, hearing care professionals will fit the affected ears. Devices may require adjustments and adjustments in the future. As for estimated costs, HearingLife notes that the average price of its professional hearing aids is between $1,500 and $4,350 over three years, which is the period of the product’s warranty.
Apple recommends performing the AirPods Pro hearing test in a quiet environment to reduce external noise. The iPhone or iPad screen uses animated visuals to indicate that the test is in progress even if you don’t hear any sound. Users are prompted to tap the screen when they hear tones, and upon completion, they will receive hearing scores for each ear, an audiogram, and suggestions on next steps.
How to use AirPods Pro as hearing aids
Once activated as a hearing aid, users can adjust their AirPods’ audio settings to improve the listening experience, including amplification, tone, and balance, in AirPods Pro Settings or in Control Center on other Apple devices. Conversation Boost is another AirPods health feature that helps detect face-to-face conversations and focus on the person talking to you. It’s found in the Settings menu on iPhones, iPads, and Macs running AirPods Pro.
There’s also a Media Assist feature that leverages your hearing test results to improve listening experiences with music, video, calls and FaceTime. With the hearing aid feature, you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life in Transparency mode on the AirPods Pro 3. Apple notes that people with more severe hearing loss should consult a doctor, and if the AirPods Pro can’t improve hearing, you may need to purchase more expensive hardware.
Medical hearing aids may not be as easy to install as AirPods, but they have a few benefits, like all-day battery life, behind-the-ear designs (versus the in-ear style of AirPods Pro), and the ability to work with Android phones. In addition to improving hearing, professional hearing aids are often configured to relieve tinnitus. The iPhone’s Background Noise feature minimizes distractions to help with tinnitus, but it’s unrelated to the AirPods hearing aid functionality.