Audien hearing aids review: Which model is right for you?

Hearing loss can be a sensitive and difficult experience. It may bring stress and worry, affecting not only your hearing but also your everyday communication and quality of life.

Before choosing a hearing aid, it's very important to understand what’s causing your hearing difficulties. So, if you (or someone close to you) are experiencing hearing loss, we strongly recommend seeking medical guidance first.

That said, we recently came across the FDA-regulated category of over-the-counter hearing aids, and Audien was one of the first brands we explored.

In this Audien hearing aids review, we selected five models intended for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. We look at their specifications, features, controls, comfort, and everyday practicality—so you can decide whether one might be worth considering for your needs.

At a glance: Audien hearing aids compared

Model	ION Pro 2	Atom ONE	Atom Pro 2	Atom X	Atom Air
Price	$551.20	$78	$229	$311.20	$119.20
Style	Behind-the-ear	In-ear	In-ear	In-ear	In-ear
Listening modes	6	1	4	4	1
Controls	Smartphone spp	Manual dials	Physical button	Touchscreen charging case	On-device controls
Special features	App, Bluetooth, personalized profiles, directional microphone, UV charging case	Basic adjustable frequency and volume	UV charging case, background-noise processing	CaseControl, Bluetooth, UV charging case, background-noise processing	Basic adjustable frequency and volume, background-noise processing
Battery life	Up to 48 hours	Up to 24 hours	Up to 24 hours	Up to 48 hours	Up to 24 hours
Best for	Advanced customization	Affordable and basic support	Convenient and simple use	Touchscreen controls	Lightweight daily use
Official site	Check out Audien ION Pro 2	Check out Audien Atom ONE	Check out Audien Atom Pro 2	Check out Audien Atom X	Check out Audien Atom Air

What are Audien hearing aids?

If you're not yet familiar with Audien Hearing, it’s a US-based company founded in Arizona. Its main products are over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, with the lineup currently including six different models.

The brand’s origin story starts at 2019, when three co-fonders—Dylan, Zack, and Ishan—came up with the idea of offering more affordable hearing aids to people nationwide. They say they noticed the struggle and frustration their grandparents experienced due to age-related hearing loss and wanted to help them feel more connected through conversations.

The goal is clear—make hearing aids more budget-friendly, with a mission to help reconnect people with their loved ones and the world around them.

Audien Hearing currently sells several models, ranging from very basic in-ear devices to more premium options with features like noise reduction, multiple listening modes, and Bluetooth.

OTC hearing aids: What does it actually mean?

In the US, over-the-counter hearing aids like those from Audien are part of an actual FDA-regulated medical-device category. So, don’t worry—it isn’t just a marketing term.

From what we gathered, OTC hearing aids are intended for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. That said, it’s important to understand how they differ from prescription hearing aids.

Prescription hearing aids are designed for a broader range of hearing losses and involve professional medical care. The process can include hearing tests, audiologist fitting, custom programming, and broader medical evaluation when needed, not to mention the considerably higher price.

While prescription hearing aids are much more individualized, both types work on the same basic principle: the microphone picks up sound, the electronics process and amplify it, and the speaker delivers the modified sound into the ear.

The key difference is how precisely that amplification can be matched to your individual hearing loss. OTC hearing aids are more affordable and self-fitted, but they offer less customization, so they might not work equally well for everyone.

How can Audien hearing aids be so affordable?

There are actually several structural reasons why Audien can offer OTC hearing aids at a lower price:

• Direct-to-consumer sales. You don’t need to go through the traditional clinic-based process. Audien sells directly online, which reduces professional-service and distribution costs.
• No professional fitting required. OTC hearing aids are designed so you can purchase and adjust them yourself rather than paying for a professional fitting.
• Simpler hardware and software. Compared with many prescription devices, we have to say Audien hearing aids usually use less complex technology.
• Less personal customization. Audien OTC hearing aids are made for a broad population rather than individually programmed around each customer’s audiogram. You may see this as a limitation or a benefit, but it really helps keep the price down.

Who should—and shouldn’t—consider them?

If you (or your loved one) are experiencing early signs of hearing loss, Audien’s OTC hearing aids may be worth attention.

Ideally, you should first have your hearing checked so you know what kind of hearing loss you’re dealing with. If it’s mild to moderate and there are no signs of an underlying ear problem, an OTC device can be a reasonable and much more affordable option.

For some people, Audien hearing aids can be a practical first step toward improving communication and quality of life, without immediately committing to a much more expensive prescription device.

However, if you have severe or profound hearing loss, sudden or rapidly changing hearing, significant hearing differences between your ears, ear pain, or other concerning symptoms—professional evaluation is absolutely needed. You’ll also probably need more powerful and personalized hearing aids, as well as a treatment plan.

Comfort is another thing you should keep in mind. If an Audien device causes pressure, itching,’plugged’ feeling, or general discomfort, that particular style may simply not suit your ears. Your ear-canal shape matters, especially with in-ear models. In that case, a different size or style (behind-the-ear design) might be a better fit.

Audien ION Pro 2 review

Best sophisticated model

Get ION Pro 2

• Price: $551.20
• Battery life: Up to 48 hours
• Charging time: Up to 3 hours
• Warranty and risk-free trial: 1-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee

We believe ION Pro 2 is Audien’s most sophisticated hearing aid, and we’d suggest checking it out if you want the convenience of an OTC model but prefer more advanced experience.

At $551.20, it’s also the most expensive model in Audien’s current lineup. It immediately stands out for its behind-the-ear construction, with the main electronics sitting behind your ear and a thin receiver inside the ear canal. We found it comfortable, easy to put on, and surprisingly discreet, especially if you have longer hair.

Battery life is a little more complicated than the headline figure suggests. Audien advertises up to 48 hours, but in our experience it’s not on a single charge. You’ll probably have to recharge your hearing aids daily. The case itself does offer 48 hours of total power, so it’s still convenient enough even if you’re traveling.

Features to consider

ION Pro 2 is clearly designed for people who want more than basic amplification. Its dual directional microphones are intended to help focus on voices and sounds coming from a particular direction, while six hearing modes let you adapt the sound to different environments.

You also get Bluetooth for phone calls and audio streaming, plus personalized hearing profiles that you can select through the app. This gives you more control than simpler models, although it still isn’t as individualized as prescription hearing aids.

While we can’t say that everyone will have the same experience, we can comment on the overall sound presentation during our testing. In our experience, voices sounded relatively natural and clearer than with some of the other Audien’s hearing aids we tried.

Beyond that, we also really liked the charging case’s built-in UV cleaning. It can take some of the routine maintenance out of your hands and is a useful addition if you wear your hearing aids regularly.

So, who is Audien ION Pro 2 best for?

We’d recommend ION Pro 2 if you want a comfortable behind-the-ear design with more sophisticated features like Bluetooth, app control, directional microphones, and adjustable hearing profiles. It’s a particularly interesting option if your prior experience with OTC hearing aids felt too basic, but you’re not ready to spend thousands on prescription devices.

Audien Atom ONE review

Best simple-use option

Get Atom ONE

• Price: $78
• Battery life: Up to 24 hours
• Charging time: 4–6 hours
• Warranty and risk-free trial: 1-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee

If you’re looking for your first OTC hearing aid and prefer simple controls, Audien Atom ONE is the entry-level option we’d consider. Listed at only $78, it’s one of the most affordable FDA-registered OTC hearing aids available.

Atom ONE is a tiny in-ear OTC hearing aid mostly suitable for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. The hearing aids offer up to 24 hours of battery life, which should be enough to get you through a full day on a single charge.

The compact design is discreet, sitting mostly inside the ear, which makes it even less noticeable than the behind-the-ear Audien model.

Features to consider

There aren’t many standout features here, but that’s arguably the whole point. You charge your Atom One, put earpieces in your ears, and adjust the sound manually using the small controls on the hearing aids. In our experience, controls are basic, but physically fiddly.

There’s no Bluetooth, app, or audio streaming, so you won’t need to learn another piece of technology. However, that simplicity also means less control over how the hearing aids process sound.

In our testing, we found the amplification quite blunt, particularly with background noise. Conversations were better in quieter environments rather than in noisy spaces, but it’s usable in both situations.

So, who is Audien Atom ONE best for?

We’d particularly recommend it to first-time OTC users buyers who want something affordable and basic rather than a high-tech hearing aid. It could make sense if you need occasional assistance, such as when watching TV, having guests over, or going to public spaces.

Audien Atom Pro 2 review

Best middle-ground hearing assistance device

Get Atom Pro 2

• Price: $229
• Battery life: Up to 24 hours
• Charging time: 4–6 hours
• Warranty and risk-free trial: 1-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee

Audien Atom Pro 2 sits in an interesting middle ground in the lineup: it’s more advanced than Atom ONE, but nowhere near as customizable as ION Pro 2.

It’s a small in-ear OTC hearing aid with four listening modes, a charging case with built-in UV cleaning, background-noise processing, and Audien’s A2 sound chip. The brand also says it’s the Audien’s smallest hearing aid yet.

And, we have to say, we really liked its compact, discreet design. The soft earpiece and multiple dome options make it relatively easy to get a snug fit. You can comfortably put either earpiece in either ear without compromising sound quality.

Features to consider

Atom Pro 2 doesn’t have a smartphone app or Bluetooth, but you still get a few standout features. There are four listening modes—conversation, restaurant, TV, and outdoor—which can be selected directly on the hearing aids. The physical controls are even more convenient than with Atom ONE, you choose a preferred mode by pressing and holding the button on the back of your earpiece until you hear a low-pitched beep.

In our opinion, sound quality is a noticeable step up from the Atom ONE. However, we wouldn’t expect miracles in busy environments. Separating voices may still be a difficult task in noisy situations. That said, we believe the outdoor mode reduces background noise the best.

The UV-cleaning charging case is a nice extra, too. It adds a convenient cleaning step while the hearing aids are charging.

So, who is Audien Atom Pro 2 best for?

If you want more control over your OTC hearing aids but still prefer a simple, phone-free experience, we recommend Audien Atom Pro 2. At $229, you’re getting four modes, strong battery life, and a discreet design. Just keep your expectations realistic around speech clarity in some conditions.

Audien Atom X review

Best high-tech, app-free model

Get Atom X

• Price: $311.20
• Battery life: Up to 48 hours
• Charging time: 3–4 hours
• Warranty and risk-free trial: 1-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee

If you like phone-like controls but don’t want to pay more than $500 for ION Pro 2, we suggest you take a closer look at Audien Atom X. It’s definitely one of the most feature-heavy models in Audien’s in-ear range, with its biggest selling point being the touchscreen built into the charging case.

We found this approach offers a nice middle ground. The relatively large touchscreen makes it easy to check the battery, change listening modes, and adjust volume, but you don’t need to keep your phone nearby or open an app every time you want to make a change.

Atom X has a discreet in-ear design, but it’s slightly different from Audien’s other models. It’s slimmer, which helps it look more hidden inside the ear, yet we found it less comfortable than Atom Pro 2. Still, the fit felt secure, so you shouldn’t worry about it slipping out during use.

Battery life is a little complicated. Audien advertises 48+ hours with the charging case, but we found around 12 hours of use from the hearing aids themselves if Bluetooth is on. That’s still enough for a day, but you’ll need to keep the case charged and on you all the time.

Features to consider

The touchscreen case is the star here. You can adjust volume from 1–10 levels, check battery and connection status, and choose between four modes: Comfort, Conversation, Crowd, and TV. There’s also Bluetooth for phone calls and audio streaming, plus background-noise cancellation.

Sound quality is the most similar to ION Pro 2, but it’s still difficult to understand speech direction in noisy environments. However, Bluetooth performance was great and we could clearly understand everything during phone calls.

So, who is Audien Atom X best for?

If you like touchscreen technology, but don’t want another app on your phone, we recommend Audien Atom X. You get Bluetooth, up to 48 hour battery life with charging case, four listening modes, and familiar controls.

Audien Atom Air review

Best lightweight OTC hearing aids

Get Atom Air

• Price: $119.20
• Battery life: Up to 24 hours
• Charging time: 2–4 hours
• Warranty and risk-free trial: 1-year warranty and 45-day money-back guarantee

The last Audien OTC hearing aid we selected is Atom Air. It’s a simple, entry-level option that sits alongside Atom ONE as one of the more affordable models in the lineup. So, why include it? For us, it comes down to the lightweight design.

All of Audien’s hearing aids are fairly discreet, but Atom Air felt particularly easy to wear. In our experience, the earpiece was so light that we barely noticed it in the ear. WIth some other in-ear models, you can start feeling pressure or ear fatigue after wearing them for several hours, much like with earbuds. We didn’t experience the same issue with Atom Air, making it one of the more comfortable options we tested.

Features to consider

Atom Air doesn't have the advanced features found on Audien’s more premium models. Instead, you get simple on-device controls, manual volume and frequency adjustments. Comfort is its main attraction.

When it comes to sound, we found Atom Air slightly better than Atom ONE. Background noise was still noticeable, though, and it could initially make conversations harder to follow. But, after adjusting the volume, the sound was more manageable.

So, who is Audien Atom Pro 2 best for?

If you want a lightweight, discreet hearing aid without apps, Bluetooth or complicated settings, Atom Air is worth considering. We think it makes the most sense as a straightforward first OTC hearing aid option, particularly if comfort is your priority.

What makes Audien’s OTC hearing aids meaningful?

Hearing loss can gradually make ordinary everyday interactions more difficult and tiring. And the impact doesn’t just stay confined to your ears. When following conversations becomes harder, you may start avoiding public spaces, group conversations, phone calls, or other situations where hearing takes extra effort. Over time, this may affect how connected and involved you feel in your everyday life.

A device like Audien’s OTC hearing aid won’t restore normal hearing, but it may help reduce some of the barriers between you and the sounds, conversations, and activities that matter.

Research on OTC-style hearing aids suggest they may provide meaningful benefits for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, although results vary between people and products. Still, we think the bigger picture is encouraging. Many studies show that hearing rehabilitation may improve social quality of life and participation, while reducing the feeling of loneliness. For us, that’s what makes affordable Audien hearing aids worth consideration.

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Are Audien hearing aids worth your attention?

Let’s be real, whether Audien hearing aids are worth considering depends on your needs and expectations. If you’re looking for professionally fitted prescription hearing aids for more significant hearing loss, OTC options like Audien aren’t the right choice.

For mild-to-moderate hearing difficulties, though, we absolutely believe Audien is worth a look. The biggest advantage is the price—you get a much more affordable alternative to prescription hearing aids, with several models to choose from depending on how much complexity you want. We also found some models comfortable enough for everyday use, although sound performance can vary depending on the environment and personal aspects.

Here’s how we’d choose:

• ION Pro 2—if you want advanced features, Bluetooth, and an app
• Atom ONE—if you want basic, budget-friendly OTC option
• Atom Pro 2—if you want simple controls with several listening modes
• Atom X—if you want touchscreen controls and Bluetooth without an app
• Atom Air—if lightweight comfort is your priority

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